The 2010 Bolder Boulder is in the books an my official time was 48:37...just a tad bit slower than what I hoped for. But all the training and run was successful in a number of other ways, including raising $440 so far for Love146. I know that there are a few of you that read this blog that haven't had the opportunity (or maybe just keep forgetting?) to donate, but don't worry because it's not too late to click the link on the right of the screen and make a donation for the Tread on Trafficking campaign. Thank you all for your incredible support!
I do have a couple of other things to say as I wrap up my fundraising efforts but have decided to delay that post until tomorrow. I hope that you'll check back as I reflect on my training efforts and some my final thoughts on the issue of modern day slavery.
I am proud to say that I met my training mileage goal! Mileage from the final week of training and final tally are below:
May 26 miles: .75
May 27 miles: 2.6
May 29 miles: 3
May 30 miles: 3
Month-to-date miles: 101.15
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
We are God's plan
I was blessed with the opportunity to see Gary Haugen, the founder of International Justice Mission, speak at Cherry Hills Community Church this past Sunday. Having read a number of his books, I feel pretty well acquainted with his view on justice and human rights but was very excited to experience his personality and charisma in person - and I was not the least bit disappointed. His lesson was a simple but pointed one and for this blog I'm going to try to summarize what he said for those who weren't able to see him speak as well. The following ideas are not mine, they are his alone and I only hope to do them some justice in my reiteration.
Mr. Haugen's speech began with a very candid assessment of the skepticism that many - and specifically the oppressed that his organization works with - have of God. This world experiences such incredible injustice and brutalities that it is hard for many to believe in a just and merciful God. The good news about injustice, Haugen said, is that God really does care about the oppressed and want to see justice done on his earth.
So what is God's plan to combat evil, to cease this rampant injustice? The plan, answers Haugen, it turns out is us.
Along those lines, I'll close with a quote from one of Gary Haugen's books - The Good News About Injustice: "As we recognize many cries for justice, we ask: 'Who is sufficient for these things?' We're reminded: 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.' With confidence in God, who loves justice and answers prayer, we can reply, 'Not that we are sufficient ourselves to think anything of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.'" For those of you interested in learning more about the biblical perspective of human rights, I strongly suggest reading this book.
The last week of training:
There are now just 6 days remaining until the 2010 Bolder Boulder and I have to admit that it's nice to be able to reduce my training. Although I have suffered from some knee and shin issues, I've been feeling pretty strong during my runs and my times have been improving. The last few days of training have primarily involved miles on the concrete but I have been mixing in some miles around the gym track and elliptical/stationary bike miles to mix up the exercise a bit. My focus this week is primarily on resting and recuperating so I don't expect to run more than 2ish miles at a time.
Don't forget, it's not too late to donate to the Love146 Tread on Trafficking campaign! Click here to go to my donation site.
Friday's miles: 6
Saturday's miles: 5
Yesterday's miles: 5.2
Today's miles: 5
Month-to-date miles: 91.8
Remaining miles: 8.2
Mr. Haugen's speech began with a very candid assessment of the skepticism that many - and specifically the oppressed that his organization works with - have of God. This world experiences such incredible injustice and brutalities that it is hard for many to believe in a just and merciful God. The good news about injustice, Haugen said, is that God really does care about the oppressed and want to see justice done on his earth.
"You have seen it, for You have beheld mischief and vexation to take it
into Your hand. The unfortunate commits himself to You; You have been the
helper of the orphan. Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer, seek
out his wickedness until You find none. The Lord is King forever and ever;
nations have perished from His land. O Lord, You ahve heard the desire of the
humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will inclind your ear to vindicate
th orphan and the oppressed, so that man who is of the eart will no longer cause
terror." (Psalm 10:14-18, NASB)
So what is God's plan to combat evil, to cease this rampant injustice? The plan, answers Haugen, it turns out is us.
With His strength and wisdom to guide us, we are to be the hands of Christ and the voice for the marginalized many. The trouble is that the problem looks so big and our individual ability to fight it looks so small. Responding to this, Mr. Haugen suggests that we look to when Jesus fed the 5,000, as told in the New Testament. Indeed the disciples were faced with an enormous problem and, at least in their opinion, not nearly enough resources to solve it. Jesus merely asked that they give to him what little they had - a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish - and by his divine power easily fed the crowd of thousands. Similarly, we are called to do the same. Just like the Israelites of old, God is pleading for us to uphold the cause of His people that are oppressed and downtrodden. You are my plan for righting injustice, He has said; and knowing that we alone are insufficient for such a large undertaking, he merely asks us to take what little we have to his Son so that we each can touch thousands in His name. For you financial foks, this is similar to the concept of leveraging your capital for larger returns; for believers this is central to the characteristics of faith, hope and trust."Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow", entreats God of the Isrealites in Isaiah 1:16-17 (NASB).
