We started our day by watching the sun rise over the mountains and trying to find words of praise for the God who made it all. Then after a time spent serving in various locations, we headed straight to those mountains we had looked at from a distance.

We came in order to prepare a place for a women’s conference by placing necklaces on a cross that stood at the top of the mountain. That way the necklaces would already be waiting when the women arrived. We trekked across goat inhabited fields and watched as the mountain before us grew closer and steeper.

Soon a white cross high in the mountain came into view. It became the place we fixed our eyes; our finish line so to speak. The number of our hiking party began to dwindle as we climbed higher. I’ve always loved hiking but this felt a lot more like climbing. I might try to make a comparison to Mt. Everest if it weren’t for the sharp contrast in temperature. That’s also probably a bit melodramatic. But after sweating and tripping our way up, we finally reached the cross.

Any exhaustion or pride that had built up during the hike was quickly wiped away by the humbling sight around us. Sunlight spilled over the enormous mountains beside us and a dazzling blue ocean faced us from a distance. The enormity of it swallowed me whole. After dozens of pictures taken, we accomplished the task that we came for and placed the necklaces on the cross.

I pray that the women who will follow our path up the mountain will experience the presence of our God who certainly cannot be questioned amid such beauty. What a pleasure to play a part in that.

— Victoria Burdette