Thursday, August 11, 2011

something to watch...

Check out this inspiring, challenging, and sobering video about the tragic drought and famine happening in the horn of Africa.

VIDEO

The video features Bono, lead singer of U2, and K'naan, a Somalian rapper and poet.  A quick plug for K'naan: his lyrics are incredible - painting very real and honest pictures of life in Somalia, and the beauty, pain, sorrow, and joy that is present in all of our lives.  You can find his music on iTunes and Amazon.


Tuesday, August 9, 2011

summer...

Hello hello!  It has been so long since I have written.  I still haven't figured out a way to take my laptop with me into the backwoods of Colorado to do a better job of keeping in touch...so I had to wait until now to give updates.  But before I regale you with a few stories of beautiful mountain ascents, struggles, fire-side chats, asthma attacks, and lessons learned, let me say that I am so grateful for everyone who continues to support me, Dry Bones, the kids on the streets, and the students who participate in Elevations.  Everything we do here in Denver is because of you and your love.  Thank you!  As always, to those of you reading this blog who have no clue what this "Dry Bones" is that I keep referring to, check out the links on the right-hand side of the page!

Me, Cole (my mountain intern...not sure what he's doing here!), Reb (staff),
Kate (intern), and Suz (intern) on top of Bard Peak - my summer office

Ok, story time!

I decided that a fun way to do this would be to give you my "Top 10 Things I Learned While Guiding This Summer" list:

1)  I learned that I definitely DON'T like being away from my wife for four days out of every week.  I missed my best friend a lot.
2)  I learned that even though someone might say "I can't do this" more times than I can count, they in-fact CAN do it.  My most-used line this summer was something like, "Well, you have been telling me from day one that you can't go any farther and yet here you are on day three, just one mile from summit.  Therefore, you have no credibility with me anymore, and I don't believe you when you say you can't.  So let's go!"  Haha, I got some really good practice for any potential coaching or motivational speaking that might come my way.
3)  I learned that if it snows enough all winter, the sticks and logs on the ground stay wet all summer, making fire-building extremely difficult!
4)  I learned that asthma attacks at 13,000 feet are scary, both for the person experiencing the constricted airway and for the guide.  One girl, who was my favorite and the most impressive student of the summer, made summit despite a relatively violent asthma attack a few hundred feet from the top.  She mouthed "I can't breathe" as she collapsed to the ground.  I ran back to her and dug through her pockets for the small device that would essentially shock her lungs into action.  I held it to her mouth and she gasped for air.  Had she experienced just one more episode like that, I would not have continued on with her.  But, she was tough and finished with the rest of the group an hour later.
5)  I learned that I never get tired of the incredible beauty found in the mountains, even on my 30th trip to the same area.
6)  I learned that there is value in repetition.  I get to lead chats around the camp-fire all summer long, and the stories we read together spoke into my life in some really cool ways.  I'll post the mountain "talks" soon incase you want to share a piece of the Elevations experience.
7)  I learned that spending a few days with my awesome new family at Folly Beach, near Charleston, SC, is the perfect way to relax and unwind at the summer half-way mark.  Thanks Gregg, Kelly and Isaiah for a great time!
8)  I learned that God is bigger, more complex, more perplexing, more beautiful, more exciting, and more inspiring than I ever imagined.
9)  I learned patience.
10)  I learned all over again the power of relationship, and the value of walking alongside the people around us, no matter what those lives might look like.  I am often guilty of assuming that the youth group kids who come on Elevations have their lives completely together and have every good thing going for them just because they aren't "street kids".  This is not always the case.  They struggle, just like I do, like you do, like the kids on the streets do.  And we got to share life together in a setting far from home.  There is just something cool about adventure.

Thanks for reading, friends.

Much love from Denver,
-Zach