Shout Out to the FUMC of Cherryville

Hiking to Help Refugees is an effort that has been supported by a small army of people.  That support, both financially and in other ways, has come from churches, prayer groups, and many individuals.  Some of the individuals have asked that their giving remain anonymous, and of course we always honor that request.  So I confess up front that I know it can be dangerous to highlight the efforts of any one group.

However, with that said, I want to give a shout of thanks out to Jeanna Spiker and the youth group of the First United Methodist Church of Cherryville, NC. 

Before I do that, let me give some background.  My mom, Mary Etta, and stepdad, Jack Stephenson, have attended this church for decades.    Mom, at age 84, is still their organist.  Various pastors of the church have through the years, when we were home on furlough, allowed us to give a report about our work in E. Africa during their worship services.  So we have felt a strong connection to this local church for a long time.

Jeanna is on staff at the church, and oversees the ministry done for both youth and children.  She asked me to give a presentation about "Hiking to Help Refugees" before I began hiking on April 9th.  After the presentation, she told me that she and her husband had the idea to take the youth group on a hike on the AT during the summer.  

   She said she would ask the youth to get church members to sponsor them for a certain amount for each mile walked and then donate the proceeds to our cause.

Well, recently I learned through my mom that the proceeds of the VBS of this church were donated to "Hiking to Help..."  Afterwards, church members pledged another $1,300 or so to sponsor the youth on their AT hike.  So altogether their offering totaled around $2,000.

When I returned home from Damascus the other day, I gave Jeanna a call to thank her and the youth personally.  I asked her how their hike went.  The report she gave made it clear that their initial planning did not actually work out as hoped.  They had to make a number of changes to adapt to the circumstances they encountered, i.e. a much tougher trail than they had anticipated, and dried up water sources along the way which presented the problem of staying hydrated well enough.

So after making the required changes, Jeanna debriefed the youth about the experience.  She tried to get them to relate what they had experienced to the problems and circumstances that refugees might face when fleeing their homes to the safety offered in a neighboring country.

I know I am leaving out a lot of details, but what has intrigued me about Jeanna's efforts/strategy is the fact that her plan involved the whole person.  The youth did not just drop money in a plate.  No, they also gave of themselves to try and walk on a difficult section of the Appalachian Trail, one which does not offer a lot of very easy sections.  Then the youth were asked to reflect on their experience in light of what our refugee brethren might have experienced, i.e. do you think they might have experienced great thirst and various forms of danger during their flight?

I think Jeanna created a very teachable moment for the youth of her church.  As a result, I think they will be more likely to pray for me as I continue to hike, and more importantly, I think they will be far more likely to pray that our venture will result in our goal being met, and our refugee brethren being supplied with a significant amount of scripture resources and Bible training.

Food for thought and an example to follow.

Uncle

Blaine and Deloris Anderson: Retirement Years and Kingdom Advance

  In a recent blog, I focused on John Shepherd and how he started a whole new ministry, Calvary Road Ministry (CRM), at the age of 63.  I mentioned that I wanted to put the spotlight on John and
what he accomplished in his latter years of life as a means to challenge and stir up the 60 and over crowd.  The message this segment of the USA population constantly receives from TV and other forms of media is that ones retirement years are to be all about recreation, hobbies and finally taking it easy.  However, as I pointed out, because John acted contrary to that popular message, and instead chose to use his influence and resources to start CRM for the purpose of Kingdom advance among the Maasai of

Kenya, he was able to enter the moment of meeting his Maker knowing that his latter years had been blessed with more souls won for the Gospel of Jesus than in his previous years.  What a blessing!

     In this blog I want to put the spotlight on a couple who were mobilized by John to serve a vital role in the growth and spread of CRM's influence: Blaine and Deloris Anderson.  John was both their pastor and dear friend when he retired from the active pastoral ministry to start CRM.  John recruited them to serve on the first team which came to work with me in Maasai-land in January of 1998.  After that first trip, Blaine was "hooked" and quickly made 5 or 6 trips to Kenya within a year or so.
 

     Now if you have never met Blaine, let me tell you, he is the classic example of an East Tennessee resident.  He has a library of old time country expressions to draw upon at the appropriate moment, and he uses them to full effect.  He was raised on a small farm in the hills near Knoxville and learned to plow behind a team of mules.  This bearded, always jolly giant of a man discovered that there was a niche for him to fill in Maasai-land: to bring a Gospel witness to older Maasai men who would not listen to men who were younger.  

