Climbing Cerro

Every year it is one of my favorite parts of the trip is to climb up Cerro. ( a hill or mountain, depending on where you come from) We got up at 5:15am and left the dorms by 5:30. 28 of us started up the hill, immediately several paces were established as we start the arduous task of walking up Cerro. The incline would very but at its steepest point would be around a 50 degree incline. The best part was that it did not matter whether you were a turtle or a hare all 28 crested the top. Around 6:30 we were greeted by the sunrise and then the wind picked up. This wind always seems to cut our time shorter but we were able to get a great view of TJ. For many this is there first expansive view of the the city.

As we neared the bottom on our way down we came across a man by the name of Saul. Saul is a Mexican guy who was born in TJ and then moved to LA, CA. Two years ago he was deported back and because of drug and alcohol addictions he was put in to a rehab center, Oh and we know this because he spoke english fluently. Saul had been waiting for us at the bottom of the mountain ever since he saw our group going up. He started talking to us and asking us what we were doing down here in TJ. After sharing with him about the house building at Caravan he asked us if we would like to come to his church. He told us we could rest our feet as we could sit on their benches and then he asked if we would come to pray with him. His church was called "living water". On down Cerro we continued until we arrived at their church. There we found a one room church we were able to go in and pray with Saul for ten min. It was so neat to be able to hear Saul pray for his church and how thankful he was for God's faithfulness in his life, and how excited and encouraged he was by our willingness to pray with him.
We then headed back to the dorms and were greeted by a wonderful breakfast that Cliff and Ruth and prepared. A breakfast of burritos with potatoes eggs cheese and chorizo is a hearty breakfast for some hungry climbers.
A new word was invented today was several asked what our plan for the day was. Culturing - this is the process of experiencing and learning of another culture.
-Erik Hultquist