Run for water Run for LIFE

Today I did three things.
1.  I said YES!!!

2.  I laced up!

3.  I put back on my jersey!

So why did I do all of this?
Well let me tell you...
This story goes back a few years (almost 18) so bear with me!

In college I took my first over seas mission trip to Venezuela.  I fell in love with Venezuela and the people there.  It was the first time that I felt a sense of call to mission.  Somehow, I knew someday that I would return.  This was in the spring of 1999.
In the fall of 1999, or maybe the spring of 2000, I don't really remember, I was offered the opportunity to join a mission team to Mozambique, Swaziland, and South Africa.  Since I had the travel bug and was feeling out this call to mission, I jumped at the chance to go!
We spent most of our 2 weeks in Mozambique, where again, I fell in love with the people, and I fell in love with the land.  I joked then, and I still joke now, that Africa and Texas are very similar!  I have a love for both!  Again, I didn't know when or how, but I knew one day I would return to Africa.  My heart was calling me "home."
In college I majored in Special ministries with an emphasis in youth.  I knew God was calling me in to youth ministry, but I sure loved the mission classes that I was taking on the side!  After graduation I decided to take some time and explore this passion for missions.  I chose to return to Venezuela where I could stay with a family that are friends of mine and had taught my missions class.  I went to Venezuela for almost 6 months, and loved every bit of it.  While I was there I prayed about my call to missions.  God made it clear to me that I was supposed to return to the US and use my passion to give students experiences in missions.  It was tough, and I tried every way around it, but God made it clear that I was to return home.  I knew I had these two passions for a reason, I just didn't know quite how God was going to combine them.
I came home and settled in to youth ministry.  I love working with students and I love sharing local mission experiences with them.  Youth ministry is definitely my calling and my passion.  But there's always been this little voice in my head whispering "you'll go back."
Fast forward to 2012 when I felt the overwhelming call to return to Africa.  Many of you know this story, but it's always fun to share.  I was in Zumba class at our church and the song "This time for Africa" came on, and as we danced around, I turned around to see our giant map on the wall.  It suddenly hit me "THIS time for Africa!"  It was time to go!  God was calling me back!  FINALLY!!!
So I set out on a journey to find out where to go and what to do.  My church was incredibly supportive and approved a sabbatical so that I could go and serve 2 months.
Through much prayer and many conversations, and a seed that was planted many years earlier, I decided to team up with Village of Hope Uganda and work with them for 2 of the best months of my life.  I love Uganda.  I love the Village of Hope.  I love my boy Elijah and the many friends that I made there.  I am so lucky to have friends and family all over this world!  I loved my 2 months there, serving in a variety of ways.  I loved it so much that I went back 2 years later and served again.  The Village of Hope is definitely my home away from home.  But even as I was there that second time, I couldn't figure out why God was calling me to a passion for missions and for youth.  Why did God keep calling me stateside?
Even recently, I had a conversation with one of our pastors who always mentions my heart for missions.  And each time, I ask God "what are you doing with this?"
Well, I think I found my answer.
I have never once doubted my call to youth ministry.  I knew that my passion for missions was a side calling, and something that I thought I might settle in to later in life.  Recently, God is showing me that it is something more than I imagined.
Just over a year ago I got involved with Team World Vision.  TWV works with the Rock'n Roll marathon and half marathon in San Antonio to bring clean water to children around the world.  One of these places is Uganda (my heart).  Having found joy in running, I joined the team, and it was not at all what I expected.  I was much more out of shape than I thought I was, and I had more issues than I thought I would, and in the middle of training I took off for Africa again.  Excuses, excuses.  The marathon I signed up for ended up being a completely different marathon experience than I got!  You can find the whole story here.  The experience I got ended up being so much more when I was encouraged to tell my story.  Even now, as I shared my story at our team dinner this year, it was odd to me that we would celebrate what I felt was a failure, but God used for His glory!  This was the first time that I became truly aware that I was running for something more than myself.
This year I set out for redemption, and to run the marathon.  Training started out strong, and I was on the right path when one of our students needed someone to walk with her so that she could be a part of the team.  (Again, you can find this story here).  I decided to run/walk with her instead, because it was more important for her to catch this passion, and since it wasn't about my run, it was about bringing awareness and raising money to bring clean water to children in Africa, it was an easy choice to make!
So this year I set out to reach a goal of $3,000 for clean water, to bring clean water to 60 kids.  At this moment I have raised over $2100, bringing water to 42 kids!!!  What an exciting time to be a part of something bigger!
I feel like I am finally understanding this passion for youth and for missions!  It's not about me traveling around the world, but it's about making a Kingdom difference around the world, and I feel that this is one way I can do it.  I can help worldwide missions while serving here stateside!
So, this is a really long story to get to this short finale, but it's been blowing my mind to see God bring this all together!  This next part gets a little jumbled, because it's currently in process.  I apologize for those of you who have read this far that it might get a little confusing, but here goes...

