The Running Club works all year to train for a strenuous climb up Mt. Cameroon, one of Africa’s largest volcanoes. Over 13,000 feet high and very steep, it’s not for the occasional hiker.
The weekend finally arrived for the big climb. Ron & fellow Covenant missionary Konroy drove 2 vanloads of climbers, including 18 students and 4 adults, to the base of the mountain in Buea.
For supper we got to meet a missionary family we’d not known yet who serve in the area.
After a night in the hotel, everyone got up for a 5 AM breakfast before loading up the vans again and heading to the starting point for the climb.
At the starting point, vans were unloaded, climbers met their porters who carried the big packs (on their heads, and ran up the mountain with them!).
They got their backpacks, walking sticks, final instructions and headed up for the start of a long climb.
Once Ron, Konroy, Heidi and I saw that they were on their way and that all the packs were being portered up, we headed to the beach for a fun day!
We went to the Limbe Wildlife Center for lunch and a tour through the park
It’s a small park, but the primates are so fun to watch, we spent quite a while there.
While we were having fun on the beach, at a restaurant and park, the climbers were pressing on to the summit. Shortly after dark they were back part way down the mountain to camp out in tents.
Next day around noon they were back down at the starting point again where we picked up 22 tired, dirty, but elated climbers. Once again the vans were packed up and we headed to Douala.
In Douala we stayed at the Baptist Guesthouse over night. There were some tired sore legs in need of a good soak.
Mixed with the physical challenge was the spiritual application. Throughout Running Club and the climb students were led in prayer and times of Scripture reading and devotions. Many of the climbers shared (at chapel the following Wed.) how the climb was a living example of endurance in faith and of discipline, found in Hebrews 10-12.
Sunday we made the drive back safely to Yaounde and unpacked the vans for the last time. Thankful for safety on the roads, for a successful climb, and for deeper relationships with others and with God.
