Never give up: Help is on the way!!!

Today I read a truly amazing story. A story of hope against all odds, a story that made me just cry out for joy! It was the story of the remarkable survival of a young woman pulled out alive from the rubble of the collapsed Bangladeshi garment factory after 17 days. Yep, you read right, 17 whole days, trapped underground, surrounded by dead bodies!

In all that time, she kept hitting hard against the walls that trapped her, hoping that the noise would be heard by the outside world. I can imagine how hard she must have hit those walls. 

Day one came and went, no one heard. Perhaps there were other survivors, and they encouraged each other. 

Day two, same story, more hitting, no response….all the way to day 17, by which time she was the only one alive; no one to talk with, no one to encourage her. 

She must have feared many times she would die, that no one would rescue her, that it would be better conserving her strength instead of using the little one left, to hit walls and shout. But she was determined to stay alive; she just would not give up! Whatever little strength she had, she used it to hit harder and stay strong.That my friends is the attitude we should adopt. 

A 'never-giving-up' attitude. An attitude that says regardless of the seemingly insurmountable challenges, I will keep hitting this wall! I may have been trapped for years in this ‘prison’  but like the brave  Bangladeshi woman, I will keep hitting the walls of my prison. And even though many people who were with me have fallen by the wayside, overcome by fatigue, and loss of vision, I refuse to quit. Because I know somehow, somewhere, some one will come to my aid. It is only a matter of time. My cries will be heard soon, but until then, I refuse to give up. 

This is particularly true for me because there is a seemingly impossible task I am currently facing. It is a campaign to end the carnage on Nigerian roads, especially those caused by fuel tankers and articulated vehicles. Nigeria is the second country in the world with the highest number of deaths by traffic accidents.  Too many lives have been ruined because the government agencies responsible for enforcing traffic laws just cannot be bothered enough to prosecute reckless drivers who use badly maintained vehicles.  

I have been told all sorts of things to discourage me. But today I am encouraged afresh by the Bangladeshi woman's story not to give up. I will continue to make enough noise about this avoidable tragedy, hopefully someone influential will hear and start doing the right thing. 

I also encourage you not to give up on your dreams, it is only a matter of time. Stay strong, your deliverance draws near.