📌 Edition #35
📆 August 2023
📌 Edition #35 📆 August 2023
📸Snaps of the month
Running vibrant Communities 🎽
“Look, parce (friend). You have to divide it into three parts”—Carolina says as we walk through the crowd. There were many things in my favor: a vibrant city, thousands of people, my new pelican headband, my colleagues revving up next to me, and our motivated Colombian affiliate teams.
The weather was up and down from a sun that burned the skin to refreshing spring rains. The Bogotá climate helped a brother out, but its curves and slopes were not so merciful.
I knew from the outset that of our group, I would be the last to finish. For Blair, Jorge, and Carolina, this wasn’t their first rodeo. On the other hand, the affiliates ran the shorter 10 km race. Laura and I ran the 21 km (13.1 miles) as newbies, but I was more focused on the GoPro that I carried on my chest. I wanted to record every kilometer.
0-7 km
“First, run at a slower pace than you trained.” —Carolina's words were still in my head.
The race started. Like a dog with two tails, I wiggled from left to right, wanting to record every poster supporting the runners, high-fiving each hand that encouraged energy. At a super slow speed, I watched my group dive into the crowd up front.
The only one behind me was Laura, who, due to traffic, started the race in one of the last batches.
It’s all fun and games, videos and smiles, until you hit your third hill at around the 5 km mark. I lost complete sight of my teammates. During a terrible slope, I slowed down and took the opportunity to change my camera's battery. Suddenly, a wind passed my right shoulder, and a voice said, "Come on, David, you can do it.” Laura zapped up the hill. How did she do it? Not only the race but her growth in leadership.
The day before the race, we visited her AfterSchool Program, Caja del Saber Integral. All the parents and staff were in a meeting going over monthly updates about the kids, program changes, and highlights. At the end of the session, it was Laura's turn to share. I knew her part was inviting everyone to join a monthly giving program, recruiting new volunteers, and asking for new followers on their social media.
She was at the top of her game! It looked like she had been sharing visions and invitations for years. Blair looked at me, and I knew we were thinking the same thing. Just like that hill where she breezed through, she is a natural leader; Colombian kids under her guidance are in good hands.
8-14 km
“After you finish the first part, go back to the pace you trained all these months.”—I heard Carolina as I saw the 8 km banner.
I needed a distraction. My mind drifted to remembering our leaders from Tertulia Creativa who were simultaneously running the 10 km.
It’s amazing how tight the Tertulia Creativa team can be. You look at them and know they aren't just co-workers; they're friends. They go to the same church, are from the same city, and are all the same age.
While the executive director of Tertulia Creativa, Yolanda Rojas, takes time to visit family in Florida and focus on fundraising, it is easy to see that the ministry is in good hands. Esteban, Natalia, Felipe, Linda and Brayan are phenomenal leaders and run all activities with the same passion and DNA that Yolanda has infused into the program since day one.
This team will not leave you hanging out dry! Whether it's a race, if you don't know your vowels or can't count to ten, this team has your back. No matter if you're a 32-year-old at his first marathon or a 7-year-old struggling at school, they will wait for you at the finish line.
15-21 km
“Sounds crazy, but this is where you give it all.”
By now, surely my teacher, Carolina, was reaching the finish line. My legs were in auto mode, and I wasn't even thinking about my pace or breathing deeply. I just wanted to see some checkered flags, a long ribbon. Anything that would tell me I could die peacefully because I finished my first half marathon.
This is the moment when your brain asks, “Why did we sign up for this? Why did you get up every morning? How do you know you're going to finish the race? How are you going to impact your community? Why do you think you can change the lives of these children? How do you know that you will have funds for the programs? Why go on? Haven't you done enough?”
“We were born to do this,” I replied. We believe in this route, in this race of life. We lead transformational programs; We run marathons; and we overcome obstacles, if that means a kid, a youth, gets another chance in life. We restore places that are broken. We are creative, and our hearts burst out with new ideas. We grasp every opportunity and squeeze every coin to bring hope to our community.
We know that one can run faster alone, but together we run the longest. Our affiliates throughout Latin America, the kids, the youth, UrbanPromise Honduras, the directors, we all strive for more vibrant communities; it is our vision. You, faithful donors, share the same fire as us. Thanks for joining our marathon.
