The Fish, Mountains, and Elephants Declare the Glory of God (Wherever They Are)

This past week Rebecca and I drove up to Castle Forest Lodge on the lower slopes of Mt Kenya for a rainy couple days of camping. We went there to fish, get some good views of the mountain, and hopefully scope out a few elephants . . . from a safe distance.

In actual fact we not only failed to catch fish, views of the mountain, or pictures of elephants . . . we failed to see any of them, thanks to a) my total lack of skill in angling, b) an unbelievably persistent fog, and c) the fact that most of the elephants have continued on around the mountain for the year. What we did get was two great days relaxing, enjoying creation, and eating enormous quantities of unhealthy camp food.

T.S. Eliot wrote that "we shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to return to the place we started from and to know it for the first time." Hiking down game trails made by elephants through thick, cool mountain forests was one part totally new and exciting, and another part delightful reminder of the Smoky Mountains that I love so much. That's a good picture of most of my trips into the wilderness: going out into God's grandeur and remembering the long trek the Spirit has led Rebecca and I on through the great riches of His world and  His work. It turns out that fishing on frigid mountain streams below huge waterfalls in the middle of a murky forest is fun even if you don't catch fish, and hiking around on game trails made by elephants gives one an incredible sense of expectation and excitement . . . even if you don't see any. And the Kikuyu people believed that God himself lived on the summit of Mt Kenya; what could be more fitting than to spend a couple of days enjoying the lower slopes but never being granted a view of the top?

In short, we enjoyed an incredibly refreshing few days together at the end of Becca's almost three weeks  of teaching at Rosslyn. And this is probably as good an opportunity as any to say thank-you to all of you who have not only prayed for our work but for our relationship, and to let you know that God's leading during the past year and a half has been challenging and beautiful, difficult and good.

Peace,

Michael