Climber on Mala Fama's First Pitch by Andrew Burr. (click picture to see whole picture for scale)

After watching several others ascend, take falls and struggle there way to the top, it was finally my turn on "Mala Fama."  Having only slept only a couple of hours in the last two days due to taking a red eye flight to Mexico City, I had no idea how I would do on a route rated 5.12a.  But, since there were "no worries" attached to a potential fall due to the pitch kicking-back 70 feet in 100 feet of climbing, I started up.

Mala Fama means "bad reputation."  As a Christian climber, what kind of reputation do you have in the community of climbers?  There is only good one reason to have a bad reputation.  And the reason is found in 1 Corinthians 1:18a (as paraphrased by Eugene Peterson in The Message):  "The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hell-bent on destruction..."

Leading into the Petzl RocTrip, we had asked to be a sponsor of a meal or another part of the event and we were graciously denied.  The reason that was given was that all the shirts and posters had gone to print.  Since we were several months from the event, it sounded like an excuse; perhaps they didn't want Christians at their party.  I could understand that but that wouldn't impede me from attending and hooking up with Fernando and the Mexican Chapter members to have the opportunity to give witness to hundreds of climbers.

However, with that knowledge, I was praying and asking for prayer according to Colossians 4:5-6: "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."  

Once we arrived, we found very a low-keyed event because it had climbing at two areas, far away from any controlled event site.  So we began to connect relationally with many of the climbers, mostly Mexican.  Fernando, his children (Yakill, Illariy, Kin, Koran, Samantha) Pablo, Danielle, Kenji, Roger (the only other American), Peppie and his two boys who were having many conversations in Spanish...I joined in when everyone could (and would) speak English. 

During the week, about 150 climbers received SRCFC tracts (in Spanish).  Our approach wasn't to thrust them in their faces but to establish a relationship through the common bond of climbing.  Please pray that these little pieces of paper that have life-giving concepts and the Word on them are read, re-read and acted upon. 

Omar on Tusita, 513a, Jilotepec, Mexico

During this year, I have emphasized the importance of and how to have a God Talk (see definition below).  One of the most exciting parts of the trip was the more than a dozen times we had meaningful conversations with climbers about their spiritual journeys.  One was with Omar, a 20 something year-old, super-strong Mexican climber I climbed with for several days.  His perspective was that after death, there was nothing.  My heart yearned for the Holy Spirit to open his eyes.  Omar didn't make any decision but he listened well, asked questions and has definitely heard what it means to be a Christ-follower.  Please pray for him and all those whom we were able to connect with through God Talks.

Near the end of our time there, we asked the organizers if we could buy a cup of hot chocolate or coffee for everyone from a lady running a wonderful temporary restaurant out of the back end of her van.  It was easy to ask with pure motives because we recognized the truth of the rest of 1 Corinthians 1:18.  From The Message, it reads, "...but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense."  For us not to do all we can to bring the Good News to climbers would be like letting a climber nearby us start into a rappel with the rope not running through the anchors. It's is both an important and urgent task.

Our request was met with a little bit of resistance - we could give away the drinks if we didn't pass out any literature.  From that response, we felt that the balance of urgency to share against the wisdom of how we act towards outsiders had tipped.  Pressing further would have un-necessarily given SRCFC a "mala fama" - bad reputation.  

The climbing on Mala Fama was so much fun.  The climb is in a massive cave, El Chonta, whose size and scale escapes description. It was so wild to be in such steep terrain with relative easy moves. I felt like I was riding an upside down wave of tufas and stalactites.  After 50 feet, I found myself pulling through the apparent crux and deciding I was going to milk every rest and make it to the anchors.  I give thanks to the Lord for I was able to do so and check-off my first flash ascent of a 5.12. 

Illariy and Koran Maldonado

I'm not sure of the origin of the route's name but it shouldn't be "bad reputation."  Perhaps, it needs to be renamed as "Hermoso Escalar" - Beautiful Climbing.  Because beautiful describes the climbing, the areas we visited, the witnessing we did together and the way God orchestrated the whole time there!  We give God the praise!