_4x.png){kind=logo}
Last Saturday (19th June), long-time CMSI supporter Canon Stuart Lloyd began an epic challenge to raise awareness of the work of God’s people in Nepal. Over the space of this week, Stuart hopes to climb Mount Everest… via Slemish Mountain in County Antrim.
From the Visitors’ Centre to the top of Slemish is 600 feet of ascent. 50 times to the top gets you to 30,000 feet: higher than Everest (29,032 ft). Between 19th and 26th June, Canon Stuart – along with fellow parishioner William McCandless – is attempting seven summits a day, with an extra one to reach the top of the world.
This is the second time Stuart has embarked on the Slemish-Everest challenge, having completed the feat in just three days in 2008 to raise support for SD Church in Nepal.
Stuart has a long association with Nepal. He and his wife Jane have visited on numerous occasions. His niece Deirdre Zimmerman, along with her husband Mark, have served in Nepal for many years. Deirdre and Mark are CMSI Mission Associates.
In taking on his lofty challenge this summer, Stuart hopes to shine a light on Deirdre’s work with Nutrition Promotion Consultancy Services, as well as on the work of CMSI’s partners in Nepal – SDSS and HDCS – and Nepali NGO ‘Koshish’, which provides a ministry to those with mental health issues.
Stuart hopes to raise money to support all of this work, which is particularly vital at this time when Nepal is experiencing overfull hospitals and soaring death rates from the 2nd wave of Covid.
Fittingly for a Slemish-based challenge, the project is being backed by three St Patricks: St Patrick’s, Broughshane, which is Stuart’s home parish, St Patrick’s, Ballymena where he was formerly rector and St Patrick’s, Coleraine where he is currently assisting. Stuart writes:
“Having a long association with Nepal and visiting there on many occasions, I have a great love for the country. I pray that this project will raise awareness and support for the organisations I am highlighting, especially at this time of crisis.”
Those wishing to contribute to this initiative can do so in one of two ways:
Send a cheque to CMSI's Belfast office. Make it payable to ‘CMS Ireland’ and add a note that it is for Stuart’s Everest Challenge.
Make an online donation via St Patrick’s Broughshane ‘Just Giving’ page (this option is available until 7th July).
[Image taken from the Ballymena Parish Facebook page]
The original version of this article was included in the recent edition of Summer Snippets:
