None of us knew what we were getting
ourselves into the day of July 1, 2009.
Here we are in South Africa on our end of
the month debrief – time to chill and relax for a few days after a month of
ministry.
the month debrief – time to chill and relax for a few days after a month of
ministry.
Liz Froba, Stephanie Chiu, Rebecca Billingsand I decided to take off and climb one of the three mountains that were
surrounding our camp sites. The guys had climbed them the previous two days and
we talked to Benny Viele about it and he said that it wasn’t that bad of a
hike. He really wanted to come with us but Stephanie insisted that he stay
behind, so he gave Liz directions on what paths to take to climb the mountain
and how to get back because we would have to climb down the second mountain in
order to come home. There was no way to climb down the mountain we were going
to climb up (the 1st mountain)- it would be too dangerous. He said our
adventure would probably take about 3 1/2 hours total.
Mind you, right before we left, I was in
long johns, jeans, tennis shoes, a tshirt and hoodie with a backpack that had
my water bottle, cheetos, gum, an orange, a banana, headlamp, hat, scarf,
gloves and camera. Benny laughed and told me to go change out of my long johns
and jeans into light weight maneuverable pants, no hoodie, take out my hat,
scarf and gloves and bring a wind breaker. He said I would be sweating and
there was no need for warm clothes. So I told Becca and we both changed. I took
off my long johns and put on light weight pants. I took out my hat, scarf and
gloves and for some reason threw in my rain jacket. When Becca asked what all I
had in my backpack and questioned why I was evening bringing a backpack, I told
her I had my headlamp in there and she laughed at me so I decided to throw that
out of my backpack at the last second as well.
So, we were finally ready for our hike! The
four of us left camp at 2:45pm. We were excited about the adventure ahead but
definitely didn’t have a clue about the journey that was about to unfold.
four of us left camp at 2:45pm. We were excited about the adventure ahead but
definitely didn’t have a clue about the journey that was about to unfold.
(Steph Chiu, Liz, Me, Becca)
We started off walking through a meadow
with extremely tall grass which felt like straw. We were able to follow the
path that the guys had blazed the previous 2 days for awhile. I then began to
realize that I am really out of shape. I like to hike and I’ve gone hiking a
lot before, but nothing this major. I woke up the past 3 days looking at these
mountains, knowing very well how big and steep they were…but for some reason
I just assumed I could conquer them with no problem.
with extremely tall grass which felt like straw. We were able to follow the
path that the guys had blazed the previous 2 days for awhile. I then began to
realize that I am really out of shape. I like to hike and I’ve gone hiking a
lot before, but nothing this major. I woke up the past 3 days looking at these
mountains, knowing very well how big and steep they were…but for some reason
I just assumed I could conquer them with no problem.
We stopped several times along the way to
take pics and to just marvel at the awe and beauty of God’s creation. The view
was incredible. There was at one point a time we had to climb under a barbed
wire fence.
take pics and to just marvel at the awe and beauty of God’s creation. The view
was incredible. There was at one point a time we had to climb under a barbed
wire fence.
At this point, we were supposed to follow the fence up the rest of
the mountain (which was the steepest point), but we didn’t remember this fact
so we decided to climb straight up the mountain instead.
the mountain (which was the steepest point), but we didn’t remember this fact
so we decided to climb straight up the mountain instead.
The moment I looked
back behind me, I was almost instantly terrified. I thought to myself,
“what have we got ourselves into!?” but I also knew that God was with
us and that we would be just fine and we would make it to the top of the
mountain no matter how long it took. We were all encouraging each other and
helping boost each other up the mountain. Stephanie Chui (our fearless warrior
who is on Team Luminous) kept taking pictures while climbing the mountain, no
matter how steep we were. She said, “We don’t need Benny! The reason all 3
of you are on all girl teams is because you don’t need any guys to help
you!” It was pretty funny.
back behind me, I was almost instantly terrified. I thought to myself,
“what have we got ourselves into!?” but I also knew that God was with
us and that we would be just fine and we would make it to the top of the
mountain no matter how long it took. We were all encouraging each other and
helping boost each other up the mountain. Stephanie Chui (our fearless warrior
who is on Team Luminous) kept taking pictures while climbing the mountain, no
matter how steep we were. She said, “We don’t need Benny! The reason all 3
of you are on all girl teams is because you don’t need any guys to help
you!” It was pretty funny.
