Day 14: Hiking Day

Hiking day is probably my favorite day of camp and many of our team would probably say the same thing. Since it was so hot yesterday, I was actually worried all 200 of us would be miserable for 4-6 hours out in the sun. However, the weather was amazing. We had a slight breeze which made the hike up the mountain even better. We loaded up on four buses and headed to Prevalle which is about an hour and a half. This is amazing because the first year we had a team come over here, there was only one bus. The second year there were two buses. The third year there were three buses. And yes, we have now graduated to four buses. Even though I only came last year, I have seen the growth that has happened in just one year and I cannot help but be in AWE of our creator. 

This year I got to be the leader of the hike since I went to the top last year, but this year we decided to go to the waterfall instead of just to the top which made my hike a little stressful at points. We had to go up the mountain a different way due to the change in the purpose of the hike. As we hiked, we became like goats and climbed. On our way we crossed rivers, climbed over rocks, saw a flock of sheep, and finally ended up at a beautiful waterfall after about an hour and a half. Along the way we stopped a few time before we reached the waterfall. For a few minutes our world seemed to stop as we became overwhelmed with the presence of someone much greater than ourselves. In these moments some of the students were able to have some deep conversations about creation and our creator. Hiking day always gives us the ability to spend some solid one on one time with some of our new friends, which allows us to do what we have been called here to do. After resting in the beauty for a while we trekked back down the mountain, a different/easier way this time, and got back on the bus to head back home. 

While most of the group hiked, there was a group who stayed back at our "base camp" and sang, played games, and talked. Each of our students has a story about what he/she experienced which will probably be one of the most memorable experiences of this epic trip.