Day 7 Summit

A few minutes after 5pm GMT +3, thirteen exhausted hikers stood on uhuru peak, Africa's highest point. We were all emotional in our own way but the tears in Lois's eyes captured the wonder we all felt. Her first words to me as we approached the peak said it all: "we did it darling, we did it. I can't believe we did." And so we did with the help of hidden hands that had crafted this mountain ages past and now lifted 13 determined hikers to it's glorious summit.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Day 6

We have arrived at our final camp before tomorrow's summit ascent. We rise @ 3am for the 8 hour climb. Please pray for health and strength!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Day 4 and 5

We have been hiking 7 to 8 hours a day. Today we climbed the famous baranco wall, 2.5 hours of mostly straight up. Yesterday I fell ill and looked like I might be the next casualty. I claimed the promise in the Psalms that if "you call on the name of the lord I will rescue you and you will honor me. " my tent mate and brother in-law, John prayed for me and today all symptoms disappeared! God is faithful to his promises. Meanwhile my mountain goat wife has been cruising along like a veteran. 40 years and she never stops amazing me

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Days 3

A team member goes down. Christina, one of the Toronto ladies, develops a nasty case of altitude sickness and is taken off the mountain. We are all sobered by this and reminded that without God's sustaining grace we cannot make it. Christina 's departure leaves Lois and I as the team's oldest members.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Day 2

We hiked for 7 hours today. Lois did a fabulous job. They take are vital signs twice a day. So far we are still alive!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

It begins

In a few minutes we begin our first day on the mountain. We will be out of communications range until Sunday. Until then our prayer: we look to the hills but where does our help come from? Our help is from the lord, maker of heaven and earth.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Here's the team!

We have arrived in Moshi, Tanzania. Here is the team with kili behind us.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Ground breaking news

The kili climb is a "purpose driven " trip. On Monday AIU celebrated this event with speeches, a shovelling competition and a Masai women's choir. This is the reason for the trip and one that we all want to keep in view on the hard days up the mountain.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

4 days and counting

We are packing our rucksacks and limbering up these old legs as we count down to our departure. We will try to do a daily update to the blog beginning next Tuesday so stay posted.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

We have only a few days left until we climb Kilimanjaro. We leave AIU for Tanzania on Tuesday January 18. We are part of a group of 15 climbers that are seeking to raise funds for the construction of a community center  at Africa International University. If you would like to donate to the cause you will find more info and directions for giving at www.wowsafaris.org.