Insert Explicative Here.

I’m a little ashamed to say this. Well, a little ashamed, and a little not ashamed because I think that everyone, at some point or another has come to a point in their day where they have been asked so many questions and told to put so many things on their already obese “To-Do/Must get done yesterday/Critical/Highly important/Direct order from the President” list that all one can do is think of their choice of cuss word over and over while debating whether or not anyone would find them in that random closet just around the corner from their desk in their big, cushy corporate America-ish office lame cubicle.

Yes, friends. It’s one of those days.

I am not going to share with you my choice-four-letter word because 1) I don’t even like the fact that it comes to mind 2) I am well-aware of the fact that my parents or younger siblings/cousins/Sunday School students may very well read this one day and 3) because it’s just inappropriate BUT I would be lying if I said that it hadn’t come to mind, oh, at least 349,300,042.569 times today. Yes. Exactly that many times.

I want to know when it became okay for us me (fine… I’ll use “me” but I KNOW FOR A FACT that there are those of you out there thinking the same thing…) – Like I was saying, I want to know when it became okay for ME to let my job – whether good or bad – determine how I felt about the rest of my life. (While we are on this subject, I would like to know who decided that a 8-hour-a-day, 5-day-a-week workday was anything close to appropriate/a good idea/reasonable/Doctor-approved. I think that it was Henry Ford… really, I think it was him.) Lately, it has taken over my brain… stopped me from sleeping… and given me anxiety attacks – and let me tell you – my salary (while I am VERY thankful and fortunate enough to even have one) does NOT merit any sort of thinking-pondering-control-over-my-brain after 5 p.m. on any given day of the week.

I have been trying to tell myself to take a step back and look at the bigger picture… compare it to something else that at the time, was devastating, but somehow I overcame, survived, and am now here to talk about it… LIKE, for instance, 3rd grade when I had a teacher that you hear about when telling horror stories at 3 am at a birthday party-sleepover. I remember going up to school to see who my third grade teacher was going to be and reading Ms. Smith (names have been changed to protect the teacher who really is a fine person but  just have a bad wrap because she actually disciplined/had control of her class). When I read my name on the wrinkly piece of paper taped haphazardly on the window, I pretended like I fainted. My mom told me to get up and act my age – you know, along with that look, like if you don’t get up I am going to make sure you know acting like this was a really bad idea and then we’ll also make you tell your dad. I got up but proceeded to tell her that it must be a mistake, there must be two almost-third graders with my name and that maybe it was time for my dad to put in a transfer to a different bank so that we could move – and I could go to a different school. My mom looked at me, rolled her eyes, dragged me over to the first grade class listings so we could see who my little sister’s teacher was and that was that.

I am here, so I survived, clearly, but I remember thinking that the year with Ms. Smith would never end, that I would be stuck in eternal-third-grade-hell, and that nothing – I MEAN NOTHING – worse could happen.

The thing about that situation – at least I knew there was an ending. It was ONE year that I had to “suffer” through – a character-building opportunity. The thing about being a grown up? You just don’t know. And the just “not knowing” leads to all sorts of questions and feelings of hopelessness – to feeling like you’re stuck in this miserable situation forever. So… I have been feeling this way. A lot. And, I don’t want to make it sound like I am not happy. I really am – there are things that could be different, sure, but for the most part – I am happy. But this ONE thing – ahem (aforementioned obese “to-do” list) – is enough to make me almost insane, sometimes.

The good thing: this isn’t forever. It may be one month, one year, ten years (I hope not) or seventy (let’s be honest, it may kill me before then) but even seventy years isn’t forever. In fact, to God in Heaven – where I will spend my eternity – seventy years is like a split second. So… for all of those who are sick of whatever situation you’re in – and I know that there are a lot of you in far more pain than me – let us take hope in the fact that our God is awesome. He’s bigger than us. And THIS TIME that is so not fun or even miserable is really only a speck of dust for us – that one day we will have no more pain, no more suffering, no more crying, no more unhappiness, no more “let me just get through this year/month/day/hour/five minutes.” We will be living with our Jesus, our Father, and experiencing love that we can’t comprehend.

Happy Wednesday.

Results

So far…

Over 1,000 people attended.

The weather was PERFECT for running.

Over $51,000 (and counting) was raised.

You all are awesome. When I think of the magnitude of the impact this will have, I can’t help but be overwhelmed.

Here is a video of Ellie talking about Ellie’s Run. If you didn’t get to participate this year, there is always next year… Also, there will be several opportunities to get involved before then, so stay tuned.

