Not a Ripple but a Reach: Love, Calling, and the Spirit of AfricAspire

When Pope Francis wrote what would be one of his final pastoral messages, he left us with words that have lodged deeply in my soul:

"Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups."

He was writing to bishops, but he might as well have been speaking to all of us. For me, it feels like he was speaking directly to AfricAspire™—and, in a way, directly to me.

We don’t build bridges of love by slowly widening the circle of people we’re comfortable with. We build them by stepping outward, beyond our familiar ground, into relationships that challenge and change us.

The Birth of AfricAspire™

AfricAspire™ wasn’t part of a business expansion plan or a marketing funnel. It wasn’t something I mapped out for strategic growth. It was, and remains, a response. A response to young lives I encountered across Africa—lives full of potential but surrounded by barriers. It is a response to Paul Lungu, a shy young Zambian who once gave me a mug wrapped in newspaper—a gift that spoke of humility, sacrifice, and human connection. That mug remains the most memorable gift I’ve ever received.

AfricAspire™ exists because love cannot wait for everything to be tidy or profitable. It exists because some people—some communities—simply matter too much to ignore.

Love as a Reach, Not a Ripple

Pope Francis’s words remind us that the kind of love the world needs doesn’t spread outward from a protected core. Instead, it moves toward the margins first. Toward the ones we’re not taught to prioritise.

In his message, Francis writes:

"The human person is not a mere individual, relatively expansive, with some philanthropic feelings! The human person is a subject with dignity who, through the constitutive relationship with all, especially with the poorest, can gradually mature in his identity and vocation."

This is not a theology of pity. It is a vision of mutual transformation. It is in relationship with the poor, the overlooked, the young entrepreneur with no access to training or capital, that we all mature. That is the lifeblood of AfricAspire™.

My Own Journey

Like many of you, my own life has not followed a straight line. I’ve wrestled with faith, with self-worth, with the fatigue of chronic illness, and with the limitations of my own background. I’ve been heartbroken, and I’ve been called back to life.

I’ve also stepped away from the certainties of organised religion, while still walking in the shadow of something deeply sacred. Pope Francis’s words find me at this place—grappling with how to love well, how to live well, and how to do justice, especially when the energy isn’t always there.

But here’s what I’ve found: clarity doesn’t always come before action. Sometimes, it is in the doing that the vision becomes clearer.

The Good Samaritan and the Ordo Amoris

Francis anchors his letter in the parable of the Good Samaritan—a story not about religion, but about action. About interrupting your day, crossing social boundaries, spending your own resources, and seeing a stranger as kin.

This, he says, is the ordo amoris—the right order of love. Not tribe first. Not proximity first. But dignity first.

AfricAspire™ seeks to live this out by walking with those who might otherwise be passed by. It’s not about rescuing. It’s about recognising. Recognising the seed of brilliance in someone whose life has lacked sunlight.

An Invitation, With Respect

Whether you are a person of faith, of no faith, or walking a spiritual path all your own, this is not about converting anyone to anything. This is about building a fraternity open to all, without exception. It is about rehumanising the systems that have dehumanised too many.

AfricAspire™ is not the whole solution. But it is a reach. Not a ripple.

If these words stir something in you—whether curiosity, compassion, or conviction—I invite you to follow along, to learn more, and perhaps, to step in.

To support, collaborate with, or learn more about AfricAspire, please get in touch or visit www.africaspire.org.uk.

𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋 𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘
𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐀𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞™, 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝟒 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐂.𝐋.𝐄.𝐀.𝐑.𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐱™
𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬’ 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐊, 𝐄𝐔, 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 — 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲.

#HumanDignity #LoveWithoutException #CompassionInAction
#MutualFlourishing #OrdoAmoris #TheGoodSamaritan #SocialJustice
#WalkWithThePoor #PopeFrancis #FaithInPractice #AfricAspire #AfricaRising
#YoungEntrepreneurs #DignityDrivenDevelopment #OpportunityNotCharity
#PurposeAndCalling #SacredActivism #FaithAndJustice #ClarityInAction
#LoveAsAPractice #ReachingNotRippling #QuietRevolutions