I know that many or most of you know that I have been training to run the
1/2 Marathon (yes, 13.1 miles and yes, I am crazy!) for
World Vision on
AUGUST 2nd. During my training sometimes I would lose sight of what I was running for and focus on the aches and pains and how long it was taking me to run the miles. Then God helped me to remember WHY I was running.
Jason (my husband, who is crazier than I am, who is running the FULL
Marathon) and I came up with an idea. Wouldn't it be cool to have a child to pray for during each mile of the race. So we got in contact with
World Vision and asked for 26 names (because Jason is running 26 miles) to pray for. So they sent us those names.
Here is what I am asking from you:
1. Look at the children I have chosen to run for.
2. Decide to sponsor one of those children for the race. Either by donating money to
World Vision through my website
www.firstgiving.com/tanyaplatt (see link to the site on the right) and/or praying for them during my
race on August 2nd.
3. Please let me know if you decide to participate during this event. I will make sure to send a reminder to you before the race.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to have so many people praying for the lives of these 13 kids? Please join me in this endeavor.
Please see the list of kids below. Unfortunately, the pictures did not copy so if you want a list of names and faces please give me your email in the comment box and I will send the document to you!
The kids I am running for:
This is Bongani Jere. He is five years old and lives in Zambia. He’s tested positive for HIV, and was close to dying until World Vision came into his community. With World Vision’s support Bongani is receiving proper medical treatment, so he is now able to spend his days playing with his friends.
This is Sabina Daka, and she is seven years old. She lives in a community in Zambia that has had the challenges of unclean water, not enough schools, and poor agriculture. Now that World Vision is in her community all of these challenges are being addressed. Sabina is able to go to school and now has a well with clean water close to her home.
This is Bernard Ruto. He is ten years old and is living in Kenya. His father passed away from AIDS and his mom also has it. With the support of World Vision, though, Bernard and his mom are supplied with medication, food, seeds, and blankets and Bernard is also able to go to school.
This is Chaltu Deble. She is eleven years old and is living in Ethiopia. Her community did not have access to clean water, and she had to travel hours every day just to reach the closest water source which was contaminated. World Vision built four water access points in her community, though, so they now have clean water. Chaltu is able to go to school because she is not spending hours a day fetching water and is no longer sick from contaminated water.
This is Choolwe Hammilaya. She is from Zambia and is eleven years old. Both of her parents have died from AIDS, but with support from her community and World Vision Choolwe has been able to rise up above her hard circumstances. She now attends school everyday, gets any medical help that she needs, and receives food assistance.
This is Dahabo Duba. She is five years old and is from Kenya. Her community has gone through a horrible drought, and Dahabo and her family had lost everything. World Vision came into the community to help with emergency relief, though, and is now there building up the community. Dahabo now has enough food and water, and will be able to start going to school soon.
This is Cynthia. She is two years old and is living in Kenya. Her community has suffered from a severe drought, and Cynthia had to go many days without eating anything. World Vision came into her community and began relief work by supplying food. With the help of World Vision everyone in Cynthia’s community has survived the drought, and is eager to work further to grow the community so that Cynthia will be able to receive an education, food and clean water.
This is Fatuma Adam. She is ten years old and lives in Kenya. Fatuma has the daily chore of walking two miles everyday to fetch water from a dam. The water in the dam had been very dirty, and continually made Fatuma and her family sick. World Vision came into their community, though, and cleaned the water in the dam, so now Fatuma and her family no longer get sick from dirty water.
This is twelve years old Francis Chitenga from Zambia. Both of his parents died when he was seven, but he has been able to succeed in spite of that. He is in World Vision’s sponsorship program, so he receives all that he needs, including water, food, medical help, and an education. He is doing extremely well in school, and wants to become the president of Zambia.
This is Joy Sepeno. She is seven years old and lives in Kenya. Her family struggled to provide for her and all of her siblings, until World Vision came into the community to help. Joy now has food, clean water, medical help, and is able to go to school everyday with the growth projects World Vision has introduced into the community.
This is Lota Kaponda. He is eleven years old and lives in Zambia. Lota is in the World Vision child sponsorship program, so he is able to have all of his needs met with food, water, an education, and medical help. His family also receives seed and fertilizer from World Vision which allows them to provide for their entire family.
This is Mariama Kwando. She is ten years old and lives in Niger. Mariama has been helped by World Vision in many ways, including food, education, clothing and mosquito nets, but she says that the greatest gift she has received is clean water in her community. Mariama had to walk miles everyday to fetch unclean water, which caused a lot of illness in her family, but now World Vision has built water access points in her community with clean water for everyone.
This is nine year old Namuchuri Ayane from Kenya. His mom has been a key player in his community in helping World Vision help the community grow. She has taken part in the irrigation plan for the community and new agriculture techniques. Because of all World Vision has been able to help bring to the community, Namuchuri has clean water, food, and is able to attend school.
