May 2010 – The Beginning
It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with running; I felt the physical and emotional benefits soon after I started and can honestly say that running has revolutionized my life. Throughout 2009 – my first year of “being a runner” – as I publicly recorded my miles, my times, my races and my feelings about running, I also found great enthusiasm in encouraging others to lace up their Asics and get out the door (Isn’t that the hardest step?). I began to see the great importance of and benefit in supporting new runners while sharing with them a life-altering experience of my own.
The Breaking Point
Bob Pierce, founder of the international charity organization World Vision (now one of the largest Christian relief and development organizations in the world) would pray, “Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God.” I have had these words written on the inside cover of my Bible since college and have reflected on them repeatedly over the last ten years.
It wasn’t until six months ago, however, as this passion for running and encouragement began to fuse together, that God truly opened my heart to a soft spot in His. As I joined the sizable running community here in my hometown, and as I contributed to a growing online community of runners, I saw that many individuals either ran for a cause or organized a race for a cause.
There was a growing sensitivity within my heart. I wanted to help others through what I was already passionate about, and I began to marvel at how God was tidily arranging the things of my world to contribute something to His.
The Proposal
In March, my church partnered with Feed My Starving Children and hosted a community event. Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit Christian organization committed to feeding God’s starving children hungry in body and spirit. The approach is simple: children and adults hand-pack meals formulated specially for starving children, and the meals are then shipped to nearly 70 countries around the world.
Over the course of one weekend, the church, along with 1,500 volunteers (many who were not members of the church) packed over 277,000 meals. During my own two hour shift, I personally helped pack enough food to feed 67 children for a year. I must say my heart shattered that weekend, and the flame of desire within me grew to a point where I had to do more.
I stumbled across a website – www.raceforothers.com – that encouraged runners to choose a charity or organization and use their very individualized running obsession to raise funds. I thought this played out perfectly with what I wanted to do….so I took the next step.
It costs only 19 cents per meal packaged through Feed My Starving Children. The church had hoped to collect enough to fully cover that cost, but despite their efforts, they came up $10,000 short.
I, therefore, am committed to raising half of that much-needed money; to finish a project my church and my community started in March. That is $5,000 between now and October 10, which is when I will be running in the Bizz Johnson Trail Marathon.
Today is just the beginning. I have a lot of work to do, both in training for 26.2 miles and in obtaining the funds. Please check back here often for an update on my efforts and please consider helping me reach this goal.
In Him,
Kelly
**Race For Others is unable to provide receipts for tax deduction purposes at this time. If you desire a receipt, however, please write a check payable to VSPC and write FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN CAMPAIGN in the memo line. Get it to me and I will get it to the church to ensure you receive a receipt. I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. **
