During our camping trip, we went sea cave kayaking on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands in Wisconsin. To note, Lake Superior is the largest and deepest of the five Great Lakes and by surface area, the largest lake in the world; its rip currents take swimmers unaware, its highest temperatures reach only to the 60s, and it holds captive many undiscovered shipwrecks. It’s no joke why this lake is called Lake Superior for more than just being the northernmost of the Great Lakes. The saints aren’t expert kayakers, but were up to the adventurous challenge.
The Apostle Islands are a group of 22 islands in Lake Superior. These geologic formations have recently been discovered as a gem hidden for years, especially for avid kayakers. For us amateurs who do not own kayaks, we needed to find a kayak tour guide service to take us on our adventure. After hours of searching, phone calls, texts, and emails, we decided Whitecap Kayak was the best choice. For about one and a half months I personally had email correspondence back and forth with Whitecap (specifically N and J) in regards to our group trip. At one point I started to wonder if I was becoming a nuisance, as I was emailing them on a daily basis. I wanted to make sure everything was set for our group of 27 (including children)! I wasn’t surprised when I received a call from J three days prior to our trip, stressing to me “Don’t worry, relax. We’re really flexible.” I couldn’t help but chuckle and say silently, “Lord, amen. You know!”
I remember 10 days prior checking the weather for that particular day, June 7th, in Bayfield, Wisconsin. The average temperature was predicted to be in the low 70s with a 30-40% chance of rain. It didn’t seem ideal, knowing that Lake Superior is quite chilly. Thankfully, Whitecap Kayak would provide us wetsuits! Even so, I couldn’t help but be nervous.
On June 6th, we arrived at our second campsite, which was Eagle Pines on the Bad River—a very primitive site that we found to be smaller than anticipated, located on shifting sand difficult for tent pitching, and plagued with Wisconsin mosquitos! It was a challenge, but all of the saints were very willing and adaptable. We got into our tents pretty early that night to escape the mosquitos, but also to get a good night’s sleep for the following day’s kayaking adventure.
The next morning, we were all up by 5:30 AM. I vividly remember checking the weather for the day and, to my surprise (somewhat), the day’s high temperature was 90 degrees and sunny with 0% chance of rain. We loaded up in our vehicles and off we went to Meyers Beach.
We arrived at the beach parking lot precisely at 8:01 AM—right on time. There were rows of kayaks and piles of gear lying on the grass nearby six smiling professional guides awaiting our arrival. I jumped out of the van and met N, who was full of energy and ready to receive us. We divided into our three groups of nine and each group met up with their two guides. Our group guides were B and E, two buoyant young ladies. The guides took us through our dry land training to make sure each and every one of us was educated and equipped to kayak on Superior. I believe every saint, including the children, felt safe and prepared.
We walked down the steps to the beach carrying our kayaks, and there it was, the great Superior, crystal clear and calm. We hopped into our kayaks and off we went. As we paddled along, B and E both commented on the calmness of the lake and how rare it was. They were shocked that there wasn’t a wave on the lake—just calmness. Later, a small fishing boat went by and gave us a few ripples for us to experience (which I believe was the Lord’s humor!), but other than that, not a single disturbance could be found on the lake.
As we paddled along, B and E talked with each one of us. B couldn’t help but ask how we all knew each other because we seemed so close—just like a family. This immediately gave us a way to share about the church life and about the Lord. Immediately B excitedly exclaimed she is a believer and how much she desires to have a “community” church like us. B couldn’t help but ask brother T and sister R how they came to the church, which of course opened up a way for them to share some of their testimony.
As we paddled towards the sandstone caves, more conversation struck. B shared that she is a nurse currently going to school to get her master’s (kayaking is her side job and hobby). As I am also in the medical field and have experience in nursing, this allowed more connection between B and I and opened up a way for me to share more about my life and experience.
As we experienced weaving in and out of the caves, conversation continued. We had lunch on the beach together, where B offered a prayer before and we ate our food. It had been at least five hours on the lake and we were finally heading back. No one seemed to be truly tired. B kayaked next to me and the more I talked with her, the more I was surprised! Her father, N, who owns the company and who I had talked to over the past couple of months is an ER physician; her mother is a pediatrician; she herself is a nurse going back to school to become a midwife; she has a twin sister and three other sisters, two of whom are overseas missionaries. She is from a family of believers and that was very encouraging to me. I shared with her some of my experience in Africa and the process the Lord took me through to bring me back to my home, Toledo, and how He showed me the vision of the church and the living out of the church life. How refreshing it was to talk about my Lord, about the church, and to share my testimony to this dear believer who is also searching for a reality. The church in Toledo has prayed for many years for fruit bearing, for reaching out. I believe that day was the Lord’s encouragement to me and to us—to remind us that there are seekers all over the place and we can fellowship with them anywhere, even kayaking on Lake Superior.
The Lord was there, in the calmness of the great Superior, as His lovers paddled along conversing about our own experiences of Him and of the church. As I look back, it didn’t matter how much planning I did, how much control I tried to have over the situation, or how much I worried—no one could have arranged such an environment for the gospel and for fellowship but the Lord Himself. I know His presence was with us. He calmed the great sea for us as we had a foretaste of the new creation.
– LU