Getting Closer

Imagine this: eight people camping out in the mountains in the middle of the ruins of an old fort cramming under a ten foot tarp trying futility to keep reasonably dry and warm while attempting to catch at least a couple of hours of sleep.  That is what this team was doing Friday evening in the middle of the Brazilian mountains.  We were going on a pilgrimage to seek out the Lords voice by getting away from noise and distraction, or at least that was the original plan.

It began by our leaders Ryan and Angie calling the team together and giving us a very short list of items to pack in a small back pack.  Here is what was the hardest part: we were not allowed to ask any questions at all unless it was directly related to packing.  That drove me, a control freak and major question asker, nearly insane.  But I did survive and mostly resisted the temptation to ask questions and speculate about what was going on.

Once we were all packed up, the entire team plus Paul crammed into the five passenger pick up.  Paul dropped us off at a trail head on the side of the road and Ryan and Angie led us off into the wilderness.  We hiked in silence, trying to quiet our minds and focus on what God was trying to tell us.  Then it started raining within 30 minutes of starting and everybody who had a rain jacket or poncho got it out and put it on.  John did not have one and I had mine in my bag protecting my bible and journal, therefore reluctant to pull it out, so we unfolded the tarp a little and huddled under it and kept on walking.  Every little bit or so we would stop and talk about what was going on in our heads and what the Lord was saying to us.

The views on the hike were amazing.  It stopped raining every now and then and we got to see some pretty incredible sights.  We got to our final destination, it ended up being an old abandoned fort on top of a hill-mountain.  We set up camp in the middle of it in what would have been the headquarters.  All of us had brought hammocks and the place became a maze of ropes and cloths.  We got a fire going and made a dinner of spaghetti, hot dogs, and sausages over it.  Then as we were finishing and thinking about bed it started raining.  All us girls hastened to take down our hammocks before they got wet and huddled under the ten foot tarp we had set up for an emergency earlier.  The boys stayed out in the rained and attempted to sleep in their hammocks despite it.  When it did not let up, one by one, they joined us under the tarp.

Let me tell you, trying to cram eight people under that tarp then try to sleep is not easy.  Josh, John, and I ended up getting soaked.  Luckily for me it was my blankets that got the worst of it and Angie was awesome and willing to let me use her sleeping bag so I was able to get warm enough to catch a couple of hours of sleep.  I dont think anyone else got much sleep that night.

The rain continued into the morning so we had raisin for breakfast instead of oatmeal and started hiking back as soon as we were able to pack up.  Then guess what happened- we got lost.  Somewhere along the way we took a wrong turn and spent over an hour walking an a huge circle.  Fortunately our circle took us right back to the fort so we were able to get back on track and to the car within three hours.

Over all it was an interesting experience.  We got to spend some good time talking to God and getting to know each other on a whole new level.  I can honestly say I might know these people better than I know any of my friends at home.  I almost afraid of what might happen if we get to know each other any better