1st walk pt 2

Sign of the cross
by Joseph Lopez

MANY 21-year olds are looking for ways to have a good time. But for Ryan Craig, a walk along the beach one quiet evening in his hometown of Oamaru in the South Island was a time to reflect on what God wanted him to do. The Lord told him he had not surrendered everything. 

A few days later while at work handling arnica plants, used in ointment preparations for strains, sprains, and bruises, the thought came to carry a cross the whole length of New Zealand, from Bluff to Cape Reinga. His father Steve told him that if this was what he felt the Lord wanted him to do then he needed to do it. Mr Craig’s mother Violet thought it was a bit radical but also felt she should not interfere. The young man requested one of his neighbours, a retired carpenter, to help him build the cross and trolley for his gear. The cross was 10-foot with a 6-foot crossbeam weighing around 55 kilograms. On March 23 on Easter Sunday Mr Craig started his walk from the bottom of South Island, Stirling Point in the Bluff, at 9.30 am. The weather was sunny and warm. 

As Mr Craig began his journey, doubts crept into his mind. “What am I doing? Is this what the Lord wants me to do?” On his way up the South Island, on five occasions, young and old men yelled at Mr Craig calling him stupid and giving him the finger. When Mr Craig reached Kaikoura coast, he felt lonely. He was also worried about the North Island. How would people there react to the sight of him carrying a cross? 

He noticed a rainbow out to sea so he set the cross in such a way that it was at the centre of the rainbow. Then he went across the road, viewed the scene and meditated on God’s promises. Refreshed, he proceeded to Blenheim where he met Peet Bekker, a South African man in his forties, who travelled all the way from his home country to prayer walk from Auckland to Bluff. Mr Bekker had read about Ryan’s trek in issue nine of Challenge Weekly. Crossing Cook Strait, a train driver gave him tokens to spend for food on the ferry. Other people gave him money for the fare. 

Upon landing in Wellington, Mr Craig was shocked at the number of cars. As he trekked north to Auckland, there were more cars. Then to his relief he found people in the North Island were not that bad after all. In fact there was only one undesirable incident. At Tokoroa, between Taupo and Hamilton, a man got out of his van and started yelling that he did not believe in hell. The man was shouting so loud that his voice echoed off the trees. Mr Craig just stood there and every so often would ask him, “If not everybody goes to heaven then where does God send those who reject Him?” The guy had no answer. It was also at Tokoroa that 30-year-old Matthew Rotarangi, a former gang-member who became a Christian, asked if he could join Mr Craig’s walk. Mr Rotarangi had found out about Mr Craig’s journey through a Christian radio station. 

The two men were at Tuakau setting off for Pukekohe where they were to speak at a school, when a little girl saw them with the cross and yelled to her friends, “Come here quickly, hurry up, somebody has died.” This made the two men chuckle for a while. Arriving in Auckland and walking down Queen Street was like crossing the Red Sea, people parted to make way. From Auckland to Northland, the two men encountered nothing but friendliness, people welcoming them to their homes for meals and accommodation. On June 19 at 2 pm, the two men finally arrived at Cape Reinga. They shook hands, touched the pole, and thanked God for their safe trip. 

Throughout the 2600 kilometre 88-day trek Mr Craig never got sick except for a runny nose. He did not lose any weight. There were only two days with rain, one for two hours and the other for five minutes. For Mr Craig, the whole trip was amazing. He spent no money from his savings. “When the Lord asks you to do something crazy, don’t look at the worries, where to sleep, what to eat, just look to the Lord, focus on him and go for it,” he said. “When you are obedient, just go, leave the consequences to him and he will provide.” He said the journey was an act of obedience. It strengthened his faith, and was God’s way of preparing him for the future. 
http://www.challengeweekly.co.nz/Vol_66_Issue_No_26.htm