Thinking of others during this ultra lockdown

It's hard to know where to start, we are living in such a different world to the one that read the last real update back in February when we were in Zambia sharing the Leadership for Life programme with our friends in Kabwe. As with us we're sure that your lives have been full of challenges wherever you are reading this.

We had some very sad news during the early part of the Corona virus lockdown when my (Tim's) uncle was taken into hospital with the symptoms showing that the virus had infected his body and although he was only 75 years old and with all the amazing medical help that we have here in England to help him he unfortunately passed away on what was on his and my Aunts 43rd wedding anniversary, all very sad for all of us.

Celebrating Dad's 79th birthday, social distancing!

As you'll be aware much of our time is taken up travelling around the world, mainly Africa, sharing the awesome Emerging Leaders 'Leadership for Life' and 'LEAD NOW' programmes, calling out that amazing amazing potential that lies within each and every person.

However this year we had in fact planned to take a few months off this summer, so we didn't actually have any planned trips that had to be cancelled, however it has been strange not to be planning for the next trip, which could/should have taken us back to South Korea in August.

With our sad news about my uncle our hearts were gladdened by the news from our middle son and his wife as they announced that they were pregnant, the little 'babywalker' is expected to arrive in mid September, so the trip to South Korea would perhaps have been postponed as we really want to be around for the birth of our fourth grandchild.

Although we have had some enforced downtime we have continued to keep ourselves busy, Maz has been shopping for my Mum and Dad, as well as for our friends who we are staying with in our caravan in a delightful spot in Buckinghamshire. With all the queues and three sets of shopping lists and other errands that needed to be undertaken Maz has often left for her weekly trips before 9am and not returning until well into the afternoon, however we mustn't complain other than a few basics such as tinned tomatoes, loo paper, disinfectant, flour and sugar we have been able to obtain most of our normal provisions and we are thankful for that.

Making soaps to sell with the funds raised and set by us

Our attentions have been led elsewhere and with a large collection of friends who live in some of the most challenging nations in the world, real people living real lives in places where we have visited. We have been able to keep in touch with those who we know, mainly in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Madagascar and Zambia, where we have been hearing some very harrowing stories around the daily issues that have been heightened during this unparalleled time.

We have been able to encourage these friends highlighting some of the key principles that we have shared via our training with them, communicating via WhatsApp and FB messenger where people have access to the internet, however the plight of the inmates in the Malagasy prisons and challenges faced by those living in Zimbabwe meant that we took up the batten to look to raise funds to send over to help those most in need.

Ensuring the funds are properly distributed in Zimbabwe

It seems like everyone has had to tighten their belts, cutting back on some of the daily wants or needs but we have been overwhelmed by the response to our cries for those in need and with the help of a FB fundraising page we were able to start sending over some regular amounts to those in greatest need.

However I (Tim) didn't feel like we had done enough and therefore sought to challenge myself, and a few others, to run an Ultra Marathon distance over the night of the 20th June. I had planned the route to be a demanding 7,5km loop up and over the hills, cattle grids, fields and back roads around the village where we stay, during the night, starting at 9.30pm and running until we had completed at least six loops or 45km (just over 27 miles in old money).

As the sunset on the longest day I was joined by my brother-in-law Chris, and good friends Pete G and Tref for the first lap, we kept up a good pace as the sun dropped, Tref handing over the batton to another running buddy, Frank, who then joined us for a total of four laps, at around midnight Ross B joined us for a loop before taking a nap with the five of us (myself, Chris, Pete G, who also completed four laps, Frank and Ross) setting off on what was a crazy last lap where we were all feeling the pain of the hilly climbs taking us past 52km (32 miles) in a total running time of just over five hours, not bad for a bunch of olde boys!

In the process we raised over £7,500, all of which has been sent to four projects in Madagascar, including those looking after the families of the children who attend their schools, inmates in two prisons, three sets of our friends totalling over 100 people and their families in three different cities in Zimbabwe and our good friends who are doing some amazing work in Zambia.  

If you feel like you want to give in support of our amazing friends then please either get in touch via email etc or click on this link to the Facebook fundraising page.

We are hearing of some wonderful stories from those who have received the funds, enabling them to buy much needed and hard to obtain daily provisions, starting up income generating projects such as mask making, peanut butter production, gardens to provide further food, buckets to collect water from standpipes, and medical needs as well as soap and hygiene projects for the inmates in the prisons in Madagascar and Zambia.

It's been a tough time for all and we're not sure we are out of the woods just yet with spikes of infections being reported as I type and with news of another 15 days of inforced lockdown in Madagascar and we are thinking of those people impacted by this.

Trial run for Elsie in the fields where we stay

During this time we took the opportunity to sell our trusty X-Trail and bought ourselves a VW Campervan (named Elsie) which has been a total blessing and just yesterday we booked a ferry crossing to France, where we hope to have a few weeks travelling around, sorta self isolating and we'll keep you updated of our travels via FB and Instagram as normal.

We sign off now asking you all to stay safe and to continue to look out for others in this shape shifting world of ours.