In 2010 my grandparents passed away.  My grandma had battled Rheumatoid Arthritis for years, so has my dad, and many other people in my family and close friends of mine.  On a journey to become healthier, I decided to sign up for a 5k for Arthritis and started running in my grandma's honor.  Once I finished my 5k, I thought, "I could double that", and I kept running!  I finished a 10k and thought, "I can double that" and I kept running!  I ran my first half marathon in 2011 and my first marathon in 2012.  And although my health has changed, my love for running hasn't.  More important than running is running for a cause!
So, I love running.  I love missions.  I love running for a cause.  I also love TV.  Somewhere in the beginning of this running journey, I saw an episode of "How I met your mother" that talked about the New York City Marathon.  This was at the beginning of my 5k training, but it put a bug in my ear.  Somehow through that episode, through visiting New York, and through having random conversations with people, running the NYC marathon has become a dream of mine.  I don't know for how long, but I know for over 5 years.  I've learned all about the lottery system (because there's no way I qualify for the time trial!) and know when to put in applications, etc.  I hoped that one day I would run the NYC marathon.  I think that's mainly why I haven't given up running, even when my health became poor again.
Volunteering as a captain for Team World Vision has been an incredible experience this year.  I love what they are doing in Africa, and I have been moved by the books I have read and speakers I have listened to.  One thing that has been sticking out to me is that while I have been raising money to bring clean water to children in Africa, I have been learning more about the importance of this goal.  I had been focusing on the health of the children, on the children being able to go to school, the danger of terrain and animals, etc.  One thing that my eyes have been opened to in the last few months is their physical safety as well.  Johnny Huddle was our speaker at the team dinner and he spoke about girls being taken and sold while they were on their walks to get water.  I read the book "Running for my life" by Lopez Lamong (incredible book!  Check it out!) and he talked about his sister being raped on her way to get water.  Story after story about these kids and their safety and the importance of having water close to home so that these risks can be eliminated.
At the same time as learning this side of the importance of local, clean water, our students at the Village of Hope are home for vacation, and this is a time that we pray extra hard for these girls as they are at risk of being sold to older men.  This is a very real problem all over the world, and World Vision is one of the many organizations working to do something about it.
So, in all of this, I'm questioning this call to mission.  I'm loving being a part of TWV.  I'm learning about child trafficking, and I learn about TWV having a team at the NYC marathon.  As it turns out, the team at the NYC marathon doesn't raise money for clean water. New York is one of the only TWV teams that doesn’t fundraise for clean water projects in Africa, but instead fundraises for Child Protection projects in Kenya, Uganda, Cambodia, Mozambique, and Bangladesh.

Did you catch that?  Two of these countries already have my heart, and I get the opportunity to run for them and their safety!
Here's what Team World Vision says about this specific event:

CHILD PROTECTION
An estimated 85 million children are engaged in hazardous work that threatens their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Millions of children are forced into such work, including sexual exploitation. And many more suffer abuse in their homes and schools—often by someone they know.
If we are to achieve any significant or lasting progress in improving children’s well-being, we must first keep them out of harm’s way—whether we are working in our development areas, nearby communities, or fragile contexts. Feeling safe and secure is the primary factor in a child’s own sense of well-being.
That’s why World Vision is expanding our work to help protect millions more children from exploitation, abuse, and violence—helping them move from vulnerability to the life of safety they deserve.We want all children to be cared for, protected, and participating in decisions that affect their well-being.

So all this said, and this very long blog.  It seems that a lot of my hopes, my passions, and my heart are coming together for one Epic event!  I will be running the NYC marathon in 2017!!!  I am beyond excited!!!
I'm excited to learn more about Child Protection and to be a part of what Team World Vision is doing around the world to bring safety to our children. I love that this project teams up with the water projects.  It's overall safety and health for children.
The title of this blog is "Run for water Run for Life" and As I keep running for water, I am now also running for life in a new way.
God is really doing something on my heart with this child safety stuff.  But that could make this blog never ending.  So, I'm not really sure what to say, except that I am so excited to be a part of this team and to be a spokesperson for children in Africa whether it be for the Village of Hope or World Vision.  Our children's safety and health is first in all of our minds.
So, there it is.  Today I said yes!  I laced up my running shoes and started training!  I hope you will join me on this journey!

