To celebrate his 70th birthday, Paul Coleman ran 70km to raise £7,000 for a development project in West Africa. Paul, who runs to stay fit, wanted to do something meaningful to mark his milestone birthday and decided on the challenge, stating that he committed the challenge to God and trusted that he would sustain him. On his birthday, Paul set out from his home in Spixworth and completed the run, pushing himself to his limits both physically and mentally.
The money raised from Paul’s run will go towards a new agroecology center initiative in Togo, which will benefit students and families sponsored through Soul Church by helping them learn sustainable agriculture practices. Paul wanted to complete a challenge that the people of Soul Church could support and feel a part of, especially since many of the sponsored children are in Togo. The aim is to construct and implement the agroecological center by 2024, and teach a 3-year program of agroecological techniques to 2,000 youth and 1,500 caregivers by 2025.
Paul and his wife, Linda, have been sponsoring children through Compassion since 2007 and are committed to being physically and spiritually ready to respond when God calls them to serve. They also volunteer for Compassion at Christian events and travel the country speaking to churches, encouraging them to sponsor more children. Paul reached his target of £7,000, and donations continue to come in, with the opportunity to still donate on the challenges.compassionuk.org website.
Overall, Paul’s run on his 70th birthday symbolizes his commitment to serving God and helping others, as he has been actively involved in supporting children and families in need through Compassion and Soul Church. His dedication to raising funds for the agroecology center in Togo will have a significant impact on the community, and he hopes to inspire others to get involved and support the cause as well.
