Today's run

18 mile run today in 85 degree heat. I definitely appreciated water today.

New Sponsor and Our Gifts

I am very excited to announce that Breakaway Running has joined our efforts as a title sponsor for the Road to Change project. They are going to be working with some of their partners and will be making a big announcement soon about their support of the project. Thanks so much to Jake Lawhead, president and Barry Roberson, Vice President, of Breakaway for their help.

We also have a fantastic new poster in that will be used to spread the word about the Road to Change. Feel free to download a copy and share it with people in your office, gym, church, etc., who would be interested in assisting.

If you are like me, I was not aware until recently of the conditions that people have to endure regarding water in other countries. If you saw people in your neighborhood who had to walk 5 miles every day to get water out of a dirty pond just to survive, I am confident everyone reading this would give $1 each to provide water for them for a year or $10 to provide water for them for 10 years. It is by God's grace, that each of us were not born into those same conditions. We are all so fortunate to live where we do, and have the access to the basic need of water.

1 Peter 4:10 says - "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." I hope you will consider sharing your gifts to make a big difference in the lives of the people of Kalimani.

"I think we are all blessed in more ways than we acknowledge. Be thankful everyday for all that you are. Your gifts and talents are special and yours alone. Put them to good use."

Sunday Morning Runners

These runners, plus several others who were not able to be part of the picture, are helping bring clean water to the 4,000 people of Kalimani in Kenya.

My Sunday morning running group is made up of runners whose ages range from their 20s to 70s. There are runners who are training for their first marathon as well as veteran runners and triathletes, who have competed in marathons all over the world. These folks continue to inspire me with their experience, attitudes and support of local charitable causes. One runner in particular, Gerald Holbrook, at 76 years young, consistently runs 26 minute 5Ks and gets up early Sunday mornings to bake homemade bread for our post-run get togethers. These folks run through the rain, sleet, snow and sweltering Memphis summers. I appreciate all of their support of the Kalimani project and the huge difference it will make in the lives of the people there.

"It is one of the strange ironies of this strange life that those who work the hardest, who subject themselves to the strictest discipline, who give up certain pleasurable things in order to achieve a goal, are the happiest men. When you see 20 or 30 men line up for a distance race in some meet, don't pity them, don't feel sorry for them. Better envy them instead.' - Brutus Hamilton

What We Take for Granted

I stayed in a hotel Oxford, MS Tuesday and was going for a run that morning. I stopped by the front desk to see if they had a bottled water. They did and the lady at the front desk apologized for it not being cold. That really hit home for me about the Road to Change project. I didn't have to walk miles to get a drink. All I had to do to get clean water was ask. We sometimes take for granted how good we have it.

The question has come up of "Can I make a donation by check?". Yes. The check would be made out to "The Water Project" with "The Road to Change" in the memo section, so this project is credited. The checks would be sent to the following address:

The Water Project
C/O Road to Change
P.O. Box 39487
Charlotte, NC 28278

The easiest way of course, is to donate online but either way is greatly appreciated!

We have already raised over $600.00 in the first week! That is outstanding. Thanks for helping to make this happen.

Have a great weekend.

If you are bored with life, if you don't get up every morning with a burning desire to do things - you don't have enough goals. - Lou Holtz

Great Start and Why in the World Would Someone Run 100 Miles?

Thank you so much for the fantastic responses and donations to the Road to Change project so far. It is amazing to see how caring people are that donate to this project.

Someone asked "How do I donate to the Road to Change project to make sure you get credit for it?" The answer is just click on the "Click here to Donate" button on the website and once you make your donation, it will be credited to the Road to Change project.

I also wanted to clarify is that I am just asking people to consider a one-time $10 per person donation. $10 will provide water for someone in Africa for 10 years. I cannot think of a better use of $10.

Something I hear from a lot of people when I tell them that I am going to run a 100-mile race (after they say to themselves that I must be brain damaged) is "I couldn't run a mile". Just imagine if tomorrow, you knew that you and your children had to walk 5 miles, carrying a 40 pound water can, just to get a drink of not necessarily clean water, knowing that you had to do that every day just to survive. My running a 100-mile race shrinks in comparison to what these people must face every day. Your $10 can change that. We are not raising money for a community center basketball court or a flat-screen TV. Just the basic human need of clean water.

Thank you for your consideration.

I have always like the little poem below. We can amaze ourselves when we just give things our best effort.

Somebody said
That it couldn’t be done,
But he, with a chuckle, replied:
That maybe it couldn’t,
But he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so
Till he tried.

So he buckled right in
With the trace of a grin
On his face.
If he worried,
He hid it.
He started to sing
As he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done,
And he did it!”

The Origin of the Road to Change Project

Runners appreciate the simple taste of water. We live in a country where we buy $5 coffees and vitamin water and if we ever need a drink, just have to walk to the tap or fridge.

I discovered The Water Project after joking with some of my running friends about setting up a foundation with the change I found on the road while running. I was looking for a way where there is a real need and a small amount could have a significant impact in someone’s life. For the very small price of $1, water can be provided for a year to a person in Africa

I spoke with Peter Chasse, president of The Water Project, and he told me about this project in the city of Kalimani in Kenya where a well is needed, which would cost approximately $15,000 and provide water for 4,000 people. Students from the University of Winnipeg in Canada had held a "Walk for Water" this past April and raised approximately $5,000. With our help of $5,000 and the Kalimani communities contribution (about 20%) we can make this work. Drilling could happen soon after we provide the money because the surveys and permits are now in place. I think it would be very cool to know that we have partnered with young people who started walking to make this happen and runners finished it.

My goal is for people to consider donating $10.00 or the cost of your beverages for a week. When dining out, you can order water, instead of soft drinks or that second cup of coffee or beer, and donate the money they would have spent to the water project. This way people are not digging deep in their wallet, just giving up a little (probably to the benefit of their health by drinking water) to give it away.

Several things get me excited about this project:

· It is one of the top problems in the world with over one third of the world’s population not having access to sanitation facilities

· Not to be harsh, but it just doesn’t seem right that our pets have access to water where these children don’t.

· A little bit of money goes a long way. $10 would provide water for 10 people in Africa, for a year.

· Everyone and every dollar can help. If you substitute one soft drink ($1) you can donate that to provide water.

I am running the Arkansas Traveler 100-mile race in October of 2009 and my goal is to have 500 people pledge $10 or $0.10 per mile for this project.

Thank you for your consideration.

Matthew 25:35 - For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in