We are 3 days away from Ellie’s Run for Africa.

We are three days away from the race and I want to share some really really exciting news.

Our goal was to have 1,000 attendees at the race this year – not necessarily RUNNERS, but have 1,000 people show up. As of yesterday, we had 628 EARLY registrants and over 100 heroes (people who have agreed to help us fundraise!). I just squealed with excitement. Our community rocks. You all are so so awesome and generous and even if it’s NOT the reason you signed up, I can see the hands of Jesus at work. He told us to care for the poor, and I believe that’s exactly what we’re doing.

Barbara Ambrose (Ellie’s mom… Ellie is the founder of Ellie’s Run for Africa) sent a “thank you email” to our Operations Team the other day. One thing about Barbara – she is an amazing woman and mentor and a fabulous parent. It takes a Godly parent to listen to the God-given dream of her 10-year-old and take it seriously… help her start a 5K and ultimately help her raise over $155,000 in four years. Anyway, she shared a quote with us from Maya Angelou:

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

How true is that statement? Barbara goes on to say that we are all so blessed to take part in something that GOD showed Ellie… and it’s so true. The Bible talks about  the innocence of a child being such a gift – and I think this illustrates exactly what he was saying! A ten-year-old wanted to help, PRAYED about it, started a race and has helped HUNDREDS of children in Africa. Her efforts – along with our HEROES – have even helped BUILD A VOCATIONAL SCHOOL. This is soo sooo sooooo important because it’s ONE STEP in demolishing the cycle of poverty. This school allows kids to learn a trade… which in turn helps them make money… which in turn gives them the ability to provide for themselves and help provide for their families. I am not trying to preach… I’ll leave that to Pete… but I am saying that GOD STILL USES US… GOD STILL DOES MIGHTY THINGS… GOD IS STILL CREATING AND HELPING AND PROVIDING FOR HIS CHILDREN… and I believe that when we ask God to bless our efforts to help others, to build community, to feed the poor and to do things in 3rd world countries across the globe… HIS FAVOR WILL shine upon us.

I am not sure how to say this in a pretty way… so I am just going to say it like this – The biggest blessing that I have ever received personally is being humbled by giving my time and money (which are really God’s to begin with) to those who need it more than I do. It’s not about the feeling of accomplishment… it’s about knowing that Jesus CHOSE ME to show someone else… some poor little child in Africa that he loves them so so so much… so much that it’s incomprehensible… that he loves them the same as he loves a rich man on Wall Street… that he hasn’t forgotten them… and that he’s going to use the money that OUR community has given to teach THIS CHILD that his time on Earth may not be the greatest but that his blessings in Heaven will be so great that this time will just be a speck of dust. He is USING US to provide a teacher that WILL TEACH THIS CHILD about the awesome love of our GOD, and THAT is why every minute, every dime, every prayer MATTERS.

Barbara wrapped up her e-mail with the following:

So, how do you think a child who is wearing a ratty pair of shoes – full of holes – must feel when he wakes up and knows today is the day? This is the day the teachers have been telling him about for a week. This is the day that he gets a NEW outfit and a NEW pair of shoes. It only happens ONCE a year and he can hardly wait to get to school. This sweet little boy doesn’t know that you [gave $50 or that you gave hundreds of minutes and attended countless meetings to get him his shoes.] BUT, one thing is certain – he will NEVER forget how he feels when he slides his feet into a pair of brand new shoes that actually fit.

Everyone, I want to thank you for your prayers. I pray that God shows you these children with HIS eyes… that you may understand HIS love. Please pray for beautiful weather this weekend. You all are awesome.

Happy Wednesday!

Why I do this – Part 2.

They used to be barefoot.

I love these kids more and more everyday. They are so precious and so thankful for a PAIR OF SHOES! Seriously… I take so much for granted.

Keep praying. Every prayer, every penny, every time you tell another person about this – it makes an impact!

I’m back… again…

and still working on Ellie’s Run for Africa stuff… which I am loving more and more everyday. Seriously. Please continue praying that God will bless our efforts this year. These kids are so special and I want the best for them… more on this later.

In working on some stuff for ERFA, I found this quote… which resonated with some things that we have been learning at church… and that I have found to be so true.

If you live only for yourself, you are always in immediate danger of being bored to death with the repetition of your own views and interests.

