Let's Take a Hike up the Mountain

Recently, I have been trying to find ways to connect with some of the older boys, who many have stopped coming to Club. I wanted to do something fun with them, that they would enjoy, but at the same time that would be an intentional time to continue to deepen the relationship with them. I would like it to be consistent but yet keep it a special time with them.  So I have thought perhaps do something special one a month or every other month. At the beginning of the month of November, a group of 12 boys and I climbed up a nearby mountain, Mogote, which most have never gone up before.  As I had been planning this event and as the date came closer I was getting more nervous because the reality was settling in that I was out-numbered to a group of kids from the street, who are not necessarily the most obedient people in the world, and I would be taking them up a mountain where there is quite a bit of risk, and I would be responsible.  One of my requirements for allowing the boys to go was that I needed to get personal permission from their parents. This was a good, but at the same time an interesting and uncomfortable experience. I can imagine it to be a little weird for a parent if someone were to come up to them and say, “Hey, my name is Jim. I have known you boy now for about 4+ years, and I would like to take him up to the top of the mountain, but you and I have never met…” It was nice to finally meet some of the parents and surprisingly, some of the parents had heard of a few things about me, and I literally had no problems getting permission from their parents and their trust. Praise God.

The experience as a whole was actually a very good experience, and the boys totally eliminated all of my fears/ worries that I had had before going up. They behaved really well, and they surprised me because they themselves initiated some deeper conversation. They had several questions about God and the Christian faith. We talked about Mary and what a rosary is… These are two topics that unfortunately really divide the Catholics and the Evangelical Christians here. It was really neat to be able to answer their questions and the fact that they opened up to talk about this and the fact that they took the initiative to start a conversation such as this was very encouraging. This tells me that they do care to know God deeply and that they do have questions that they would like to have answered. When we finally arrived to the top of the mountain, it was such a relief for the guys because it is a pretty intense hike up, but definitely the view made it well worth. It was neat to see them and their excitement because they could see their whole town where they live day in and day out. That sight really makes one think about how small we really are, and how big God really is.