[so this post is meant to have more pictures but my internet was not working with me. Enjoy!!]
This weekend us girls took a little vacation to one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen in my life up to this date.
We left El Tingo around 6:30 am Sunday morning with day packs & started the “2 hour” journey to Banos. 3 busses later we made it to Banos without a clue where to start.
First we found a hostel- with someone at the front desk who spoke some English and pointed us in the direction of some restaurants.
After some lunch we went out to price our adventures. Banos is a thrill seekers paradise; canyoning [i.e. rappelling down waterfalls] puenting, [bridge jumping], rafting & so much more. Also nice calm activities like volcano tours complete with a dance party, the banos [the hot springs] cable car rides & as we learned from some of our new Canadian friends- bird watching.
After the rest of our crew checked out prices we ended up back at the place Riddle & I had checked. Nice people, some English & all of their merchandise & business cards read “Jesus te Ama” so we took that as an extra sign that we had picked the right place.
We suited up
got harnessed & took off to rappel down some waterfalls.
At this point I had many emotions; excited, scared, peaceful, petrified, & in awe of the fact that I was going to rappel down waterfalls in Ecuador.
The first task though was to climb over rocks, bush-wacked through some leaves, trees & sticks, & then pull ourselves up to the top of the waterfall.
But I looked at that rope & I saw that I needed to pull myself up….
I can’t do this; I can’t keep up, this wet suit doesn’t zip, what I am even thinking?
Frustration, embarrassment & a severely bruised ego started to encroach my thought process.
But Dana & Serah wouldn’t have that. Serah coached me through climbing up the rope while Dana helped me & encouraged me from the behind.
I made it past trial one. 
I did the thing I thought I couldn’t do.
Deep Breath.
Next hill to climb; or should I say waterfall to go down.
I went third. I didn’t want to go first or last. Our guide strapped me in & coached me down the waterfall.
And I was even able to actually take my hands off the rope and take a picture.
But then I slipped. My feet slipped down & I had to figure out to get back into rappelling position. I took some yoga breaths & listened to my girls down at the bottom encouraging me along the way.
I fought off a ton of negative thought in my head. And I did it. And when the guide shouted “1-2-3” I let go & fell into the water.
Trial 2 done.
Next step was getting to the second waterfall- which was easier then getting to the first one- and then we found out we were just sliding down it. Which was hilarious and fun.
And then after going down our 3rd waterfall [or I like to call it the “and” to 1,2 & 3] we got locked in for the last one.
The last waterfall we did wasn’t the walk down rappelling- it was more of a let yourself fall.
And I won’t even try to mince words.
I freaked out.
I did ok at first; once I realized what was actually happening. But then my hand slipped a bit and I looked down.
Rocks.
Seriously?!
And it made me think–
How many times have I been in a ridiculously impossible situation- didn’t know where my next ten dollars was going to come from, didn’t know how I was going to get through without my friends, been in a deep hole of depression and just wanted to be done with life, how many times have I looked into the tunnel and all I have seen is rocks and darkness. All I could zoom in onwas the hurt, and the pain that was going to come.
And in the situations as I pull myself down [or in this case lower myself up] how many times are there people there that God has placed to help that I don’t even see?
As I slowly crept down that huge waterfall and tried to calm my heart I didn’t even notice that two of my teammates -Emily and Cassie- were there to catch me. I was fine. I was ok.
I was freaking out.
But I was completely fine.
Yes my ego was still bruised, I was a bit embarrassed.
But I was ok.
I had come out physically unharmed. I did something that scared me half to death.
I can say “this one time in Ecuador when I rappelled down some waterfalls”…
And realized that God places people in our lives to catch us
I’m going to be on the lookout for God this year in that way. I am going to see who God places to catch me or help pull me up. And I am going to remember to be open to being the person to catch others or help them up.
We had a great rest of our time in Banos. We made some new friends while on a dance party bus to the volcano, we ate at a fabulous restaurant, we cheered Cassie and Emily on as they jumped off bridges. And we made it to and from El Tingo almost effortlessly.
Thanks for your love and support- be on the lookout for a blog about our ministry in El Tingo. We start our trek to Peru tomorrow [friday] with all of NSquad!
