This past weekend (July 30-Aug. 1) 12 missionaries and 2 Nationals took off on the Mt Wilhelm expedition, our youngest member being 12 and our oldest member at 55 years of age. We left Kudjip at 9 am on Friday, drove an hour to Kundiawa where we turned off the main highway in the Highlands and began a 3 hour drive in off-road conditions to reach the place where we would park our 2 vehicles and begin the ascent to base camp and ultimately reach the peak of Mt. Wilhelm. We crossed some very rough stretches of road and one very scary bridge, 
which was one of 15 bridges crossed in reaching our goal. Dr. Bill McCoy, a man among men, drove both vehicles across the scary bridge, which consisted of tire width planking running the length of the bridge, one for each side of the vehicle. Once past we continued on our way to the car park where we would leave our Land Cruisers for the weekend. Shortly after our arrival it began to rain. Hiking for 3 hours to base camp in the rain is absolutely not our idea of fun! We tried to wait it out and it finally slowed down to a sprinkle. That was when we decided to get on with it and start the hike to base camp. The entourage of guides, packers and 
hikers put on their rain jackets and ponchos and strapped on back packs and gear. For those that draped their ponchos over their packs, they looked like a version of the hunchback of Notre Dame as we started down the trail! Keeping our backpacks and food dry was essential! In single file we entered the jungle trail that would eventually, 3 hours later, take us to base camp, some for the first time, not knowing what to expect and others who had been down this path before, literally, knowing full well, what was coming. When the goal is the top of the mountain everything before you, is uphill. So, for over an hour we hiked up cut-in steps before we reached a significantly level area that made walking easier, but only for a short time. After about another 1 1/2 hours, just a little ways before reaching base camp you come to a small water fall and a rather steep up hill climb before base camp comes into view. When you first see base camp, it is a most wonderful sight to behold. After three hours of hiking in the rain with the temperature slowly getting cooler you are more than ready to get the pack off, get into dry clothes and get a hot drink inside your belly. The evening's meal was the PNG version of Ramen Noodles with a PNG 
version of Spam mixed in for protein and crackers with more hot drink.
hikers put on their rain jackets and ponchos and strapped on back packs and gear. For those that draped their ponchos over their packs, they looked like a version of the hunchback of Notre Dame as we started down the trail! Keeping our backpacks and food dry was essential! In single file we entered the jungle trail that would eventually, 3 hours later, take us to base camp, some for the first time, not knowing what to expect and others who had been down this path before, literally, knowing full well, what was coming. When the goal is the top of the mountain everything before you, is uphill. So, for over an hour we hiked up cut-in steps before we reached a significantly level area that made walking easier, but only for a short time. After about another 1 1/2 hours, just a little ways before reaching base camp you come to a small water fall and a rather steep up hill climb before base camp comes into view. When you first see base camp, it is a most wonderful sight to behold. After three hours of hiking in the rain with the temperature slowly getting cooler you are more than ready to get the pack off, get into dry clothes and get a hot drink inside your belly. The evening's meal was the PNG version of Ramen Noodles with a PNG 
version of Spam mixed in for protein and crackers with more hot drink. We went to bed around 8 pm and the morning wake-up call came shortly after 3 am. After a morning breakfast of oats along with raisins, crackers and peanut butter and yes, more hot drink we set off on the trail to the summit of Mt Wilhelm. Before we started up the mountain we had prayer and were divided into 3 groups of 4. So at around 4:30 am the assault on Mt. Wilhelm commenced! For Jeff, this was his shot at redemption, having failed on 2 previous attempts because at 45 he is not getting any younger; for Ethan, an opportunity to do something his daddy had not yet done and at 12 years of age no less! Jessica, the youngest female of our group at 15 yrs, came to complete what she started 2 years before when her daddy pulled her off the hike because he was ready to go back down the mountain, and Susan, the veteran of the Myers' family having made it to the top 8 years before, could she do it one more time at the age of ?? Each Myers' member having a form of motivation, and yet each unified in the final goal of getting a family photo on top of Mt Wilhelm!
So, in the dark we set off for the summit. The first couple of hours you are working your way through alpine type growth until it is gone and nothing is around you but rocks and cliffs. (I do need to say here, that I had prayed for 2 or so weeks that the Lord would make it overcast, warm and dry. Our 2 previous times it had either been very wet or very cold and I wanted the conditions to be ideal. So you can imagine my frustration when the adventure started out in the rain and then it rained all evening and into the night before quitting. I am glad we serve a loving and gracious God, who loves us even when we doubt and are frustrated because what we prayed for is not what is happening. Just being honest here! God does know what we need and He does know the desires of our hearts!) Because we were dressed to stay warm and were working hard in climbing very steep slopes we were 
working up a good sweat of exertion. By the time we cleared the alpine growth and started through the rocks the wind was picking up and we were freezing! One of the reasons I, Jeff, did not make it before is because when you're freezing, it just ain't no fun! At an elevation of 10,000 feet it starts to cool down pretty good. Susan took along her alarm clock, not because she planned a nap along the way but because it has a thermometer on it and at one point it read 40 degrees.
