An opportunity for a platform

Some things in life are sure bets . . . No team outside of the big 4 or 5 can win the premier league, Germany reaching the knock out stages of the World Cup, and a landslide defeat for Donald Trump at the US presidential election.

And me never writing a blog!

I've actively avoided social media. While I would confess to having some accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp), I refrain from posting or re-posting messages. Personally, I think we are living in an age of "information overload". But here I am, writing a blog. I'm sure many of my friends and family would be surprised. Maybe it is that mid life crisis I keep joking about.

Climbing Kili became a bucket list item when one of my former bosses took the challenge. Adewole, thanks for the inspiration. With the clock approaching 40, I felt it was time to strike this item out. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that Compassion UK has a Kili challenge. More so, when I realised that it is going to be in the week of my birthday. Seems like a match made in heaven.

I remember learning about Compassion, some 12 years ago, while still working in Nigeria. Understanding the impact of poverty, I was touched, though handicapped to offer any aid. The situation was different though when a lady from Compassion came to speak at my church. Since then, as a family, we have chosen to sponsor some of their children.

If I was granted a wish, for anything, my top list would be for everyone to come to the knowledge of the redeeming power of Jesus (honestly, I would wish for a thousand more wishes). As a Christian, I believe this is the true solution to all of our global problems. But, as I don't intend this to be a theological debate, my next best answer would be to end poverty, on a global scale. I look around, and see many of the global issues - Climate change, War, Inequality, Health - and I see poverty as a root cause for many if not all. I will present my view on this in later blogs.

So, as I embark on this challenge, somehow I find myself having an opportunity for a platform. It is one I can not pass up just because of my lack of affinity for social media. Climbing Kili is such a good conversation starter. And probably for the next 2 months, I could also make the conversation revolve around this global issue.

I have a goal to reach the summit, raise some money for Compassion, and much more importantly, to get people thinking about what they can do to solve the problem of poverty, locally or globally. So, lets start giving, talking, oh, and me climbing.