The Defeat of Mount Everest

Edmund Hillary was the first man to climb Everest, the highest mountain in the world. He and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay reached 8850 meters from the summit on May 29, 1953.

His achievement coincided with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, to whom he dedicated the conquest, and from whom he received the title of “Sir”.

Hillary’s story is very interesting and at the same time a lesson in overcoming difficulties, because a year before, Hillary had already tried the climb, and had failed completely.

On this occasion even though he failed, the English recognized his effort, and invited him to speak to a large audience. Hillary began to describe his difficulties, and despite the applause, he said he felt frustrated and incapable. He couldn’t forget the great mountain that challenged him.

At one point, however, he dropped the microphone, approached the huge engraving that illustrated his path, and shouted: “Mount Everest, you beat me this first time. But I will beat him next year, for a very simple reason: you’ve already reached your height while I’m still growing!”

In fact he didn’t give up and finally on May 29, 1953 he defeated the highest mountain in the world, Everest.

He didn’t stop there, in addition to Everest he also climbed ten other Himalayan peaks on later visits in 1956, 1960-61 and 1963-65. He also reached the South Pole as part of the British Trans-Antarctic Expedition on January 4, 1958.

Edmund Hillary was knighted in the Order of the British Empire on 16 July 1953, a member of the Order of New Zealand in 1987 and a knight of the Order of the Garter on 23 April 1995.

What does Edmund Hillary‘s example teach us?

2 Peter 3:18 says:
“No, but go on growing in the undeserved kindness and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

As big as the problems seem like Everest, we must continue to learn and increase in knowledge, we are all just growing, and eventually we will be able to overcome any challenge that comes along!