50-50 Success!

Lessons learned walking 50 miles


By Isaac Will
Chapter coordinator

Contrary to popular belief, hiking 50 miles is a long way to walk.

We started our hike at 10 p.m. Friday, June 5. The weather was cool and the moon shone brightly over Lake Superior. Saturday started with happy muscles and joints. Although the weather remained ideal our physical condition started to deteriorate after about 20 miles. Great things require great sacrifice — and we were starting to feel the pain for the last 5 miles of the day.



A light rain started around 3 a.m. on Sunday, June 7. By the time I was getting out of my bivy at 6 a.m. it was down to a drizzle. I quickly realized that my body had not recovered throughout the night as I expected.

Just walking around camp and packing up our minimalist gear was painful. Thinking about doing another 25 miles seemed almost too much, too far, too many more calf-eating hills and knee-bashing rocky descents into river valleys, too many more miles of root-strewn trail that took out or ankles. We wondered if our bodies would make it.

But we really didn’t have a choice. Our car was parked at the end of our trail — 25 miles away. One way or another, we had to get there.

And this is how I sometimes feel in my daily life: Just waking up and getting through the day can seem like a huge and sometimes painful task. Trying to make a difference in the world and go the extra miles can seem too daunting and almost defeat you before you start.

I learned a few things along the way:

Always pack marshmallows.
Even when the destination seems too far away, just start walking. Take a step, then another, then another. You’ll get closer with every step. The more involved you are in the journey, the faster it will go by.
Miles, like time, will seemingly melt away. And when you are done, you can look back and say proudly: “I walked that trail.”
Don’t let failure be an option. If you are going to walk a trail in life, commit to it and park your car at the end. The harder you make it to quit the less likely you will.
Bring more Advil than you think you’ll need. It may not be easy going.


I know the work being done through Climbing for Christ IS making a difference. It is Kingdom work. I know my hike did not solve the food, water, and education problems, or the spiritual battles going on in Haiti, but it will make a difference. Dinner will be served. Salvation will be offered. To God be the glory – amen!

Haiti 50/50 adventu-raiser

First Annual

50-50 adventu-raiser

v Motivation: hunger, hydration, sanitation and education.

v Physical sacrifice: walk 50 miles of the Superior Hiking Trail in less than 50 hours.

v Goal: Raise $1,000+ for Haiti relief enablement

v Donation Request (tax deductable): $1 per mile walked ($50)

Hello, my name is Isaac Will. On May 27, I achieved 29 years of life. Now, more than ever, I understand that nothing greatly significant comes without great sacrifice- and usually some degree of pain and or blood. This, I have learned, is a good thing.

The same can be said of the process that brought me into this world- 29 years ago. So in honor of that which was done for me, the only gift I requested for my birthday was a donation to my 50/50 adventu-raiser for Haiti. To me, celebrating life, and passing the opportunity for sustained life, has brought a rejuvenated personal perspective on birthday celebrations. And really, when was the last time you gave a tax deductable birthday present?

I had the idea for the Haiti 50/50 on April 16, 2009. An emergency expedition was being mounted to support the work already being done in the Chaine de la Selle mountains of Haiti- and I was invited. Long story short, I could not go. A week ago my schedule cleared. I could do the Haiti 50/50.

So it got me thinking: “What are the odds for us? 50/50?”

o We will eat more than one meal today.

o We have water to drink.

o We have a toilet.

o We had an opportunity for education.

For the people in the Chaine de la Selle mountains of Haiti, their odds are far less than 50%

And so my heart replied:

o This event is in recognition of the struggle for life in the mountains of Haiti and to participate in some way to their resolution; regardless how large or small a contribution we can provide.

o While one meal for one family may not seem like much in relation to a population of 9 million people- but to that one family, it means dinner is served. It means energy to tend the family’s fields. It means waiting to pick the crops until they are ready.

50/50 can be good odds- or not:

· Card games- yes.

· Heads or tails for a football kickoff- yes.

· Having water to drink- no.

· Chances of eating a dinner today- no.

· Medical care to treat easily curable diseases and injuries- no.

Some statistics about Haiti:

· * 70%: the unemployment rate (the USA is at roughly 8%)

This number is much worse in the mountains where the vast majority of people are subsistence farmers.

· * 500-700: the average number of calories consumed per person each day.

· * 450’: The number of vertical feet people of Gentilhomme have to descend and climb back up to get water.

You can read more about what what is happening in Haiti here:

Donations:
Paypal:
Link to use Paypal:
or
Mail:
Send a check (payable to Climbing For Christ) to Climbing For Christ, Inc., P.O. Box 16290, Rochester, N.Y. 14616-0290. Thank you!

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