The view from the top

The Return

After walking up hill for 5 days it was a breeze coming down. Abraham and I made it back to Gilman’s Point in an hour, and we made it down from Gilman’s point in another hour.

I was able to use my hiking poles for balance and do some “Scree Skiiing” on the way down. Really, all I had to do was lift my feet and gravity did the rest. I kept up the pace and the same loose gravel that nearly pushed me to quit became one of the highlights of the trip.

The adrenaline was back and I was having less trouble getting my breath.

The trip up took more than 5 hours but I made it down in about an hour. At one point I was nearly running down the side of the mountain.

As I got closer to the bottom I noticed someone pacing at the bottom of the trail. Ernest had been waiting for us to return.

He gave me a bear hug and apologized again for having to come down the mountain. Once he returned to Kibo, he started to feel better. He said he feeling like his old self again.

The plan was to stay at Kibo for a couple hours while I rested but I didn’t have much interest in staying in the cold stone hut.

I wanted to keep going.

We pushed past Kibo, beyond Horumbo and hiked all the way down to Mandara Hut.

We essentially hiked for another 12 hours until we reached Mandara.

I wanted to be somewhere warm – I wanted to get out of the wind.

Once we reached Mandara, I washed up quickly and went to sleep. My bunk was over the dining hall and there was a large crowd of Swiss climbers eating dinner, preparing to climb the mountain.

There was a lot of talking and laughter over dinner but it didn’t keep me awake.

I closed my eyes and didn’t move until the next morning.

I had done it. I could rest… I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro.

The Summit – Uhuru Peak 19,340 feet above sea level

The time had finally arrived. I woke up on time and hit the trail with Ernest at midnight. Everything was going as planned.

As I started the night was crystal clear and filled with stars. There was a half moon in the sky providing some light – my spirits were high.

Ernest and I kept a slow pace and started the ascent. I was getting winded but that was to be expected – I was starting strong.

After about an hour, Ernest stopped for a break. This was unusual, he hadn’t stopped for a break on any of the earlier hikes.

I didn’t think too much about it, I needed the rest so we just stood there in the dark catching our breath.

I noticed that the sky was starting to darken, there were fewer stars in the sky and the wind was starting to pick up.

I tightened my hood on my jacket and continued on with the words from Seamus ringing in the back of my mind… keep going.

Another 20 minutes passed and Ernest stopped for another break.

This was very unusual. I knew something must be wrong.

I shined my light on him and saw a pained look on his face. Despite the cold weather he was sweating profusely and taking quick short breaths.

He told me he may have to go back down - he was getting sick from the altitude.

Altitude sickness can get anyone at any time, no matter of their fitness level.

I told him I would go back down with him.

“No problem” I said. I’ll attempt it again later in the day. I didn’t want to leave him on his own and I wasn’t particularly excited at the thought of being alone on the side of the mountain.

He refused and changed his mind - picking up his pack and starting up the mountain. He was going to try it again.

I followed along but after another 20 minutes he sat down again.

“I’m sorry, sorry, sorry” he said.

“I have to go back down.”

“You go, and I’ll send Abraham to take you to the top”

I agreed and watched him walk back down in to the darkness toward Kibo.

There I was, sitting in the scree wondering what I had gotten myself into. I had two choices, I could ignore Ernest and go back down or I could keep going.

After a couple minutes I decided to keep going.

I eventually caught up with another guide making his way to the top. I greeting him in swalhili and he asked me in English if I was ok.

I told him what had happened and asked if I could fall in with him and climb with him until Abraham made his way up the mountain.

He agreed and off we went.

The guide’s name was Fred and he was charged with taking Bill, a man from Connecticut up the mountain. Their pace was slow, and that suited me just fine.

I was happy to be able to concentrate on my own climb. I put myself on autopilot, doing my best to keep my mind on other things.

I thought of my wife. In my mind, I replayed all the highlights we’ve had together… the day I met her, our wedding day, both days she told me she was pregnant with our boys.

Those images kept me warm even though my hands were going numb. I could feel the wind picking up, it was blowing bits of rock through the air like a large cold sand blaster rolling down the mountain.

At that moment, I realized there was no sneaking upon Kili. It knew I was here and wasn’t going to make it easy for me.

I walked with Fred and Bill for an hour before I heard someone yell my name over the wind.

“Mr. Chris!”

Abraham had found me. He made his way over to me and asked if I was ok.

“Follow me to the top Mr. Chris”

He was very confident but I had my doubts. I was tired, cold and ready to stop – I sat down for the first time.

“Don’t sit, you’ll freeze” said Abraham.

“Pulli Pulli, let’s go”

I got up and continued the climb going slower than ever - but I was still moving.

I had been battling the loose rock, cold, wind and my own doubts for about 5 hours before I started to see a little light on the horizon.

The sun was starting to rise.

At that moment I felt a charge of energy and my mood began to improve.

But Kili had one more trick in store for me. After fighting the loose rock for hours there was a final stretch of boulders I needed to climb over before reaching Gilman’s Point.

My legs were tired and my lungs were burning but with Abraham coaxing me on I was able to make it to Gilman’s Point by 5:30am. (18,651 feet) I had spent 5 hours and 30 minutes on that incline. Despite losing my guide, spending time alone and wondering if/when I’d find the second guide – I had made it.

By that time the sun was bright in the sky and I knew the trip to Uhuru wouldn’t be as difficult. I had been told there would be some inclines but nothing like the climb to Gilman’s Point.

I slowed my pace so I could take in the scenery. To my right was the crater, a vast open space in the top of the mountain filled with burnt red looking soil. Beyond the crater was the South Glacier and to my left was the North Glacier.

I had seen the North Glacier from Kibo but it had a different look as I walked so closely to it. I could see the details in the ice, the dirt hat had been caught in the permanent freeze for years. The glaciers were sitting like massive frozen spectators watching hikers scurry by for their photo opps at Uhuru peak.

I felt like a visitor in their home. They have been there for hundreds of years and I would only be there for an hour.

I made it across to Uhuru point at 7:30 am. I had officially made it to the highest point in Africa.

An odd feeling of peace, exhaustion and satisfaction washed over me as I got to the sign.

I decided to sit down for a couple minutes and take in the scenery.

The top

The crowd at the top had a Frat party feel. A group of Canadians had just reached Uhuru before me and by the time I sat down, several of them had pulled off their shirts and started handing out bottles of Kilimanjaro beer.

They were getting ready for their own photo opp.

At one point, someone pulled out a football and started tossing it around. It could have been a scene from any pregame tailgate party here in the states. Except this one was at 19,340 feet.

As time went by, more and more climbers appeared. There may have been 40 people jockeying for time with the sign. When you climb the mountain you get a certificate from the Tanzanian National Park to prove that you made it, but the unofficial certification comes from the photo with the sign at Uhuru Peak.

I ended up spending an hour there. There were no problems, I took my time and asked Abraham to take the necessary photos when I could jump in line.

I packed up the camera and we started back down the mountain at 8:30.

It was time to get down and I wanted to do that quickly.

Kibo Hut – 15,429 feet above sea level

Kibo Hut sits at the base of the mountain, just on the edge of the saddle. It is essentially a group of stone structures filled with bunks and a table. It’s for a short stay, you hike to Kibo, grab a couple hours of sleep, then head out to the mountain.

Though you are greeted warmly by the porters, there is nothing warm about Kibo. It’s a cold, unforgiving place that reminds you that this is a serious climb.

It was here that I wondered aloud why this trail is called the Coca Cola route. It felt more like the Jack Daniels route.

I made it to Kibo in about 5 hours but I was starting to feel the altitude. My pace had slowed a lot and I felt myself panting for each breath.

Despite it all, my confidence was still high as I wrapped myself in my sleeping bag to get some rest before attempting the summit. I decided to sleep in all of my warm weather clothes for two reasons. It would give me less to think about when I woke up and it helped to keep the cold at bay so I could sleep a little.

The plan was to get up at 11pm, grab a quick snack and hit the trail at midnight.

I went to sleep listening to other climbers who had just returned from the mountain. They made it, but it wasn’t easy.

After a few moments, I decided it wasn’t a good idea to listen too closely.

Horombo Hut night 2 – 12,204 feet above sea level

I was scheduled to spend an extra night in Hormobo to help get acclimated to the altitude. The climb up from Mandara was about 5 hours but I was still feeling pretty good.

When I woke up in Horombo, I could hear the chatter of the porters and tourists as they started their day.

It was an interesting mix of Swahili, French, English and German… though there may have been others that I didn’t recognize.

Kilimanjaro attracts people from around the world. In my short travel, I shared a bunk room with a Medic in the Israeli Army named Avi and a pair of Austrian Librarians from Vienna named Chris and Martin who were trying their luck on the mountain.

Avi had been traveling in Tanzania with his girlfriend when he decided to stay a little longer and attempt to climb Kili. He was very fit and had just enough equipment to pull it off.

There were few on the trail who were in better shape than him. He kept an extremely fast pace, there was no Pulli Pulli for him.

My Austrian friends were taking it at a different speed. They were taking in the scenery and seeing the adventure as something that needed to be documented. I later found out that they were writing a book about the trip.

They would stay up late at night discussing the details of the book. I couldn’t understand them but when asked, they told me it was going to be an adventure story - like Indiana Jones.

I wished them luck. If you see a book about adventuring librarians from Austria, maybe Vienna Jones, remember – you read about it here first!

The training hike

I decided to take a short 2 hour hike up past an area named Zebra Rocks where I could get a good look at the mountain.

It was a steep and tiring trail but when I reached the top I was able to get my first look at Kilimanjaro. I stopped in the middle of “the saddle”. The saddle is an area of high desert at the base of Kilimanjaro.

It’s dry, windy, cold and unforgiving. There isn’t much growing in that area… it reminded me of photos from the lunar landing.

