We are often encouraged to ‘pursue our passion’. For WA Tearfund supporter Heather Taylor that passion is rowing…and rowing and rowing. And that’s exactly what she will be doing as, despite many setbacks, she launches her solo row from California to Hawaii (the equivalent of Perth to Sydney) to raise funds for Tearfund’s work.
As much as she loves the water, Heather’s real motivation behind her Pacific Giants expedition is to raise money for community development programs, primarily women’s health projects. And it’s more than compassion driving her; it’s the sense of injustice that people don’t get to choose the conditions under which they live.
“My life might so easily have not been one of privilege - I could be living in Yemen right now, where my mum was born,” Heather explains.
“From a young age, I have been keenly aware that my life is not like most in the world. A house, food, clean water, clothing, parents with jobs, schooling and the opportunity to pursue a career were provided for me. While we often assume this to be a basic right, it is not the reality for many people.”
I believe that I have been put on this earth for a reason: to love mercy, act justly, walk humbly with my God, and to love my neighbour as myself.
Given Heather truly appreciates the life God has given her, it has driven her to make a difference for others and embark on a challenge beyond most people’s wildest imagination! She is likely to encounter 40-foot waves and sharks, but if she can push through the first 300 miles of strong winds and complete the distance, Heather will become the first Australian to complete the mid-Pacific route solo. She will also become the fastest female if she can finish in less than 99 days.
Heather says: “I hope to take people on a journey across the ocean with me, as well as introduce them to much braver people than I, who face daily challenges of survival. We can all do something about the injustices we see.”
You can support Heather with a corporate or individual sponsorship. Visit https://www.gofundme.com/survi...
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