THANK YOU!!! - $6,910 Raised to Help Children in Zimbabwe & Zambia!!

Dear Friends,

I am writing to provide you with a final update on my fundraising adventure! I had sent an original goal of $7,000, and came very close to reaching that goal with $6,910!! This is amazing and could not have been done without your help. A special thank you to the anonymous donor who matched all donations up to $3,500, and to all of you who donated who made it possible for the match to happen! As I said in my previous post, I was unable to run the race because Ryan and I are expecting our first child in June, but I look forward to getting back into shape next Fall, and hopefully getting back into some long distance running!

Ryan is actually in Zimbabwe right now. Today he visited an old friend, Peterson. Ryan met Peterson on his first trip to Africa several years ago, and Peterson's story is much of the inspiration for the start of Forgotten Voices. He was 9 years old at the time and HIV positive. Shortly after Ryan met him, both his mother and four-year-old sister died due to AIDS related illnesses. Peterson was left to live on his own at his young age. The local church, with support from Forgotten Voices, was able to help with school fees and home-based support, as well as some medical support over the past few years. It is with such joy that Ryan was able to visit him today, so many years later... I will have to check with Ryan, but Peterson is probably 13 years old now... and had the church not intervened, we don't know what the outcome of Peterson's life may have been.

If you have not had a chance to see this new video about Neatness, please take the time to watch it. This young girl living in the rural areas of Zimbabwe allowed Ryan and a few friends to follow her life for three days, filming her and interviewing her. It is a touching story of tragedy and hope... and remember that it is never too late to donate to Forgotten Voices... the need is great and your support is needed and greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to watch the video!!

Another Change in Plans - This One is Life Changing!

Dear Friends,

So you may have noticed I have not written in quite a while. You may also have noticed that yesterday was the day of the Northern Central Trail Marathon, which I was scheduled to run. Well, I have some news to share... In October, I learned that I am pregnant, and Ryan and I are expecting our first baby in June! I apologize for the delay in sharing the news with you, but we were just able to hear the heartbeat this past Tuesday, and we were able to share the news with my extended family in person on Thanksgiving, and now I am able to share the news with the world!

So what does this mean for the race? Unfortunately, I was unable to run it. My doctor would not approve running 26 miles. She was okay with me trying to run the half-marathon, but I have not felt well enough to keep the mileage going. I'm pretty sure I was in denial about this until about a week ago. Although I had not been able to really run in almost 5 weeks, I was still telling myself that I would run the half marathon last Saturday! But the reality is that it really was not possible.

Ryan and I have also decided that I will not be taking the trip to Zimbabwe. Given that this is my first pregnancy, and we do not know what to expect, it is best to stay in familiar territory. This was a very difficult decision, but as we both prayed about it, we had a peace that it was the right decision. Ryan will still be going in January, and I am excited that his father has decided to join him on the trip. They have not traveled to Africa together since 2007, so they are very excited. Steve Proctor, the Board chair, will also be traveling with them.

What does this mean for my fundraising and your donation? Although I am unable to fulfill my commitment to run the race, I am hoping to still fulfill the commitment to Forgotten Voices to raise the $7,000. Now, instead of 50% of the funds going to pay for my airplane ticket and food and lodging while in Zimbabwe, all of the money raised will go to support projects. 50% will go towards the project that I will continue to research and help develop, concerning enhancing spiritual and psychosocial support for the children and their families. The other 50% will likely go to pay school fees, which is a great need this holiday season, as school fees have been increased and are due a month earlier this year.

For those of you who have already made a donation, thank you so much for supporting the race, my trip, and Forgotten Voices. Due to the change in my plans, I do want to offer you the opportunity to request a refund. You can e-mail me at katielaine1@gmail.com. If you choose to have your donation continue to go to Forgotten Voices, please know that the anonymous donor who generously offered to match all funds up to $3,500 is continuing this commitment, and so your funds will continue to be matched. If you have not yet made a donation, it's not too late, and I have not yet reached the $3,500 matching limit, so make your donation today, and your impact can be doubled! Help me reach my $7,000 goal and support children who are orphaned by AIDS in Zimbabwe and Zambia!

