Joy in the Journey
Experiencing God on the Appalachian Trail
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When I reached Davenport Gap in Tennessee, it was pouring rain. The shelter rested on a narrow shelf on the side of a mountain. There was a chain link gate that covered the open side, protecting weary hikers from bears who had lost their fear of humans. Two platforms of men had claimed their spots – three below and three above. It seemed like the most sensible thing to sleep inside the cage with the six men, though I dreaded the mouse parade. Food was cookingeverywhere; Ramen noodles were spilling down to the next level.<br />
At about ten o’clock the guy singing “Red River Valley” had finished the last chorus. The clatter of cookware and rustle of food bags began. Something ran across me. I burrowed deep inside my bag, cinched the top closed, andfolded it over so nothing could get inside. Of course, with no fresh air it was sweltering hot. This was going to be a rough night. I prayed.<br />
Suddenly from off in the woods came the sound of men hollering. They sounded drunk. I began to plan where I would sleep if they came to stay. It turned out that they were eleven men on horseback who were totally lost but determined to find the road. I was sorry for the horses but relieved when they were redirected to the trail.<br />
The good news was that after they left the mice were gone. Journal entry: “Slept in a cage with six men. Mice arrived but somebody called the cavalry. Mice gone. Felt safe. Slept well.” “You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.” (Psalm 91: 5,6 New International Version)
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About the Book
When people heard of my plan to walk forty days on the Appalachian Trail they were interested. They were curious. They humored me. I had camped but never outside a campground, never carrying a backpack and never alone. What? Alone? No! Not alone! Had I not read the reports? Had I not heard the warnings?
My response initially was that there are bears and boars and snakes and rabid things and bad mouse droppings and lunatics and treacherous trails. There are terrorists; I still fly. Surely I would bring a gun or a dog or a man? And, they secretly began to hope that I would not make the hike.
Corrie Ten Boom wrote in her book Hiding Place that she read Psalm 91 daily while in a German concentration camp. My friend read Psalm 91 daily while her son served in Iraq. They did this because they believed in the ever-present Emmanuel God. I adopted Psalm 91 and told the worriers to pray for feathers. I carried a feather over my shoulder attached to my pack, for protection. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” (Psalm 91:4a New International Version)
About the Author
Sue Hatch, aka “Happy Talk” is an old grandma who never carried a backpack or slept in the woods alone. Her family thought she’d lost her mind. But she requested time off from her very sane job as a visiting nurse and embarked on a walk in the woods that would take her from Georgia to Virginia. Why? To prove that Emmanuel God really is with us, and means to bring us joy.