 

     Deloris is as sweet as a well made TN apple pie, and she has proven herself to be a woman of many talents.  Currently she serves as CRM's treasurer, a role that has expanded greatly over the years.  She and Blaine have over the years become like a loving aunt and uncle to Renee and me, and we cherish each opportunity we have to enjoy the hospitality of their log cabin home.

     When I started partnering with John and CRM, I told him that one goal I had in mind for the partnership was to get more personnel for our Maasai Team.  Little did I know at the time that Blaine and Deloris would fulfill that goal. 

      Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, our sending agency had an ISC program which would allow senior citizens to serve on a field team for a period of between 4 months to 2 years.  Well, after

Blaine had made around 7 trips to Kenya, he shared with me and John that he felt the Lord was leading him to serve with us on the field for an extended period.  We prayed for him as he returned to his TN home to share this impulse with Deloris.  We were thrilled when we received news that she was very open to this idea, IF they could get medical approval from the agency to do so.

     You see, Blaine's physical heart had rhythm  issues.  His doctor had already been forced to stop his heart from beating 6 times so that it could be restarted in the proper rhythm.  But Blaine, being the man of faith that he is, felt such a small thing should not stop him and Deloris from serving!  

     So it was that they moved to Kenya the first time to serve a four month term, so that all involved

could see how their health held up.  The focus of Blaine's particular ministry was to be witnessing to older Maasai men.  We wanted him to travel all over Maasai-land, gather Maasai elders for a goal roast, and while together share with them stories from God's Word which would lead to a full Gospel presentation.  Who is better fitted for eating goat meat out under an Acacia tree in the African bush than an E. Tennesse hillbilly?  Nobody!  During that 4 month period, God blessed Blaine's willingness and tender heart with much spiritual fruit.  Ditto for all that Deloris did among Maasai women and children.  So at the end of that period, we asked them to return for a 2 year term and they agreed.

     Well, as the saying goes, the rest is history.  Blaine and Deloris not only proved to be willing and able witnesses to Maasai people, but they also came to be loved by all their colleagues.  After they finished that 2 year term, they continued to work with John and CRM.  Blaine's experience on the field equipped him to be a fine trainer of other older American men who would also serve in Maasai-land via CRM.  He also became something like a Logistics Coordinator for CRM's work.  Through the years, Blaine has had to work through a number of medical/physical issues, as is common for men in their 60s, 70s, and now 80s, but he has refused to allow any of them to throw cold water on the passion of his heart to see souls won for Jesus.  

     As I have observed the Andersons over the years, I have noted that their willingness to put the Gospel and Kingdom advance first in their lives during their retirement years has not necessarily made their lives all rosy and easy.  No, their Gospel-centered lives have in fact made things tougher in many respects.  There is a lot they have had to do without.  However, you would never know it when around them, because their laughter and good spirits are infectious.  

     So what motivates people like Blaine and Deloris?  Well, while I have never put this question to them directly, I can make a good guess.  I suspect it is the words of Jesus the Messiah who said "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  (Matthew 6:19-21)

     As I over the next month walk the section of the AT between Damascus, VA and Springer

Mountain in GA, I will think often of the Andersons.  And when I need some words of encouragement, I will call "Uncle Blaine."  I will also pray that God will enable Renee and me to finish up our lives in a fashion akin to that of John Shepherd and the Andersons.  I know it will not be easy.  But I also know it will be rewarding.

Uncle

Made it to Damascus, Va.

     As I mentioned in my last update, I was about to hike through the Grayson Highlands State Park and over Mt. Rogers, the tallest in VA.  I must say that the environment of the Grayson Highlands is as pretty as anything I have seen thus far.  The views were outstanding as the tallest hills in the park are mostly free of trees and more like what is commonly called a "bald."  The balds were covered with blueberry bushes but they had already come and gone before I arrived.

     The area is famous because there is a small herd of wild ponies which inhabit the area.  I got to see a few of them, and also a few of the cows which also roam free.  If you are looking for a section of the AT to hike over a weekend, I would highly suggest the Grayson Highlands.

     After hiking through the Highlands, I spent the night at the Thomas Knob Shelter.  My intent was

to press on to Massie Gap and get off the trail and spend the night and resupply at the Grayson Highlands Country Store and Inn.  I was under the impression I could camp there.  When I got to the shelter, a 67 year old man by the trail name of Moses walked in.  His phone had enough coverage for me to call the store and confirm they could pick me up at the trail head, and that I could stay there.  The proprietor of the store told me they closed at 7:00 p.m. and pointed out there was no way I would make it to the Massie Gap trail head before that hour.  So I had to change my plans and stay where I was.  A fellow from the Winston Salem area, Carl, also stayed at the shelter that night, and the next morning he agreed to take me to the store and return me to the trail.  My, but how God provides!

