2009 ECO-CHALLENGE!!

ON MARCH 18TH AT APROX. 5 AM, 247 FLORIDA TRAVELED YET AGAIN TO THE BEAUTIFUL STATE OF ALABAMA, ONLY THIS TIME FOR THE 2009 ECO-CHALLENGE. OUR ELEUTHROS HAVE BEEN TRAINING FOR THIS EVENT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR THROUGH HARDCORE WORKOUTS, STUDYING OUR SCRIPTURE, AND SOMETIMES EVEN BOTH AT THE SAME TIME!

THE FIRST DAY WE ARRIVED WE WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE YOUTH AND 20 SOMETHING SERVICES, (SWITCH AND ONE) AT CHURCH OF THE HIGHLANDS, AND HANG OUT WITH OUR FAMILY MEMBERS OF 247 BAMA. THURSDAY MORNING WE HAD A FUN GAME OF VOLLEYBALL AND WE WERE BLESSED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR SOME OF THEIR FIRST YEARS PREACH SERMONS, ALL DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB!

THAT NIGHT WE SET OUT TO THE TALADAGA CAMPGROUNDS IN ORDER TO GET UP EARLY THE NEXT MORNING TO GET GOING ON THE RACE! FRIDAY MORNING-(SPENCERS 21ST BIRTHDAY) WE WOKE UP, ATE SOME BREAKFAST, PACKED OUR LUNCHES, AND SET OUT TO DO SOME REPELLING OFF A 75 FT MOUNTAIN WALL. THE VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS WAS ABSOLUTELY BREATH TAKING, ONE I WON'T SOON FORGET. IT WAS AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE BEING UP THERE WITH THE WHOLE 247 CREW, JUST ENJOYING THE VIEW AND EACH OTHERS COMPANY.

STARTING MY DESCENT DOWN FROM THE ROCK WAS A LITTLE SCARY, BUT ONCE I TOOK MY SECOND FOOT OFF THE ROCK, GOD BLESSED ME WITH AN OVERWHELMING SENSE OF PEACE AND COURAGE. I WAS ABLE TO ENJOY THE VIEW FROM A UNIQUE ANGLE, AND THEN CLIMBED MY WAY BACK UP THE MOUNTAIN. AFTER EVERYONE WAS FINISHED REPELLING, WE ALL HOPPED BACK INTO THE VANS AND HEADED TOWARD THE STARTING LINE.

AFTER A CHANT FROM PASTOR JUSTIN TO GET US PSYCHED UP, THE FIRST YEARS WERE SENT TO THE STARTING LINE AS CADRE, MUCH TO OUR SURPRISE, WALKED TOWARDS US WITH A TEN FOOT WOODEN CROSS ON THEIR SHOULDERS. WE WERE TO CARRY THIS CROSS THE WHOLE 20 MILE HIKE WITHOUT LETTING IT TOUCH THE GROUND, OR WE WOULD HAVE AN HOUR PENALTY TIME. WE WERE ALSO TOLD TO PICK UP AS MUCH TRASH AS WE FOUND ALONG THE WAY. THE RACE BEGAN AND 247 FLORIDA SPRINTED IN FRONT OF THE TWO ALABAMA TEAMS, TO TAKE THE LEAD EARLY. OUR FIRST SET BACK WAS THE COMPASS STATION, WHERE WE HAD TO FOLLOW DIRECT COORDINATES TO INGREDIENTS TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICHES, NOT KNOWING HOW TO READ A COMPASS, OUR TEAM WAS GETTING FRUSTRATED. BUT THANKFULLY RON PULLED THROUGH!

ONLY A COUPLE MINUTES BEHIND, WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE OTHER TEAMS AND TOOK THE LEAD AGAIN. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER WE FACED OUR SECOND SET BACK AFTER I SPRAINED MY RIGHT ANKLE. WITH THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD AND SOME PRAYER FROM MY TEAMMATE LINDY, I WAS ABLE TO FINISH THE 20 MILE HIKE ON IT, CROSSING RIVERS, JUMPING ROCKS, AND CARRYING THAT CROSS TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN. (LATER LINDY HAD SAID THAT IT REMINDED HER OF HOW MUCH PAIN JESUS WAS IN WHEN HE HAD TO CARRY THE CROSS) HOURS LATER AND DEHYDRATED WE REACHED THE TOP 26 MINUTES AHEAD OF ALABAMA. WHEN THEY ARRIVED, THE GIRLS WERE AWESOME AND SHOWED THE LOVE OF JESUS BY PRAYING OVER MY ANKLE AND THE GUYS FILLED UP MY WATER BOTTLE. WE DESCENDED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN HAND IN HAND, HAPPY THAT THE FIRST DAYS OF ECO WAS COMPLETE.

WE HEADED BACK TO THE CAMPGROUNDS FOR SOME CHILI AND REST. WE WOKE UP THE NEXT MORNING AROUND 6 30 AND GOT READY FOR DAY 2. MY ANKLE TOO SWOLLEN TO COMPETE, BUT INSTEAD WORKED BEHIND THE SCENES, WHERE MUCH TO MY SURPRISE THE ADRENALINE RUSH WAS JUST AS INTENSE! I CHEERED MY TEAM ON AS THEY BIKED 20 MILES ON THE ROAD AND KAYAKED A COUPLE OF MILES ON THE LAKE AND WE ALL CROSSED THE FINISH LINE HAND IN HAND. THIS TEAMS STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE BLOWS ME AWAY!

WE ENDED THE DAY COOKING OUT AND SHARING STORIES. AFTERWARDS, ELEUTHROS DID WHAT WE DO BEST, AND WE CELEBRATED WITH SOME FOOD! SUNDAY WE ATTENDED CHURCH AND THEN HEADED BACK TO FLORIDA!

ELEUTHROS I LOVE YA'LL!~!