REPOST: Forest Gump

With the London Marathon now three weeks away, this looked an appropriate re-post! (from November 2007)

Here's a story from a few years ago. I used to do more running than I do now, as did Tim Hunt, a friend of mine.

Tim called over one night with a big grin on his face, full of what had just happened. He'd been out running and had run past a group of girls- and one of them 'wolf whistled' him. Well, Tim was full of it! He dined off that story for a good while afterwards!

I went running myself a few days later in Yaxley, where we lived at the time, and sure enough, up in front of me were a group of girls. Recalling Tim's often told story, I pushed my shoulders back, increased my pace and ran past them looking as cool as possible. I waited for the wolf whistle. Nothing. Then, just as I passed them, one of the girls called out 'Run Forest Run!'

Tim dined out on that story too!

If you would like to sponsor me, running for the Esther Homes in India, here is the web address:

http://www.epoh.org.uk/

Up and Running

Twelve years ago I ran the London Marathon. That’s just about long enough to have forgotten the pain...

Having said I would never do it again, here I am, in the middle of hours of training, awaiting 17th April this year. But there’s a good reason for changing my mind.
Roh (my wife) and I have worked into India over the last 12 years. In particular, we have been instrumental in setting up a number of Esther Homes. These are rescue homes for girls. Some are orphans, some are the daughters of rescued sex workers (temple prostitutes) and some are from poor families where no education has been given.
We take these girls in, feed and clothe them, and give them an education- basically a hope and a future.

The main home looks after 25 girls in Hanamkonda near Hyderabad. We lease the building and have to move out later this year. We can lease again of course, but better still would be to buy or build a home. This will cost around £45,000. Cheap in UK terms but a lot in India terms.

So that’s why I’m running the marathon.

At the time of writing I have been able to raise just over £11,500 through corporate donations from companies. Individual sponsorship is now available by copying and pasting the link. Please help all you can to meet our target.

http://www.epoh.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=38&Itemid=60

The Last Chapter in the Last Book in the Series

“We may not be on the last page but it’s the last chapter in the last book in the series.”

That was a comment from a pensions manager friend of mine relating to what we are seeing around the world and I think he’s got it about right.

I’m not one to go on about ‘end times’ and try and plot and plan what the Bible says on these things, but I’d be pretty blind not to see the relationship between what we are seeing in Japan, New Zealand and Northern Africa and some of the apocalyptic verses in the last chapter of the last book in the series!

The Bible says a lot about the times we live in. More importantly, it points to the answer. Have a read.

My thanks to Jim Churcher for the quote