Wonder Voyage 2009 Summer Blog

As the priest on the journey, I confess to all that I learned more than I thought on this pilgrimage. Hearing from the pilgrims about how the Holy Spirit is drawing them into closer relationship with God has ministered to me and strengthened my call to journey alongside these other pilgrims.

My last thought this morning as we ride to the airport in our big, dirty white fifteen passenger van:

How great is our God, to draw our journeys together, to lead us through sand dunes, hidden waterfalls, deep canyons and swirling rapids, all to find Christ beside us as we go – sharing this journey and bringing us to our One True Home in Him.
Amen.

Thus ends the Colorado blogs…

Leaving the mountains
might be hard for some of us, and not just the
J2A youth! I will miss each of them as I return home to my family,
and I will miss praying together as a community each morning, noon,
evening and night.

Today was an especially holy day- filled with swirling waters and communion with Christ. We drove to Royal Gorge Bridge on the Arkansas River in the morning. The hillside we walked along sparkled as though one hundred windshields had crashed down on the cliffs- shiny mica and rose quartz drew our eyes to our hillside path, and the suspension bridge drew our eyes across the deep canyon of the Royal Gorge.

We made our sandwich lunch under the big canopy at Echo Canyon rafting outfitters. We got our PFDs on (personal flotation devices) and boarded a bus bound for upriver. The bus ride included a safety talk and instructions on what to do if we got launched out of the raft. “Do not stand up in the rocks- it is the WORST idea you’ve EVER had.” “Put your feet forward downriver to float through rapids.” “Boys- keep your knees closed.” “If you don’t get to a boat or shore, you’ll end up in Pueblo in three days.” Rafting was spectacular. Our guides (Sanet and Tom) were gifted. They possessed the skill to get us rafting competently in short order, and kept us motivated.

We then ate at Big Burger World in Canon City delicious burgers and shakes.

Coming home to Beulah, we were full, satisfied and pleased with our day. We gathered for Eucharist using a prayer from Iona’s Wild Goose Worship Group. The sermon was facilitated by Mike, our Wonder Voyage guide. We shared the bread, the wine and the Peace. Then we shared a prayer bead with each other pilgrim as we closed our worship time and prepared to wrap up our journey together.

For today’s journey we drove up a steep mountain with the goal of reaching Pike’s Peak, a summit over 14000 ft high. There we observed a storm move right in front of us.

Once we finished making our way back down to the bottom and taking advantage of the thirty minute break, we traveled to historic Manitou Springs. We ate dinner at the Stagecoach Inn and several of us decided to. try a local delicacy:
Rocky Mountain Oysters!

Later that evening, we took compline beneath the stars in the pleasant Colorado air. The night was then shockingly interrupted by a huge banging noise. Some ran into the house, but curiousity got the better of us and a few of us ventured into the wilderness. Apparently, our neighbor Tim had thrown a rock at a dumpster to scare a bear who was nosing through the garbage. He proceeded to tell us the mountain lions were common sights around the area. Whether he was serious or not, we returned home much faster than we had come. After a day full of adventure, we turned in early in the morning.

Today was a day that no one expected. Initially, we pilgrims were closeminded about the idea of driving two and a half hours to the sand dunes, but we proceeded anyway. After a filling breakfast of scones and fruit we took off for our adventure. We passed the time with an intense game of “would you rather?” and other question games.
We first stopped briefly at the dunes’ visitor center for some information, and then we headed to the real destination. Seeing the enormous dunes from afar gave most of us a sense of discouragement: they seemed impossible to tackle. Starting the climb was treacherous, but in the end most of us were able to make it to the top with the help of God’s presence. The climb was definitely worth it, offering the view of miles of sand and distant mountain ranges. Our run down the dunes was even better- it was exhilarating sprinting with one another, sand flying behind each of our footsteps.

We piled into the van after cooling off from the hike, and stopped at a general store for ice cream. We planned on heading home afterward,
but Jan suggested we visit a nearby waterfall hidden in the mountain. Reluctantly, we hiked up to the site. Once there, though, we all haf a great titme climbing over rocks and the rapids of the stream, sitting by the falls, taking endless photos, and relaxing after a day of non-stop exercise. It was a perfect end to a perfect day to be able to come home to a mouth-watering lasagna dinner.

