Climbing Pacaya

Wow! What a cazy adventure. Rocky and I had talked about climbing Pacaya for some time, but we never seemed to get around to it. Well all that changed on Wednesday. We dropped the KCS team off at the airport on Tuesday and went back to Antigua for 2 extra days. We spent the remainder of Tuesday walking around town and seeing all the ruins we never seemed to have time to look at before. It was amazing. Then on Wednesday morning, bright and early, we got picked up at our hotel and drove for about 1 hour to the base of Pacaya, an active volcano just outside of Antigua. From there we rode on horse back for an hour and then we hit the bottom of the first hardened lava flow. I had no idea what to expect and it was much larger than I ever imagined. In the photo with Arryn and Hope standing on grass beside a hardened, black lava flow, you can see how huge the mountain is and it is completely covered with lava. At some point and time, flows have come out on all sides of this mountain and literally covered its surface with lava. From the point where this picture was taken, we hiked up for 1 1/2 hours before we found the spot where lava was flowing that day. The further up we hiked, the more amazing the view and the more crusty and sharp edged, the lava became. After about an hour, we could feel the heat through the surface of the crusty rock. The more recent flows were sparkly and almost crystal like, where as the older flows were more dull. The hillside became so steep, I was afraid I'd lose my footing and fall backwards. Arryn did trip at one point and cut up her hand, but she kept going. Where he lava was flowing out of the side of the hill, it was hot enough to roast marshmallows - not on the lava, just on the rocks around the lava flow! I don't know if I'd ever want to make the climb again, but I am sure glad we did. Not only was it amazing from a geological point of view, but also from a spiritual perspective. The Bible tells us that all we have to do is open our eyes to see the Lord and his handiwork. On Wednesday, I marvelled at His creation and power. I would never, in my wildest imaginings, come up with something like this volcano, yet, it is just one of many wonders that the Lord created to reveal Himself to us. I know that in my own life, sometimes things happen that don't seem right and I can't understand. I try with my own, finite mind to make sense of it, but logic seems to allude me. At times like that, I remember that God's ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts. He is so much bigger, more creative and more knowledgeable than me and I can, in confidence, place my trust...my life in His hands. Pacaya was amazing, but my God is even more amazing and walking out this life hand in hand with Him is an adventure of a lifetime! Blessings, Karren