For those of you wondering what has been going on in my life since I left the beautiful country of Ecuador. Here it is.
This summer I had the privilege of working with the La Vida program in the Adirondack Mountains. I spent the majority of my summer leading groups of kids up and over mountains, through swamps, across lakes and more importantly into a deeper relationship with their creator.
My first trip was one of the best. We hiked in the Dix mountain range, overcoming the obstacles of beaver dams, bushwacking, and forging raging rivers. It was an amazing learning experience for me, since this was my first trip. Learning how to be a better leader, gaining better map and compass skills, which i would use to a greater extent later in the summer, and a growing in my spiritual walk as we focused on the discipline of solitude.
Another trip that really impacted me was my trip to the Debar region. This area is a low swampy area located near the Canadian boarder. If you can allow yourself not to be discouraged by the overwhelming amount of black flies, mosquitos, and deer flies that bombard your body day and night, you could see and began to appreciate the amazing old growth forest that surrounds you. As I found out, this appreciation grows with time. The biggest challenge for me on that trip was trusting my compass and navigation skills. Because the area is so flat there are little, if no, landmarks to guide you. I remember wondering, after six hours of hiking through and around swamps, if i was still on right course. There was this nagging doubt in the back of my mind that I was not going the right way. But, i knew my only option was to trust my compass. That lesson has also translated to my move back here to the states. I have often wondered if I am on the right "course". Knowing that I must trust and step out in faith. Get out of the tent and TRUST that God is leading me on the right course.
The Peaks
The streams
The beaver dams
After the summer I was offered a position as the Assistant Director of the Adirondack Program. This has been an amazing opportunity for me to get behind the scenes and see how the whole program functions. I spend my days in the La Vida office, which is located on the campus of Gordon College. The office is full of fun people that absolutely love. Then I come home to my amazing house that is basically across the street from Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, MA. Our house is a summer rental that people come to use as a vacation house in the summer. I spend my free time trying to get outside and do adventurous things. Like visiting my friends in Colorado or like this past weekend when my roommate and I went Snowshoeing.
Good Harbor Beach
Snowshoeing in NH