However, the mountain kept getting steeper
and steeper to where we eventually were on all fours climbing through thick
weeds/grass that felt like straw. There were also pickers and thorn bushes,
trees and bushes all over. At one point I felt something on the small of my
back and lifted my shirt up and there was a tick or some sort of bug crawling
under my clothes.
and steeper to where we eventually were on all fours climbing through thick
weeds/grass that felt like straw. There were also pickers and thorn bushes,
trees and bushes all over. At one point I felt something on the small of my
back and lifted my shirt up and there was a tick or some sort of bug crawling
under my clothes.
Liz was leading us most of the way until
she came to a point when we were nearing the top of the mountain that it got so
steep and we realized that we did not go
the right way but there was no way to go back down because we were at such a
steep point. We were stuck. We could only go up
from where we were.
she came to a point when we were nearing the top of the mountain that it got so
steep and we realized that we did not go
the right way but there was no way to go back down because we were at such a
steep point. We were stuck. We could only go up
from where we were.
So Stephanie Chui decides to book it up past everyone and
just go through the one little crevice that was
at the top of the mountain.
just go through the one little crevice that was
at the top of the mountain.
She was pretty much fearless the entire journey.
She was the one that strongly encouraged Benny NOT to come with us on our
hiking adventure. Liz, Becca and I all wanted Benny to come because he had
climbed these mountains the previous 2 days and knew the route. So Stephanie
climbs up and makes it to the top of the mountain, finally!
She was the one that strongly encouraged Benny NOT to come with us on our
hiking adventure. Liz, Becca and I all wanted Benny to come because he had
climbed these mountains the previous 2 days and knew the route. So Stephanie
climbs up and makes it to the top of the mountain, finally!
Liz then followed
and Becca and I were close together. I was in front of her scared to death. I
only felt comfortable with her right under me. I had a hard time zig zagging my
way up the mountain so I pretty much just climbed it straight up. But that only
worked for so long because the crevice that we had to get to was more to my
left. I came to a point where I climbed
straight up to a huge boulder in the side of the mountain. When I got to it, I
hugged it and turned to look back. I couldn’t believe my eyes. We were so high
up and we were on such a steep incline. I started crying because I became very
fearful. I told Becca that I was starting to get terrified and this was the
closest to hyperventilating that I have ever been. She told me I was doing
great and reassured me that we would be at the top really soon. So I gathered
my tears and contained myself and prayed (I had been praying nonstop the entire
way up actually). I tried to find my footing and had to side shift under the
rock and move to my left..which I was NOT comfortable doing. I ONLY felt
comfortable climbing straight up, not sideways. So this was extremely
challenging, but Becca helped me with my footing as I tried to stay focused on
where I was placing my hands and feet. We were on all fours trekking up the
mountain.
and Becca and I were close together. I was in front of her scared to death. I
only felt comfortable with her right under me. I had a hard time zig zagging my
way up the mountain so I pretty much just climbed it straight up. But that only
worked for so long because the crevice that we had to get to was more to my
left. I came to a point where I climbed
straight up to a huge boulder in the side of the mountain. When I got to it, I
hugged it and turned to look back. I couldn’t believe my eyes. We were so high
up and we were on such a steep incline. I started crying because I became very
fearful. I told Becca that I was starting to get terrified and this was the
closest to hyperventilating that I have ever been. She told me I was doing
great and reassured me that we would be at the top really soon. So I gathered
my tears and contained myself and prayed (I had been praying nonstop the entire
way up actually). I tried to find my footing and had to side shift under the
rock and move to my left..which I was NOT comfortable doing. I ONLY felt
comfortable climbing straight up, not sideways. So this was extremely
challenging, but Becca helped me with my footing as I tried to stay focused on
where I was placing my hands and feet. We were on all fours trekking up the
mountain.