But it did offer me an incredible view of the mountain and the trail ahead. I was able to see the steepest section of trail that leads to Gilman’s Point.

I had heard of this from other hikers. Yes, It’s steep… but it’s also covered with loose rock called scree. I’ll get to that later in the post.

It was an impressive view but it was a little intimidating. When I turned to hike back down to Horombo for the night, I started to worry a little.

Was I strong enough to do this?

I’d find out soon enough.

Horombo Hut – 12,204 feet above sea level

The second day was about a 5 hour hike to Horombo Hut, the second base camp on the way to Kilimanjaro. Essentially, I entered Kilimanjaro National Park below Mandara Hut and started walking uphill. It would be 4 days of walking up hill before getting to the top.

The trek to Horombo was interesting for a while, the landscape slowly changed as I gained altitude. Gone were the lush trees, they were replaced by scrub brush and low grasses. I could feel a change in the weather too, although the sun was out I could feel the beginning of a cool breeze coming from the north. It was coming from the direction of the mountain.

About an hour from Horombo the brush was replaced with something that reminded me of a large cactus and the grasses were gone. I could feel the wind picking up.

I had yet to see the mountain because it was obscured by some cloud cover.

I had a lot of time to think. At Ernest’s request I was going very slow so it felt like I was sneaking up on the mountain. Everything was happening as planned. I actually thought I may be able to sneak up the mountain before it noticed me.

At least that’s what I hoped.

Mandara Hut – 8858 feet above sea level

The time was fast approaching.

I made the connecting flight in Nyrobi and landed in Kilimanjaro Airport just before midnight on Sept 1. I had been able to sleep a little on the airplane but I couldn’t get the pending climb out of my mind. I was tired but I could feel the adrenaline rush starting.

I was able to get to the hotel in another hour and attempted to sleep before my scheduled morning briefing with the tour group.

No such luck. I may have dozed a little but the morning came pretty quickly.

Once up, I grabbed my gear and met Seamus, one of the owners of the Marangu Hotel. He went through the details of what I was about to experience. So many people have come through this briefing to successfully climb the mountain. I was hanging on his every word.

They have been running trips out of the Marangu Hotel for a long time. In fact, I talked with a consultant at IMA who had successfully climbed Kilimanjaro in 1964. I found out that he climbed the exact same route and stayed at the exact same hotel.

Seamus was very thorough, he told me exactly what to expect each day and how to handle it. We spoke for about 30 minutes and his last words of advice to me were this…

“I know you’re excited, you’re probably going to forget most of what I just told you. But remember this, Drink 3 liters of water a day, take your Diamox (meds to help me handle the altitude), and go slowly. There will be times when you feel like stopping, don’t quit... keep going.”

With that, I was out the door and loaded into a van with my equipment. This is where I first met my guide, Ernest and the rest of the crew.

There was Abraham, the cook and assistant guide and two others… Elisa and Godwin, both porters to help carry equipment and food.

It seemed like a lot of support for one person. But again, who am I to question it? They know what they are doing.

Once we got to the trail, Abraham and the others grabbed their packs and set off to Mandara Hut at an incredible pace. There was no way I could keep up with them.

But the combination of adrenaline and pride made me push the pace despite Ernest’s best wishes.

“Pulli Puli” he would tell me. Pulli Pulli is Swahili that translates to slowly slowly… he knew I was going too fast.

Ernest stayed about 3 steps behind me while we were hiking. If I slipped on a rock, he would grab my arm and apologize.

I quickly realized that Ernest was my bodyguard on this climb.

We talked a lot that day. His English was much better than my Swahili (I know about 6 words) and I found out that he was 44 years old with 4 kids.

He grew up near the base of the mountain and he and his brothers all work as guides helping tourists reach the top of Kilimanjaro.

He also told me that he climbs the mountain about every 2 weeks in the busy season. Again, I’m with someone who knows how to get to the top.

At one point I joked with him a little.

“You think I’ll make it to the top?” I asked?

“I’m a good Ernest, you make it to Uhuru.” He replied.

It was reassuring knowing this guy had my back.

We made it to the first base camp, Mandara Hut, in about 2 and a half hours mostly due to my early burst of energy.

The area around Mandara Hut was very lush and green. There was moss on the trees and I could hear the occasional monkey flitting around in the trees.

It was still early in the day but I grabbed some dinner and quickly headed off to the bunk house. I knew I had to catch up on my sleep or I’d never make it.

That night I slept for about 14 hours. When I got up I felt like I had washed away the exhaustion from past two weeks. Leading up to the climb, I had not slept in the same bed two nights in a row as I visited IMA supported sites across Tanzania and the DRC.

I finally felt like I was ready.

Back in the office

It feels good to be back.

As I sit here in my cube I’m having a difficult time keeping focused, my mind keeps wandering back across the Atlantic despite my fast growing list of things to do.

Tomorrow I’ll post my written account of the climb complete with photos. I have so much material to edit it’s a bit overwhelming.

