He made our day

We took a camping trip last week to the Delaware Water Gap and did a little hiking of the Appalachian Trail. It began as a sightseeing tour around the area one afternoon and we found the trail just off of a beautiful look out point. Unfortunately, we weren’t prepared to hike any long distances. Wish we had brought our gear.

Even the short time on the trail, we still met some very interesting people, a few were section hikers and some were through hikers, hiking from Georgia to Mt. Katahdin in Maine.

One in particular was a man with a story. Most hikers have a trail name they use on the trail and his was Sleeves. Not sure why he chose Sleeves and I wish I had asked him. He had been thru-hiking the AT last year and close to the trail at the Delaware Water Gap, broke his tibia.  Sleeves was determined that after the healing process he was committed to completing the Appalachian Trail this year.

When we met him, he was resting on a large rock on the trail and next to him was a this crooked wooden stick, actually resembled an Irish shillelagh.   We got talking. I think what impressed me most about Sleeves, was his attitude and his gratefulness to God. He commented a few times on God’s world and beauty.

I believe he had only hiked about eleven miles that day and was ready to find a place to camp. Every word he spoke, he spoke with a sincere smile and when we parted, my wife and I asked God to bless him and he returned the blessing with an even greater smile. So glad to have met him and we pray for his safety and completion of his journey.

Out there is God’s world and on many trails are God’s people, who just make your day.