This past weekend, Tyler and I took a group of 8 students who are involved in our small group Bible studies to climb Mt. Kenya! It was seriously such an incredible trip! 6 guys & 2 freshmen girls from Rosslyn Academy. We had so many great conversations on the mountain, and many memories and inside jokes were made. The trip was unforgettable as we experience God's beauty in creation, and hiked through Mt. Kenya National Park. God's faithfulness continues to amaze me as each student made it to the summit, without any complaining...
summit: 16,355 ft!
Loading up the big blue van before a send-off prayer at Rosslyn. So excited for the trek!
These guys are AWESOME.
Mt. Kenya gate
Tyler and Wesley
The boys found a random tractor on the path... haha
Mary Shea and Tia are in my small group Bible study- they were troopers this weekend!
Crossing the river
Starling- his orange wings are pretty!
noodles and veggies for lunch (:
summit!!! absolutely breathtaking.
Tia was a STUD this weekend. Even though she had a bloody nose, extreme fatigue, altitude sickness, was carrying a backpack, along with everything else, she made it to the top without any complaining! So proud of her!
The morning of the summit, we all woke up at 2:00a and began hiking at 2:30a! Hiking in the dark is an adventure of itself, as we are hiking on steep ridges and cliffs with only a headlamp and the stars overhead guiding us. We managed to make it to the summit around 7:00a. Without hardly any sleep, the girls still had a smile and a positive attitude the whole time!
It was so cold that even my backpack and water bottle were frozen over!
lunch at the caves
Stephen and our guide, John.
me and Tyler on day 2 of the hike
God's creative and detailed designs in nature amaze me.
Stephen turned 17 the day we started the hike!! Happy Birthday Stephen!!
After a long day of hiking, nothing tastes better than popcorn, biscuits, and some Kenyan chai tea to warm you up at the campsite! (:
The whole gang at the end of the week- exhausted! But smiling because we all made it!
We ate at the Trout Tree restaurant on the way back to Nairobi in celebration of the huge feat we had accomplished together as a group! The restaurant is a big tree house, filled with monkeys in each tree, hyraxes, and a fresh trout farm. So cool. We had a fun time exploring, trying not to get attacked by monkeys (haha), and relaxing after a long weekend. (:
Mount Kenya was an incredible and unforgettable trip. I am so thankful for this "mountain top" experience and opportunity to grow closer to God with these students. As I was climbing the mountain I was reminded of Christ's infinite love for me... that his creation declares his name and praise. And even though he is the creator of the universe, he still loves me and each one of us intimately, and cares about the details of our lives. He is patient with us, like I had to be patient with some of the students as we hiked the long and winding trails. Even when we go slow, don't understand something, we can't see the way, He walks alongside us daily. He is our guide on the mountain of life, showing us the correct route to take. Even through the struggle of it all, with legs burning from fatigue, short on breath because of the altitude, backs straining and weary due to the weight and heaviness of our pack, he promises that he will never leave us. He is our guide. He is our help, our reason for perseverance in the race, our protector and sustainer. He carries our load- his burden is easy and yoke is light. He is patient and abounding in love. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise!
"I lift my eyes up to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip-
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you-
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm-
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore."
Psalm 121
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