F ~ A ~ I ~ T ~ H

Story Time -

The Mountain Climber

The story is told about a mountain climber in Argentina. He was desperate to conquer the Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Western hemisphere. He initiated his climb after years of preparation. He wanted all the glory for himself, so he went up alone. He started climbing and it became later, and later. He did not prepare for camping, but decided to keep climbing.

Soon it grew dark, and night fell with heaviness at a very high altitude. Visibility was zero; everything was black. There was no moon, and the stars were covered by clouds.

As he was climbing a ridge at about 100 meters from the top, he slipped and fell. Falling rapidly, he could only see blotches of darkness pass. He kept falling.

In those anguishing moments, good and bad memories raced through his mind. He thought certainly he would die.

But then he felt a jolt that almost tore him in half. Yes! Like any good mountain climber he had staked himself with a long rope tied to his waist.

In those moments of stillness, suspended in the air he had no other choice but to shout: "Help me God! Help!"

All of a sudden he heard a deep voice from heaven. It asked, "What do you want me to do?"

"Save Me!"

"Do you really think that I can save you?"

"Of course, my God!"

"Then cut the rope that is holding you up."

There was another moment of silence and stillness. The man just held tighter to the rope.

The next day, the rescue team said that they found a frozen mountain climber hanging strongly to a rope...

...two feet off the ground.