Thru-hiking the Israel National Trail for LGBTQIA+ refugees

As part of an 8 month sabbatical, I will be thru-hiking the Israel National Trail. I’ll be trekking the full length of the country from north to south, over 1,000km and I’m expecting it to take around 2 months including rest days. It is possible a friend may join me for a few days, but predominantly I will be doing it alone.

This is a big challenge for me. I naturally rely on other people, love bouncing off others’ energy, and also have nerves around old mental health issues glaring up when I’m alone in the desert. I’ve nearly backed out of this challenge more than once, and the fear is huge. But if I can do it I know it will do wonders for my self esteem and personal growth.

One thing that has inspired me to keep going with it when the doubts creep in is to make it about something bigger than just me and my personal goals. I thought through the issues I care most about, and as I work in charity, there are many. After lots of back and forth and reading up on organisations, I wholeheartedly decided I wanted to fundraiser for Rainbow Migration, a wonderful organisation that supports LGBTQIA+ refugees.

I picked Rainbow Migration because they are supporting some of the most marginalised communities, and it really speaks to my heart. As a queer person living in a supposedly very open minded country, I have experienced a not insignificant amount of homophobia and aphobia. It can be horrendous on a personal level, but at least I know I will not be persecuted, imprisoned or sentenced to death for who I love or how I express myself. I have the utmost empathy for those who live in countries where they cannot freely be who they are.

I also have a huge amount of compassion for refugees from all walks of life. The fact that there is no safe passage for people who need to flee unsafe or unlivable situations is unacceptable. I hope if I am ever in that situation, I receive support.

So Rainbow Migration seemed like a natural choice, bringing together these issues and supporting some of the most persecuted people. I also feel great about supporting a smaller organisation, knowing the money I raise will be appreciated and needed.

If you feel moved to support queer refugees, please donate what you can. If it’s not a cause that speaks to you, I just ask you to lean into the fact that I am putting myself waaaay out of my comfort zone for a cause I really believe in. It may not be the cause closest to your heart, but if you choose to support it will be a huge boost for my adventure and get my through those challenging solo days hiking in the heat of the desert.

I’m really grateful for whatever you can give, and if you are not in a financial position to donate but want to support, I’m also really grateful if you can share with your networks or on your social media.