sábado, 22 de marzo de 2014
Drew Lund's Mexican Adventures: Adventures in the Mexican Wilderness
Drew Lund's Mexican Adventures: Adventures in the Mexican Wilderness:
In several of my previous posts I've mentioned hiking in the hills behind the ranch. I feel like it's time to shed a little bit more light on the difference between that and the hiking I'm used to back home in Washington.
Washington has a lot of beautiful places to hike. With these beautiful hiking trails come lots of regulations and rules about where to hike, how to hike, and when to hike. You can only hike in certain areas so you don't hurt wildlife, you can only use the trails during specific times of the year, and you can't bring certain items or build fires and things like that. You also sometimes can't go hiking for a few days after a storm has hit because the trails will be to muddy. Down here in Mexico, none of that is a problem.
At the ranch, if you want to go hiking, you go hiking. If you see something that looks cool and you want to get closer, you get closer. If you see a rock you want to climb, you climb it. There basically aren't any trails in the hills, so you don't have to worry about following any specific paths. If you want to go somewhere, you take a machete and slash and smash your way through the dry, sharp bushes until you get there. As long as you aren't afraid of a few scrapes, scratches, bumps and hard landings, you can do it.
I have yet to complete a hike and come back unscathed. I never wear pants, so my legs consistently have so many scratches and cuts that there isn't a patch of skin showing that isn't red or bloody (if you can even see my skin through the layers of dirt that cover me by the time I'm finished). But don't worry, there's usually a good dose of internal pain as well. I always have a couple days of aching in my ankles and knees from the hard landings and falls received while rock hopping (the hills here covered in massive boulders).
All that said, I love hiking at the ranch. It is such a blessing to be able to walk for 15 minutes and suddenly have nothing in sight but beautiful, un-developed rolling hills. The weather is almost always nothing but amazing and sunny. There's no better way to get exercise, fresh air, and a chance to take in God's creation, all in my own back yard. Whether it's slowly hacking my way through painful bushes, carefully climbing on boulders, or recklessly sprinting downhill and destroying my legs with scrapes and bumps, it's a great feeling to hike at Rancho Sordo Mudo.
In several of my previous posts I've mentioned hiking in the hills behind the ranch. I feel like it's time to shed a little bit more light on the difference between that and the hiking I'm used to back home in Washington.
Washington has a lot of beautiful places to hike. With these beautiful hiking trails come lots of regulations and rules about where to hike, how to hike, and when to hike. You can only hike in certain areas so you don't hurt wildlife, you can only use the trails during specific times of the year, and you can't bring certain items or build fires and things like that. You also sometimes can't go hiking for a few days after a storm has hit because the trails will be to muddy. Down here in Mexico, none of that is a problem.
At the ranch, if you want to go hiking, you go hiking. If you see something that looks cool and you want to get closer, you get closer. If you see a rock you want to climb, you climb it. There basically aren't any trails in the hills, so you don't have to worry about following any specific paths. If you want to go somewhere, you take a machete and slash and smash your way through the dry, sharp bushes until you get there. As long as you aren't afraid of a few scrapes, scratches, bumps and hard landings, you can do it.
I have yet to complete a hike and come back unscathed. I never wear pants, so my legs consistently have so many scratches and cuts that there isn't a patch of skin showing that isn't red or bloody (if you can even see my skin through the layers of dirt that cover me by the time I'm finished). But don't worry, there's usually a good dose of internal pain as well. I always have a couple days of aching in my ankles and knees from the hard landings and falls received while rock hopping (the hills here covered in massive boulders).
All that said, I love hiking at the ranch. It is such a blessing to be able to walk for 15 minutes and suddenly have nothing in sight but beautiful, un-developed rolling hills. The weather is almost always nothing but amazing and sunny. There's no better way to get exercise, fresh air, and a chance to take in God's creation, all in my own back yard. Whether it's slowly hacking my way through painful bushes, carefully climbing on boulders, or recklessly sprinting downhill and destroying my legs with scrapes and bumps, it's a great feeling to hike at Rancho Sordo Mudo.
jueves, 13 de marzo de 2014
Get The Word Out
domingo, 9 de marzo de 2014
Drew Lund's Mexican Adventures: Reflections on Month One at RSM
Drew Lund's Mexican Adventures: Reflections on Month One at RSM:
March 9, 2014
"Today is the first day of my second month as the intern here at Rancho Sordo Mundo, and I thought this would be a good time to give a brief summary of my life at the ranch up to this point.
