Crawling Blindly

The last day of camp at Alpine Ministries offered another full slate for NBC’s Teenlife Ministries. After breakfast the group set out for adventure in the caves of West Virginia. The youth group was split into two groups. One group explored a cave that was dry and dusty. The other group traveled to a cave that was more wet and muddy. Both offered their own challenges.

Regardless of the group, both parties spent time below ground witnessing God’s creation from a new and different perspective. The footing was treacherous at times, and some of the passages were very tight. Patience was a virtue as the groups took their time to walk and crawl through portions of the miles of underground passages.

During the course of the journey, the guides conducted a “blind crawl” that tested our faith while in the unknown. With all of our lights turned off, each hiker slipped into a crawl space, moving through the tight passage to the other side. One by one we passed through, pulling ourselves along on our stomachs. At times we could feel the ceiling above touching our backs, and yet we could not see our hands in front of our face, let alone know with assurance we were headed in the right direction. It wasn’t until one of the guides reached out to tell us we had arrived. The exercise took many of us way out of our comfort zone in a way we had not experienced before.

Like that blind crawl, we often find ourselves in spots where we feel almost suffocated. It appears there is nowhere to turn, the walls are closing in, and we can’t find the escape. We struggle to locate the right path. We feel alone and helpless. But in that darkness, God provides the much-needed light. He illuminates our path and leads us to safety.

Friday’s activity challenged our bodies and our resolve. It also served as a metaphor for those who don’t know Christ. In our few hours underground, we were reminded of the many that are lost in the darkness. We, through Christ, can provide that light and be their guide.

Our teens attended the final evening service of the week, but a time of reflection by the campfire later in the night served as a perfect end to a long and rewarding week. Around the glow of the fire, many in the group took turns talking about what they enjoyed from the day, what they learned, and what it meant to them. We also looked back at the week in its entirety and shared memories. It was a wonderful time of fellowship as teens shared how they had made important decisions this week and we rejoiced in that. Cheers were raised to the heavens, tears were shed, and our group bonded over a memorable week that was part of the Lord’s plan.

Saturday morning we will depart early and begin the return trip to Noblesville. Pray that we will have safe travels. Also pray that the momentum that has been built this week will continue on after the teens return to their routines.