Along those lines, I'll close with a quote from one of Gary Haugen's books - The Good News About Injustice: "As we recognize many cries for justice, we ask: 'Who is sufficient for these things?' We're reminded: 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.' With confidence in God, who loves justice and answers prayer, we can reply, 'Not that we are sufficient ourselves to think anything of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.'" For those of you interested in learning more about the biblical perspective of human rights, I strongly suggest reading this book.
The last week of training:
There are now just 6 days remaining until the 2010 Bolder Boulder and I have to admit that it's nice to be able to reduce my training. Although I have suffered from some knee and shin issues, I've been feeling pretty strong during my runs and my times have been improving. The last few days of training have primarily involved miles on the concrete but I have been mixing in some miles around the gym track and elliptical/stationary bike miles to mix up the exercise a bit. My focus this week is primarily on resting and recuperating so I don't expect to run more than 2ish miles at a time.
Don't forget, it's not too late to donate to the Love146 Tread on Trafficking campaign! Click here to go to my donation site.
Friday's miles: 6
Saturday's miles: 5
Yesterday's miles: 5.2
Today's miles: 5
Month-to-date miles: 91.8
Remaining miles: 8.2
Friday, May 21, 2010
Child Prostitution in America
Love146 posted a link to an article written by Dan Rather and published on Tuesday in the Huffington Post. It is tangential with the post that I made a few days ago regarding sex trafficking in America and our propensity to convolute the nature of the issue here.
Check out the article: "Portland, Oregon: Child Prostitution in Portland". At the bottom of the article you have the opportunity to download an HDNet program that includes interviews with the parents of children trafficked into prostitution as well as with the children themselves.
Check out the article: "Portland, Oregon: Child Prostitution in Portland". At the bottom of the article you have the opportunity to download an HDNet program that includes interviews with the parents of children trafficked into prostitution as well as with the children themselves.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Child Protection Compact Act
As some of you may know, I recently took a trip to Washington DC and had the opportunity to partner with an amazing organization (International Justice Mission) in advocating for a bill, the Child Protection Compact Act (CPCA), that is making it's way through both chambers of Congress. It was the most involvement that I've ever had in the political process and allowed me to meet with representatives from several of Colorado's Congressional offices. In the month following my visit to the capital, Colorado has had one Congressman, Rep. Mike Coffman of the 6th district, step forward in support of this legislation and join the other 109 members of the House of Representatives that have co-sponsored the CPCA. Unfortunately, none of the Congresspeople that we lobbied to - Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet and Rep. Diana DeGette - have opted to do the same. I have followed up with members of their office staff and expect to hear back soon whether they will co-sponsor. With the current session of Congress letting out, I anticipate that myself and other abolitionists in the Denver area will be given the opportunity to voice our support of this life-changing piece of legislation to these lawmakers again. I hope that you'll take a moment to learn more about the CPCA and, if the chance arises, make your voice heard in support of it and the countless children that it can help.
CPCA Fast Facts:
The CPCA was introduced in the House of Representatives in 2009 and the Senate in 2010. It now enjoys 110 co-sponsors in the House and 6 co-sponsors in the Senate. The legislation essentially provides additional diplomatic and foreign assistance tools to the State Department Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP) by allocating an additional $30-50 Million (depending on the version of the bill) to that office over the next 3 years ($10-16 Million per year). Every year, less than 1% of the US budget is directed to foreign assistance projects and of that the G/TIP office is granted only $30 Million each year to perform its work. This bill would substantially increase their funding over the next 3 years and, in doing so, greatly increas their ability to protect vulnerable children. Enabling G/TIP to make grants to "focus countries", the CPCA authorizes that office to negotiate "Child Protection Compacts" with those countries that include clear, measurable goals and strategies for protection of children, prevention of child trafficking and exploitation, and prosecution of criminals that seek to enslave children. While it's important to feed, clothe and shelter marginalized populations, it is a fact that without the proper infrastructure to remove criminals from the street it is difficult to make a substantial dent in an industry as resilient as the child trafficking industry. The CPCA endorses a model that partners with local police and prosecutors to rescue child victims of trafficking and apprehend pimps, brothel owners, and traffickers. Check out this article, "And Justice for All", by IJM founder, Gary Haugen, for more on enforcing human rights for the world's poor.
Training update:
Yesterday's was a tough workout - 1.5 mile intervals separated by hill climbers up the massive hill just outside Clement Park. There is under 2 weeks remaining until the Bolder Boulder so I'm planning on decreasing my miles gradually and supplementing more running miles with cross-training on the elliptical and stationary bike, to decrease the impact on my legs.
On a fundraising front, I have receive my first 2 donations am very encouraged by that. I thank my sister and her family, the Holbrook family and all of those others that are planning on donating to this very worthy cause but haven't had the opportunity yet.