     The next day I climbed both Mt. Rogers and White Top Mountain.  At around 5:30 I decided to

pitch my tent near a gravel road just under the crest of White Top.  That night a big time thunder and lightning storm hit the area around 10:00.  Since I was near the top of the mountain, the sound of the thunder as it echoed off the surrounding hills was awesome.  It reminded me of how the sound of thunder rolled over Lake Victoria when Renee and I lived in Entebbe.  The lightning kept my tent lit up for hours.  When I was in Damascus, a local told me that thunderstorm was the worst they had experienced in 2017.  

     The morning after the storm, I set out to make it to the Saunders Shelter where I would spend the night before entering Damascus.  As I climbed the last bald before making a steep descent, I was almost knocked over by the wind gusts that were still blowing.  The area was also covered by thick fog.  As I arrived at the top of that bald, I was shocked to see a fellow standing there beside his tent an a 1,200 CC BMW motorcycle.  Turns out he camped there hoping just to see a beautiful sunset.  How he got there on that big bike is beyond me.  He said he would have to wait until the fog lifted before he could get himself and his bike down to the gravel road.  He said his name is Richard and he is from Seattle, WA.  Over the last year he traveled back roads from Seattle to Key West.  He took back roads and turned what could be a 3,400 drive on main highways into a venture of over 12,000 miles.  I have not checked out his Instagram account, but he told me his user name is ADVRover.  It was an interesting encounter to be sure and I enjoyed our conversation.

     Before I walked down to the Saunders Shelter, I called Renee.  

  We ended up making a plan for her to pick me up in Damascus the following day, so I could spend a few days at home with her and Judah before they depart on Tuesday.  Renee will make an 11 day trip to return Judah to her parents.  This break will also allow my feet to rest and recover and enable me to help Renee pack and take care of other pressing practical matters.

     It was a special moment for me to walk through the most famous of trail towns.  The Damascus area is beautiful and at this time of year people come from all over the southern USA to bicycle on the many trails that are in the area.  The shops that rent bikes have special "bikes" that an adult can pull behind theirs.  We saw dads pulling such bikes with young children and even infants in them.  So the whole family can share in and enjoy the biking experience.

    On another topic, please remember the Lennon family on Friday as the funeral for their son, Owen Lennon Jr., will take place that day.  Stephen and Kim, Nephew's parents, will fly up to New York City today and stay through Sunday.  

     I am not sure yet exactly when I will return to the AT but it should be within a couple of days.  Thanks for your ongoing prayers.  Please also pray for Renee as she makes this upcoming long trip.

Uncle

Trust and Spider Webs

Proverbs 3:5-6 state "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths." 

 

     These verses have been referred to by some folks as "the John 3:16" of the Old Testament because they been memorized and cherished by so many Bible believers.  I know that I memorized them early on in my walk with the Lord, and I pretty much quote them every day as I pray and think about approaching another day of life.

     It is interesting to note that the concept of trust

is compared to leaning on something for support.  If I have learned anything while trekking 1,200 miles on the Appalachian Trail it is this lesson: do not put your full weight on any tree, root, branch, rock or trekking pole that you are uncertain of because the results can end ones trek in a flash. 

      I must admit that there have been a few times when I entrusted my full weight to a root or branch that was hanging within hand's grasp to pull myself up a difficult section of an incline without being %100 sure it would hold.  Thank God I never had a serious fall due to putting my trust in an unreliable source of support, but in retrospect, I know that could have happened.  Yeah, yeah I know it was stupid but at the time I was in a predicament and that untested source of support was within my grasp and the temptation to utilize it was hard to resist.

     While walking the AT, I have met quite a few followers of Jesus the Messiah, and our fellowship has been an encouragement.  However the majority of the folks I have entered into a conversation with regarding spiritual things have made it clear they do not share my faith in Jesus.  Some have said they are agnostic, while a few have made it clear they are atheists.  Others have made it known to me that they are into "spirituality"  but they are not into any form of religion.  When I press them to define by what they mean by spirituality, their answers are all over the map.

      "Hmm, let me get this straight, you are entrusting your current and eternal welfare on some notion of 'being spiritual' and yet you can only supply vague answers regarding what your source of such significant trust and faith looks like?"  

     What does all this have to do with spider webs?  Job 8:13-14 states "Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish.  His confidence is severed, and his trust is a spider's web."

