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Want to Download the Story to your Computer? Click Here! Home at Last That afternoon, after arriving back at my school, and letting everyone know that I was safe, I went to a nearby park and purchased two large tortas, two hot dogs, and a bag of potato chips. I sat in my room and took my first bite of food in two days. I nearly doubled over in pain because my throat was still so dry. Felipe was talking to me as I began to eat and he was really concerned about my health. I had to eat very slowly that day and it wasn’t until later on the next day that I began to feel normal again. After I had finished eating and cleaning myself up, I went to bed at 3:30 and did not awaken until 7:00 the next morning. When I awoke, and looked at my clock, I thought that it was 7:00 in the evening but I saw that the other foreign teacher was just getting up so I realized that I had slept for a long time. As the day progressed, I began to feel much better and the only affliction that I had which reminded me of my experience was a horrible sunburn on my face. For a few weeks after my ordeal, I was afraid that the water I had drank in the cow puddles and in the little brook that ran down the mountain would make me sick. This never occurred however, and after just a day, I felt fully recovered. Of course, after the fact, everyone told me that not only should I have hired a guide but that they all had told me to hire a guide before I left. The fact is, no one gave me any advice prior to my adventure other than “good luck” and “have fun.” I explained to everyone, however, that I really had no trouble reaching the top of the mountain. It was on my return trip that my troubles began. The next week, my students were making fun of me about what had happened. I jokingly asked them if they would like to come with me so that I could show them exactly what happened. The following day, three students came to school telling me that they had asked their parents if I could take them up to the top of the mountain sometime and their parents had said yes! Maybe their parents answered yes but my answer was a resounding “no thank you!” I decided that I would take a long break from climbing volcanoes, getting lost, sleeping under the stars, and dehydrating myself in the process. Even though I never returned to climb the volcano again, I could always see its tall dark shape looming in the distance from where I lived. It was a constant reminder to me of how our lives are so many times out of our control and how God’s mercy constantly protects us. At times, when I was laying up there under the stars I felt frustrated and a little angry because it seemed like God was not giving me any comfort. However, when I look back, I realize that He gave me just enough strength and courage to survive and maintain my sanity. He knew exactly what I needed and I am thankful for that. The time that I spent on the Volcano Tacana will forever live in my memory as one of my greatest challenges I have ever faced but also as one of my best learning experiences. Even when I felt that the situation was hopeless and I wanted to die, I never gave up completely. I knew that with God’s help there would be a way of escape and He showed me that this was true. www.nathanryan.com on the world wide web |
