Hell Hill

These pictures don't even do the horrendous hill any justice.  It was so steep, rocky and rutted that it was difficult to maneuver.  It took everyone in the family making every effort to get the cart up the hill in a slow and painful manner.

 Notice everyone's heads down?  That's because it took all effort just to put one foot in front of the other.  This isn't our family, but it gives you an idea of what each of us looked like.

Our little family later coined the hill "Hell Hill".  This is the point in the trek when "angels" joined us from the trees surrounding us.  They put their hands to the cart and helped get us up the hill.  

We started off with 2 angels - and we were already spent.  We paused and said a family prayer pleading for help and strength.  2 more "angels" joined our cart and we slowly made it to the top of the hill.

One of our daughters suffers from fibro myalgia.  Despite her condition and the fact that the heat was already affecting her, she pushed as much as she could.  At one point she and I had to stop on the side of the trail while our family went on to the top of the hill.  Her body was done!  We sat for nearly 10 minutes while she tried to calm herself down enough to make it up the rest of the hill.  One of her brothers came back down to sit with her while she recovered and he then helped her to the top.  When we made it to the top, her other siblings refilled her water and gave her their bandanas with fresh water on them to wrap around her neck.  

Despite the suffering everyone endured, they were more concerned for their sister than themselves.  It was beautiful to see them band together.

After we all recovered enough, we joined together as a family in the tall grass off to the side of the trail to offer a prayer of thanks.  I would daresay it was the most heart-felt prayer any of us have every participated in.  

I believe the experience of "Hell Hill" was necessary for all of us.  It was so hard, but we knew we were sustained and carried.  It was a testament to all of us that our Heavenly Father answers prayers.