The story is done but I’m still sorting through the images.

I have more than 45 gigs of photos and two hours of HD video to edit. That’s going to be enough to keep our website fresh for the next 8 months!

I’ve attached a photo from the top of the mountain. At this point I was on my way back down but I was in awe of the clouds. It is hard to believe that I had walked above them.

He made it!

IMA's Chris Glass has reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

He spent about an hour at the top, taking photos. He told his wife, Michelle, it was "amazing."

Glass is already at the first base camp and plans to finish by tomorrow.

Stay tuned for all the stories!

Well on the way

Chris Glass is well on his way to reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

He arrived at the second base camp. On Sunday he and his team did a trial run to the crater, turned around and headed back to the second base camp -- part of getting used to the extreme altitude.

At 18,500 feet, Crater Camp is the last stop before the summit.

On the hike, Chris said to his guide, Ernest, who does not speak much English, "What do you think Ernest? We going to make it to the top?"

"I good Ernest," Ernest replied. "We make it."

Chris plans to embark again Monday, make the third base camp early that afternoon to sleep. Then around 11 p.m. or midnight he will leave to reach the summit Tuesday at sunrise.

Internet service is spotty to non-existent on the mountain, which is why he's unable to make his own update to the blog.

Already, Chris reports feeling as though he's reached the roof of the world, watching clouds roll by underneath him.

Stay tuned!

Gearing up for Kilimanjaro

It's time to get down to business. I'm writing this while driving through the mountains of Rwanda. We're running later than expected due to a delay while crossing the border from the DRC.

There were no real problems, but apparently Rwanda has a law barring plastic bags. Customs officers searched all of our luggage, pulling every plastic bag among our group.

I orginally thought I'd have more time in Kigali but it looks like I need to go directly to the airport.

If there are no surprises, I should arrive at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro tonight at midnight, grab a few hours of sleep, and start the climb tomorrow morning.

I'll continue to post short messages as long as my phone has battery life and cell service.

Stay tuned!

Day 2 in the DRC

I’ve just settled into my hotel room tonight.
The program portion of the trip officially ends tomorrow with a visit to the new IMA World Health office in Goma, DRC.

After a quick morning visit, I travel back over the border into Rwanda via SUV and catch a plane back to Tanzania for my attempt to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.

As I sit here, I can’t help but reflect on my past couple days in the DRC.

It’s been such a mix of emotions. Nothing is simple and there seems to be an underlying element of danger like I haven’t seen before.

Of course, this is the first time I’ve traveled to this part of the world. For others who make this type of journey frequently I may be stating the obvious.

But for those of you who wonder what it’s like, let me tell you about a couple stops we made in the past while traveling through the South Kivu province.

We visited at a memorial where 20 Congolese women were buried alive during one of the recent civil wars. They were buried alive out of retaliation for a successful attack by the local militia.

I stopped at a Congolese prison where I saw a well-worn book produced by the USHINDI

program, outlining the rights of women and detailing the definition of rape. It had notes written on the cover and was obviously in use.

However, I later found out that the same guards gave a colleague of mine several reasons why it’s ok to rape women during a recent interview.

While visiting the Kibunda medical center in a rural part of the DRC I met a man named Kichanda Elis who was holding his baby daughter, Baraka. He was as proud as he could be to show her off for a photo. (It’s posted above) It was obvious to me how much he cared for her, we held a fairly long meeting outside the center and he held her the whole time. He was taking care of her that day.

The trip was filled with contradiction. But as I met the staff and volunteers who work in the USHINDI program I came to realize the challenge they are facing, one that will take time to overcome. They are attempting to sensitize a culture to the rights of women - they are attempting culture change.

The numbers are beginning to show some change. In some areas, the number of reported attacks are on the incline. Is this because more women are being attacked? No, there are more women who feel they can report the attack.

In many domestic cases, when a woman is attacked her family will attempt to have her marry the attacker or work out a financial settlement. It generally isn’t something that is announced to the community.

Women are beginning to speak out. Through the program they are learning to read, learning new skills to help them economically and they are supporting one another through community groups.

The empowerment of women in the Eastern provinces of the DRC is starting to spread and it’s happening through the medical centers operating under the USHINDI program.

It’s happening because of the dedicated staff and volunteers of IMA and our implementing partners.

IMA helps set the stage, but they are the ones on the ground every day counseling women, answering questions in the community and doing the little things to push this movement forward.

The horror stories are out there, but it’s their image – one of hope- that I will keep with me as I leave the country tomorrow.

Thoughts in the DRC

After traveling for several days we've arrived at the town of Mwenga in the DRC. We crossed the length of Lake Kivu by boat (a seven-hour ride) and drove five hours from Bukavu on a winding road through beautiful mountains.

I've seen such a variety of lanscapes during this trip. The Serengeti plain was dry and flat, Dar es Salaam had a tropical feel on the Indian Ocean, and now I see impressive mountains in the DRC.

My room tonight is basic. No running water or electricity... and no internet.

