Passion Fuels Passion.
Deep down we are all passionate about something!
I am passionate about changing people’s lives throughimproved lifestyle, exercise, mindset and nutrition.
Then from time to time you get to meet and talk with peoplewho are equally passionate about something completely different.
But what runs parallel is an unwavering desire to createpositive change and leave a legacy.
This kind of passion fuels passion. You can’t help but beinspired by these people!
I love travel and every time I go somewhere I seem to meetpeople with HUGE passion.
When I think back to the last three adventure trips I havedone.
Macchu Picchu, Cambodia and now Namibia……you meet peoplewith this infectious aura, one that literally leaves you in awe!
When I think back to Peru, I think of Roja, our guide forthe trip who just was so passionate about the way in which his local people,amongst them was his mum and grandma. There were people among their communitieswho actually never left the Andean mountain range, and survived by trading thepotatoes she grew for other crops that others grew at lower levels.
Roja, had this passion and respect for the mountains,knowing that we were all so vulnerable up there he prayed to the mountains tokeep us safe. An amazing man, who along with his sherpers gave Jo and I anexperience that we will NEVER forget.
Next up, Cambodia. An area of the world that intrigues me, Ihave travelled on business to Thailand on one occasion and on another for aholiday with Jo. But this time I wanted to check out Cambodia. A country thathas recently (1970’s ) been through an absolutely brutal genocide regime! Iwill never forget being on that bus outside of the Kremer Rouge prison when the guide for the day started crying as he told his story to us, then mentioned how his whole family had been killed “right there”…..he got away as he could help the regime with admin.
As he walked us around the mass gravesites, I will neverforget the way he paused to compose himself and take deep breathes so he couldcarry on. Another man with a passion, a desire to tell the story and help understand.
Then, recently, in fact today. Sure we did some cool stufflike walking with cheetahs with Peter our guide (former Nambian wrestling championand general legend), like 5m away at one point. BUT we met an amazing lady,Donna from Okonjima Nature Reserve (if you get chance come here), the placethat I am staying at the moment. This lady told us the story, shared with usher mission and the legacy she now hopes to leave behind. In Namibia for years farmers have battled to save livestock due to predators, no different I guess from in the UK, but this time leopards, hyenas and wild dogs taking down cows.
She took on the farm with her brother from her late father.She knew that there was no future in farming (you need 23 hectares per cow),but knew that there was no way she could carry on letting farmers just kill orwound animals.
That’s just dealing with the problem, not finding a solution, something I talk to my clients about all the time.
She talked to us about how she is helping the farmers to keep their stock safe through sheltered accommodation at nighttime and running the AfriCat project to fulfil their mission of conservation through education.
This was where Donna’s passion shone through, I could haveliterally stayed there all day and listened to her. The enthusiasm, 20 years on from starting her mission and after going through some tough times, not to mention getting mauled by wild dogs was incredible!
One of the things that struck a cord with me was when Donnasaid about when people have a huge loss they go back to nature. She knows that some of the older generation are so stuck in their ways that it will be impossible to change them, but she knows the children are more receptive to the reality.
So the AfriCat is really about changing the foundations(children) not just dealing with the problem ( the now).
The same thing is happening here with the mosquito nets that the government are handing out to prevent malaria in the very north of the country, a long way from here. The parents are using them for fishing. Herelies the problem, so they could survive on 3 fish per day with the nets theyhad, the fish stock could be sustained. Now they catch 20 per day, the fishstock is diminishing and their children are more at risk of malaria! Yet againan example of how short-term gratification can have a serious, negative longterm affect!
As she tells us about this, my friends Luka and Pat and Iare completely enthralled with her drive and desire to make a difference,something I resonate entirely with.
The message here, is that when you can connect with people who are passionate about their message and have the long term interests of their environment, culture and society at heart, there’s a HUGE pull!
I feel very blessed to have had this experience, and I am 100% sure that this experience is something I will draw upon time and time again.
Til next time,
Be passionate about the things that mean the most to you and be the change you want to create.
My Best
Matt