There was no way I could look back or look down because that’s when I
would start to really freak out.
would start to really freak out.
After some time we finally made it up to the
top. Praise God!! I was FINALLY on level, stable ground. I felt 99% better
being on level ground. The view was incredible. It was now 4:45pm. It took us 2
hours to climb up.
top. Praise God!! I was FINALLY on level, stable ground. I felt 99% better
being on level ground. The view was incredible. It was now 4:45pm. It took us 2
hours to climb up.
We decided to have a few of our snacks – cheetos and a banana!
The sun set at around 5:30pm so we decided that we better
start booking it to the 2nd mountain knowing that we had to go over to that one
to get down and back to camp.
start booking it to the 2nd mountain knowing that we had to go over to that one
to get down and back to camp.
So we followed the road until it turned
into a trail. We followed that trail right to the 2nd mountain.
into a trail. We followed that trail right to the 2nd mountain.
The trail then
opened up into a road again. We followed the road for a long time and heard
wild packs of dogs off in the distance the entire time. The guys told us they
had come across the dogs at one point in their journey. I was hoping we would
not run into them (which we didn’t, thank goodness). We then realized that the
road did not go down the mountain and we had to try to find a trail or path to
get down this 2nd mountain. By this time, the sun is setting and the half moon
has now become our only source of light. I began to kick myself for taking my headlamp
out at the last minute. None of us had lights. Luckily I had my rain jacket for
Becca to put on because she was freezing in just her t-shirt. None of us
thought we would still be on top of the mountain at dark. We all assumed that
this hike would have ended well before dark. Boy were we wrong.
opened up into a road again. We followed the road for a long time and heard
wild packs of dogs off in the distance the entire time. The guys told us they
had come across the dogs at one point in their journey. I was hoping we would
not run into them (which we didn’t, thank goodness). We then realized that the
road did not go down the mountain and we had to try to find a trail or path to
get down this 2nd mountain. By this time, the sun is setting and the half moon
has now become our only source of light. I began to kick myself for taking my headlamp
out at the last minute. None of us had lights. Luckily I had my rain jacket for
Becca to put on because she was freezing in just her t-shirt. None of us
thought we would still be on top of the mountain at dark. We all assumed that
this hike would have ended well before dark. Boy were we wrong.
It was now 6pm. This was the time that the
entire squad was eating dinner, in which tonight was a bbq cookout with
hamburgers and french fries. At this point we didnt even care we were missing
out on food. Our situation was getting pretty serious now (even though
Stephanie STILL doesn’t think it was ever serious). None of us were dressed for
warmth or had enough gear to stay the night on the top of this mountain. We had
plenty of water and I had cheetos and an orange left (I always have food). We
have been gone for about 3 1/2 hours and the sun was down. We decided that the
smartest thing to do would be to just sit in the road on the 2nd mountain where
we KNEW that the guys had been to before and just sit and wait. At this point
we knew that Benny would come get us. We didn’t know WHEN he would come for us,
but we knew for sure that he was probably really worried by now and would come
rescue us. So the 4 of us sat down and huddled in a circle to keep warm.
entire squad was eating dinner, in which tonight was a bbq cookout with
hamburgers and french fries. At this point we didnt even care we were missing
out on food. Our situation was getting pretty serious now (even though
Stephanie STILL doesn’t think it was ever serious). None of us were dressed for
warmth or had enough gear to stay the night on the top of this mountain. We had
plenty of water and I had cheetos and an orange left (I always have food). We
have been gone for about 3 1/2 hours and the sun was down. We decided that the
smartest thing to do would be to just sit in the road on the 2nd mountain where
we KNEW that the guys had been to before and just sit and wait. At this point
we knew that Benny would come get us. We didn’t know WHEN he would come for us,
but we knew for sure that he was probably really worried by now and would come
rescue us. So the 4 of us sat down and huddled in a circle to keep warm.
