Family

I had an incredible day yesterday with taking a group from Virginia and some of my group to the Grand Canyon. Joe and his mom volunteered to make breakfast burritos and also bring fixings for ham sandwiches. We left a little later than I wanted because of returning the van for the Virginia Group. We loaded up and were on the road by 9:30AM. I knew that we wouldn’t get to the canyon before 1:30 or 2PM. There is no quick way to make four hours of driving seem like a couple.

We got onto the freeway only to have little Josh pipe up, “I have to go!” So we initially threatened to have him go into a little bottle. He quickly acted like he didn’t have to go. We drove about an hour and then pulled off at our traditional exit with the McDonalds and Shell Gas Station. Everyone got out quickly did their ‘business’. Again as we got back onto the road it was Josh’s little sister who cried out that she had to go. We figured she could wait a few until we pulled off in about 20 minutes.

I had texted my second cousin who lives at the Grand Canyon about our coming and asked if he would be willing to show us around and also see his house. I really hadn’t had much contact with Patrick until he moved out to Arizona to work at a small church in the Grand Canyon. I called as we pulled into a gas station before making the last 20 miles into the entrance. I said we didn’t having any real plans but to be back on the road around 5PM. This would insure an arrival around 9:30PM so our group that had to rise at 4:445 AM wouldn’t be totally dead.

As we quickly chatted about details he proceeds to say tell them you are my cousin and I work at the Community Church and they might let you in for free, otherwise it would be a $25 entrance fee and another charge for a van with 15 passengers. As I pulled up I tried to explain to the Park Ranger Gal my cousin’s request. She was a little confused at first. Are you family? Yes, I’m his cousin. Is everyone in the van your family, no but we are a church going to see his church. Next, is this a paid tour, no we’re just visiting my cousin. She finally looked at me a little frustrated and said go! We pulled through and I pulled off immediately to connect with Patrick and get directions.

I followed the first couple turns correctly and then went straight instead of turning and we ended up at the Ranger Headquarters. He decided to just meet us there and we joined forces. He played tour group leader for the next two hours. It was great to catch up and hear how his first few months were at the Canyon and the Church. We were given a rare tour of the Kolby Studio because one of his main church guys worked at the Canyon and was over the maintenance of this building. We got an amazing walk through tour of the lower part of this house, which truly was incredible. These two brothers were the first to photograph the Canyon. They slowly added onto this house on the side of the Canyon wall over the years. The GCA decided to not let the public go through the lower part of the house. So we were some of the privileged few to get a tour and see it first hand. It was like walking back into the beginning of the early 1900’s.

I was so jazzed that we had Patrick be our tour guide. I was thrilled to see his heart and passion for serving God in the park. I am thankful that we were able to connect and become friends! My hope is to reconnect with his larger family in the coming year. Yeah, the Grand Canyon is a big hole in the ground, but cousin Patrick made it a remarkable day trip!