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“It always seems impossible until it’s done” - Nelson Mandela
I am very sure that in one way or another there is something in this lifetime that we would consider as “impossible” for our normal human brain to process. Whether it’s as simple as buying that fancy gadget or driving that impressive sports car (that you know you can’t even afford to maintain), daydreaming about that perfect holiday in the other side of the world (with limited or no budget at all) or pursuing that crazy idea that can help change the world; sometimes we don’t even allow our minds to go there because for the simple reason that it’s just another “crazy impossible” idea and its not worth the entertaining.
I found out that I sometimes I’ve accepted and settled things in my mind and believed that I would never ever do. I’m not talking about my personal core values, beliefs or morals. I am referring to practical dreams that one can achieve or experience.
Cycling was never on my life’s vocabulary list. All this time I thought I’ve settled it in my heart that it is just not my thing. I am all for fitness and stuff but seriously, cycling? Not a chance! My imagination just runs wild from falling off the bike, crashing into things, breaking a bone or getting knocked off by a moving vehicle.
I’m not trying to be deep or profound here. Believe me, this is not about a ground-breaking idea that will radically change the world. I just realised that after cycling 109 KM in the world’s biggest timed bicycle race here in South Africa and among 35,000+ cyclist; I had to rethink and recalibrate my perspective about life in general. Allow me to share a few honest learnings and hear my heart on how this event changed and challenged my growth as a person.
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When the Hillsong Africa Foundation (HAF) Team decided to do a fundraiser for our innovation hub through a cycling event, I was just excited to help campaign for people to get involved. I supported it because it was a good idea and it seemed fun. I was taken aback when the team started to ask me to join the cycling team. What started out as a joke became really serious as my name got listed in the official roster. I have to admit that there was a little peer pressure involved. I can’t believe how I said ‘Yes’ to do this
With high hopes and enthusiasm, all the guys of HAF, pledged to do this as one team for the cause of the community that we are building. It took me a while to realise the weight of that decision. I had excuses, justifications, questions, doubts, and unbelief. I was scared. But true enough that decision gave me courage to challenge myself to do something I’ve never done before. I’m glad I decided to be uncomfortable. That decision challenged my thinking and increased my drive to become a better overcomer.
There are life decisions that are waiting for concrete actions. Sometimes it doesn’t take much, it’s just like flicking the switch of fear in our brain and telling ourselves that “I’m going to be okay” and that “I can do it.”
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The daunting idea of a 109KM race was constantly bugging my brain. “I’ve never cycled before” I picked that as an excuse for a long time but at this point it didn’t really matter anymore. The more I held that mentality the more I became resistant to move physically.
Our team started to train regularly. Weeks and months of functional training and spin classes was the norm. It was a fun yet painful process of getting our physical bodies into shape. I continued to train consistently and even did other physical activities that were never part of my usual routine. I tried boxing, inter-island mountain biking, and just training my mind to push more than the usual. But more importantly, I learned that through the progress that I experienced during training, I gradually gained confidence, physical stamina, and mental endurance to be resilient to pain.
Training itself is already a painstaking process yet when we submit to it, we allow the process to help us grow.
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I don’t think I am fit enough. Maybe I’ll quit last minute. Where will I get a bike? What if I can’t raise the funds? “I think it won’t make any difference!” These are only a few thoughts and questions that I had to deal with in the season of preparing for the cycle tour. These exact thoughts made me question myself about how I approach certain situations especially when they are very challenging, uncomfortable and uncontrollable.
There are certain situations in life that makes us panic externally or internally. Most of the times, these are problems that are masked in fear, insecurities, and immaturity. We panic because we are afraid to reveal to others that somehow we’ve worn that mask ourselves.
This thought reminded me of the scripture:
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” - Romans 5:3-4 (NIV)
When we persevere there’s no need to panic. Panic doesn’t add value to our character. It disrupts and prevent us to become a better version of ourselves.
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As I pedalled that road bike, my mind was busy thinking about my pace, my legs, my safety and my energy. As I cruised through the stunning views of the Cape Town and experienced the ecstatic vibe from the people cheering along the road I was propelled to keep going.