We
busted out the cheetos and water and a pen and notebook that Stephanie Chui had
in her backpack. Liz and I took turns yelling “BENNNY!!!” at the top
of our lungs because we were convinced he was well on his way to come get us.
Sure enough, around 6:25pm I yelled Benny’s name again and we heard a response
back! We then saw Benny come over the face of the mountain and he was walking
toward us with his headlamp, some extra layers of clothing for us to wear, a
loaf of bread and some water.
busted out the cheetos and water and a pen and notebook that Stephanie Chui had
in her backpack. Liz and I took turns yelling “BENNNY!!!” at the top
of our lungs because we were convinced he was well on his way to come get us.
Sure enough, around 6:25pm I yelled Benny’s name again and we heard a response
back! We then saw Benny come over the face of the mountain and he was walking
toward us with his headlamp, some extra layers of clothing for us to wear, a
loaf of bread and some water.
We were soo thankful that he was finally here to
get us – all but Steph Chui. She had stated earlier that she would be so
embarrassed if Benny had to come get us and bring us down the mountain. She
wanted to walk all the way back to the first mountain..in the moonlight and climb
down the way we came up which the 3 of us flat out refused to do because it
would have been an extremely stupid move. So that is why we ended up staying
put because it was 3 to 1 and we KNEW that Benny would come to get us. We just
hoped that he would come sooner than later so we didn’t freeze to death.
get us – all but Steph Chui. She had stated earlier that she would be so
embarrassed if Benny had to come get us and bring us down the mountain. She
wanted to walk all the way back to the first mountain..in the moonlight and climb
down the way we came up which the 3 of us flat out refused to do because it
would have been an extremely stupid move. So that is why we ended up staying
put because it was 3 to 1 and we KNEW that Benny would come to get us. We just
hoped that he would come sooner than later so we didn’t freeze to death.
I just wanted to get back to sea level. I
was so sick of being so high up and fearful of the way in which we would have
to get down. So we all followed Benny and he informed us that the only way to go
down the mountain was over the rock face which was extremely steep. I tried not
to panic all over again.
was so sick of being so high up and fearful of the way in which we would have
to get down. So we all followed Benny and he informed us that the only way to go
down the mountain was over the rock face which was extremely steep. I tried not
to panic all over again.
I did not feel comfortable at all standing on just my
two feet going down the mountain so I slid on my butt pretty much all the way
down. Liz and Steph went ahead and Benny was in front of me and Becca behind
me. Becca and I felt most comfortable (or atleast stable) crab crawling down
the rock face. It killed our knees after about 40 minutes of doing this, but at
that point I didn’t care how much it hurt or how many pickers I was getting in
my hands or how numb my fingers were from the cold – I just wanted to make it
down the mountain in one piece. Benny was of great help and comfort. When the
incline wasn’t as steep, we both stood up and Benny took both of our hands and
the 3 of us held hands and walked down the mountain the rest of the way.
two feet going down the mountain so I slid on my butt pretty much all the way
down. Liz and Steph went ahead and Benny was in front of me and Becca behind
me. Becca and I felt most comfortable (or atleast stable) crab crawling down
the rock face. It killed our knees after about 40 minutes of doing this, but at
that point I didn’t care how much it hurt or how many pickers I was getting in
my hands or how numb my fingers were from the cold – I just wanted to make it
down the mountain in one piece. Benny was of great help and comfort. When the
incline wasn’t as steep, we both stood up and Benny took both of our hands and
the 3 of us held hands and walked down the mountain the rest of the way.
