By NICK VILLALOBOS, Editor in Chief
The pilot, Jesse and his instructor and me and my instructor climbed…and climbed…and kept climbing until we were at ideal altitude, 11,000 feet (according to our certificates). Then Jesse and I were given final instructions and two by two we dropped out the door.
As I entered the 30 second free fall, looking straight down at the perfectly squared off, tan pastures, I couldn’t help but say, ‘wow, this is amazing,’ ‘thank you Lord’ and Luke 23:46 repetitively.
Then the chute deployed and thus started the three or four minute glide through the air.
The whole fall, before the chute’s deployment and after, was nothing but pure freedom. I never felt at such peace, and that was my nod from God that He was right there alongside me in the air. It was beautiful.
Jesse and his instructor touched the ground first. My instructor and I followed shortly after. We missed our landing point by about a quarter mile for some unstated reason, but no matter because we both made it back to the airplane hanger in one piece.
After the leap, Jesse and I waited for our comrades to experience the leap for themselves. Then after we watched them safely touch back to the ground, we received our certificates and set back toward Alva.
The leap was one that provided some type of therapy for each of us. For me, it stilled my heart and advanced me into a whole to step in my walk of faith.
For Jesse, Bruno and Dep, I’m not real for sure what type of therapeutic experience they had, but I do know that it will be an experience that we will each talk about for many years to come.