|
|
This past month has been the most overwhelming period of time in my life. We’ve jam-packed an adventure into one month that if it were up to me would take a year complete. It has wisped by so quickly I feel almost as if RAD should be over by now, or at least I know I’ll have quite a bit of retrospect when this adventure really does end. Upon getting here, our first week was really laid-back and was really centered around “setting the stage” for the course of RAD. We did this by laying ground-rules, foundations, essentials, making covenants and learning outdoor ethics and first-which prepared us for the outward-bound-style first three months. At the beginning of the next week, we were instructed to pack our bags with ten weeks worth of belongings in addition to hiking gear, which we knew we needed as they handed us external-frame hiking bags. We proceeded to the parking lot with our heads down at the thought of all that we had left behind only to find that we had provided gear, with which we then had to re-pack our belongs with what was provided. This was especially uncomfortable for me, as I outfitted myself for tim-buk-two before RAD and I could use absolutely none of the gear. This turned out for the better because it pushed me to a platform to take faith and joy in God, rather than the things I possess. It was a harsh lesson in humility and contentment as I had a superior attitude toward the rest of the team and not that I learned it perfectly, but it has helped me take Philippians 4:11-13 attitude.
The AT was one of the best, yet often worse times of my life. The hardest lesson I came to learn there and still am learning now is how to be team, rather than individually minded. I am the only child at home, and my parents work all day, so who am I to be concerned about, but myself? However, coming to RAD, there are nine other people with nine different sets of needs that are not my own. On the AT, this came in to play with fitness differences and comfort boundaries. It forced me to a place to cooperate and respect others rather than to leave them in the dust. With the many situations, where these learning curves were exposed, it showed me really how selfish and single-minded I am and how that is contrary to a servant-heart in Christ. So, when I say it was one the worst experiences of my life, it was facing myself and cornering the beast of the flesh for what it is and realizing I’m not as far along as I thought. The AT and other adventures in this past month have brought a lot of negative attributes to the surface, which dishearten me to notice and see in play.
After having been on the AT for thirteen days, we were surprised with kayaks, which we put into the Etowah River and headed for unknown destination with two hours of light. We arrived precisely at dark at ranked our kayaks up a muddy incline a plunged down an unknown trail in the dark in an unknown area. We then were told this was our new residence for x-amount of time, so until we could erect shelters the next day, we set up tents with ponchos. The next day, we were presented with the task of constructing a 100’ rope bridge and hauling every last object we pulled out of our trailer, which the staff drove on site. This task was very difficult for me because it showed me how negatively I work with a team. I realized how over-bearing I am with my opinions and ideas and how unwilling I am to risk the initiation of someone else’s idea for fear it will smash my idealistic completion of the task. Again, this showed me just how single-minded and selfish I am. This task threw a lot of negative programming between the five us on the table. Although it wasn’t pretty, it was good to take what was brought up to the Father for healing. We then tore down our rope bridge and our campsite as a curveball was thrown at us that we were leaving the site to embark on a new adventure. This new adventure was the most memorable for me. As we’re leaving the site, our director, Rob informs us that we are kayaking across Lake Lanier to an unknown destination and with certain circumstances, absolutely no gear except a sleeping pad, poncho, and an MRE. We landed our kayaks at a point on the lake and made a makeshift camp. By the way, I forgot to mention it had been raining for two days straight and we kayaked in under threatening skies. So, we’re woken up at an ungodly hour with and ungodly force of rain, which got us soaked. We all then shot out of “bed” and made a fire at 5:30 in the morning and shared a meager portion of dry ramen noodles with each other before our departure. We launched back into the lake about 10 and Rob pulls of not even a quarter mile from our launch point and informs us we are to stop and hike this certain hill for cover. At the top, we find out the location was our new residence, where we were to construct a bamboo village. This greatly shocked me because, while having known previous RAD students and their courses, I thought this was no longer a portion of RAD’s course, however I was obviously wrong. The next day, our fire was stoked as we has a time-limit with building our common area shelter, with which the added stress brought even more junk to the surface. Again, it isn’t pretty to see, nor to face, but it isn’t up to me to heal it—thank you, Jesus.
I forgot to mention our adventure between the river and our present location, which was a surprise rock-climbing trip to Liville Gorge Wilderness, North Carolina, or for you RAD graduates, “Table Rock.” This was the most significant and impacting part of the adventure thus far for me, which surprisingly I forgot to mention earlier in this blog. Linville Gorge is special to me because it was my first outdoor experience and also where I met God, which is another story. Anyhow, I finally was able to climb there and it was one of the most overcoming experiences of my life because I never thought I could push myself at such a height. Doing that climb was contrary to everything I’ve ever believed about myself and the Holy Spirit removed so many fears and doubts, which I took in. The place also had a new feeling about it, which I didn’t experience on any previous trips. For some reason the sunrises, sunsets, and mountain vistas had such great significance this time around---like God was really there. I also had a near-death experience, which occurs each time I go there. This time I almost plummeted to my death, while climbing back up the side of a cliff by myself after retrieving my digital camera.
Well, this has been my journey thus far, but it is far from over. Please pray for strength to continue to face ungodly and negative programming and come to the Father for healing. Pray for more financial and prayer support and that God would alert the surrounding Body of Christ to our team and our journey. I know this journey isn’t easy, but it is the time of my life and I really enjoy everyone here and the once-in-a-lifetime things that I’m doing. So, God bless all of you and I’ll write again soon.