     I mentioned in a recent blog that as I head south alone I am usually busting all the spider webs on the trail, since I am now meeting very few people headed north.  As I expressed in that blog, while it

is irritating to constantly be forced to wipe spider webs from ones face, the fact is that no web has been hard to bust or walk through.  Sure, some of them look impressive when they have dew on them, and are viewed in the sunlight at a certain angle; but ultimately all are easy to knock down with my trekking poles or my body.

     Having your AT trek ended unexpectedly due to putting your trust in an unreliable object would be a sad thing.  But it will be much sadder and ultimately catastrophic for all those who in this life put their trust in, or lean their whole weight on, a false source of hope for their eternal welfare.  

     Isaiah 49:23 reads in part "...Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed."   That is food for thought for not only those walking the AT, but for everyone in all walks of life.

Uncle

John Shepherd and Job 42:12

    I have mentioned in my writing over the last couple of years that since retiring from the sending agency we served with for 23 years, Renee and I have been affiliated with a small nonprofit called Calvary Road Ministry (CRM).

    This organization was started by a retired Knoxville, TN pastor named John Shepherd. The story of how John and I met, and how that meeting ultimately led to the formation of CRM, is too long for one blog entry, albeit it is a fascinating example of God's providence.

    What I want to highlight here is how John served as a shining example to all 60+ year olds of how to best utilize the latter part of one's life for Kingdom expansion.

    John adopted Job 42:12 as the verse which would guide how he invested his time and resources during his final years. The verse says "And the Lord blessed the latter years of Job more than the former..."

    At a stage of life when many American Christian men think more about vacation trips and hobbies,

John took on a whole new ministry among the Maasai of Kenya. He did this in response to my request to partner with me in my ministry among that people group. Those of us working among the Maasai knew that one cultural key to reaching them for the Gospel was to utilize older men to share with the eldest Maasai men.

    John had been a pastor for over 30 years and had a large network of men he was willing to challenge to give of their time and finances to help the Maasai Team's members fulfill my request.

 
 Thus in 1998 a wonderful story began to unfold which has led to the Gospel being shared with tens of thousands of Maasai.  Hundreds of churches have been planted. The two story cloths I have previously mentioned have been produced. The first one has come to be used literally all over the world (another long story in itself). The lives of many dozens of older American Christians have been made deeper and more satisfying as they have through the years taken up John's challenge to share the Gospel with the Maasai.

    John died in Sept. of 2013. I flew from Uganda to Koxville a few weeks before he passed thinking I would attend his funeral. Instead I had the privilege to visit with him several hours over two days. Our conversation focused on all we had seen God do since our first meeting.
.

    While there, a friend told me John's illness was a rare, slow growing form of cancer. Apparently a doctor at one point told John it could have been growing for 15 years before it finally put him in the last stage.

    The number 15 jumped out at me, because it was in August of 1998, 15 years earlier, John had called me to say he had retired as a pastor to start CRM. Wow!

    What a fruitful 15 years they were, and God is not yet through with CRM. This group's wonderful story is still in progress.

    But my point is this; it all began with a serious follower of Jesus saying "Lord, I want to see even more of your power and blessing in my latter years than I have seen in my previous 63."

    That took a lot of resolve, labor and a very understanding and Gospel centered wife.

    To some degree, my undertaking this AT hike at age 60-61 (my b'day is just around the corner) so as to raise funds for S Sudanese refugees, is an attempt to follow in John's footsteps. As John did, I also want to send a clear message to the older crowd. You still have much to offer and the Great Commission always takes priority.

Uncle

Bears, Bears and More Bears
                                                                                                          

     Today is July 21 and I am camping at a US Forest Service campground called Hurricane Creek.

 

     Tomorrow will be a big day as I will climb over Mt. Rogers, the tallest in VA. As I look at the AT guidebook, it appears to be around 5,600 ft. At one point I will descend from 5,200 ft to 2,800. Here is hoping the new shoes do not cause heel blisters!

 

    I mentioned in my last update I was headed to the Chestnut Knob Shelter and that it was unique in that it has 4 walls and a door because of the number of bears in the area. The door, I discovered, has a strong spring on it, so it is hard to open.

 

    When I opened I found two young ladies already inside.  The look on their faces as I heaved the door open was priceless, I.e. totally freaked out. I only wish I had known they were in there and I would have growled loudly before opening the door! They are hiking for a few months after graduating from Appalachian State. 

 

    The area has lived up to its reputation of having lots of bears. I have now seen 12 since headed south. I saw two this morning after leaving the Partnership Shelter. The cub climbed a tree while mom stood at the base of the tree and

glared at me.  

