A Tribute

While I posted this elsewhere, I feel it is appropriate to also post it here. This is also the first time my 'voice' has appeared on the website, but I felt that as the other half of the Aroka team, I wanted to submit my thoughts as well - if only once. So, if you'd like, please read on and reflect with me.

I must admit, it is with a fair amount of emotion and sentimentality that I write this entry. I have waited six weeks to be able to write this, and now that the moment has finally come it feels a bit surreal to be putting my thoughts down. Back on January 22, after months of planning, Paul embarked on the 1488km trek of the South Island of New Zealand. What a journey it has been. As I look back, before he left we discussed the possibility of him not finishing the trek. At that point, I told him that the best, and smartest, thing he could do was to decide not to finish should it be too dangerous or should anything happen to him that would compromise his safety.

No need though. In the last day or two, Paul reached Cape Jackson, the point at which the trek officially ended. Not only that, but he reached this point almost two weeks early. It is a testament to his determination, physical fitness, and incredible sense of purpose as, ultimately, the cause of raising awareness of HIV was a central part of the journey.

I was not there to walk with him, so I can only imagine the kind of determination it took to hit the trail again every morning despite a difficult and strenuous hike the day before. To put it into perspective, though, Paul trekked the distance from Ottawa to Charlottetown, or from Regina to Calgary and back again. And we're not just talking walking here; the terrain was incredibly diverse and ranged from running down scree, to scrambling up rocky passes, walking along the highway, to fording creeks and rivers. Meanwhile, I tried to keep up on the stationary bike in ‘The Basement’ (aka. the gym at Queen’s) with little hope of ever catching up:).

Among many other things I have learned in the past few weeks, through his stamina and perseverance, Paul has taught me an incredible lesson of what one can do when they really put their mind to it. I am in awe of his talents and am so thankful that someone like him has both been given talents such as these and has used them to serve others. In fact, the amount raised with this event is equivalent to the cost of a month’s worth of antiretroviral treatment for more than twenty people. And I am encouraged to know that in the hands of The Stephen Lewis Foundation, these funds will go a long way to help people suffering from HIV in Africa.

So, here is my tribute to an inspirational man: though we are small, the sky’s the limit, our feet can take us anywhere and our imaginations only help us dream of the possibilities.

Meghan