Before the faithful adventurists of the latest Fire on the Mountain even headed for the mountains, they had unlocked and officially achieved their fundraising goal of $30,000 to benefit foster care kids in Northeast Kansas.
That’s right. Prior to the planned trip, which took place July 27 to August 1, the mountain trekkers secured more than the group’s goal. And by September 6, the date of a fundraiser celebration event, nearly $40,000 was reached.
Members of the Men Under Construction leadership team, regular MUC Conference attendees and representatives from Fire Ministries executed a six-day Fire on the Mountain adventure to connect men to themselves, other holy men, God and nature.
“It was an incredible journey that I won’t soon forget,” said Jim Baldwin, head of the Men Under Construction board and one of this year’s Fire on the Mountain participants. “Men Under Construction and Fire Ministries have provided this wonderful experience for men who look to deepen their faith in a unique and inspiring way, and it’s impacted me and my son greatly. We look forward to many more Fire on the Mountain adventures.”
Seventeen men — including priests Fr. Gerard Alba and Fr. Quentin Schmitz — committed to the biannual adventure, which took men to the top of the 14,000-foot Mount Uncompahgre, the sixth-highest peak in the Rocky Mountains.
In addition to enjoying the beauty of the Uncompahgre Wilderness and the peak of the mountain, event participants had an incredible opportunity to deepen their faith and connection to our heavenly Father through this year’s theme—Camino Eucharista (way of the Eucharist).
The theme was uniquely selected in conjunction with the Catholic Church’s Eucharist Revival, a commitment to healing and increasing awareness of the true understanding of the Eucharist for Catholics.
Ahead of the trip, which included several nights of camping on the mountain, the event participants were not just working hard raising money for foster care. They trained as a group twice per week and other times on an individual basis. This allowed for better endurance while on the hike and a chance to bond and develop relationships prior to making the drive to Colorado.
“The success of a fifth Fire on the Mountain is another example of the type of efforts Men Under Construction gets involved with to promote the welfare of all, regardless of their background or social status,” said Russ Engel, president of Men Under Construction. “These men rallied to raise money for foster kids who are in great need of improving their lives.”
About Men Under Construction
Men Under Construction is designed to help you deepen your relationship with Christ through the celebration of the sacraments and engaging talks to strengthen your faith.
The 2024 Men Under Construction Conference is scheduled for February 17, 2024. Speakers for the event will be announced soon. Stay tuned! To be notified when tickets go on sale, follow this link!
For more information, please visit the home page of the Men Under Construction website. Questions? Fill out this form.