working up a good sweat of exertion. By the time we cleared the alpine growth and started through the rocks the wind was picking up and we were freezing! One of the reasons I, Jeff, did not make it before is because when you're freezing, it just ain't no fun! At an elevation of 10,000 feet it starts to cool down pretty good. Susan took along her alarm clock, not because she planned a nap along the way but because it has a thermometer on it and at one point it read 40 degrees.Now it is a mighty pretty sight to see the sun rise at that altitude. It mainly is streaks in the sky and on this day they were a pale blue and orange. That high up the sun rising does not take long. As the sun comes up, even if only imagined, it begins to feel warmer. It is a neat feeling as you get higher and higher to look back and see all that is now below you. The view was absolutely amazing! Now that we have reveled in God's majestic mountains, there is a summit to reach and it requires the next step. As much as you rejoice in each decline you walk down after having just covered a tough incline, in the back of your mind is the cold hard fact that what comes down must go back up! That is if your plan and goal is still the summit. Now, if you have not by this time, lost the hustle in your bustle, it can be a fun trail to follow, with cool rocks you have to cross, climb and scurry across. Rocks that are hanging on the edge with toe holds and lips that you put your feet on as the guides help to get you across. The first time I failed on my assault on the summit, was 8 years ago, it was my imagination working in perfect harmony with my fear of 
heights that got the best of me. But this time, and I thank the Lord, I did not feel any of that as we crossed these places that probably are better suited for Big Horn sheep. But onward we go, remember we need a family photo at the summit. As we continued it did not rain but the clouds were all around us and you could see the wind at times moving them around. One moment it would be cloudy and literally moments later a mountain would rise up right before your eyes, truly a fascinating thing to behold. It was also kind of funny when our guides would point at this curtain of white and tell us Mt Wilhelm is right over there...sure it is! But after one of our guides told us he had been to the summit 30 times, I'll take his word for it. I am not ashamed to say that I was ready a couple of times to say enough 
and head back down the mountain but then my kids would say come on dad you can do it and Susan would give me a snack and I would plod on. Jessica and I's motto was "baby steps, keep moving, baby steps." Susan and I are proud of the kids for staying at it and seeing it through. When we stopped to take a breather and the clouds blew past and Ben, our lead guide, pointed to a pinnacle of rock in front of us and said, it was Wilhelm, I am going to tell you I got down right emotional and shed some tears. What had eluded me on 2 previous occasions was now in front of me. After a hard climb up to that point and to see Mt Wilhelm before me, I was excited. As a family we had made it and we were going 
to get our family photo on top of ol' Mt. Wilhelm. Like a bloodhound on the scent I was not to be denied. To get to the summit we had to crawl through a small short tunnel (cave) and up and over some very large stones to get to the top, but it was absolutely worth every moment. To do it as a family was very sweet indeed. The sweetest part of all, and Susan would echo these sentiments, is now that we have done it as a family we don't need to do it ever again! I am also happy to report that everyone of our group who started out to reach Mt. Wilhelm summit was successful in reaching the goal. It took 5 hours to reach the summit from base camp and 4 hours to 
get back down the mountain. The temperature at the summit was 42 degrees and the elevation was 14,810 feet, the highest point in all of PNG. Bottom line is, it may not be what we have in mind, but the Lord knows what we need to get to the top, not only Mt Wilhelm but in our walk with Him. Uncle (Dr.) Bill quoted this verse and Scot Riggins had it on a note card that his wife had given him before he left for the trip, "The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights" (Hab. 3:19). Thank you Lord for deer feet!
heights that got the best of me. But this time, and I thank the Lord, I did not feel any of that as we crossed these places that probably are better suited for Big Horn sheep. But onward we go, remember we need a family photo at the summit. As we continued it did not rain but the clouds were all around us and you could see the wind at times moving them around. One moment it would be cloudy and literally moments later a mountain would rise up right before your eyes, truly a fascinating thing to behold. It was also kind of funny when our guides would point at this curtain of white and tell us Mt Wilhelm is right over there...sure it is! But after one of our guides told us he had been to the summit 30 times, I'll take his word for it. I am not ashamed to say that I was ready a couple of times to say enough 
and head back down the mountain but then my kids would say come on dad you can do it and Susan would give me a snack and I would plod on. Jessica and I's motto was "baby steps, keep moving, baby steps." Susan and I are proud of the kids for staying at it and seeing it through. When we stopped to take a breather and the clouds blew past and Ben, our lead guide, pointed to a pinnacle of rock in front of us and said, it was Wilhelm, I am going to tell you I got down right emotional and shed some tears. What had eluded me on 2 previous occasions was now in front of me. After a hard climb up to that point and to see Mt Wilhelm before me, I was excited. As a family we had made it and we were going 
to get our family photo on top of ol' Mt. Wilhelm. Like a bloodhound on the scent I was not to be denied. To get to the summit we had to crawl through a small short tunnel (cave) and up and over some very large stones to get to the top, but it was absolutely worth every moment. To do it as a family was very sweet indeed. The sweetest part of all, and Susan would echo these sentiments, is now that we have done it as a family we don't need to do it ever again! I am also happy to report that everyone of our group who started out to reach Mt. Wilhelm summit was successful in reaching the goal. It took 5 hours to reach the summit from base camp and 4 hours to 
get back down the mountain. The temperature at the summit was 42 degrees and the elevation was 14,810 feet, the highest point in all of PNG. Bottom line is, it may not be what we have in mind, but the Lord knows what we need to get to the top, not only Mt Wilhelm but in our walk with Him. Uncle (Dr.) Bill quoted this verse and Scot Riggins had it on a note card that his wife had given him before he left for the trip, "The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights" (Hab. 3:19). Thank you Lord for deer feet!Pic 1 - The team before leaving Kudjip
Pic 2 - The Scary Bridge
Pic 3 - A rest stop on the hike up to base camp
Pic 4 - Getting set-up for supper
Pic 5 - Sunrise in the mountains
Pic 6 - Part of the mountain trail
Pic 7 - The goal in view "Mt. Wilhelm"
Pic 8 - The prize! Family photo on top of Wilhelm
Pic 9 - Guides and my helpers, l to r, Jerry, Me, Willie & Ben (lead guide)
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