After hitting the halfway mark, there was that sense of relief and achievement that since I made it halfway, I’m pretty confident I will survive.
As I continued, it didn’t take long for pain and physical exhaustion to creep in. My legs were tired. My bum started to sore. My lower back began to ache. I have reached a level of physical weariness that I have never experienced before. I got off my bike and started to walk to regain strength. There was totally no shame in walking for at least 1.5 KM during the race. Together with other cyclists, I felt the fighting spirit in the atmosphere in every step we made.
In that moment of physical weakness, I thought of why I cycled in the first place. It was for the benefit of the young people in Gugulethu. This community is hoping for the first ever Innovation Hub in their place that will open doors of opportunities for their lives and help them have a better future. I felt the honour to play a small part of helping make that dream a reality. Those kids will never know who I am, but I believe that my little sacrifice will help them make a mark in this world.
Pain is powerful. It reveals a certain unpleasant energy that makes you realise your limitation and capacity. When I encountered pain, I was confronted with the fact that my reaction to pain was crucial to how I will overcome it. Through experiencing the crisis of pain, it reveals the core of your character. I felt weak when i felt pain. But through that weakness, I was able to renew my mind to push and move forward. Don’t allow your weakness to be an excuse for not completing a task. Let its power be used to propel your life forward. Even Jesus went through extreme pain, but He never made alibis because He knew the bigger purpose of His mission.
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The last 10 KM of the route was probably the worst part of the race for me. I’ve been on the bike for more than five hours already and at this point I was already considering of throwing in the towel. I felt like my energy was sapped out of my body. Then I saw one of my teammates came alongside me and he seemed like he was having so much fun and there was no trace of any fatigue on his face. I was trying to pull up a smile to greet him amidst my “almost giving up” attitude. Kornelius saw I was struggling and he decided to keep with my pace.I felt that he was willing to sacrifice a bit more just to give me that necessary encouragement to finish the race.
I was moved and my hopes to reach that finish line was restored. Kornelius gave me an extra push as we climbed that last slope and together with another teammate we crossed the finish line together. Teamwork really makes the dream work.
In life, there are times when we feel alone or even choose to be alone for whatever reasons. But this particular experience gave me a different perspective on the importance of journeying with others. Isolation is not part of the original design of God’s masterpiece. God sends the right people at the right time. He orchestrates these meetings because He understands what's going on in our hearts and He knows exactly what we need to get us through every situation.
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After crossing the finishing line, I gave it a proper scream. I can’t believe I survived. What used to be impossible in my head became a reality. I am genuinely proud of completing such event. I now understand that sometimes “impossible” is a concept that limits us to become a better person. We can immediately disqualify ourselves from something great or even miss out on our purpose by simply believing the idea of “it’s impossible, you can’t do it.”
I wonder how many times we have allowed ourselves to believe that side of the “impossible.” We hear unbelievable success stories of athletes, entrepreneurs, leaders, and even normal citizens and immediately we are inspired but we do not necessarily believe it can happen to us. Well, it is not too late to dream again and be driven by the proper decisions and wisdom in order to achieve them.
"He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”- Matthew 17:20 (NIV)
Each of us has a measure of faith. No matter how small it is, the truth remains the same that it can move mountains. I am very glad that God encourages us to surpass the “impossible” because He knows that we can only do that when we include Him in the process. Through this he is able to outwork His desires and plan for us and help us become better and better each day.
After the race, I posted something on social media to inform the people that I am still alive, safe and to thank everyone for all the support (moral and financial) that I got. What really surprised me, was that my online fundraising donations also went up and I hit my target! WOW! It was an amazing treat because once again another impossible moment was unlocked! It was a win for me and definitely a win for the innovation hub.
Cycling 109 KM taught me life lessons that I wouldn’t have learned if I didn’t take that physical challenge and leap of faith. I’m glad I did it. I won’t mind doing another one again.
Thank you to everyone who prayed, cheered, encouraged, sponsored and donated to our cause.