Check back later this week, as I will be posting an incredible video about a 14-year-old girl, named Neatness. She lives in Zimbabwe and graciously agreed to allow Forgotten Voices to follow her life for three days and share her story with you.

Thanks for reading. And thanks for understanding! We are so excited to share the news of our coming child with you!

Sincerely,

Katie

Running & Friendships

Another thing that running has done for me over the years is helped me to develop some wonderful friendships. In high school, it was the other girls on the cross-country team. College brought many different running buddies over the four years, including the midnight running club, Eric who ran my first marathon with me, Ari and Sarah (who still are running buddies 8 years later when we are in the same town). Since we have been in Boston, I have had one primary running friend, Jen. She and I worked together in my first job at the hospital. We had talked about how we were both runners, and then one early morning, I was out for a run along the Charles River, and we ran past each other. We began running together, and then hung out with each other and our husbands. They became fast friends.

Running has yet again allowed me to develop a new friendship. Our new associate pastor, Dane and his wife, Laura, recently moved to Watertown. Somehow in our first conversation with Dane, it came up that I was a runner, and he wanted me to meet his wife, because she too loves to run. We met, and talked briefly. We commented that we should sometime run together, but over the next few weeks it never worked out. Finally, I invited her for a long run this past Saturday, and she was actually already registered to run the Wicked Half Marathon in Salem, MA and asked if I wanted to run it with her. So, as it turns out, the first time Laura and I hang out, we are running a half marathon. One of her coworkers, Beth, also ran the race with us. So for the next 13 miles, we chatted about our careers, husbands, previous races, vacations, and who knows what else. It was a beautiful day, great company, a really neat race, and just another reminder of why I love running so much!

The half marathon was a good warm-up for the full marathon in November. I felt great... injury free! I finished the race in 1:50:52, and that put me in 31/105 in my age group... not bad! I tend to be a pretty steady runner. Laura and Beth took off in the last mile and finished about a minute ahead of me. Check out the picture of the Wicked Half Marathon! Thanks for reading!

Fostering Growth & Development in Children Here & Abroad

I'm taking an online course to get my preschool teacher certification in Massachusetts. I'm a social worker in a Head Start preschool. We have 110 one through five year-olds, and our mission is to serve the low-income, highest risk children in our local community. I love my job, and I am hoping the things I am learning about childrens' growth in this job, will help me as I explore how to help our friends in Africa.

So the class I am taking is called Child Growth and Development, and several of my assignments include observing a child for 20 minutes and recording, in detail, the child's actions and interactions with others. This morning I observed one particular child with the teacher. Now, I observe children everyday... it's a huge part of my job to assess growth and development, as well as mental health and any other concerns that arise. However, this morning I was especially struck by the interactions this child was having with the teacher. It was early in the morning, and so only a few children were in the room. The teacher was able to provide some one-on-one time with this child. As she asked him questions, I felt like I was watching him learn right in front of me.

As I watched, I thought about the schools I visited in Zimbabwe, and the children and families I met there. Many children had loving and caring parents or other caregivers that could provide this kind of one-on-one support and learning, but we met many others who could not. Parents who so desperately wanted to provide emotional care for their child, to teach them to cook, or farm, or read, but who were too sick or too emotionally drained from their own grief and pain to adequately provide for their children. And then there were the children who did not have a parent left at all to provide that role. In many communities Forgotten Voices is providing school fees so children can be attending school on a regular basis and receive support from their teacher and education. Volunteers are trained to visit the children in their homes, to be listening ear to the parents or the children, to help the children be successful.

How can we better help these children and families in Zimbabwe and Zambia receive that extra support that they need for healthy growth and development? Not only was the child in the classroom this morning learning about colors and learning new words, but he was developing self-esteem, and developing social skills that will help him be successful in the future. This is the goal we are working toward now in the next steps of Forgotten Voices. The more I think about my trip, the more excited I am about the intersection of my professional life here in the United States with my deep desire to advance the mission of Forgotten Voices personally, and the opportunity to trust in God to see how he can use me next. This is what I am running for. This is what I am praying about. Please see the side bar on this blog to learn how you can support me through prayers and financial giving. Thanks for reading!

