Finishing the Race, Keeping the Faith

Crossing the finishing line of the Maseru City Run was an incredible achievement for the seventeen young people from the mountain village of Ha-Lebesa, but it was only the final scene in a much greater story of commitment, dedication, and perseverance. The story of the Ha-Lebesa Running Club is a powerful example of how a dream can become reality; how a shared goal can awaken collective determination; and how the kindness of others can transform confidence, self-belief, and hope.

My name is Stephen Sharpe, and I want to share the incredible journey of the Ha-Lebesa Running Club. Since 2013, my wife Caroline and I have travelled regularly to Lesotho to volunteer, initially with the Pulane Children’s Centre and, since 2018, with the One Day Foundation. In July 2025, we left Dublin for Lesotho on a one-way ticket with our nine-year-old son, Jamie. Our decision to move to Lesotho was rooted in a sense of mission and calling, and our return to Ireland will come only in God’s timing.

Before leaving for Lesotho, running had already become an important part of my life in Dublin. I came to experience running not only as a source of physical and mental wellbeing, but also as a place of connection, healing, and collective overcoming. In a strange but powerful way, running helped me remain faithful to the path of life, recovery, and faith itself, reflected in the encouragement of Hebrews that we should “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” - Hebrews 12:1

While some of the world’s greatest distance runners have come from the African continent, recreational running in Lesotho remains largely confined to urban areas, with most organised running initiatives based in and around the capital, Maseru. So while the idea of creating a running club within a mountain community sounded inspiring, the question remained as to whether it would be socially and practically viable, and whether it would truly resonate with the young people themselves. While doubts still lingered, we stepped out in faith and designed a poster advertising the first running group gathering for Wednesday 6th November 2025. Nine runners turned up for the inaugural run of the Ha-Lebesa Running Club, completing a 5km return route from Ha-Lebesa to Sebocha Hill. The following week, numbers increased to twelve, and soon after the group quickly grew to over twenty runners.

The question of whether the idea would attract interest was quickly answered. However, it soon became clear that while local young people embraced the concept of a running group, the lack of suitable running shoes and clothing would present a significant barrier to their progress. Each week, the committed group continued to turn up to run distances of 5km, 8km, and even 10km, often in jeans, gumboots, Crocs, and sandals. There was something profoundly humbling about their determination, they displayed an inspiring willingness to participate despite clear limitations in resources and equipment.

What began to emerge was a deeper truth, this was never simply about running gear or performance. It was about dignity, opportunity, and the refusal to let circumstance define potential. In their persistence, there was a powerful resilience, a reminder that when purpose is strong enough, even the most basic barriers do not extinguish the flame. It was clear that the time had come for another step out in faith. Alongside much prayer, we put out a call to Ireland for support for these incredible young people.

The response was immediate. Individuals, groups, and communities generously committed to providing the clothing and resources that were so urgently needed. Within weeks, donations of running shoes and sports clothing began to arrive in abundance. Alongside this, Dublin-based running clubs, the Cherry Orchard Running Club and Positive Pacers committed to equipping the young runners with proper running shoes and their own club kit. During this same period, we also received a donation that enabled us to register the group for their first official running event. Within a short few weeks, the Ha-Lebesa Running Club was fully kitted out and officially registered to participate in the Maseru City Run 10km race.  

While training continued, consisting of two weekday runs and a weekend long run, work was also underway to organise the logistics of getting twenty runners to Maseru, including an overnight stay. Transport and accommodation needed to be arranged for what would be a completely new experience for many of the group. For some, leaving the village was already unfamiliar; travelling to Maseru, staying in a guesthouse, and competing in an organised race represented an entirely new world of experience. The excitement and anticipation was palpable as we moved closer to the February event.

The moment to leave Ha-Lebesa for Maseru soon arrived. The journey did not come without its challenges, in particular, the bus that had been provided for our transport to Maseru refused to start on the morning of departure. Yet again, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” - Romans 8:31. Thanks to our good friends at the Phelisanong Children's Centre, who had provided the bus, a mechanic was immediately sent and the issue was quickly resolved. The young people of the Ha-Lebesa Running Club were going to the race, and nothing was going to stop them from getting there.

Arriving the day prior to the race, we had time for some fun. Our accommodation had an outdoor swimming pool, and the group had an incredible time. For many, this was far outside their comfort zone, yet they embraced the experience with the same joy and resilience that had carried them throughout this journey. The day ended with a team meal and an early night, in preparation for our 4am start.

The look of anxiety as they stood at the starting line, outwardly appearing like real runners, yet internally unsure whether they truly belonged there, will stay with me forever. And neither I, nor they, will ever forget the moment of pure joy, pride, and emotion as each of these incredible young people crossed the finish line. They had not simply completed a race; they had overcome every obstacle placed in their path. 

This was more than a race. It was a moment of transformation. For these young people, it marked the first time they had ever stood on a start line, the first time they had worn proper running shoes, and the first time they had travelled to compete in an organised sporting event. But beyond the physical experience, something deeper had taken place. Confidence had been awakened, self-belief had been strengthened, and a sense of possibility had been ignited. What began as a small idea had become something far greater than running. It had become a story of dignity restored, of barriers broken, and of young people discovering that their circumstances do not define their future. Each runner who crossed that finish line carried with them not only personal achievement, but the individual contribution to a collective journey shaped by faith, generosity, and perseverance.

For me personally, this experience reaffirmed something I have come to understand more deeply through running, faith and life: that the race we are called to run is not always easy, but it is always meaningful when we run it with purpose. To be able to state at any moment if asked, that “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” -  2 Timothy 4:7. And in Ha-Lebesa, I saw that lived out in the most practical and powerful way. 

The Ha-Lebesa Running Club continues beyond this moment, but the Maseru City Run will always remain a defining chapter,  not as the end of the story, but as the beginning of something new.