~W. Beran Wolfe

I love this. I have a tendency to get caught up in my own little world. What Rachel wants, needs, feels, hates, loves, etc. It’s hard to step back and look at the bigger picture… that there’s a world outside of my own. Full of people with needs. Full of people who experience more injustice in one day than will in my entire life. Full of people who don’t know love because no one has shown them what it is.

This year, in addition to being involved on an organizational level (for lack of better words), I have chosen to try to “sponsor” ten kids in Kibera… the slum in Africa where a majority of Ellie’s Run for Africa money is sent. I hate asking people for money… it’s makes me want to crawl in a hole and never come out. But, here I am… facing my fears and asking for your help. You can donate a dollar, five dollars, ten dollars… whatever you want… but please listen to me when I say that every little bit helps. ERFA funnels the funds raised through African Leadership – an organization based in Brentwood, Tenn. The leaders at African Leadership are awesome stewards of the Lord’s money – they pray over every penny and seek God’s wisdom as they decide where to send it. Your money is going DIRECTLY to someone in need. If you do not want to help financially, I ask that you pray. Pray for these kids – that they may come to know Jesus and be filled with his love.

If you would like to donate, you may do so by clicking here.

Thank you in advance for your help! Happy Monday!

Why Do I Do This?

Lately, I have been feeling a little bit bogged down with responsibilities. Lame, I know, but it’s true. Hence, me never blogging. Anyway… I have been up to my ears in Ellie’s Run stuff. It’s a lot of work, I’m not gonna lie. Lately, I have been making updates to the website and doing some research. In doing so, I have been completely humbled.

For the past couple of days, I have been researching different facts about Africa. These facts will also be available on the “Facts about Africa” page on elliesrun.org BUT I wanted to share them here as well. Take a look.

Facts About Africa

By The Numbers

• In Africa, $25 helps to put a kid in school by providing uniforms, books and shoes.
• In Africa, $7 can feed one person for a month; educate two children for one school term; save one person’s life from malaria; and provide clean water to seven Africans for a year. (1)
• Kibera, Kenya is a slum where over 800,000 people live in an area just over one square mile.
• Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 24% of the global disease burden and only 3% of the world’s health workforce. (2)
• Every forty seconds, a child in Sub-Saharan Africa dies from a mosquito bite. (3)
• 12.1 million African children have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. (4)
• 22 million Sub-Saharan Africans are infected with HIV/AIDS – composing 2/3 of the worldwide total. (5)
• In 2006, 1/2 of the children – aged six months to three years in the Guidan Roumdji district of Maradi, Niger – suffered from acute malnutrition. (6)
• Up to 2.5 million innocent Darfur civilians have been forced to flee their homes and now live in internally displaced-persons camps in Sudan due to political unrest and violence. (7)

What’s Happening to Help?

Several organizations – like Ellie’s Run for Africa, The Mocha Club, African Leadership, Doctors Without Borders and others – realize that every little thing we can do makes an impact in places all over the world.

Fortunately, larger organizations also realize the need for action. In 2000, leaders from 189 nations signed on to the Millennium Development Goals – a set of eight ambitious targets designed to reduce global poverty and disease by 2015. (8)

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
2. Achieve universal primary education.
3. Promote gender equality and empower women.
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

Remember, you can take part in fighting these global issues. Become a hero.

Sources:
(1) https://www.mochaclub.org/mochaclub/welcome
(2) http://www.one.org/c/us/issue/187
(3) http://www.one.org/c/us/progressreport/778/
(4) http://www.one.org/c/us/issue/188
(5) http://www.one.org/c/us/issue/188
(6) http://doctorswithoutborders.org/publications/topten/article.cfm?=id2165
(7) https://www.mochaclub.org/mochaclub/choose_project/4
(8) http://www.one.org/c/us/issuebrief/762

So, why do I do this?

I think that it’s what we’re all called to do. I know that God has blessed me. I know that I am extremely privileged. I know that God calls us to be the hands and feet of Christ. It’s more than “volunteering.” It’s because WE can make a difference… not only in Africa, but in countries all over the world.

Check out www.elliesrun.org to see how you can make a difference in Africa.

Pete’s blog details some awesome ways to be involved with Compassion International… He just got back from India a few days ago and illustrates firsthand the needs of children and families there.

As harsh as this sounds, it’s time that we all quit resting on our butts. It doesn’t take much. It may just be giving up Starbucks once a week… or not buying that shirt just this one time. I encourage you to pray about what you can do. Ellie’s Run for Africa has this motto: DREAM BIG. TAKE ACTION. Ellie Ambrose was only 10 when she decided that she wanted to do something for kids halfway around the world. Five years later, the non-profit she founded has raised over $155,000, helped over 420 kids go to school, taught people about Jesus, helped fund health care initiatives in Africa, provided food to African kids and helped build classrooms and part of a vocational school. IF A 10-YEAR-OLD girl can do this, what can we do?

