A Higher Calling

What Next? Of Course, Ride Across America On A Bike.
By Branden Camp

She defeated cancer and walked over 300 training miles in the previous year.  Now, Cheryl Wolfinger finds herself sitting inside of a tent at 15,500 feet at base camp alone, weeping. 

Along with Wolfinger, 23 people had bought plane tickets, raised funding, completed the training, and dramatically changed their lives for an organization and now the only thing left was to summit.

In that tent, it had finally set in that the next day, a team of volunteers would attempt to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro, and it was all because she had a small idea that inspired her.

International Sports Federation (ISF) is a missions organization that exists to mobilize volunteers to reach people around the world with the gospel of Jesus through the universal medium of sports.

Cheryl climbs Mt. Kilimanjaro.  (Photo by Tim Glover)

Cancer Free

Six months after she was cancer free, Cheryl Wolfinger, CEO of International Sports Federation, was told that the cancer had destroyed over 25 percent of her lung function. The doctor told her she would never see 100 percent lung function ever again.  

Last year, Wolfinger approached her doctor about climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and was told she could not be cleared with the current condition of her lungs.  She asked the doctor to let her train for a year and test her lung function again.  

Fast forward one year later, Wolfinger went in for a check up on her lung function.  The doctor was shocked when she returned with the results.  100 percent lung function; something the doctor had never seen from a cancer patient who usually maxes out at around 65 percent lung function on a good day.

Up is the only way from here 

It was clear Wolfinger was created to push people to do extraordinary things having walked hard paths throughout her own life. “People are just waiting to be inspired,” said Wolfinger.

With this kind of exciting responsibility that only few hold comes some guilt. Wolfinger recalls thinking to herself, “You need to own your own uniqueness.”  She believes that her purpose in life came from a higher calling from God.

Claiming her purpose in life, she announced a crazy idea to climb to an altitude of 19,431 to raise awareness about ISF and the next thing you know, 23 volunteers raised their hands and volunteered a year of their life to accomplish a huge task.

Volunteer Jennifer Zila holds a baby at an orphanage in Kenya

Jen Zila, a volunteer who spent several weeks in Kenya on a medical trip for ISF said, “I think I can speak for many of the team members when I say that although we were going to serve others, it was us who were affected the greatest.”

In the end, 21 of 24 climbers summited Mt. Kilimanjaro.  The group raised $45,000 for ISF as a result of the climbing.

ISF has mobilized over 9,000 volunteers in over 160 countries around the world and is planning their next fundraiser:  cycling across America.