Andrew Eichenlaub, a 2015 graduate, set off for Europe on June 5th with only the clothes he was wearing and a 40 pound hiking backpack.

Andrew took off on his great expedition with Reed Schick, a friend from Westminster. The two boys had no idea what was in store for them over the next 10 weeks, they were just hoping to see as much of Europe as they could. Their flight arrived in Amsterdam and right away they started doing dangerous stunts. Andrew is the type of person to live life on the edge, quite literally, as seen in the picture to the right.With the help of eleven different rides, they had completed their first official hitchhike (of many more to come) and made it to the Appalachian Mountains three days later.

The long haul across theAlps began. The boys trekked across the snowy terrain and ate the same meal for three weeks straight. Everyday they would awake at sunrise and hike ten to twenty miles in the relentless sun. Their bones began to ache, but they would not give up. At dawn, they would find a new location and pitch their tents, making it their home for the night. Day after day, this is what they did.

      While sitting on the rocky terrain of the Alps after a day’s worth of hiking, Andrew writes the following journal entry on June 18th. “Everywhere around me I am seeing things do what they were created to do. They were made to reflect. To throw beauty in every which way. And I’ve managed to pluck some of that beauty right out of the air, letting it settle into the depths of my soul. It fills me with joy. Behold beauty. Behold truth. Behold God.”

There are many people across the world who have done what Andrew did, but not many will acknowledge the beauty of the Creator. Andrew explained that being in a new atmosphere with no distractions has immensely changed his outlook on God’s creation. Patience is key, and God will protect his followers.