I want to live and leave a legacy

There aren't many things in life that I really want.  I don't think I'm very materialistic.  Things in my house don't cost much.  The things that matter most to me involve a memory or a loved one.  These things aren't very valuable to others, but extremely valuable to me.
That is until this weekend.  Last night at our team dinner, Brian (the director of Team World Vision for our area) mentioned a hero medal.  This is a medal that finishers will get if they raise $3,000 and bring clean water to 60 kids.
I want that medal.
I REALLY want that medal!
I thought about it today, and I was asking myself "Is this just something that looks cool that I can hang on my wall?  Why do I want this 'THING' so much?!"
I was kind of upset with myself for getting so materialistic all of a sudden, but then I realized why.  I want this medal because it means I did something beyond myself, I did something for someone else!  I've spent so much of my life focusing on myself, and now I'm realizing that there is this legacy I can leave behind.  These kids will never know my name.  They will never know that I ran/walked to bring them clean water.  It means nothing to them.
Well, not nothing, because it means life!
These kids will no longer have to miss school to get clean water.  They will no longer have to fight off mud, animals, disease, etc to get clean water.  They will no longer live in fear of being kidnapped and sold to human trafficking while fetching water.  There is a safety that comes with clean water, and having a clean water source close to your home.
Our speaker last night told us stories of girls being raped or sold to older men while they were out getting water for their families.  These girls had to walk anywhere from 6-12 kilometers each way and face all sorts of dangers.  I want to be a part of giving these girls a new life.  I want to bring water to them.  I want them to be able to go to school, be a kid, focus on studies.  I want them to grow past 10 years old.  I want them to never have to worry about clean water for their children.  I want to be a part of something bigger.
It's not about me, it's not even about the medal.  It's about changing lives.  I want to be a part of that.
Nichole Nordeman has a great song called "Legacy."  Her lyrics include "I want to leave a legacy, how will they remember me?"  This song rings in my head.  I don't have kids.  I may never be married.  Sometimes I wonder about the life I'll leave behind.  But then I think about the love I'll leave behind.
Running/walking for Team world vision is a part of my legacy.  Giving kids clean water is my legacy.  Sharing about the Village of Hope and the children who need sponsorships, that's my legacy.  Loving the youth here in the US and around the world is my legacy.  I want to be remembered for doing something greater, for giving to something greater.  Thank you for helping me to live and leave this legacy!
I don't have $3,000 to give on my own, but you have helped me to reach this goal!  As of this moment we have raised $1877 and brought clean water to 37 kids, which is awesome because that's my age!  I still have a week to make my $3000 goal.  Thank you for investing in this cause and for giving to these children.  You are helping to wipe out the water crisis in Africa!
If you haven't donated yet, will you prayerfully consider making a donation here?
Thank you for joining me on this journey, for loving these kids, and for leaving a legacy!
Love,
Carly

The Kingdom Experience

As a youth director, I often notice that whatever I am speaking on becomes a deep part of my life.  Currently, my eyes are being reopened to Kingdom living as we study the Beatitudes.  It's not about me as an individual, but about us as the body of Christ.  

One of my favorite quotes about the Kingdom comes from Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Earth’s crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God;

But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,

The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries

I love this quote because it is a reminder that the Kingdom is all around us.  Every moment is holy, if we'll be aware of God's work in it.

Anyways, all of this "Kingdom Living" has reminded me of why I am running for Team world vision again in the first place.  It's to bring water and health to the world, to change lives, and to see God at work.  Currently, I am seeing God work in my life through this.

There is a 13 year old girl from our church that wants to run for Team World Vision.  She reminds me a lot of myself when I was 13.  She started training and working hard for this goal, but needs someone to join her.  After much prayer and talking with her and her mom, I got really excited about joining her on her journey and being with her as she finishes her first half marathon.  Because of that, I have decided that I am not going to run the full marathon this year.  Instead, I'm going to be a part of this Kingdom experience and run with her, finish with her, rejoice with her.  I'm really excited about this!

I know this was my year to "make up for last year" but again...It's not about me.  It's about the Kingdom.  And running with this girl is going to mean so much more to the Kingdom than my training alone would.  Together, we are setting out to raise awareness for those who do not have clean water.  We are running to raise money through Team World Vision to bring clean water and sustainable water resources to the world, especially to Africa where the other half of my heart is.  It's not about me, it's about the Kingdom.

Run for water, run for life.  Run for joy, run for Jesus!  This isn't about me, but it's about something greater, and I am excited to see God at work!