Today was a very adventurous day: us pilgrims got up early and set out for a hike. It was inspiring. The boys took an early lead, but we all encouraged Mrs. Brindza to carry on when the climb became rough. After much effort, we finally made it to our first destination: Lookout Point. The view was truly amazing. A single tree was growing out of a crevice on a massive rock that stood out from the mountain. This gave us the strength to go on (even though we all felt out of shape). We went on a little further to the fire tower which also gave us a great view.

Afterwards we ate sandwiches and journeyed back to the ranch for a quick nap. There we went on a crazy off-trail hike to the burnt acreage where a forest fire had blazed four years ago. We
returned itchy from the weeds and EXHAUSTED…

And we had to cook dinner for fourteen people. We will be sleeping well tonight… some snoring, some not!

Today we started the day visiting a local church. After a positive lunch experience of  quesadillas, enchiladas, and many burritos we went to see Biahop’s Castle. The castle was INSANE! This sixty-something-year-old man had built a full-blown castle all by himself, by gathering rocks from the San Isabel National Forest in honor of the “hard-working citizens of Colorado.” Gallantly, we climbed to the top of the highest iron tower. Ryan almost had an accident in his pants when a loud burst of thunder erupted in the distance as he was atop the tower. Many pictures were taken, many screams were heard, and many heart-attacks were had. The day was pretty fantastic.

The team  from St. Andrews arrived today with a palpable sense of expectation and excitement. We briefly explored the Garden of the Gods (a popular and impressive sight, to be sure) when we came upon the real highlight of the evening: a bear!

Before any parents send me an email of concern or send for one of their kids, we saw the bear from a distance from the safety of our large and imposing fifteen-passenger van. As we spoke about the upcoming week and our expectations (and the bear), I could tell that St. Andrews is ready and excited for this upcoming week. It’s going to be a good one.

Here on our last night in Colorado, we contemplated the week. Looking back, I think we generally agree: God met us in a profound way, one that forced us to reevaluate ourselves and the way we think about life. This trip to Colorado has been undeniably blessed through safe travels, good weather, amazing scenery, adventure, and irreplaceable bonds of friendship. Though we may look the same, I don’t think we return to our homes and families as the same people. After an amazing trip such as this one, all things are new.

My week with Christ Church is regretfully about to come to an end. Today we did a little whitewater rafting on the Arkansas river outside of Canon City. I think what struck me most was not the weather (which was warm and beautiful) nor the water (which made me think twice about renting a wetsuit) nor the excitement (which you can’t help but feel at the mercy of the river).

Instead I thought about all the little things that made our day amazing; Melanie swimming against the current of the river in order to retrieve Jessie’s shoe, Adam cleaning up around the living room and kitchen at our retreat, Martha driving tirelessly on dirt roads and through curving mountain passes to take us to our destinations- I could go on. What stuck out to me most, however, was the little acts of service towards each other in the community we’ve formed. This little group is truly a community- an honest and loving one- and I will miss these small moments throughout the day that speak volumes of God’s love.

Okay- the title of the is entry is admittedly dramatic, but true. After a morning was full of hard work, giving back to the wonderful staff at EZ Yoke, we headed for Bishop’s Castle. The massive stone structure lies within the heart of the Rocky Mountains and it is, frankly, one of the strangest sights that I’ve seen in all my travels. The castle stands a couple hundred feet above the ground, a jumbled matrix of cemented rocks and decorative and functional ironwork- complete with tall parapets and the beginnings of a moat.

The main tower contained a spiral staircase made of iron, which led to the very top of the structure. We explored the grounds for a few minutes and it quickly became apparent that we “had to” climb the tallest tower. The whole adventure quickly became a physical way of confronting our fears. Though we were never in any danger as we made our way to the spire, the wind would rip through the ironwork, whistling around us and tugging at our clothes. The effect was terrifying, but we climbed and climbed, reaching the top of the impressive tower. As the team members each reached the topmost point (we could only go up one at a time for the last few feet) we knew that the journey was worth the fear and our confrontation with it forced us to rely upon God and each other in a truly profound way.