Operation 100

Jono and I have been pondering new ways to get people excited about donating to the Run To Uganda (RTU) fundraiser. About a month ago I came up with idea that I thought might bring in more donations but it all hinged on getting my nagging foot pain healed up in time to put in some serious training mileage. After a decent week with only minor pain I have decided that “operation 100” is officially a go.

What is Operation 100 you ask? Well, after finding out that my wife and I were going to be having our first child in September I began to think that my long term goal of running a 100 mile race would either have to be scrapped all together or put off for a very long time. For a few months I have planned on running the Prairie Spirit Trail 50 miler on March 23^rd and using it as a good training run for the more difficult and technical Flatrock 101K a month later. But with fundraising in mind we began to think that maybe I should just go ahead and bump up to the 100 miler at Prairie Spirit. Jono could crew for me and pace me the last 30 or so miles and we would run it for the Orphans of Calo Me Lare.

I have imagined that this may possibly be the most difficult thing I will have ever done but every time those thoughts enter my mind I think of the children that Project Hope Worldwide has rescued. Some of these children have had to live in IDP camps after their villages were burned down by the LRA. Most have lost one or both parents to the senseless violence that tore through Uganda. Others have lost parents and siblings to starvation, AIDS, malnutrition, malaria and other horrible misfortunes. As I have contemplated all that these precious, innocent children have been through I realize that no matter how much pain I may have to deal with during the race, I will still never know the pain they have suffered.

So on March 23^rd at 6:00 AM I will set out on a journey to run 100 miles. We are asking you to please consider sponsoring this effort. You could either sponsor me per mile or whatever specific amount is laid on your heart. And to help out, every dollar that you donate will be matched up to $1,000 by me and my wife Casey. This is on top of what we were originally planning to give to the RTU fundraiser this year. I am also in the process of securing at least one other matching partner and if it all works out every dollar that you donate or help us raise will translate into at least three dollars!

We are asking you to please help us spread the word about this project. There are two ways you can donate. (1) There is a blue DONATE NOW button to the right. These donations are processed through Razoo which helps us track all donations easily. The money is sent straight to Project Hope Worldwide and dedicated to the RTU fundraising project. (2) You can also donate on the RTU page on Project Hope Worldwide’s website. It can be found under the GET INVOLVED tab or you can use this link: http://projecthopeworldwide.org/index.cfm?id=61 . If you would like to send a check to Project Hope Worldwide directly please make sure to include Run To Uganda in the memo line.

One last important reminder; All the funds, minus the normal credit card transaction fee, go straight to funding the building of the new school. All carrying costs for RTU have been covered in advance and Project Hope Worldwide has a donor who pays all their admin costs! You can feel good that almost 100% of your money goes directly to building the new school.

Thanks for all your help,

Paul

Operation: INSPIRE

Inspire: to exert an animating, enlivening, or exalting influence on

Friends-

I have recently witnessed both of my parents, Lynn & Connie Becker, do things that could only be described as inspiring.  This is not however an abnormal event, because they have have had an inspirational effect on me for the last 38 years.
 

My mother will arrive home from Uganda today.  She has spent the last month traveling throughout Uganda gathering information for the school at Calo Me Lare.  I am inspired by her courage and her passion to help the children. By leaving the comfort of her family and home, and traveling half way around the world, she is helping shape a better future for the children and the nation of Uganda.  However her love and compassion she shows daily is the true inspiration. Mom you are making this world a better place.  INSPIRING!

A couple of weeks ago, I watched my father give an impassioned speech to a group of "Run To Uganda" team members.  During this speech he spoke of his first trip to Uganda.  He described sitting in his hotel room with Dirk Madden, who is one of the founders and current Executive Director of Project Hope Worldwide, and deciding at that moment "we need to do something for the orphans of Uganda."  From that trip and that decision, 64 orphans currently have a home to live in, food to eat, house mothers to love and nurture them, and teachers to educate them.  Once again the inspiration comes not just from founding the orphanage, but from a daily commitment to love and care about others.  Dad you are making this world a better place.  INSPIRING!

The children of Calo Me Lare have not been as fortunate as most of us.  They are true orphans (No Mother or Father).  The normal inspirational influences in their life have died, often tragically and/or violently, as a result of civil war or AIDS.  In most cases this would arouse feelings of anger, fear, and hopelessness.  It is our goal to provide love and compassion, and hopefully inspire the children to make a positive difference in the nation of Uganda.

However; I do not believe you have to travel worldwide to be inspiring.  We have opportunities everyday. In the spirit of keeping it simple I have narrowed it down to 2 important keys.

1. Love and Care About People:  People are very perceptive and are typically able to see true motivations.  Philanthropic acts with selfish motivations are quickly recognized and usually result in distrust. Actions made out of love and compassion are viewed as a sincere investment, and result in a greater amount of influence. 

“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.”
― Kalu Ndukwe Kalu 

If you truly love others it will force you to the second key.

2. Take Action:  This does not necessarily mean to quit your job, sell all your belongings, and move across the world to a remote village.  Unless that is what you are called to do.  Taking action could be as simple as helping a neighbor with the groceries, reading a book to your child, volunteering at a local food bank.  These simple acts of kindness may inspire others to do the same, thus the trickle down effect.  I may sound naive, but I believe this is how we change our world.


What will you do to INSPIRE someone today?


Peace,

Jono

P.S.  Thank you Mom and Dad, for 38 years of inspiration.