Thank you to all of those who have donated to Team World Vision.  $50 gives a child clean water for life.  It doesn't stop there.  It also allows them to go back to school instead of walking 3-7 miles a day to get water that is dirty.  It gives them health, as they are able to drink, eat, and wash with clean water.  It is sustainable, so it will be there for their families and future families.  It's a part of the Kingdom experience.  One little donation goes a long way and saves more lives than we will ever know.  If you would like to make a donation please go to 

http://www.teamworldvision.org/participant/carlypowne

Thank you!

Carly

Something bigger

This time of year I am reminded of a journey I set out on 3 years ago.  In a giant step of faith, I left my job in the hands of people who cared, left my family, left my home, and went to Uganda to follow God's call.  So many incredible things happened on that trip and around that trip, but one little conversation has rung in my ears forever.
To help send me, my good friends and "hot mamas" put on a fundraiser to support the trip.  At the end of the night we had raised $1233.51. You can read about that night here.  As I stood in shock, one of my friends said "we can't go.  You can go.  This is our way of being a part of something bigger."  That phrase stuck with me.  "We can't go, but you can go."
Not everyone can run a marathon.  Not everyone can even train for a marathon.  So with them in my heart I will run for all of us.  The marathon is such a small piece.  The something bigger is why I run.
I went for a run Monday night through my favorite park.  As I ran, lightning bugs lit up the path.  I realized that the last walk my dad took was in that park.  My parents had just flown in to town and I convinced them to go for a walk with me so that I could try out my new shoes.  As we walked we talked about the work we were going to do on the cabin, and about the vacation planned around it.  That was a Tuesday.  On Thursday we were up at the lake when my dad fell off a ladder.  He broke his leg in 4 places and hasn't been able to walk since.  Our story is a story of hope, he hopefully has one more surgery and will be walking again in a few months, but our reality is also that he has been in a chair now for 2 months this week.  As I run, I run for him.  I think about the time we ran our first 10k together and I couldn't keep up with "the old man in front of me."  But I was out there.
I may be slower than a herd of turtles trampling through peanut butter, but I'm out there.  I'm running for my dad who can't run, but I'm sure will beat me when he can again.  I'm running for the kids who don't get to run because they are sick from drinking bad water.  I'm running because I have the ability, and God has called me to use it for something greater.
It's a journey of faith.  I've made the goal to raise $3,000 for Team world vision.  That will bring a lifetime of water to 60 children.  Imagine how the generations behind them will be changed by this clean water.  It's not just for a day, it's clean water for life, for them, their families, and their future families.
I have raised $1012 so far.  Will you give up a cup of coffee today and use that $5 to bring someone clean water?
Thank you for joining me on this journey and being a part of something bigger!

Training in Texas

Training in Texas is TOUGH!
I've been learning this week all about hydration.  And did you know that you're supposed to take salt supplements when running here?  Running in Texas is crazy!
I've been listening to the suggestions about what to eat, what to drink, and how to fuel on a run, and I'll tell you, it's making a big difference!
Today I had my 5 mile run.  Now, let me tell you, I am not ready for 5 miles!  I know I should be getting ready for 10 miles this weekend, but I am just now hitting my stride and finding the joy in running again.  I am slower than a herd of turtles tromping through peanut butter, but I'm out there! And, with each run, my time is getting better and better.  Today I shaved almost a minute/mile off my run time.  With times like these, I'll have no problem crossing the marathon finish line this year!
Now I just have to keep going and build up the endurance.
I've got my joy back, I'm learning how to fuel for these, and I'm enjoying the process once again!

Today I was working on a few projects for our "summer share" event that we had tonight.  Because I was trying to get so much done, the only block of time that I had to run was at noon.  So I laced up, ran a few errands, and headed to the park.
There was this one curve that every time I passed it I was reminded of the woman at the well.  I think it was something about the heat of the day, no shade, and how no one was in that area.  I began to think about that woman and how she was shunned from society to where the only time she could get water was in the heat of the day.  That must have been miserable.  Then I began thinking about how many girls can't go to school because they have to trek to dangerous areas in the heat of the day to get water for their families.  I take so much for granted.
I've felt hated before, but I've never been shunned.  I've never had to trek in the heat of the day anywhere, I've always had a car, public transportation, or a friend to help out.  I've never had to fetch my own water.  Even when we went backpacking, I had others to help.
Then, as I was having these thoughts, I passed a dry creek bed.  I thought about how people pray for rain just so that they could have water fill up a creek bed and they could have something to drink.  I noticed the signs for flash flooding, and realized that I have a safe way out, but people fetching water don't.  I also crossed an area of standing water that looked disgusting, but was water.  If I were desperate, would I drink it?  Probably.  Others do it every day.  There are so many dangerous situations that they are going through, be it terrain or disease.  Hydration?  They don't have nuun.  They don't have shot blocks.  They have a job to do, and they do it.  I have no idea of what they go through.  I've seen it, but I've never fully experienced it.

