FundaVida Backpacking Expedition!

When they first mentioned the idea of a 3-day backpacking trip in the mountains, you could say I was less than thrilled.  Hiking with a 50 lb. pack on my back is certainly not my idea of a fun way to spend the weekend.  And all the somewhat "girly-girls" of the FundaVida youth leadership/discipleship group agreed.  But after a meeting where two of my biggest fears were assuaged--(1)  what to do in case of an emergency, and almost equally as important, (2) would there be a bathroom?...I decided to "put on my happy face" and at the next youth leader meeting encouraged the girls that if I could do it, then they could to!

In mid-January we headed to the mountains for a 3-day adventure.  The packs were heavier than I could have imagined, to my dismay it did rain the whole first day, and I fell more than I would like to admit, but a few absolutely beautiful (dare I say, miraculous) things happened that I would like to share...

The first thing, and why I use the word miraculous, is that God gave me a good attitude about the trip.  I was prepared to fight my emotions the whole way--fight not wanting to be there, fight being frustrated with the wet and cold, fight the claustrophobia of tight quarters and lack of personal space, fight being annoyed with falling about 5,000 times.  But what I found was at each new challenge, God gave me great peace and a calm spirit and heart.  I even enjoyed most of the trip!  This was certainly ALL from God because nothing in me was excited about or looking forward to the physical conditions we would face.

Cooking dinner with Kimberly and Jennifer.  

The second beautiful thing that happened was the way in which the kids worked together as a team.  They were presented with challenge after challenge, everything from planning a menu, hiking in the rain, getting lost, setting up camp, and helping each other along the way, and each challenge they met with amazing attitudes, excellent compromising and team work, and generous hearts to help those (ahem, like me) who weren't quite as physically capable.  They really bonded as a group and experienced a type of community/family that is hard to come by in the places they live and grow up in.  The character that is being formed through this discipleship group is amazing!

Getting a helping hand so I didn't fall going down a 

steep slope hiking in the rain with a 50 lb. backpack!

The third thing was the way we all connected deeply with the devotions about Jesus as a servant and how He demonstrated leadership by serving.  This was a somewhat revolutionary idea to these leaders-in-training who see "leadership" in their families and communities by force/oppression or money or material possessions.  Leadership in their communities isn't earned through consistency, hard work, character, and serving, rather it is taken by being stronger, faster, scarier/more intimidating, or stealing.  But we were all humbled to learn that Jesus gained respect by protecting the weak, standing up to those who ruled by fear or compulsion, and giving generously of His time, love and grace.

Aris and Yoselyn preparing lunch (tuna and bean sandwiches)

beside the waterfall before bible study.

Cooling off beside a beautiful waterfall on a 7-hour hike 

the second day of the trip.

The absolute most beautiful and awe-inspiring moment of the trip happened at the very end, though.  After two days of eating simply, sleeping in hammocks, fighting the elements, and hiking with heavy packs, the kids faced their biggest challenge yet:  creating a platform to carry all their packs on out of logs and rope for the final half mile of the hike.  Our guide had told us it was extremely physically challenging and as leaders our challenge was to remain silent, let them do it alone, and walk behind praying for them along the way.  About 50 yards into the journey, it was evident the physical strain the kids were under.  I leaned over to another leader and said, "It's like dropping off your son or daughter on the first day of kindergarten!  I just want to step in and help them!"  It was so hard to watch them stumble under the weight, cry out in distress and shed tears from the logs digging into their shoulders.  

One of the guys, Diego, perhaps the strongest physically-speaking, suggested they pray and they prayed together, encouraging each other along the way.  When they took their final steps and were able to set down the platform they all fell to the ground in exhaustion, hanging their heads low.  Our guide commended them for their perseverance and said he hadn't seen a group as unified and successful in the exercise yet, and that they had no reason to hang their heads.  He asked if anyone wanted to share.  Several commented that they thought of Christ carrying the cross to Calgary and that the weight they had to carry, and the distance they were made to carry it, was nothing compared to what He did for them.  More tears came as this reality sunk in.  One girl commented that she would tell her grandkids about this day--what they accomplished together.  

I was so humbled by their perseverance, their tremendous strength as a team, and their love for one another and the God that had helped them the whole way.  The trip had a huge impact on each one of these young leaders, and me as well.  They are being trained to be lights in the darkness of the communities they live in and to fight each day the temptation to give in to the numerous challenges they face, but with the love and support of the FundaVida community and a God big enough to help them reach their goals, their lives are being transformed and impacting all those around them.  To see more pictures from the trip, visit my Facebook page.