The
entire time I was praying and thanking and praising God that we were climbing
down the mountain in the darkness because there would be no way I would ever
climb down that rock face in the daylight – with as high up as we were and with
the steepness – I would have freaked out for sure. In the dark, we could see no
depth and could only see a few feet in front of us at a time. I KNEW that we
were extremely high up and I could obviously tell what kind of incline we were
on but I wasn’t having to see the height or depth for over an hour while slowly
inching our way down.
entire time I was praying and thanking and praising God that we were climbing
down the mountain in the darkness because there would be no way I would ever
climb down that rock face in the daylight – with as high up as we were and with
the steepness – I would have freaked out for sure. In the dark, we could see no
depth and could only see a few feet in front of us at a time. I KNEW that we
were extremely high up and I could obviously tell what kind of incline we were
on but I wasn’t having to see the height or depth for over an hour while slowly
inching our way down.
It was at this point that I realized why
this area was called “Prayer Mountain.” I have never prayed so much
in my life! God was constantly with me and I was at peace most of the time. I
was just so anxious to get down the mountain.
We finally made it down the mountain to the
road which was at the bottom and led back to camp – PRAISE GOD! As we were
walking down the road, I thought I heard someone yelling and sure enough there
was a car that pulled around the corner with Tonya, Jen and Dave (the squad
leaders) in it roaming the camp looking for us. They were soo happy to find us.
They had warm blankets and clothes for us. They told us that they had sent out
2 groups of guys to go look for us. One group of 4 guys headed toward the 1st
mountain (the one we climbed up) and another group of 4 guys went the back way
and headed toward the 2nd mountain (the one we climbed down). We finally got
back to camp around 7:30pm – almost 5 hours later. At this point we had been
hiking for well over 4 hours. We were exhausted, dirty and aching.
road which was at the bottom and led back to camp – PRAISE GOD! As we were
walking down the road, I thought I heard someone yelling and sure enough there
was a car that pulled around the corner with Tonya, Jen and Dave (the squad
leaders) in it roaming the camp looking for us. They were soo happy to find us.
They had warm blankets and clothes for us. They told us that they had sent out
2 groups of guys to go look for us. One group of 4 guys headed toward the 1st
mountain (the one we climbed up) and another group of 4 guys went the back way
and headed toward the 2nd mountain (the one we climbed down). We finally got
back to camp around 7:30pm – almost 5 hours later. At this point we had been
hiking for well over 4 hours. We were exhausted, dirty and aching.
We were
united with the entire squad, as they were singing and worshipping as we made
our return entrance. We were embraced with lots of hugs and love. They saved us
some hamburgers and fries (YES!) and we all inhaled our dinner. I can’t tell
you how amazing it felt to be back at camp. I kept telling Becca as we were
crab crawling down the mountain in pain that as soon as we got back to camp we
could take nice long hot showers and get some food. And that we did. It never
felt better. Needless to say neither of us slept that night. I had nightmares
and dreamt of snakes and Becca re-lived the entire journey in her head all
night long. So at 4:30am we decided to watch Beauty and the Beast together. I
think we have bonded more this past month than ever. It has been our most
favorite debrief together and we now have a story to share in which we can tell
our grandkids!
united with the entire squad, as they were singing and worshipping as we made
our return entrance. We were embraced with lots of hugs and love. They saved us
some hamburgers and fries (YES!) and we all inhaled our dinner. I can’t tell
you how amazing it felt to be back at camp. I kept telling Becca as we were
crab crawling down the mountain in pain that as soon as we got back to camp we
could take nice long hot showers and get some food. And that we did. It never
felt better. Needless to say neither of us slept that night. I had nightmares
and dreamt of snakes and Becca re-lived the entire journey in her head all
night long. So at 4:30am we decided to watch Beauty and the Beast together. I
think we have bonded more this past month than ever. It has been our most
favorite debrief together and we now have a story to share in which we can tell
our grandkids!
Through this adventure I realized:
* I can make smart decisions when it comes
to survival
to survival
* I am not Bear Grylls
* God was with me the entire time and I
knew everything would be just fine
knew everything would be just fine
* Holy cow, I can climb mountains!
