Monday I will begin an 8 day trek to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The opportunity to make this once in a lifetime journey comes as a fundraiser for our office, Engineering Ministries International – East Africa.
The common meaning for KILIMANJARO is “shining mountain”
in Swahili. Mount Kilimanjaro is the
tallest mountain on the African continent and the highest free-standing
mountain in the world.
Following the Lemosho route, we will hike through 6 ecological zones found on the mountain: cultivated land, rain forest, heath, moorland, alpine desert and an arctic summit. We ascend for 6 days, hiking through the night under a full moon to summit at dawn on the 7th day. The last 2 days are spent descending. The length of the journey is intended to assist in gradual acclimatization. Our experience will be much different than the fastest round trip which was accomplished in 2004, when local guide Simon Mtuy went up and down the mountain in 8 hours and 27 minutes!
Approximately 25,000 people attempt to summit Mt.
Kilimanjaro annually. About two-thirds of those are successful.
Altitude-related sickness is the most common reason climbers turn back. Please pray for the health and safety of our
team, 14 climbers including staff, interns, volunteers, and friends of EMI East
Africa, January 21 – 28 as we make this climb.
The mountain’s snow caps are diminishing, having lost more
than 80 percent of their mass since 1912. Scientists estimate that they may be
completely ice free within the next 20 years.
No matter what the reason for the change, the mountain will never look
quite like it does today. I am grateful
for the occasion to experience the beauty of God’s creation from the rooftop of
Africa.
Please join us in prayer for our fundraising efforts as
well. All donations for the climb are to
benefit Build Africa Together, a
campaign to raise funds to construct a new EMI facility here in Uganda. The planned office building and workshop will
allow us to better serve our ministry partners, proclaiming the love of Jesus
Christ to the poor throughout East Africa.
The strategic location of the facility will allow for new and expanded
initiatives:
- Development of African design professionals
- Research and development of sustainable building design and water and sanitation technologies
- Disaster relief
- A growing construction management program
Would you consider partnering with us in this fundraising effort? My personal fundraising goal is $5,000. If you would like to make a donation, make
checks payable to “EMI” with “Kilimanjaro-1528, McPherson” in the memo. Mail to:EMI
130 East Kiowa Street, Suite 200
Colorado Springs, CO 80903.
You can also donate on line at http://www.emiworld.org.
Click on the “Donate” button. Select “Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb – 1528” from the first drop down menu and my name from the subcategory menu that appears.
Thank you for your continued prayers and financial support!
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills will burst into song before you and all the trees will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12.