The good news: What we’re doing IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE, but we can still do more. More on this later…

Back aches and weapons?

So, lately I have had some major back pain. If you know me, you know that I HATE going to the Doctor and that I have an absurdly high pain tolerance… probably due to the fact that I hate going to the Doctor. Funny how that works. I think I bring a lot of it on myself.

Anyway… I went to the chiropractor last night… He took X-rays, sent me home and told me to 1) NOT work out and 2) get good sleep. OKkkkkkkkkkkkk. I also usually work out every night that I don’t have something going on… aka last night and getting good sleep is a nice thought, but rarely happens. So… I come home, lay around for awhile and play with Palmer, then go to bed after saying goodnight to Evan… I also took a tylenol PM… for pain.

After being asleep for who knows how long, I woke up to the loudest, most obnoxious siren ever… our house alarm. Palmer goes crazy and what do I do? I lay in bed. I lay in bed for a good 30-45 seconds waiting to see if anyone else is going to do anything about it. I tried to see if I could hear a burglar… and I didn’t think I could. MIND you… I had been asleep, was medicated and was completely out of it. What did I decide? I decided that I wasn’t going to not sleep. (Was I worried about some armed crazy person? Slightly, but my sleep was more important at that point.) I grabbed the closest thing that I deemed a weapon…

Yes, friends. That’s right. I grabbed a wedge heel that I would throw at any intruders.

Needless to say, we’re not really sure what happened, but Sara and I patrolled the house, found everything to be in order, told the police to not come, reset the alarm and went back to bed.

I did wake up this morning and think to myself that I need to be more selective. I have a closet full of heels – the stilletto kind – that would do WAYYYY more damage. Burglars beware. I have a plan!

Dear staircase,

Dear staircase,

I meet with you every morning… Palmer and I greet you as soon as we wake up. We have a lovely relationship… You always welcome me home and I am always happy to see you – you’re the first thing I see as I approach the front door… This is why I find it unnecessary to cover yourself in dew on this warm Nashville morning in March. Did you think it was funny when you caused me to slip and fall down? Did you think that it was funny when our neighbors looked at me as if I had lost my mind? I am confused, stairs. Really baffled. Do you have an explanation?

I know that you feel as if people walk all over you. I know that you probably feel unimportant because you live outside. Don’t listen to the LIES. It’s not true! You are the very structure that allows us three girls and our two puppies to enter our HOME… our favorite place. Don’t you see how vital you are? Forget about the back door. He’s just jealous that you have a better view of the neighborhood.  I apologize if I have made you feel like the lesser of the two… but Palmer likes the back yard better… ahem… you know, to do his thing. I just thought I would spare you of that! Don’t you see? I was looking out for you.

So, this morning, we decided to come and visit you for a change… to see how YOU were first thing when we woke up. And, you do this. You cause me to fall.

Staircase, I don’t like fighting with you. Can’t we just step up and be friends again?

Yours truly,

The roomie with the aching back.

What to do… What to do…

When you’re not going to eat out on your lunch break and have no errands to run…

You blog.

So far, the response for the Icon event has been AMAZING. You all are the greatest… and it’s looking like we’re going to have quite the crowd… I didn’t think that overflow parking was going to be an issue… WELL… You all may prove me wrong. What can I say? This is the first event of this magnitude that I have helped plan… You should still show up… There will be valet parking… so you won’t have to worry about silly things like that. Don’t know what the heck I am talking about? Go to www.elliesrun.org/icon. You are soooo invited.

Hmm… what else? I have abandoned my plans for the half-marathon this year. I know. I know… I am bad. I only really wanted to do it because my roommate wanted to run it for the first time. (This would have been my fourth… one of which I just ran this past October.) She decided to not run it in exchange for helping someone do something really awesome (GO READ ABOUT IT)… and honestly, I feel like I haven’t stopped running or training or hurting (my knees) for the better part of 10 months… All that to say – I am not doing it. BUT… I would like to run a full this winter AND I have a new passion for kickboxing… so, all isn’t completely lost.

I am in a little bit of a lull at work. I am busy… I am just waiting on several people to hand over/ hand back projects that I have started. This has re-affirmed 3 things… 1) I HATE BEING BORED 2) I think that there truly is an end to the internet and 3) I do MUCH MUCH MUCH better when I feel like I have too many things on my plate. Good thing I have Africa at the Icon to keep me busy at this very moment.