 

   Renee, Mary and Judah visited me on Wednesday. It was a short but good visit. They got to witness how much I am able to eat in one sitting these days. Mary got to put on my pack filled with 4 days of food and 2 liters of water. So now she has a better idea of what her dad is hauling around. 

 

    I hope to arrive in Damascus, VA in 2 days. It is one of the more famous trail towns as an annual Trail Days Festival is held there in April. For me it will be just another stop along the way. However, psychologically it does represent the beginning of the home stretch of the southern section as one nears Springer Mtn. From that point on the mountains will be much taller.

Uncle

A Lack of Resources or Resolve?

    As those of you who have been reading the blogs I have been posting via "Hiking to Help Refugees" are fully aware, the main goal of this venture of hiking the AT is to raise funds. We want to raise as much money as we can to supply our South Sudanese brethren with Bible resources and Bible based training so they in turn can reach their countrymen with the gospel while displaced in refugee and IDP camps.

    Much of the money raised will go toward purchasing MP4 players loaded with the NT in digital format. The players we buy can hold the NT in 4 S Sudanese languages and up to 75-100 people can listen at one time. We also do training events for refugee women and pastors. That training in the main is focused on training them how to utilize well the two story cloths produced by Calvary Road Ministry, the nonprofit with which we now work,  www.Historycloth.com    

   and www.Calvaryroadministries.com.   

 

    I am thrilled to report that around $23,000 has thus far been donated. However that is far short of our goal. And the fact is even if we reach our goal the number of resources we will be able to supply will still fall short of the actual need on the ground. 100,000 dollars is a God-sized goal to be sure! And we are extremely thankful for all who have given.

 

    However the question I have been asking lately as I hike is this "is my dream too big? Are there simply not enough resources available in the hands of American believers or is it a lack of resolve?"

  

  I have been listening to many sermons as I hike. Some by David Platt and others by John Piper. Their answer to that question suggests the issue is not one of a lack of finances but of commitment to the Greatest Commission Jesus gave to His church; to make disciples of all people groups. 

  

  Our South Sudanese brethren have proven they will use well the scripture resources we place in their hands.

 

    Thus as 61 year old believers,  Renee and I have chosen to sacrifice many things to highlight the opportunity that now exists for the American church to come alongside this portion of the suffering church in a way that will enable them to give God's Word to their fellow citizens; people who up to now have not had access to the pure Gospel message.

 

    South Sudan as a country is in extremely dire straits. The only hope for rebuilding what the forces of evil have destroyed is the Gospel. But Gospel proclamation and disciple making require access to the Word.

   

 We have resolved to do our upmost to make a difference. Please pray for us. Pray also that many fellow believers will wrestle with the very important question "is it really that I have nothing to give or is the issue  a lack of resolve?"

  

 My swelled feet tonight remind me that a God given resolve costs something. And His Word assures me that the treasure we store in heaven will one day make every sacrifice worth it. He is worthy!

Uncle

Busting Spider Webs

    Since returning to the AT on July 12, I have discovered I am just about the only hiker who is south bound (SoBo) on the trail.

    What this means practically is that I am spending most of each day alone, and I get to bust through all the spider webs.  

   I do not mind that so much, but I must confess I have never been a big fan of having a web across my face.

 

    Performing this action dozens of times each day has caused me to think of some of my family's African spider stories. Here are my two favorite.

 

    One evening as I was working in my office to prepare for teaching in our Bible school, I heard Mary say "dad, I just heard a tarantula land on the floor of Zeb's bedroom." At first I did not believe her. I mean could a tarantula weigh that much? But when I went into the room, I saw she was right! A tarantula was on the floor. 

 

    The next night Zeb was home from RVA and when I went into his bedroom to kiss him good night,

I saw he was under his mosquito net. Now that boy always refused to sleep under a net so I said to him, "I am glad to see you have decided to use your mosquito net." To that he replied "it is not for mosquitoes, rather it is a tarantula net!"

 

    The second one happened one evening when I returned home from Nairobi with groceries.  As Thomas and I unloaded them, we saw a mouse run under the upright freezer.  So we decided to stand on either side of it, slide it out from the wall, and dispatch the mouse when it ran out. As we slid the freezer, a mouse, a tarantula and a scorpion ran out. 

 

    That was so unexpected we just stood watching and burst out laughing! I think we killed the scorpion but the other two lived to see another day.

 

    At least there are no tarantula webs to burst through on the AT!