When in Uganda, we would take our morning walk and often times see people come out of the brush from a nearby pond with jerry cans of water.  Children were carrying the cans, sometimes on bikes, sometimes on their heads.  Even then, I watched, but I went back to a well.

I need to do something.  I want to help.

All of these thoughts made me push harder and keep going.  I'm not running for myself.  Yes, it feels good making better time than last year, but it's never been about me.  I'm running so that these people don't have to miss school and hike in the heat of the day.  I'm running to bring life to individuals, to families, to communities.

I'm running for water and running for life.

I've made a crazy goal this year to raise $3,000 for World vision.  My team goal is $26,100.  If $50 brings sustainable water resources to one child for life, imagine the impact we are making!  I have the chance to raise money to save 60 lives.  Our team can save 522 lives!  Can you imagine!  That's a whole village!  That's many villages!!!

Consider sponsoring me!  With each donation, I will write your name on my shirt and you will run with me.  Your donations are going to change the world and save a life!

Thank you for joining me on this journey!
http://www.teamworldvision.org/participant/carlypowne

 

Flood warning

 

Would you drink this?

  

Standing water

 

Ironically, this came on when I wanted to quit.  Nope!  We are far from over!

 

The Dry creek bed

Why?

6 years ago I lost my grandma to what we thought was Rheumatoid Arthritis.  My dad and my aunts also have RA, so when we lost my grandma, I decided that I wanted to do something to honor her life, and also somehow help my family who suffers from RA.  I ended up finding the "Jingle Bell Run" which raises money and awareness for the Arthritis foundation.  During this run I found a love for running, which I never thought I would have.  It ended up being the healthiest year of my adult life, and I lost 50 pounds and loved running!
I thought that love for running would stick around, and the weight would stay off.  But, as life happens, we know we don't always get what we want.  I ended up gaining my weight back, and although I still thought I was a runner, I had quit and not even noticed.
Last year I was challenged to join Team World Vision and participate in the Rock'n Roll marathon and half marathon.  My pride got the best of me, and because I had done a marathon before, I knew I could do it again.  So I trained.  I went running every day like I was supposed to, did most of the group runs (or at least the distances), but when it really came down to it, I wasn't really trying like I had hoped.  I had trained to walk uphill, and run downhill, which isn't always helpful.  I ended up with plantar fasciitis for the first time, but figured that was from the weight I had gained back.  Anyways, even though I thought what I was doing was enough, it turns out on race day that it wasn't.
Race day came, and I thought I was ready.  I was excited and nervous, but knew that I could finish the 26.2 miles, even if I walked more than I wanted to.  I had spent the night before looking up old times and comparing them to my current times, and all was good.  Or so I thought.
The morning of the race, everything went wrong.  I cramped.  I had to stop at the bathrooms every mile (even though I wasn't sick, I just couldn't hold my water!) and thing after thing set me back.  But I wasn't about to give up.  The moment of truth came when I hit the split mark, where marathon runners go straight, but half marathoners turn left.  Something didn't seem right, but I had been watching the clock, and although behind, I had just hit my stride and should have still been okay time wise.  But I wasn't.
The officials had closed the course just minutes before I got there, and I was rerouted to finish the half.  I was devastated (which is kind of frustrating because a half is still incredible and something to be VERY proud of!)  But I had set out to finish a marathon, and had donors who had supported that last mile.
I finished the race (in tears) and thought about what I was to do.  People had paid to see me finish, or so I thought.  So, I called home and got the greatest advice.  Go finish.  So I did.
I went to McAlister park and walked (at a nice, slow pace) 11.1 miles, until the sun went down.  Then I went to the gym to finish my final 2.  All in all, I went to bed having finished that 26.2 miles!
But what I learned is even greater.  The race isn't about me!  It's not about me crossing the finish line.  That's just pride!  The reason why I did this was to bring children in Africa clean water...and I did that!
So, I'm doing it again!  This is my redemption year!  But that part is just for me.
The real reason why I am running is because I believe that every person deserves clean water.  I'm running for water for children in Africa, and running for their life and my life (because I need to make some changes to my health.)  I'm very excited to begin this journey, but I am stepping out on faith.  There is a fear in me that I will not finish, but this time, that's okay, because it's not about me.  It's about the children, and I run for them.
Speaking of that...I'm running late, so I'll finish up later, but continue to follow me on this blog as I take you along my journey.

 Our Northern Hills Team on race day

At the "finish" after many tears.  I wasn't done yet!