I’m not fast.

I’m not a runner.

This Fall, I’ll be participating in four half marathons in five weeks.  Here’s the reason why:

There are hundreds of thousands of AIDS orphans in India. Either their parents have died or they have been abandoned. They face starvation, and a future without hope.

Send Hope has established orphanages in India where these children who would otherwise be abandoned, are given food, clothing, medicine, education, and more importantly, love and hope.

Run for Heaven’s Gate began in Boise at a grassroots level several years ago to raise funds for these children in India with walker and runners doing four half marathons to raise funds for the orphans in India. I heard about it church and decided that this year, I was actually going to do it and I’ve been training for it since March.

It’s been quite an experience. Prior to this year, the longest I’d ever walked was 5K or 3.1 miles. Prior to Run for Heaven’s Gate, Saturday was my “sleep in day,” now I’m getting early and going to bed early on Friday. I’ve been introduced to a whole new world where people take things like GU to prepare for long runs and where it really does make sense to pay extra for good shoes because good shoes are cheaper than physical therapists.

While I hope that  I become more fit through this whole process, I admit that there is no way I could imagine do this except for the fact that in India, there are children whose futures lay in the balance between life and hope and death and despair. Run for Heaven’s Gate gives me an opportunity to make a difference in their lives. Every dollar raised goes to help these kids and every $400 raised will cover all the needs of a child in India for a whole year.

You can make a tax deductible pledge in any amount support of my walk by going here.