How am I posting this message? Believe it or not my Blackberry still works!

It's funny, I've been able to catch up on email while sitting in the dark listening to the rain hit the tin roof of my hotel room.

We've kept a fast pace all trip, but tonight has been very good. I was able to catch up on some much needed sleep. I want to make sure I'm ready when my focus shifts to Mt. Kilimanjaro in a few days.

The sun is just about up and I'm starting to hear people stirring outside - waking to start the day.

Yesterday we visited the staff for the USHINDI project in the mwenga office and today we're planning to visit two health centers in the area.

USHINDI is a US government funded project to help women (and men) in this area who are surivors of rape.

This has been a conflict area for quite some time and one instrument of war is mass rape.

IMA works with several strong partners on the ground to give women a chance to stabilize their life after an attack and improve their standing in their village.

They are given a safe place to live, medical treatment, counseling and are provided access to a lawyer to advise them of their rights and be with them as they police and local legal process.

I'll have more later. I won't be able to show the faces of the women I talk to today... there is a real fear of reprisal. However, I will be able to tell you their stories.

They are stories of tragedy that will make you shake your head in disbelief. But more importantly they are stories of women with an incredible will to live and overcome that tragedy.

With the help of IMA and our partners here in the DRC they are able to come back to their village with the ability to read and the skills to start a new trade so they can support themselves.

I frequently have people ask me what we do at IMA and I have a difficult time summarizing it into a 30 second conversation.

I leave for the Democratic Republic of Congo to visit the USHINDI program in a couple hours so this may be the last post for a few days.

I’m not sure of the internet access once I cross the border, so check back when you can.

I’ll do my best to keep up with the posts!

Melts Like Ice

“It melts like ice with the right treatment.” says Dr. Charles Majinge, the Director General of Bugando Medical Center.

Dr. Majinge and his staff sat with us today to discuss the IMA supported Burkitt’s Lymphoma program in his hospital.

This life saving treatment is something IMA helps provide to the children who pass through the wards of Bugando. For the poor, the treatment is free.

I saw this first hand when I took a walk through the halls of the hospital. I met a quiet little girl named Veronica. She is 9 years old and she was showing the signs of Burkitt’s. She had a large tumor on the right side of her face.

She has been in the hospital for a month getting chemotherapy treatment so I’m not sure what it looked like when she first arrived. But, according to the nurse she has improved greatly.

In Veronica’s case the tumor will “melt” away as it has for nearly 2000 children at Bugando Hospital since 2002. All of this was done with support from IMA World Health.

I’ve attached a photo of Veronica, her little sister Neema and her mother Lucia. They are in a difficult situation; Lucia is a single mother raising her children on her own. They don’t have the means to pay for medical treatment like this on their own.

Fortunately, they have help from donors like many of you and the support of IMA. Remember, when you donate to the Burkitt’s Lymphoma program - you are changing lives in a major way.

Tonight I’m posting from Dar es Salaam on the Indian Ocean. I know the water is nearby, but I haven’t been able to see it yet. I can’t wait until sunrise!

New Cervical Cancer Program

Today we stopped by Shirati Mennonite Hospital, a hospital IMA supports in the Northwestern region of Tanzania.

We were able to review an IMA supported Care and Treatment Center for people who have tested HIV positive and visited the area where children are treated for Burkitt’s Lymphoma. I’ll have more to share on that at a later date.

I’m so impressed with the people running the hospital – the doctors, nurses and administrators who spend their days helping people in their hour of need.

IMA supports the hospital in different ways depending on the program, but mostly IMA provides technical assistance, medical supplies and training to help make the hospital more effective and efficient.

Today the Bishop of the hospital called a press conference to announce the start of a new IMA supported cervical cancer program.

In Tanzania, when a woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer there is only a 30-percent chance she will survive. This can be directly attributed to late diagnosis and late care from a health-care provider. To make matters worse, it is the most prevalent cancer among women in the country.

As we walked in the door, I saw a large group of women waiting for the screening process to begin.

I’ve posted a photo of IMA Program Officer Sister Margaret Ishengoma as she tells them what to expect during the exam.

We’re covering a lot of ground on this trip, but today marks the beginning of another relationship between IMA and Shirati Mennonite Hospital. It’s a relationship that will save the lives of women in Tanzania for years to come.

I realize these posts aren't about climbing Kilimanjaro. I don't start up the mountain until Sept 2nd, between now and then I'll be making more site visits to see IMA's work in the field.

Tomorrow night I fly to Dar es Salaam, then the next stop is Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Stay with me, this trip is about more than climbing a mountain. It always has been.

Wait, is that a Wild Giraffe?

This has to be a quick post. I’m not sure how long I’ll have my internet access tonight and I’m told it will be questionable for the next couple of days.

Here is the recap from the day. We drove to Dareda hospital where we met doctors and medical professionals working with us in the AIDS Relief program.

I also met a woman named Sophia who has been HIV positive since 2003 and has fallen on hard times in the past two months. She is currently getting treatment at Dareda through the IMA supported program.

