Climbing for Peace

I love how our global partners have adapted to new opportunities during times shutdown and loss.  In a recent zoom meeting with our dear friend and partner Raju in Cambodia, he shared about a new thing that he has been up to.  I will turn it over to Raju…..

"Another ministry avenue opened up unexpectedly during the last couple of months.

Six years ago, a bunch of mostly Christian friends set up Phnom Climb Community Gym. We raised funds, built the walls ourselves, while the warehouse and scaffolding were designed by engineer friends. The gym has 10 bouldering walls (3 metres), 6 top-rope walls and 1 wall for speed climbing (9 metres). The General Manager of the gym resigned 3 months ago, and as usual, whenever the gym doesn't have a full-time manager, I am the default manager.

All the staff and coaches at the gym are Cambodian national champions who have represented Cambodia in international climbing events. It has been an exciting 10 weeks, ensuring that these young champions receive at least 80% of their salary each month. The gym has been shut since March 2021 due to Covid19, and there has been minimal income through weekend trips to climb actual rocks. I have also started making and marketing climbing walls to be set up in schools.

The other exciting part of this is the privilege of training them in conducting team-building events for when the gym opens up for climbers. This is an essential aspect of organizational development since conflict is normal as well as an opportunity for transformation of individuals, policies, and administrative systems so that the organizations can experience shalom/peace."

Tenth has walked alongside Raju in Cambodia for about 14 years as he has continued to mentor and build community around senior church and NGO leaders. Having a passion for non-formal education (mentoring, camping, adventure courses, climbing walls etc), Raju is formally educated including a PhD in Justice and Reconciliation. Raju is a dear friend to all that have visited Cambodia with at Tenth team and helps facilitate our Global Mentors program.  Global Mentors is a mutual mentoring global  community that will start up again on October 13.  If being part of an intentional online missions community that will focus on the life and relationships of Jesus, email Patrick at patrick@tenth.ca.