Pictures from Yesterday's Beautiful Run!

The one thing I regretted about yesterday's run was not taking a camera with me to capture the beauty that city running has to offer. Today was another gorgeous day, and I took my bike down to capture a few of the views from yesterday's run. I had intended to bike about 4 miles, just a few to get a couple pictures to share with you. Instead, I just couldn't stop because the day was so great, and I ended up biking the full 13 miles. Enjoy the pictures, and please remember why I am running and writing this blog!

Best Run Yet

This morning I ran 13 miles. This is the first time I have run this far since last Fall when I was training for the Philadelphia Marathon. What made this the best run yet? Several things... First, I just felt good. My body felt ready for the distance. Some days I will go out for a run and just feel off. I don't quite feel like I can find my stride. Not today, I felt like I was running in rhythm... it just flowed. Second, it was an absolutely beautiful day. Probably the nicest day we have had so far this year in Boston. The sun was shining so brightly, yet there was a brisk, cool breeze blowing. One of the neat things about running in Boston is that you are never running alone, and today was no exception. I can honestly say that there were several hundred other people out running, biking and roller blading with me this morning along the Charles River. Sail boats dotted the river, and I listened to the shouts of the crew team captains as the boats glided past.

Probably the biggest reason this was my best run yet, was that Ryan joined me! Since my running buddies were all away this weekend, he decided to ride his bike with me. He would ride on ahead when my pace got too slow, but it was fun to meet up with him at the checkpoints. He provided gatorade and shot blocks along the course. It is Ryan's 30th birthday this weekend, and it was just fun to get up early with him and make use of such a great day by being outdoors together. Each run is a unique journey, and I'm glad he shared this one with me.

Tomorrow I am going to ride my bike down along the path that I ran to take some pictures to share with you, and hope to post them tomorrow night... come back and check them out!

Why Am I Running for Children Who Have Been Orphaned?

I had the opportunity to go to the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit in Dallax, TX this past Spring. Although the topic of the conference was about one of the most sad and painful issues facing our world today, I walked away from that conference encouraged and challenged that there is hope and that I can make a difference. Two particular points continue to burn in my mind four months later.

The first is that we do not have a choice but to reach out to help and serve widows and orphans. And specifically, the church must be involved in this issue. God makes it clear throughout scripture that we are commanded to care for orphans. James 1:27 says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." Hosea 14:3 says, "...for in you the fatherless find compassion". Deuteronomy 10:18 says, "He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing." And this is just a sampling of the many times that Scripture speaks of our mandate for this population.

The second major idea that I walked away with is that while government programs and other non-governmental organizations are important, it is the church, with the incredible, supernatural power of Jesus Christ supporting the work, that will have true, lasting impact in meeting the physical and spiritual needs of these children and families. We, the Church, MUST be involved in caring for widows and orphans!

For those of you who have already been involved in addressing the impact of the AIDS crisis through your time, money, and prayers - Thank you! For those of you who have not yet, but feel that God is calling you to get involved, here are just two of the many ways you can get involved. One is to support me as I train for a marathon to raise money for Forgotten Voices. Forgotten Voices equips and supports local churches in Zimbabwe and Zambia to care for the children orphaned by AIDS in their communities. Check out the side bar on this blog and read previous posts to learn more about the project your prayers and donation will support. You can also go to www.ForgottenVoices.org to learn more about the organization and make a donation online. Be sure to write Katie's Run for FV in the comment box when you make your donation.

Another great way to get your church involved is to organize an Orphan Sunday event at your church. This event could be an opportunity to educate your congregation about the AIDS crisis and the plight of children and families, and share with them the work of Forgotten Voices. You could take a more domestic approach and focus on foster care and adoption in our own backyard. However you choose to approach it, we need to answer God's call to address this issue! You can learn more about this national effort at http://www.orphansunday.org/.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for praying. And thanks for joining me on this journey.