Her story is compelling and deserves much more time than I have tonight. I’ll share that with you when I return from this trip.

However, I can share my favorite photo from the drive today.

At the end of the day, just before we made it back to our hotel our group came across a wild giraffe, actually I think we saw a total of five.

This guy was fairly close and he didn’t seem alarmed that we stopped to take some photos. He was unfazed as he kept snacking on the tree.

Tomorrow is a long drive day, but we will be crossing the Serengeti Park so I have a feeling my next post will showcase more photos of wild animals.

Until next time…

Church in Tanzania

Today was fairly low key.

I’m traveling with a diverse group that includes members of the IMA Board of Directors as well as partners and friends of IMA. We’ve all come together to see IMA’s work in the field and we have a busy schedule ahead of us, but today was a day of rest.

I decided to join Ken Kovacs a pastor with Catonsville Presbyterian Church in Baltimore on an excursion to attend church. Catonsville Presbyterian has been a long time friend of IMA, supporting our Safe Motherhood Kit ™ and IMA Medicine Box programs.

Ken and I eventually found The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. The early service was running a little late so Ken and I situated ourselves near the back entrance to the church so we could hear a little better.

I’m a photographer at heart so I brought my camera along hoping they wouldn’t mind if I took a few photos.

That’s about the time when we met Francis and his family. He is a driver for an organization based in Arusha and he greeted us with a handshake and a smile. He invited us to sit with him during the service, it was a friendly congregation but it always feels better to “know” someone when you attend a church for the first time. Even if you did just meet him!

The service was delivered in Swahili, but I could still follow along. I don’t know Swahili - but I bet I could pick out the Lord’s Prayer in most languages.

His children, Doreen and Dennis loved to have their photo taken. I was trying to take my photos without bothering anyone when I noticed Doreen and Dennis bowing in prayer with their father.

This looked like a wonderful moment so I decided to take it – I fired off a couple frames.

The sound of the camera set off a case of the giggles in the kids which Francis quickly got back under control.

The service wasn’t interrupted, no harm - no foul, but it did end up being my favorite photo of the day.

Take a look and let me know what you think.

Politics at 35,000 feet

It’s official - I’m in Tanzania!

The trip was long, but there are no issues to report. The highlight of the flight was sitting beside a nice couple from Germany on their way to Tanzania to take a safari. We talked about traveling, politics, families, social issues and economics.

We had time to kill. Actually, we had more than 8 hours to kill before landing in Arusha.

I appreciate the conversation – not because it was a time filler- but because of their perspective on the culture in the US.

I enjoy traveling for many different reasons, but I most enjoy the chance to see the US… to see my culture from a different point of view.

It’s not an easy thing to do when you get into the routine of daily life. The gas station attendant would probably look at me a little funny if I asked for their thoughts on the economy and how to fix it.

I certainly lucked out meeting my new friends. We didn’t agree on everything but we worked out most of the problems in the US - and a few in Germany- in one 8-hour flight.

If only it could be that easy!

I hope they enjoy their safari and I hope they enjoy reading this post. They certainly made the last leg of a long flight fly by.

Pun intended.

One Day Away!

I’m told it will take about 32 hours to travel from my front to Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania and the first stop on my three week trip through southern Africa.

This blog is dedicated to documenting my attempt to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro but the real reason for this trip is to document IMA’s work in the field.

I’ll be carrying my notepad, camera and video camera to bring back valuable information for our donors and the website.

A lot of people donate their hard-earned money to support IMA and this type of trip will let them know just where it is going. It’s important for people to see the type of impact they can make with their donation.

And we’re very serious about stretching the dollar.

That’s probably one of the reasons Forbes picked us as one of the most efficient non-profits in the United States for three years in a row.

While in Tanzania I’ll see our Burkitt’s Lymphoma program in action, our HIV/AIDS program and I’ll get to see the start of a new cervical cancer program at the Shirati Mennonite Hospital.

Then I’ll go to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where I’ll see safe houses in the USHINDI program, a USAID-funded program to support survivors of mass rape in the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu. Women are given a safe place to stay where they can get counseling, medical treatment and legal assistance to help bring justice to their attackers.

It will be a whirlwind trip and I'll cover a lot of ground before taking my first step on the mountain.

All of these programs are necessary and effective… and I can’t wait to see them in person.

What about IMA’s BL Program?

Until now, I’ve had some fun with this blog. It’s been about boots, blisters and media coverage. But now, I’d like to tell you about the important work being done in Tanzania. Let me tell you the real reason I’m attempting to make this climb – Burkitt’s lymphoma.

Burkitt’s lymphoma is an aggressive childhood cancer that usually affects children between the ages of 3-14 years old. In most cases, it appears as a fast growing facial tumor but it can also appear in the abdomen and extremities.

If left untreated – it can be fatal.

