Today is the day I thought I'd never make it to. Today I have finished the hikes (minus the one i missed when I had Giardia)
Today was the hardest of all the hikes and I was warned months ago about this hike. I shored myself up with 3 liters of water, a headband, a hat, sunscreen, bug repellent, bandages in case someone got hurt, two pairs of socks, my hunting boots, and scripture verses.
The hike was straight down hill, the equivalent of 8 or so stories down. Then hike along the river and come back up the 8 stories straight up along ridges and cliffs and slippery ground.
At one point I looked down and saw water pouring from my body, two drips per second. I was amazed at how fast I was losing water. My headband rung out was several ounces. I was glad I had prepared with many times the amount of water I had taken before.
My attitude, the only thing I could control was good. During the moments when I thought my knees might give out, I would recite scripture in my head. I was thinking about how corny this was.... but some of the best things in life are corny, and now, having seen the true power in it, I no longer feel it a corny christian thing to do.
Today, and in POC I've seen practical evidence of God in me. When the scripture says, "greater is He that is in you" ... He is. When it says "in our weakness, HIS strength is made perfect" well.... it is.
I allowed myself in my weakness to go before God and seek His strength. I finished the hike because of His strength. If you think what I'm saying is a metaphor, or pretty language, it isn't. In a very real way God was with me on the hike and in a very real way, I was pulling from a well of ability that was not from myself.
I have been very nervous about the hikes since well before I arrived in country, POC was a thing for me to be afraid of.... but now, I have completed the hikes, the things which struck me as impossible. There is so much now that I have done that I never thought possible before. Language learning, sitting down with a man from a completely different world, sharing a meal and communicating... what a wonderful experience.
God has blessed me so much since the moment I said "God I can't be a missionary in PNG without you showing up in a huge way... it jsut isn't in the stuff I'm made of" and God has not let me down... Praise GOD...
Please pray, I've got a cold... which means I've been sick for over 3 weeks straight now, but Kendal has also been sick and has for one reason or another had to miss the hikes. Today she missed because Calvin was sick. For her, that's the biggest challenge. She came ready to tackle this camp, do everything. And I think the biggest challenge for her is the disappointment that she has missed 3 hikes now.
Pray for her encouragement. This time is challenging in different ways to different people. I felt an extreme sense of accomplishment today and I want that for my wife and children too.
