Friends, we are only 9 days into this New Year and already I can't believe how much God has done and is going to do!! It's going to be a crazy (in a good way) year. I don't have much new to report on the job front, but praying for everyone involved as we decide how best to proceed. I am confident that God will work it out in one way or another. I have such peace about the calling He has placed on me that even if I continue to "volunteer" my ministry time, it's totally worth it. But that isn't what this post is about. In this post I want to talk about a different adventure. :)
In March I will be running my first half-marathon. (Well...maybe walking it, but dang it I will try my best to run it.) Now for some people this might be an attempt to compete or get fit or do something healthy. But for me it's about something different. It's about supporting a ministry that has become such an inspiration to me. As Our Own is an organization in India that rescues girls out of human trafficking and takes them in "as their own"...they adopt these girls into their families and love them and take care of them for the rest of their lives. AMAZING.
So, when I heard about this ministry and what they were doing I immediately started looking into ways to support them. That's how I heard about the "I Will Run" campaign. They started a campaign to ask supporters to raise money for the charity and awareness about human trafficking by competing in 10 races in 10 cities, highlighting the stories of 10 different girls. I was hooked. Fortunately, so was Nikki. She was the person who first told me about this ministry and had been reading about the campaign as well. Somehow we managed to get signed up, talk several other people into running with us, and start raising money.
The last two days I've been able to knock out 1.5 miles. I can't imagine how I'll get to 13 miles. But dang it. I will do my very best to do it for Parul.
As I sat down to recover from my run today though, it hit me. I am so blessed. I mean I think I have it bad being a little sore and busting my tail to be prepared for a race. I worry about little things like whether I will be able to help contribute to my family's income or not, when we have plenty and won't be hurting even if I can't pull off a paycheck. I gripe about having to eat the same thing every day when there are so many who may not eat, let alone be able to eat something healthy. As I type, I'm sitting on my comfy couch, in my warm house, using my MAC computer. So many are cold, hungry, homeless, and take a warm cup of coffee over a fancy computer any day.
It hurt to think of how selfish and undeserving I am. It hurt more that I realized I don't really think about these things. I mean REALLY think about them. I became heart broken all over again for these girls and what they have had to endure. I praise God for the ones who are rescued.
My little run may not mean much in the grand scheme of things. But I pray that every time I'm sore, or cold, or feel like quitting, I will remember that there is another girl out there somewhere who is more sore and colder and scared and I will run for her. I will run because others need to know and be spurred into action. I will run because her life means more to me than my own. I will run because if I'm not running then I'm sitting around doing nothing...and nothing is no longer an option.
Friends, I hope you'll take some time today to go check out As Our Own. www.asourown.org They are amazing and you should support them.
My next post will be a look into America's role in human trafficking. I think it will surprise you. I hope it will spur you into action.
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