It’s most prevalent in areas of Africa where malaria is common. I’m told there is a connection between the Epstein-Barr virus and Burkitt’s but I’m in the communications department – I'm not a doctor. I’ll leave that explanation to more qualified people.

Here is what I do know.

When properly treated, a child can make a dramatic recovery. In many cases, parents bring their children to the clinic thinking the child will never make it home. They are listless, unable to eat and hardly move.

After one treatment, the child will start showing improvement and in some cases doctors will see the tumor reduce in size in just a couple hours.

A child typically needs 6 treatments to complete a cycle and here is the amazing part – each treatment averages $150.

It’s amazing to me to think that a child can be successfully treated at such a minimal cost.
IMA does great work every day - but this program stands out to me.

I have two energetic boys and I think the world of them. I can’t imagine being in those parent’s shoes- knowing there is a successful treatment for their child but not having the means to provide it for them.

Every child with cancer deserves a chance to live.

And that’s what this program does - every day.

Cowboy boots and TV cameras

Speaking of feet, I made my first TV appearance for this campaign over the weekend. Honestly, I’m more comfortable on the other side of the camera but my boys were excited about all the fuss.

My youngest son, Jake, was so excited that he had to put on his favorite cowboy boots while we played with a soccer ball before my training hike Saturday.

He came really close to putting on a blue clip-on tie too. Yes, my boy has eclectic taste in clothes.

Thank you to Nava and Fox 43 in York, Pa for helping me spread the word about this climb and the campaign to raise funds for our Burkitt’s Lymphoma program.

Remember, if you’d like to support this climb and the Burkitt’s program you can donate via a secure server here.

Good fitting shoes

I’ve never been very good at breaking in new boots. I’ve heard of so many different ways to do it but never had much success. I always end up adding extra socks and hope the blisters don’t get too big before break in the boots.

I knew I was in trouble a couple months ago when my old hiking boots started to fall apart. I had them for 5 years and they were great.

Sore feet are something I don’t want to deal with when I’m on the side of the mountain. That could make or break the trip.

So I came up with a plan, I’d go find the exact same boots I bought before. They should fit the same way, right?

Wrong, I’ve been hiking in them for more than a month and they still start to rub after a couple hours.

I have matching blisters on the inside of each heel from my current pair. They haven’t cost me time while training, but they are starting to look bad as you can see by the photo.

I have a few more weeks to figure this out. Does anyone have any advice?

Training Hike - Michaux State Forest

This week I decided to change things up a bit. I added a little more weight to my pack and hit the mountains west of Gettysburg in search of hills.

Up until now, my training has consisted of long road hikes. This is good for endurance but not so great when it comes to climbing a steep incline.

I quickly found that out when I started up my first incline, but I kept telling my self... slow and steady wins the race. I knew I’d finish it was just a matter of time.

I started at Pole Steeple near Michaux State Forest; it was a good warm up for the day. From there I picked up a portion of the Appalachian Trail until I reached a trail called Sunset Rocks.

That’s where it started to get interesting.

Sunset Rocks is a beautiful place to hike but you have to climb about a quarter mile at a very steep grade before you hit level ground again. I’ve hiked it before but not after a long hike - and never with an extra 25-30 pounds on my back.

But hey, if it was easy I wouldn’t improve - right?

Either way, I made it to the top - grabbed a drink of water and a granola bar and turned back down the hill toward the car.

Normally, I’d stay for a while and enjoy the view but it seems like there are a million loose ends to tie up before I leave for Africa.

I’m excited about this trip, but the reality of it is beginning to set in.

Only 16 days until I board the plane!

First Appearance in the News

Thanks to Amanda Dolasinski, Bil Bowden and the editors at the York Dispatch for taking the time to print a story on my hike.

As a former newspaper photographer, I felt for Bil (the photographer) when he was following along with me last Sunday.

He had a difficult job, I wouldn’t say watching someone walk 19 miles is the most visually interesting thing!

Even though I normally cringe when I see myself in photos, I thought he did a great job.

Kudos to both Bil and Amanda for their work!

Want to read the article? Here is a link to the story on the yorkdispatch.com.

Angry Birds on the Susquehanna River

I always have a good story to tell my wife when I come back from a training hike.

Last week was no different.

As I was crossing the Susquehanna River on the Wrightsville-Columbia Bridge I noticed a man with a camera taking photos of me. I thought it was a little strange, but I’ve been promoting my hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro to the local press so I thought someone stopped to write up something for the paper

When I got close enough to him, I pulled out my headphone to say hello and heard a bird screeching overhead.

“Did you see that Peregrine Falcon?” he asked.

And there circling overhead was a small angry bird.

“They’re nesting right around here,” the photographer added. “You must have walked really close to their nest.

Apparently he was there to photograph the birds and I unwittingly walked into the shot.

I had no idea there were nesting Peregrine Falcons on the Susquehanna, let alone the Wrightsville Bridge.

So I moved on hoping set this tiny bird at ease.

I made it about 20 feet down the bridge when I heard another screech. This time it was much louder. I could see a second falcon – a much larger falcon, flying toward me.

