Saturday afternoon we headed into the mountains for a nice hike. It was a little longer then I thought, but it was fun all the same. Once we reached the end of the hike we stopped to eat a picnic dinner before heading back down the trail. It was beautiful. There was as stream to play in, but it was so cold since it was melted snow, a waterfall, and plenty of big rocks to climb on. After we all finished eating we all got our socks and shoes back on and the boys headed off for one last escapade before we left. I got Abigail in a hiking backpack and on John's back and headed down the little trail next to the stream to find the boys. They were gone. Totally gone. I walked pretty far down the trail calling their names and my friend went another way. They were no where to be found! First I was irritated, I had talked to them about staying close. Then I was worried. After about 1/2 an hour I started feeling scared. John had gone down the trail to look for them and my friend went on a side trail. We met back up. Still no boys. My friend and I went up the trail to see if the boys had headed back ahead of us, while John stayed to look more. I had Abigail on my back and tried to hurry as fast as I could. I held Elizabeth in my arms as much as I could to hurry it. I kept telling myself they were at the car, I just had to get there. About half way down the trail John caught up with me, he hadn't found the boys. The car, they HAD to be at the car. We were all praying, had been the whole time, and it was that peace that kept me from totally losing it and becoming hysterical. We got to the car and they weren't there. That means they were back up at the waterfall. Lost. Wet. Cold. It was nearly 9:00 and getting dark. John and I had planned to call search and rescue if they were not at the car, but my friend beat us to it, she had already called. Then she got a call. 4 teen aged hikers had found both boys, they were ok and the hikers would bring them down. Search plaens had begun flying search patterns by then. I wasn't willing to wait so I left John with our girls and ran back up the trail. I was till in a bit of a panic, I had to see them be know they were safe. I ran nearly two miles up the mountain before I found them. I hugged them both, in tears. I thanked the four who found them and we started back. Benjamin was tired and sore so I carried him for a little while, then one of the guys who found them offered to carry Benjamin since I was clearly tired. We were almost to the cars when three search and rescue volunteers met us. They insisted we stop to rest so they could make sure Glen and Benjamin were safe. One man was a medic and checked out their scrapes and bruises, they had come in contact with a few plants that gave them little white bumps, but he said they were ok. They kept asking me if I was ok, I think I was nearly ready to collapse from exhausted, but there was no way I was letting them wait any longer, I wanted to get back to John so he would know everyone was ok. He gave them coats and flashlights, offered water and food, and then we headed back again. Benjamin ended up with a crew behind me and I didn't want to be separated. I told Glen I was going back for Benjamin. I told them all that he was afraid of strangers and I wanted to be near him, but really I was still feeling anxious and wanted to reassure myself that he was ok. I put him back on my back and refused all offered from the rescue volunteers to take him from me until we were in sight of John and I put him down to hug daddy.
ok, so why did I tell you all this? Two reasons, first I felt like Heavenly Father had blessed us so much! It could have turned out very differently, but I know he was looking out for us. First of all, my friend was there. Without her it would have been so much more stressful and hard. She ran ahead on the trail asking everyone she met if they had seem two boys. Then there were the teens who found them. My friend met them near the beginning of the trail and they said no, they hadn't seen two boys and then everyone went their way, but one guy turned back and got her number so that they could call if they happened to see our kids. Turns out they were the ones who found Glen and Benjamin and they were able to call. There was my ability to run nearly two miles to met my kids. There were so many times when I was so exhausted that I thought I'd collapse, and then I would get a burst of strength so I could keep running. There was the fact that my friend could receive the call when she didn't have any cell reception. The peace that kept me from becoming hysterical. My kids were safe, they knew how to get back to the waterfall and get help. I'm so grateful for all of the miracles and tender mercies of the lord through this whole experience.
The second reason is to warn others. We had talked many times about staying close. Both boys said they understood the reasons for staying close. There were three adults all keeping an eye on those two boys and they still ended up lost. Next time we will make sure we take our emergency whistles, they could have been heard above the roar of the waterfall. Next time, I'm sure that they will stay close though. I wasn't they only one scared and I think that, more then the pinky promise made to the search and rescue team will keep Glen and Benjamin close to us on future hikes.
This is running long, but before I go I have to share one more thing. Glen and Benjamin told us later that they had prayed many times when they were lost and scared. They said that when they prayed a voice spoke to them four times. The first three times they could not understand, they said the the voice spoke in another language. The fourth time they understood. They were told to follow the path to the river and then follow the river tot he water fall. It was there that they found help. What a special experience. It reminds me of when the Nephites heard a voice from heaven and they couldn't understand it at first. It spoke again, and then again and they finally understood it.
No comments:
Post a Comment