This is Victory! These are the faces of Victory…these contagious smiles and deep brown joy filled eyes. They are Victory…Our Victory! We climbed Kilimanjaro together for one fight, for one cause…the Missions of Hope children in Kenya.
When I say Victory, I don’t just mean the mountain top. Sure, the mountain top is unbelievably amazing! But, for me, this Victory has little to do with the top of the Mountain and everything about the journey to get there.
Our journey through life shouldn’t be alone. One does not climb a mountain alone either.
We were a band of twenty-seven, brothers (and sisters) joined together to fight the same fight. A band of brothers who stood arm in arm and marched up the Mountain, literally. In fact, the best part of the journey was that we went together.
Much of my life I acted as if everything was always fine. Pretending I could handle anything on my own. As a result, I had no deep, meaningful relationships. And I went along just fine, thank you, until I hit the Wall.
You know, “the Wall.” That point in your life, when you just can’t do it alone. My pastor, Rick Grover recently said these words, “The Wall is necessary in order for us to grow.” But I had noone to scale, The Wall, with me.
If two are better than one, and a three-strand cord is not easily broken, then what does that make twenty-seven? Twenty-seven times the power? Twenty-seven times the encouragement, determination and resolve.
I wish I could tell you I powered up that Mountain like a rock star. But that would be a total lie. In my life and in my writing, I strive to be honest, authentic and vulnerable.
So here’s the real story. The story my facebook posted pictures don’t tell.
My climb was filled with nausea, puking, dizziness, hallucinations, falling asleep while walking, more puking. I was quite the walking disaster. Each of us had our own journey, but mine was a fight, a battle every single step.
If I am honest, I wanted to be the “encourager” on the Mountain. I want to be the one who provides for others. Sometimes we don’t get the role we want, but we get the role we need. It was my job to humbly accept the help as others came alongside of me.
Vulnerability is not a place I love, physically or emotionally. I don’t like to accept help. Most of my life, I have been a pull yourself up by your own boot straps kinda girl. My favorite boxing tee-shirt declares, “Suck it up, Buttercup!”
Half way up the Mountain, after almost six hours of climbing in the dark, I was done. Ready to give up, throw in the towel, wave high the white flag of surrender. I was sick on and off, falling asleep each time our line stopped.
Erik calls out to me, “Kristen, do you like Garth Brooks?” My brain wants to respond but my mouth cannot engage the words. Erik’s encouragement came as he begins to sing, “I’ve Got Friends in Low Places.” Funny to me now, but I truly was in a low, low place and Erik’s song kept me climbing.
And repeatedly, I hear, more encouragers, Barry and William, call out to me, “You’re doing great…keep going!” Their words fill me with life and hope. I want to be an encourager!
If I am being authentic, I admit I wanted to be the “guide” on the Mountain. Guides, like Ray, Barry, William and Bruce, who kept my feet on the right path.
Several times, in my dizziness and sleepiness, I completely miss the switchback or teeter ever so slightly too far to the left. It’s not like I would fall off the Mountain, but I certainly would have hurt myself. When I pressed for details, I learned, Barry had redirected my “missteps” at least 25-30 times that night.
It didn’t matter how much I trained. Sick, in the pitch black dark on the side of a Mountain in the middle of Africa, I was afraid. The only visible light was from the amber glow of our headlamps. The only thing I could see was the very next step in front of me.
Fear grips me and I desperately want someone to follow. It was Ray, who would be my guide. Ray has been up Kilimanjaro five times and he provides for me experienced steps to follow. After only a few minutes of following, its immediate comfort. I feel safe, following in the steps of someone who has walked the path before. I want to be a guide!
Truthfully, I wanted to be a “nurturer” on the Mountain. Each time I stop, someone’s strong hand grips my shoulder. Dr. Jeff, Dr. Steve, Ray and William are there to care for me.
There is nothing more vulnerable than being physically ill and unable to care for yourself. I am a grown adult with my own children, I still want my mom when I am sick. But puking on the side of a mountain in Africa, my mom is almost 8000 miles away. Never have I needed that strong hand more.
As I am regaining my composure, I hear the three of them talking, reviewing, and evaluating. Dr. Jeff, Dr. Steve and Ray were providing everything they knew to get me to the Top of the Mountain. I want to be a nurturer.
I have countless stories of our whole team encouraging, guiding and nurturing one another. But much of the time, we just climbed along next to one another in silence…becoming brothers born through adversity. In the end, God gave us each an incredible Mountain story. He provided for all twenty-seven of us in different and unique ways.
For me, part of HIS provision was a band of brothers without whom, I would not know the Victory of the journey.
But our journey is not finished, not just yet.
Our Team of mission minded climbers unified around a singular passion, climb Kilimanjaro to build six new classrooms at the Missions of Hope School in Napuu, Kenya, so that 240 more children can attend school.
Our Team goal was to raise $150,000 and as of today, we are still $9,000 short.
It can be both agonizing and frustrating to be just shy of the Summit. Our team stands at Gillman’s Point struck in awe as the curvature of the earth becomes visible through the rising of the sun. It is two more long hours to Uhuru Peak. I am ready to quit. Exhausted and unsure if I can continue, it was the words of our guide, Bruce that spur us on, “We’ve come too far to go back now!”
Truer words have never been spoken.
This time, for these children, I am NOT ready to quit. Our Team is not ready to quit, but we need your help to make it. Together, we are twenty seven times the power, times all of you! There is still time to donate.
Please join us and band together to make one final push to the Summit for these children!
We know and trust our God who provided for us on this Mountain, through others, will provide for these incredible, loving and sweet children, through you.
The Journey… and the Victory are always better when we go together!
Kristen, you amaze me or better, God in you amazes me. You were the nurturer. Even in your pain, you were reaching out to comfort me. I was too weak to hardly acknowledge it, but God used you even in your weakest moments.
I love you, Luci. And Praise God that He uses us in our weakness….Then we know “its ALL from HIM and not from us”! Pretty sure that’s written somewhere. :)))
A TRUE witness, mentor and servant for God. Not to mention the light that you shine as you INSPIRE everyone who knows you! Love you SISTER in CHRIST.
YAY go mom!!!! i am so proud of you I love you