It flew about 6 feet off the deck of the bridge and with each pass it was getting closer.

It would fly directly toward me and veer off at the last minute letting out an unsettling screech.

Somehow, I had ticked off this family of falcons and it was time to get off the bridge.

As I hurried off the bridge, I noticed that the man kept his camera trained on me and the birds.

I had visions of internet stardom racing through my mind, I was about to be the guy getting attacked by a Peregrine Falcon on YouTube.

I’m happy to report that my 15 minutes of fame will have to come another day. But a quick YouTube search did find some footage of one of my attackers snacking on a bird near the bridge.

Take a look!

BirthdayTraining Hike: 19 miles

When I woke up this morning I felt like an old man, my back ached… my legs were sore.

No, it’s not because I had a birthday Sunday.

It’s because I finished the longest hike on my self-imposed training schedule.

I stopped at 19 miles but I was ready to call it quits at 17. As you’ll see in my video clip, I misjudged the amount of water I needed to complete this hike and the final couple miles were a struggle.

I made it from my adopted hometown of Red lion, Pa to Lancaster County. Actually, I made it about 7 miles into Lancaster County.

Here is how my route planning normally goes - I walk out my front door, choose a direction and hike until I’m tired. I’ve been at it for the past 6 weeks and I’m seeing some progress. When I started I was only able to go about 8 miles but now I’m pushing 20 miles.

It may seem strange but it makes sense to me, if I’m going to be hiking a long distance – I should train by hiking long distances.

I’ve also found that it’s a great way to clear the mind and relax.

I’ll be leaving next Sunday at 6am - if anyone wants to tag along, shoot me an email and we’ll hit the road.

COCA-COLA ROUTE

I’m told it’s called the Coca-Cola route by some.

It doesn’t sound very intimidating but I keep reminding myself that will take me up 19,000 feet in a matter of 3-4 days.

When I’m having my moments of doubt - that can be intimidating.

The actual name is the Marangu Route and from the stories I’ve heard from others who have successfully completed the hike – it’s one of the easier paths to the top.

This isn’t mountain hiking like you see on TV; there are no ropes or ice axes carving away at the side of the mountain. If I end up hanging from a rope, something has gone drastically wrong.

I’m told this is more of an endurance test. It’s a long walk that takes you to the highest point in Africa.

I’ll start in shorts and a t-shirt, surrounded by lush vegetation and end in snow gear crossing a permanent snow pack.

I’ve been researching this hike for quite a while but there is one unknown I can’t train for – altitude sickness.

That can be a deal breaker when attempting to climb Kilimanjaro. As soon as someone begins to show symptoms they must come down immediately.

So far my training has consisted of running 4-5 miles per night and taking a long hike on Sundays. My longest trek has been 19 miles.

I’m trying to compensate by building up my endurance since I can’t simulate that type of altitude while living in the rolling hills of South-Central Pennsylvania.

Hopefully, that will be enough.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME

The inspiration came a couple months ago.

I was sitting in my cube listening to a co-worker was tell stories about his travels in Africa.

“You know, when you go to Africa – you should climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.” he said in passing.

Sure, I thought.

I can do that.

That conversation was back in February and it started my research about the mountain and the guides who take newbies like me to the top.

I was going to be ready when the time came.

Since coming to IMA World Health to be their Communications Officer, I knew a trip to Africa was coming. A few weeks ago, I was asked to go to Tanzania and the DR Congo on August 19^th.

I’ve always considered myself to be athletic, but not overly athletic. I’ll take some risks, but I wouldn’t consider myself a risk-taker.

In my eyes, the most exceptional thing about me is my loving family. I have a very supportive wife of 12 years and two wonderful sons, Ethan (7) and Jake (4).

Every day I tell people about the great work IMA World Health is doing around the world. We’re a relatively small group of people who work out of an office nestled in between farm fields in New Windsor, MD.

I’m surrounded by humble people who do the work that change – and save- lives around the world.

As a communications person, I tell their stories but I have yet to feel like I’m a contributor.

I feel like this hike is my chance.

I’m going to hike this mountain to raise awareness of the impact of Non Communicable Diseases in Africa, specifically our Burkitt’s Lymphoma (BL) program in Tanzania.

BL is a childhood cancer that is prevalent in Tanzania, in fact, many are effected in the area surrounding Mt. Kilimanjaro.

BL can cause extremely painful and disfiguring swelling of the jaw, eyes, face and abdomen. It attacks quickly and can be fatal within weeks if not treated promptly and appropriately.

Fortunately BL is treatable with chemotherapy, and the success rates are very high if the appropriate treatment regimen is followed.

I’ll continue to post updates as I train for my trek.

I’ll have more information on BL, the growing Non Communicable Disease problem in the developing world, my training and hopefully some posts from the side of Kilimanjaro.

So follow along and I’ll tell you my story… and hopefully it’ll end with me standing on the highest point in Africa.

If you want to donate to support our BL program you can make a secure donation here.