The Parque Nacional Volcan Masaya

Back in 1998 when the mission group I was with turned into the entrance of Nicaragua's first national park, I had to pinch myself. It seemed unreal. There before us was something straight out of a macabre folk tale: a volcano with an enormous wooden cross erected at the top.

We climbed 186 steps, gazing toward the heavens as we focused on the cross. The volcano spewed small puffs of smoke as we hiked, and we marveled that anyone could carry the materials up this steep incline to build the structure we were climbing to see.

Once we reached the top we stood on the platform beneath the cross and peered down into the mouth of the volcano, the Boca del Infierno or "Mouth of Hell." We couldn't see much. The volcano was smoking. It was still an active volcano, but had only erupted 19 times in the past 480 years. I hoped that day wouldn't be the twentieth.

What was especially incredible to ponder was the volcano's use. The Spaniards had erected the cross in the 16th century and came to the volcano to sacrifice children and maidens in attempts to appease the gods and exorcise the devil. It was too unbelievable for me to conceive. Yet there I stood, looking down into a volcano that had swallowed innocent lives. It wasn't the first time that week that the harsh realities of Nicaragua astounded me.