“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” -2 Corinthians 12:9
Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. It is 29,031 feet above sea level. People from around the world seek to scale hazardous heights and become one of the few who have successfully reached the summit.
This past April, Hari Budha Magar successfully made the climb to the top of Everest. He will now be recorded in history as one of only 4,000 people to ever reach the summit. What makes Magar’s accomplishment noteworthy is that he is the first double above-the-knee amputee to reach the top. Hari made the climb with the use of special made prosthetics. Along with his team, Hari overcame the freezing temperatures, ice, and dangerous terrain.
Hari started the climb on April 17. This date was important because it was the date that he would lose his legs in an IED explosion while serving with the British armed forces in Afghanistan. Hari Budha Magar is part of the legendary Ghurkas. These soldiers are known for their exceptional bravery and strength in the face of danger. When Hari lost his legs, he felt he had lost much more than that. The explosion took not only his legs but his will to live.
It took several years and a new goal for Hari to recover his drive to live and thrive. He began to train, work on the necessary equipment to climb, and develop a new attitude that would help him climb to the highest of heights.
It is difficult to go forward when the unthinkable happens. Hari’s life was forever changed by that explosion. Many of our lives have been changed by unimaginable challenges. As a people of faith, we know that we can find the strength and courage to move on because of the grace of God at work in our lives. Our past mistakes and the challenging events of our lives do not define us but rather help us to see that in our weakness, God is able to do far more than we can imagine.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
