People and Places: Kai Kung Leng

“Kai Kung Leng is a mountain that has been so intertwined with my time here in Hong Kong. It was one of the first places I visited in 2015. This place has me drawn to returning a few times. It represents everything from an extreme challenge to a fun way of spending winter with friends. No matter how I feel when I begin the journey, when I arrive at the top, it always seems like I have left worries, anxieties, or fears far behind.”

- Mark

Journal:

“When I reflect on places that hold a special significance to me, Kai Kung Leng stands head and shoulders above the rest. I first visited Hong Kong seven years ago, in 2015, and since then, I have hiked this mountain eight times.

The first hike was my most memorable one. It was in the middle of the summer of 2015 when I arrived in Hong Kong. I was still coming to grips with the intense heat and humidity. A few of my friends and I decided that it would be fun to hike this mountain. Only one of us had ever done it before, and I had almost no hiking experience. At that time, it was the most physically gruelling thing that I had ever done. But as I reached the top, I knew that I could overcome any other challenges that would come my way that summer.

Although I have never been challenged in that same way on later hikes, it has still been very impactful every time I return. This mountain has served as a place to be with friends, a way to reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice for me, and a way to challenge others. It’s a location that feels comfortable and an adventure every moment I climb.

Kai Kung Leng never ceases to amaze me, despite the numerous hikes and different life seasons. God’s creativity and beauty constantly blow me away whenever I reach the peak. And my worries and anxieties always faded away whenever I reached the top. I do not hike this mountain all the time, but I know that it’s right there waiting for me the next time I need an escape, and I know that God will have something new for me to experience.”