Uncle 

Update 13

    Renee dropped me off at at Mile Marker (MM) 1514.1 on Tuesday, July 12 and today, Sunday July 16 I made it to MM 1606.6.  So I have now hiked around 1,060 miles. I am pushing this week to get as close to Boone, NC as possible as Renee, Judah and Mary will visit me this upcoming Wednesday starting from Boone.  Thanks Robin for allowing them the use of your place!

     I had one short day of 7 miles as I spent one night in Pearisburg  

  because I heard a lot of rain was coming. However I think I have now learned that in the South there is no need to get off trail due to weather reports re rain, as what happens is scattered showers, not all day affairs.

    The weather has been hot but not as bad as I expected, thank God!  I did learn the hard way the first day back out to make double sure to stay hydrated well during the hottest part of the day. 

    I picked up a cheap Verizon phone before returning to the AT and it is helping me to stay in regular contact with family. 

    The hiking since returning has taken me through some beautiful forests but the views have been limited. This section is not one I would necessarily recommend for section hiking. However I have been through a lot of Rhododendron "Hells" and have enjoyed seeing many blooms.

    I have been told the upcoming section between Bland and Damascus is crawling with bears. The

next shelter I will stay in, the Chestnut Knob Shelter, has a door one can close due to bears. Should be interesting!

    Thanks to all who have made it known you are praying for the Lennon family. "Home Base," Kim Crane, is keeping me abreast of news re Nephew and the Lennons. His hike, as far as doing the southern section, is possibly over, and that is understandable. Please pray that our Lord will show me what to do after making it to Springer Mountain in GA, i.e. go north to ME and try to complete a thru hike or call it quits and use the time to fully prepare for our last week of October return to Kenya. 

     We still need to raise a lot of money for our goal of $100K to supply scripture and Bible based training for our refugee brethren.

Uncle

Sad News

If you look back to a blog I did on May 21 you will see it is entitled "Fourth Trail Visit." It has a picture attached to it of Nephew and I posing with the Lennon family of Pomona, NY. The love of Nephew's life is the youngest daughter of Owen and Rose Lennon, Rachel. 

    The picture contains all of the Lennon children, as Owen Sr. is holding up his phone and Rachel appears on its screen as he did a Face Time with her for the picture. She was in S Korea, where Adam had been for 4 1/2 years, teaching English. Nephew finished his contract early so as to walk the AT and Rachel planned to return to the USA at the end of August after completing her contract. Hence Nephew wanted to be finished by no later than the second week of September.

    Well, if you have watched the news this week you noted that a C130 crashed in MS killing 16 military personnel. Owen Lennon Jr. was one of them. Adam has already traveled to be with the family in Pomona. Rachel arrived in NYC yesterday afternoon and Adam was there to receive her with other family.

    I ask that you please pray for the Lennon family during this time of sorrow. I considered it a deep privilege to experience the love and hospitality of the Lennon family and I am grieving for them and interceding on their behalf with the only One, the living God, who can meet them at every point of need.

Uncle

July 10, 2017

Well I have been home visiting my beautiful daughter-in-law and her 3 wonderful children since July 2nd. I have attached a picture of me posing with the youngest, Sarah.

She is only 1 year old. It has been a blast getting to know her. It was also fun to see my mom and step dad interact with the kids. Sophia, the middle child, loves to visit their apartment and just hang out.  She loves to sing and makes up a song as she goes along about whatever task she's doing. Judah is the eldest and we did lots of things together including set up a lemonade stand. He told me today he made $9! 

    Renee hosted a bridal shower at our house yesterday for her niece , Hope Adams. It was a blessing to see so many from the Adams and Ritchie families at one time.

    Renee will carry me back to Pearisburg, VA tonight and I will return to hiking tomorrow. I have laid out a plan that should see me in Damascus, VA by July 21. 

    Our daughter, Mary, will travel to our home town on July 16 and while she is in Renee will bring her and Judah to visit me on the trail. I am looking forward to that.

 

    I have attached a picture of nephew posing with a friend made on the trail. He chose to leave the trail a couple of days ago as he

realized he had a serious stomach bug. He has been given the required meds and has been resting in a hostel located in Monsoon, ME. He only has around 45 mi to reach the northern end of the AT, the summit of Mt. Kathadin. He is definitely sporting the beard of a thru hiker. Pray he fully recovers his strength quickly. 

Uncle

Bears, Berries, Trees, snakes and Yellow Jackets

Nephew and I started hiking north at mile marker 907 on April 9. From that point until I left the AT to heal on June 4, we never saw a bear in the wild.