First, I'll fill in the gap since the last time I posted. Since then, I have learned quite a bit of sign language, all of the names of the students and staff, and how to cook several different tasty dishes including how to batter and deeper fry chicken. My day off every week has turned into "Mexican Monday" with Noemy and David (and Lucas Nash one of the days). With them, I have gone on two four-hour hiking adventures exploring the hills behind the ranch, eaten at four or five different taco stands in Ensenada, ridden horses on the beach with the sun setting in the background (it's worth mentioning in a second blog), watched a movie in a Mexican theater, and been to a real Mexican carnival (you haven't been to a carnival until you've been to one in Mexico).
And that's just the highlights from the last two weeks. I've been a busy man!
Now comes the reflecting part: What I think has been the biggest thing that has struck me since my very first day at RSM is how amazing the staff here is. Everyone has been nothing but welcoming to me, actually making me feel like I'm a part of the team. I have to be honest, before I actually got here, I expected to spend most of my time feeling lonely and isolated. I didn't think I would get very close with anyone here, especially not within the first month. But I'm glad to say they've proved me wrong. From movie nights and taco runs with Jason, Chris and Mikaela to "living Mexico" with David and Noemy to a book study about spiritual disciplines with Howard and Lucas, it's not an exaggeration to say that the staff here has helped me to have a lot of fun while pushing me to grow mentally, physically and spiritually during my month here already. I'm continually blessed amazed by the kindness and spiritual maturity of everyone here.
On Tuesday I leave for America. I'll be staying at Biola University to attend the annual missions conference there with Howard and Janet, then returning to the ranch on Saturday. I would appreciate prayer for us for safe travels, as well as open eyes and ears to hear what God wants to speak to us at the conference."
March 9, 2014
"Today is the first day of my second month as the intern here at Rancho Sordo Mundo, and I thought this would be a good time to give a brief summary of my life at the ranch up to this point.
First, I'll fill in the gap since the last time I posted. Since then, I have learned quite a bit of sign language, all of the names of the students and staff, and how to cook several different tasty dishes including how to batter and deeper fry chicken. My day off every week has turned into "Mexican Monday" with Noemy and David (and Lucas Nash one of the days). With them, I have gone on two four-hour hiking adventures exploring the hills behind the ranch, eaten at four or five different taco stands in Ensenada, ridden horses on the beach with the sun setting in the background (it's worth mentioning in a second blog), watched a movie in a Mexican theater, and been to a real Mexican carnival (you haven't been to a carnival until you've been to one in Mexico).
And that's just the highlights from the last two weeks. I've been a busy man!
Now comes the reflecting part: What I think has been the biggest thing that has struck me since my very first day at RSM is how amazing the staff here is. Everyone has been nothing but welcoming to me, actually making me feel like I'm a part of the team. I have to be honest, before I actually got here, I expected to spend most of my time feeling lonely and isolated. I didn't think I would get very close with anyone here, especially not within the first month. But I'm glad to say they've proved me wrong. From movie nights and taco runs with Jason, Chris and Mikaela to "living Mexico" with David and Noemy to a book study about spiritual disciplines with Howard and Lucas, it's not an exaggeration to say that the staff here has helped me to have a lot of fun while pushing me to grow mentally, physically and spiritually during my month here already. I'm continually blessed amazed by the kindness and spiritual maturity of everyone here.
On Tuesday I leave for America. I'll be staying at Biola University to attend the annual missions conference there with Howard and Janet, then returning to the ranch on Saturday. I would appreciate prayer for us for safe travels, as well as open eyes and ears to hear what God wants to speak to us at the conference."
Drew Lund's Mexican Adventures: View of RSM and the Valle de Guadalupe
Drew Lund's Mexican Adventures: View of RSM and the Valle de Guadalupe: The view after a short 10 minute hike from my front step.
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