A Sound of Hope – 2011

A Sound of Hope – 2011

A great note from Adam Woldt – one of the men that went on Peak Challenge 2011:

 

Sound of Hope

Have you ever heard the sound of hope? Perhaps smelled the smell of victory? Have you witnessed a joy indescribable? Today, I experienced all of those. Let me share w/ you the indescribable.

Today, I climbed to the summit of Mt. Quandary, CO. Reaching an elevation of 14,265 ft, with a hike of 3.2 miles one way, this hike is not incredibly unique for one of CO’s many peaks. Today’s hike, however, was an experience never to be forgotten. You see, there was nothing normal about today’s hike, for today, I carried a paraplegic with me.

Alex, a 14-year-old in my youth group, suffers from Cerebral-Palsy. CP interferes w/ the nervous system, inhibiting the muscles from receiving the signals from the brain. As a result of CP, Alex is wheel-chair bound. Desiring for him to be able to join the men on this weekend’s men’s retreat, it was decided we would carry him up the mountain with us.

For most the 125 men on this retreat, they had no idea this was the plan until last night, around 9. Roughly 40 guys volunteered to help carry Alex, a choice none of us knew the full impact of.

So, we carried him up. All 3 plus miles. The journey was a challenge. With nearly 40 guys, we rotated which two carried him nearly every 100 yards.

Along the way, other hikers asked what we were doing. They were shocked, and some moved to tears. Upon reaching the top, roughly 150 other hikers (not part of our group) exploded in applause and celebration. It moved me to tears to hear the celebration of these strangers. Many came over to Alex to congratulate him. He was the most popular man on the mountain.

Words cannot express how awesome this is. It is not about the work we did, nor the way people responded. The incredible, speech-taking part was the hope instilled in so many. Some were moved to tears, others received new hope in humanity, while others still wanted to know what God would be so inspiring that we would do this. Most of all, the hope and joy instilled in Alex. His smile could have been seen for miles.

In sharing this w/ you, I know it is nothing compared to the experience. Yet, I hope you see the second part. This is a story of unity, of fellowship, of selflessness, of perseverance, and most of all, of hope. When we as the church decide to rise up, come together, and love, we can do incredible things. Things that change hearts, change lives, and change the world. We can move mountains (or scale them) when we gather together in the name of Jesus and His love. So I pray you are inspired by this to go and love, beyond your means, that the world may be filled w/ the sound of hope and praise rising up.

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