El Yunque, located in Eastern Puerto Rico, is the most beautiful rainforest in the entire United States. That being said, it is the only rainforest within the US, but that does not change the impact it can have on any American. A region that has been plagued by a large lumber trade, El Yunque is located in the Luquillo Mountain range, and was only spared deforestation by its altitude. It is a stronghold of the once larger rainforest, and we were blessed to be able to explore it during our time on the island.
As we scaled the mountain, I was taken aback by the sheer beauty of it all. Towering rock faces surrounded much of the path, only broken up by beautiful waterfalls and pools among the boulders. Foliage surrounded the stream, appearing as tiny groups of ferns and moss or leaves larger than my head. Although being awestruck by the scenery, we pushed forward, encountering natural waterslides and stone paths that seemed like they were made for us to walk them. As we ascend to the peak, we jump over thirty feet off of a cliff into a natural pool, perfectly breaking the fall and giving us a new experience to tell everyone about.
As we reached the peak of the mountain, we came across a small stone clearing with even more breathtaking sights. Along with it, however, was a small pool of water that seemed perfectly made to sit in and bask the view. Just behind this small pool were natural markings, made by the pre-Taino people of Puerto Rico. We sat, stunned by the sheer beauty of the place we were standing in. We made our way back to our base camp and shared a meal with each other. A mixed group of Puerto Ricans, Americans, and Canadians. A group of Free Methodists, Catholics, Christians, and Atheists. A group of Spanish-speakers and English-speakers. A group of God’s people that were able to experience the world that He had tailor-made for them together.
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