“Race a Kenyan child up a mountain” isn’t on your bucket list!? It will be after you read this blog.
Canopy Life students recently set out on a mission to climb to the top of Mt. Longonot, an extinct volcano just north of Nairobi. Armed with sheer will and some snacks, they faced their mountain with courage.
On the day of the hike, the kids were curious and excited to see the crater and caldera that Teacher Linah had described to them. Just how excited were our kids to climb this mountain? Well, considering the average climbing time to reach the top of Mt. Longonot is 3 hours, we’d say they were ecstatic. Canopy Life students gave their chaperones a challenge and climbed it in 2!
According to Teacher Linah, this climb is not an easy task. Mt. Longonot gets its name from the Masaai word oloonong’ot, meaning “mountains of many spurs” or “steep ridges,” and rightly so! “Many of the younger students from our partner school started crying because they were getting tired, but Canopy Life students encouraged them and helped them up the mountain,” she said. Esther Mercy, with her tiny body and giant heart, noticed the teamwork: “Watching everyone helping each other made the mountain seem a little less tall.”
Climbing the Mt. Longonot of Life
If you are a Will Reagan fan, you might have heard these lyrics: “I lean not on my own understanding. My life is in the hands of the maker of Heaven… I will climb this mountain with my hands wide open.”A few days before the big hike, Canopy Life honor students attended a retreat with the U.S. team. As they gathered for devotion one morning, this song reminded them of their upcoming adventure.
Sometimes your journey in life is a long, tough journey. You may not know where the path is taking you. Other paths may look more enticing! Friend, if you are on that mountain, keep climbing! At the top there is a breathtaking view that makes the journey worth it. After returning home from Mt. Longonot, Janet described the lesson this way: “Sometimes in life, you have to climb, but if you stay focused, you can reach your goal. It was nice celebrating the victory of reaching the top because we did it together!”