Speaking of Africa At The Icon (yes… my blogs for the next two weeks will probably mention this… oh, at least 400 times…) Our Nashville community has REALLY stepped up. REALLY. Like… REALLY REALLY. The Icon… people at Lipman, Tall Horse, Sambuca, the people at myEmma… tons and tons and tons of people and services giving their time and resources to help us with this event… to help us spend hardly a penny so that the kids in Africa can have all the money… so that they can have uniforms and books and shoes and food… and so that they can start building A NEW SCHOOL. Yes… a trade school… where they can learn a vocation. This is SO important… for TONS of reasons, really… Here’s the thing. A basic education is a wonderful, wonderful (apparently I like repeating words today… work with me) start. It gives kids a knowledge base that they can then build upon… for years to come. A TRADE school allows them to learn a vocation that will let them make money to support their families and give back to their community. Most of us have NO idea how amazing and special and exciting this is to these African families. We go from kindergarten to high school without blinking… and then most of us don’t even have a choice about going to college or a trade school… it’s more about WHERE than IF. These families have really never even had the option… until now.

I am humbled by being a part of this. It has shown me how easy I’ve had it… how blessed I am. You can learn more at Ellie’s Run online. If you want to get involved, e-mail me at rmatheis@elliesrun.org. I PROMISE you won’t regret it! I am so thankful for everyone involved… I am so proud of our community… and yes, I still have more to say and will keep talking about it. It’s MY blog. So there.

Hmm… What else? This is completely random… but lately I have traded my coffee for Diet Coke with Lime. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me… Must be prepping for summer.

Have a fabulous Wednesday… and mark your calendars for March 19. You have plans. PLUS… that’s my birthday week… and you wouldn’t want to let me down, right?

All for a measly $25.

Friends,

In Africa, a “measly” $25 helps put a child in school. It buys them shoes, a uniform and books, gives them lunch every day and help pays the rent on their school building FOR A YEAR.

I have been working with Ellie’s Run for Africa for 2 years now. My eyes have truly been opened.

The organization helps kids in Kiberia, Kenya – a slum where over 800,000 people live in an area a little over one square mile. Kids here can’t go to school if they don’t have the required supplies – the shoes, uniforms and books…

Ellie’s Run for Africa aims to change this place. We want to be the hands and feet of our Jesus… showing compassion, being humbled and most of all, loving on these people that our Jesus loves. ERFA was dreamed up by Ellie Ambrose. She was 10 at the time of the first race… she heard a missionary at her church speak about these kids and how they live… and she wanted to change that. She did. She and her parents got busy… organized a team of volunteers… and have raised over $150,000 over the past 4 years. One of our team members – Sam Darsinos – traveled to Kiberia this year to visit the school that ERFA helps fund. He spoke with the headmaster – Tim – and asked him this:

So what was this place like before Ellie?

Tim replied:

You know Ellie?”

Sam:

Of course, we all do. We all go to the same church that Ellie goes to.

Without saying a word he grabbed Sam and gave him this great big hug and said:

That little girl and her God-given dream. Before she started to help us there was nothing here. There was just this building made of tin pieces nailed together. Before Ellie, none of these kids could afford to go to school. Now we give them shoes and a uniform to wear every day. They eat rice each day for lunch with bowls that we bought for them. We have chalkboards for the teachers to write on and desks for the children. The children have books to study and learn from. We have a roof that doesn’t leak, and walls and dividers to separate the classrooms. Over 420 kids can get an education because of Ellie and her God-given dream.

Ellie put her hope and faith in her Jesus… and God honored her efforts. What would happen if we did what Christ asked us to do… and had the mind of a child?

2009 marks the fifth anniversary of Ellie’s Run for Africa. Our team has set some HUGE goals.

• Have over 1,000 attend the race!!!
• Raise over $100,000!!!

To celebrate what God has already done and will do and to start raising money, we are throwing a party. A BIG party. And YOU are invited. Bring your friends. Bring your friend’s friends. Bring a stranger.

We know times here are hard. BUT… there are places where the times have been and will always be harder… unless we step up.

If you have questions, e-mail rmatheis@elliesrun.org.
Our team has this slogan…

Dream Big. Take Action.

I encourage you… that no matter what you want to change for the better… go for it. I have seen first-hand what God can do.

Many Blessings,

Rachel