   Once I started hiking south on June 17, I started seeing bears within just a few days. I have now seen 8 of them. Four of them were cubs, two were less than 300 lb and two were mature adults.

    A ninth bear hung around my tent one night for close to a half hour. I heard him crashing through the woods as he neared my camp site so I was prepared. It was a bit unnerving when it felt as if his nose was within a foot of my head!  I had on the tent's fly sheet so I could not see him or actually feel his breath, but the volume of air coming out of his nose told me he was big. I zipped and unzipped the fly's zipper quickly and that scared him away a few times.  Then I had to do that and shout at him to make him run away some distance. 

    The whole time I was doing that I kept thinking " a real Maasai would have already jumped out of the tent with his trekking poles and proven his bravery." I am such a wimp! 

    Finally the bear left me and went over to where I had tied my food bag in a tree. I must have hung it well because when I awoke the next morning it was undisturbed.

  Before leaving the AT on June 2, I got to pick and eat wild huckle berries for the first time (see picture). I also got to see the Keffer Oak Tree, the 2nd largest on the AT (see picture).  It is 18 ft around and estimated to be over 300 years old. 

   During the afternoon of June 1, I apparently stuck one trekking pole in a yellow jackets nest. A few of them let my legs know they were not happy about that! It had been many years since I had experienced their ability to bite and sting.

   Earlier on the same day, I stepped right over a Copperhead snake (see picture).

I had no idea I could jump that high with a full pack on! 

    So Nephew, be on the lookout when you return to the south! BTW we think Adam will summit Kathadin by midweek next week. Keep him in your prayers please as he has not had the chances to heal up I have had.

Uncle

A Well Placed Leaf                                              

Water is a big issue when walking the AT. One big question to settle before one even begins walking is what sort of system to use for filtering water. There are a number of options and as with other issues, every choice has its upside and downside.
Nephew and I chose to utilize the Sawyer Squeeze filter for all of our water filtration needs. The filter requires one to fill up the squeeze bag from a water source. Then one squeezes the water using hand pressure through the filter into the water bottle carried in your back pack. The filter can be back flushed if it becomes clogged by dirty water. The tip of a Smart Water bottle can fit onto the filter for back flushing so we each carry 2 one liter Smart Bottles.
The downside of having to fill up the squeeze bag is encountered when the water flowing out of a spring is very shallow. We like it when a pipe has been placed in the spring because one just holds the bag under the pipe's mouth.

That is where a well placed leaf can help when a pipe is missing. As you can see from the picture, when the water flow is slow and shallow, one can use small rocks and a leaf to create a spigot of sorts. This maneuver has been of great help to me in the south where the springs are starting to dry up and at times are further apart.
Clean water is so essential to life and good health. I am thankful that this far on my trek, our chosen method has worked so well.


Uncle

John 4:14
but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Update 12                                                               

Well I finally emerged from the T-Mobile black hole I had been in for days while on Sinking Creek Mtn. Was able to SMS and then call Renee around 1:30 on Sunday.

    I asked her if sticking to our schedule of returning home on July 8th would still be best for me so as to get a lot of time with my granddaughters, or if we needed to change things. Renee recounted what the calendar looked like for this week and it was clear that I should move up my departure date from the AT so as to visit with Leslie and the kids. 

 

    So I told her to come on to VA and pick me at MM 1514.1 Sinking Creek on VA Rd 42. I told her

once I got to the junction if I had network I would call a shuttle driver listed in the AT Guide, a fellow based out of Pearisburg, and have him take me to that town.

 

    Once I arrived there, I had no network so had to figure things out. I started walking West but when I turned around and looked over my shoulder, I saw a church steeple. Always run to the cross! So I turned around hoping for a parsonage and a phone. When I got there, I realized there was no parsonage. So I stood out front of the church hoping for a lift but no one stopped. But after a while a nice lady turned in and parked in the adjacent cemetery. She allowed me to use her phone and the shuttle driver said he would be after me in an hour.

 

   Once we arrived at the McDonalds in Pearisburg, we tried calling Renee but quickly realized she had no coverage. Well to make a long story short, she had misunderstood where to meet me and had traveled directly to Pearisburg and was hunting for me in town. At a hostel they allowed her to use their internet and thus received an SMS I or my mom had sent to her # informing her where I was. Whew! I had been worried she might be looking for me out in the country at my specified spot but in the providence of God her misunderstanding of where to meet me worked out for the better.

 

    So I will be in the home town this week visiting and I cannot wait to hold my precious granddaughters! Oh yeah, and of course hug Leslie!

