48. Joshua – God is the strength of my life (scaling mountain peaks in Hongkong Island)

Name: Joshua
Date: 4th August 2007
Location: Hongkong

In August, while I was in Hongkong, I went for a hike with my friend Alex on a Saturday morning. We were to trek through some mountains in Hongkong Island to get some beautiful views of the island as well as Kowloon. There couldn’t be a better way to see Hongkong. And of course, we would have plenty of time to chat.

But I did not know that it would be a challenging hike which required a high level of fitness. While Alex was super fit, I wasn’t. But since I was always super-fit during our hockey days in school, Alex assumed that I would be fit enough for the hike.

By the time we got up the first peak, I was trying to catch my breath. We were already higher than all the buildings I could see at eye level. From the peak, Alex pointed towards a peninsula at the southwestern end of Hongkong Island and said that it was our destination. To get there, we would have to walk down the mountain to a reservoir and then climb up another 3 steep mountain peaks.

The distance covered would span across Hongkong Island (from north to south). That distance would have been a challenge on flat land, not to mention through mountainous terrain.

We continued on our journey. The second peak was extremely steep and high. The slope must have been steeper than 45 degrees. It was an endless flight of stairs under the afternoon sun. Hongkong was experiencing extremely warm weather for that week.

Midway up the 2nd peak, I thought of turning back because I thought I couldn’t make it. But turning back would be equally challenging since we had come such a long way. Stuck between two difficult options, I decided to move on, one step at a time.

Having made it to the second peak, we ran out of food. Then we ran out of water. Then I started experiencing cramps on my right thigh. Soon I was experiencing cramps on both legs. I was tired. All I wanted to do was to catch a nap. But if I slowed down, I would lose the momentum. So I moved on.

Soon I was hallucinating about being safely down and enjoying a bottle of 100 plus in an air-conditioned restaurant. I was hallucinating about slumbering in the comfort of my bed. Is this really happening to me? How could I clear two more peaks and get down under all these circumstances? I didn’t want to be the subject of a rescue mission – or to be on the news - that would be embarrassing.

So I cried out to God for help. I remembered the song which says, “God is the strength of my life.” So I declared that God is the strength of my life. Where there was no human energy left, God’s strength would sustain me.

And I recalled how David said that with the anointing of God, he could bend a bow of bronze and scale the walls. His feet would be like the gazelle. That was super-human ability. So I asked God to put that same anointing upon me. If God could do it for him, God would do it for me. I started changing my confession and my vision to get in line with God’s word.

We kept going one step at a time, and finally got past the third peak and the fourth. We were truly rewarded with great views and took some great photos.

But getting down was as hard as getting up. It was a steep descend and we must have covered thousands of steps down, battling cramps and fatigue. Finally and miraculously, we got down. I was relieved. I had my hundred plus drink and enjoyed my bowl on wanton noodle in an air-con restaurant.

Through my years of intensive training for competitive hockey, I do not think that the physical exertion came close to this. On the mountain, I felt like a flea on an elephant’s back. Maybe it was compounded by my lack of fitness. Alex was a great help and encouragement through the journey. But God is the strength of my life who sustained me physically and brought m down safely.