Once Upon a Time My Mom Climbed Mount Kilimanjaro

Photo: Benjamin Edwards

That’s what her kids are gonna say about her. . .my dear friend, Krista Gilbert. She’s climbing out of her comfort zone in a few weeks and I couldn’t be more proud and more inspired by her willingness to go and represent the lives of women around the world.

In about 4 weeks, 15 women {including Krista!} of varying ages, stages, and professions from across America are converging at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania’s “mountain of light.” They will share in a daunting but exciting 5-day journey through 4 climate zones, over 38,000 steps, to summit at just over 19,000 ft on March 8, International Women’s Day.

Why?

Each of them has a slightly different answer to that question, but all have come because of one woman’s plea to “tell the world” about the violence she and her sisters in war zones have experienced and continue to experience. Three years ago, One Million Thumbprints founder, Belinda Bauman, sat in the presence of several survivors of sexual violence in the DRC. One woman’s story, and her petition, have since ignited a new movement of peacemakers.

Photo: Christine Anderson

Esperance, a woman from a small village in the Congo, watched her husband die at the hand of rebels. She was violently raped and would have died if her sisters hadn’t rescued her. Across a blank sheet of paper, Esperance, who cannot read or write, had her pastor write the words: “Tell the world.” Then she stamped her thumbprint underneath. Esperance’s thumbprint became Belinda’s mandate: violence against women in war is violence against me.

One Million Thumbprints (1MT) is a grassroots campaign that is joining forces with companies like World Relief, Today’s Christian Woman, and WE International. 1MT seeks to aid women who’ve been affected by sexual violence in war zones in two specific ways: 1) Advocating the UN and other governing bodies to follow through on resolutions and laws passed to protect women in conflict zones. 2) Partnering with and building the capacity of proven organizations already on the ground in these countries. These programs meet practical needs {food, clothing, shelter, and trauma assistance}, help stabilize communities {through training in negotiation and peacemaking}, and provide sustainable long-term solutions {such as economic and educational development, micro-savings and micro-finance, farming co-ops, and refugee resettlement}.

“I realized that no matter where violent conflict occurs, it has the capacity to destroy everything, from the tiniest baby to the infrastructure of an entire society,” said Lynne Hybels, one of the climbers on the upcoming trip and wife to Bill Hybels, the founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church.

Photo: Sean Sheridan

1MT’s inaugural event, the Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb for Peace, is an effort to raise awareness and funding for programs on the ground in Syria/Iraq, the DRC, and S. Sudan through our implementing partner, World Relief. If you haven’t gotten involved with the campaign yet, it’s not too late. You can donate your thumbprint {your voice} online, give a gift to the campaign, and share about this important event and cause on your own social media outlets.

Let’s stand together, and do what Esperance asked: Tell the world that violence against women in war zones must end.

As moms, we can feel hopeless in trying to find the time and space to lend our voice and our time to efforts like this. I know we can’t all go and climb like Krista is doing but we can support her and 1MT from our corner of the world. We can share this story, share our resources and raise our voice to bring awareness to this effort.

I’ve shared a lot about Krista in this space because she is a leader among moms in reclaiming our homes and our families for the Kingdom. This is yet another way she is an example to her children of being the hands and feet of Jesus to the world, to reclaim the lives of women in war torn regions. I may never have the opportunity to climb a mountain to show my children that we are called to go and share the love of Jesus with the world. . .but Krista’s willingness inspires me to first, support this incredible cause and then, to find the courage to climb out of my own comfort zone in my sphere.

I pray that Krista, the 1MT organization and their climb of Mount Kilimanjaro inspire you as well.

Some day our children might have the opportunity to say, “Once upon a time, my mom. . . .”

I wonder how they’ll finish that sentence. . .

Follow along the climb here.

How can you lend your voice or your resources to this incredible effort? How can you use your influence to share about 1MT and their climb with your sphere?