Inside a lava tunnel - in the Galapagos...(and in Life)

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"And they all go marching down, to the ground, to get out of the rain."  

 That wasn't our goal, (although it was, in fact, raining at the time!).  My husband Germán, daughter Debbie, son-in-law Steve, and granddaughters Liliana (13) and Miriam (12) and I descended into the "bowels of the earth" to admire a lava tunnel on the Galapagos Islands.  (Actually, lava tunnels are usually only a few meters underground.)

Due to the total lack of sunlight,  there were electric lights positioned  strategically, but just enough to allow one to avoid losing one's heading and smashing into iron-hard, rough walls or banging one's legs on sharp volcanic rocks!  (The lights went out for just a few seconds...we could see absolutely nothing!)

The photo to the right looks back on the stairs we had just carefully walked down.  Due to my fibromyalgia, I have a bit of vertigo, so my dear husband stayed back with me so he could catch me if I slipped!

Thankfully, I remember from my childhood how to clamber down steep and sometimes slippery places safely.  (When walking in to our house in the jungle -for hours at a time- there were many ups and downs, creeks to cross, stones and boulders,  etc.)

I let Germán get a ways ahead of me so I could take this picture. It's amazing that this whole tunnel, and others like it, were not formed by miners searching for ore, or workmen trying to open a passageway.  This one is quite spacious, with a high ceiling.  Can you imagine how incredibly enormous the river of red-hot lava that forged this tunnel was?

This one, with Steve, is a little blurry, but shows the irregular ceiling and "floor", with rock debris scattered around.

This tunnel is only one of many in volcanic areas around the world, and I'm sure tons of people know a lot more about them than I do. (A LOT more!)  But it's fascinating to read about how these tubes are formed.  Basically, a lava flow starts cooling and solidifying on the surface and outer edges, while the steaming steam of lava inside continues on its merry way!  See a couple of quotes by the next photo.

"Lava streams that flow steadily in a confined channel for many hours or days may develop a solid crust or roof and, thus change gradually into streams within lava tubes."  ("Lava Tube" on "Science Direct", emphasis mine)

"When the supply of lava stops at the end of an eruption or lava is diverted elsewhere, lava in the tube system drains downslope and leaves practically empty conduits below the ground."   ("Lava Tube" on "Science Direct", emphasis mine)

Of course, "empty" is relative, as volcanic rocks, both loose and in irregular formations, are left behind. It's really quite interesting!

For the amusement of the tunnel explorer, the lava stream left this tiny, just-barely-squeeze-under-able passageway. (So we could play "limbo"?)  

The two boards placed there helped us not get too muddy...which was nice, as we were headed to the airport after this for our flight home!

The next picture gives you a better idea of how low this really is!

Germán folded himself up to try to get through without ripping the knees of his jeans...

...then, once he was through, reached down to take my Kindle so I had my hands free to...um...sort of squiggle under...but I managed it with only a couple of mud streaks on my slacks.  We made it!

(My Kindle was a must, as I use it for taking pictures.)

Then, there it was!   The light at the end of the tunnel...literally.  Not the artificial lamps inside, but a glimpse of the outer world, beckoning us into its fresh, open brilliance.

Closer...see the contrast in the lights? Inside the darkness of the tube, the artificial ones SEEMED  bright, especially in comparison to the utter darkness.  But Nature's own glow outshines them by far!

I wonder if this helps illustrate what happens when we die? We go through the "tunnel" of Life,  and there are lights to show us the way, to make sure we don't smash toes, cut ourselves, blunder into hard walls, or get stuck under "limbo" passages! 

Sometimes the light is dim, there are shadows, Life has irregular "ceilings", and  we walk on irregular "floors"...yet trust our Shepherd's lead.

 But when we get to the End...oh my! Up the heavenly Stairs and out into the radiant, open Son-shine and into the presence of our Father!                                                                                   *********************                

A little over nine years ago, my father (Bruce) was escorted up, to forever enjoy basking in that Light.  Almost a year later, my mother (Joyce) climbed the Stairs to join him.  Those of us who are secure in our Hope of Eternity look forward to this journey,  knowing that the "lava tunnel of Life", with its sharpness and shadows, will be forever behind us, as we gain the Place where...

                "The sun will no more be your light by day,                                                           nor will the brightness of the moon shone on you,                                                                 for the Lord will be your everlasting light,                                                                                  and your God will be your glory."       (Isaiah 60:19 NIV)

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