Marco Broccardo – From gutter depths to mountain heights

Seven Summit Adventurer; Marco Broccardo shared the vision placed in his heart at Cornerstone Central Cafe’ Evening on Sunday 20^th November 2011.

One man’s journey, courage and faith can make a difference in the lives of others. Marco’s testimony of salvation is proof of this; from a downward spiral of drug abuse, crime, attempted suicide and seizures, he ended up in a Christian Rehabilitation centre and he gave his life to the Lord.

Thirteen years later, Marco is sharing his testimony to make a difference in the lives of drug addicts and their families, instilling hope and sharing with the world that discarded people can do and achieve great things.

Mark 11:23 I tell you the truth, if anyone says this to the mountain. Go throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but believes what he says will happen; it will be done for him.

Drug abuse statistics in South Africa:

• 15% of SA has a drug problem
• Drug consumption in SA is twice the world norm.
• Drugs costs SA 20 billion Rand a year and will pose a bigger problem than the Aids pandemic.
• 60% of crime nationally is related to drug abuse, in the Western Cape the figure is close to 80%.
• Uneducated children are addicted to drugs and this leads to desperation.
• In 2004 the SA government disbanded SANAB and there is no replacement institute.
• According to the UN, SA is one of the drug capitals of the world.

There are 272 000 000 million drug users globally with 8 new users ever second.

The Seven Summits initiative has taken 9 years to launch and demonstrates what can be achieved despite the odds. The team Marco, Alex, Kabelo and Mghabi are sending out messages of victory and hope.

Marco says, “no matter how big the obstacle in our lives we can overcome it, struggle is the struggle of life itself, upward and forever upward.”

The Seven Summits:

Kilimanjaro                          5892m

Carstens Pyramid                 4884m

Aconcacgua                         6962m

Elbrus                                  5642m

Denali                                  6194m

Vinson                                 6194m

Everest                                8848m

The message of the Seven Summit initiatives will:

Bring hope to the hopeless, encourage people to passionately pursue their goals, raise their sights and take back their lives, to live life to the best of their ability, dig deeper to discover untapped potential, brave the unknown, face their fears, reach new heights, break barriers and conquer their fears through faith.

Isaiah 35:10. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

The 7 Summits webpage is http://www.7summitchallenge.co.za.  Check out their gallery with video clips here.