Uncle

Update 11

I spent Saturday night, July 1, at the Niday Shelter, MM 1504.2. The walk across the Brush Mountain involved a very long ridge line and then a steep downhill. The Audie Murphy Monument is located at

the top, MM 1499.1, and I took a pic of it. It was erected there in 1974 to honor the most decorated soldier of WWII who died in a plane crash near the site.

    While hiking the ridgeline I ran into a guy who has worked for the State Dept a # of years. He was posted in Chad for a year. Was a unique experience to talk about N'Djamena and environs while on the AT.

 

    The distance between water sources is getting longer at points but I am also discovering I can now go further on 2 liters than before.

 

    At the Niday Shelter I ran into a guy Nephew and I saw in the Shenandoah Park back in April,

Meandering Snail. He only walks 8 mi or so a day and is south bound. He spent 12 years in India and when he returned to the USA he landed in PA. After attending an event there he chose to get on the AT and meander.  Hmm. Guess he is trying to figure stuff out. Interesting way to go about it!

 

   As I think about returning to the AT in the future to section hike with family members or friends, the section I walked from the James River, MM 1405.1, to VA 621, MM 1502.8, sure has a lot to recommend it. The view from McAfee Knob and other places along the way were outstanding. 

    

Uncle

                                                                                      

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Update 10 July 1

 

   On June 30 I hiked from Lamberts Meadow Shelter, MM 1471.1 to VA 624 Newport Rd MM 1487.4. Rained on me the last couple of hours so arrived at the Four Pines Hostel, located only .3 of a mile from the AT, soaking wet.

 

    I got a shower there and dried out my clothes a bit. This a.m. I will climb the Dragon's Tooth.

 

    I met a fellow yesterday a.m. as I left the shelter and during our talk he said he planned to climb it as well today. He is section hiking with his dad. He did a thru hike in 2012.  He has agreed to pick me this hour at the hostel and carry me to the parking lot adjacent The Tooth. We will climb together then he will return to his car and drive to a place ahead where the AT crosses a gravel road at MM 1495.3 Trout Creek. There I will retrieve my pack and keep hiking. 

 

    So I get to do this famous climb not having to carry my full pack.  Sorry to let Nephew down and break the "no slack packing" rule he has set for himself, but I am going to do it at least this once.

    Well, I am typing this update at 14:22 at the top of Brush Mountain that required a 1,400 ft climb.  Took a break hoping I would have cell network but no luck. The slack packing experience was wonderful. I flew over that 7 mi stretch and the Dragon's Tooth climb turned out to be no big deal. But the views were good and it is a unique place.

Uncle

 

P.S.

Made it to the Niday Shelter by 19:00. Have new heel blisters to deal with. Ugh. If "Grand Poopa"  (His trail name) reads this please receive my thanks for making my day in different ways. BTW fans of the Flintstones Cartoon should recognize where that trail name comes from.

Update 9 June 29                                                                  

 

    On the 28th I hiked from the Bobblets Gap Shelter MM 1443.2 to Troutville at marker  1460.2. There I was picked up by an old friend we will call J. He and his wife now live in Roanoke. He picked me at around 20:00 and took me to their house where I bathed and washed clothes. I noted J kept his car window down on the trip. Hmm? Maybe I smelled?

 

    It was good to visit and discuss lots of things connected to the past and present. 

    The next morning he took me to a breakfast buffet. Boy did I eat! J then took me shopping for 4 day's of food. He then took me to Daleville's Post Office and I took out of my bounce box what I wanted and mailed it back home since Renee will pick me up on the 8th.

 

   The last stop was at an outdoor store to buy more cooking gas and my 3rd type of Super Feet; a rigid shoe insert. I think this model is my favorite.

 

   I got a late start out of Troutville but walked 11 mi to the Lambert's Meadow Shelter MM 1471.1. I stopped at a store on 220 to eat more, and make calls. Talked to B Calvert and found out they will move to Sumter, SC in a few weeks where he will serve on staff at a church. An answer to prayer!

 

    About a quarter mi from the shelter I saw a 300 lb (+) bear. I filtered water nearby and kept a sharp eye the whole time but never saw him again. This shelter has a bear box so all is well.

 

   I am a bit conflicted about how far to go tomorrow. I may get off at the Newport Rd and stay at a hostel. That would give me a 16 mi walk and then I would be fresh when I climb the Dragon's Tooth

at MM 1487.8 the next day.

   For what it is worth. I have now hiked 923.7 mi. Yeah!  

Uncle