Yesterday's miles: 4 (estimated)
Today's miles: 5
Month-to-date miles: 70.6
Remaining miles: 29.4
CPCA Fast Facts:
The CPCA was introduced in the House of Representatives in 2009 and the Senate in 2010. It now enjoys 110 co-sponsors in the House and 6 co-sponsors in the Senate. The legislation essentially provides additional diplomatic and foreign assistance tools to the State Department Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP) by allocating an additional $30-50 Million (depending on the version of the bill) to that office over the next 3 years ($10-16 Million per year). Every year, less than 1% of the US budget is directed to foreign assistance projects and of that the G/TIP office is granted only $30 Million each year to perform its work. This bill would substantially increase their funding over the next 3 years and, in doing so, greatly increas their ability to protect vulnerable children. Enabling G/TIP to make grants to "focus countries", the CPCA authorizes that office to negotiate "Child Protection Compacts" with those countries that include clear, measurable goals and strategies for protection of children, prevention of child trafficking and exploitation, and prosecution of criminals that seek to enslave children. While it's important to feed, clothe and shelter marginalized populations, it is a fact that without the proper infrastructure to remove criminals from the street it is difficult to make a substantial dent in an industry as resilient as the child trafficking industry. The CPCA endorses a model that partners with local police and prosecutors to rescue child victims of trafficking and apprehend pimps, brothel owners, and traffickers. Check out this article, "And Justice for All", by IJM founder, Gary Haugen, for more on enforcing human rights for the world's poor.
Training update:
Yesterday's was a tough workout - 1.5 mile intervals separated by hill climbers up the massive hill just outside Clement Park. There is under 2 weeks remaining until the Bolder Boulder so I'm planning on decreasing my miles gradually and supplementing more running miles with cross-training on the elliptical and stationary bike, to decrease the impact on my legs.
On a fundraising front, I have receive my first 2 donations am very encouraged by that. I thank my sister and her family, the Holbrook family and all of those others that are planning on donating to this very worthy cause but haven't had the opportunity yet.
Yesterday's miles: 4 (estimated)
Today's miles: 5
Month-to-date miles: 70.6
Remaining miles: 29.4
Sunday, May 16, 2010
(A little over) Halfway there!
I am proud to say that I am now 16 days and over 60 miles into my goal; only 2 more weeks to go and then the 2010 Bolder Boulder. Today was the last day for on-time (read: cheaper) registration so I took a trip up to the Bolder Boulder store up in Boulder. In keeping with my habits from the past, I elected to treadmill qualify so that I could move up a couple of waves. Although I did run a qualifying 10 miler (Park to Park 10 miler) last September, that time was only good enough to get in the "D" wave. With so many runners, it's always nice getting an early wave to cut down on the number of people that I have to share the road with. Unfortunately, I didn't qualify quite as quickly as I would have liked (7:32 miles over 2 miles) and will be in the "CB" wave. However, I take some comfort in the fact that those splits are a little slower than they would have been on the road and that I am 3 waves up from where I would have been if I'd used my Park to Park qualifying time. And, to make things even better, I have a great new workout shirt...pictures to follow.
Fundraising update:
As this is also the end of my second week of fundraising, I also wanted to post an update on that. It is with some sadness that I report no donations yet. It is important to note, however, that I have heard from a handful of friends that have committed to donating so I fully believe that will change in the next few weeks or certainly following the Bolder Boulder. As always, thank you to all that are supporting me by donating or just following this blog.
Yesterday's miles: 2.6
Today's miles: 6
Month-to-date miles: 61.6
Remaining miles: 32.4
Fundraising update:
As this is also the end of my second week of fundraising, I also wanted to post an update on that. It is with some sadness that I report no donations yet. It is important to note, however, that I have heard from a handful of friends that have committed to donating so I fully believe that will change in the next few weeks or certainly following the Bolder Boulder. As always, thank you to all that are supporting me by donating or just following this blog.
Yesterday's miles: 2.6
Today's miles: 6
Month-to-date miles: 61.6
Remaining miles: 32.4
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Human trafficking and exploitation of children in the US
A problem within US borders:
If you've been keeping an eye on the news recently, you may have read an article about former NFL linebacker Lawrence Thomas's most recent run-in with the law. Thomas was recently charged with raping a prostitute, and although there have been some recent developments in the story, I blog about it tonight because it underscores a few fundamental misconceptions that many Americans have of human trafficking and sexual exploitation here in the United States.
The first misconception is that these problems don't exist here in the US, at least not in any significant numbers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, it is estimated that between 100,000 and 300,000 children are at risk for commercial exploitation each year - a staggering and tragic statistic to say the least. It is estimated that around 17,000 people are trafficked into the the US each year for the purpose of forced labor or sexual exploitation - again, staggering. And the statistics continue - further estimates calculate that there are 17,000 girls and young women forced into the sex industry each year in the US by organized crime alone. Stories of human trafficking in the US include Mexican citizens being lured with the promise of jobs, Asian women brought into this country and forced to work in textile mills or restaurants for little or no compensation and American girls lured into prostitution and pornography. That this exists in the land of the free is nothing short of a tragedy. It IS a problem.
Second, and tied directly to the recent Lawrence Thomas case I mentioned earlier, is the tendency to identify child victims of sexual exploitation in the United States as anything other than a victim of that horrible crime. Girls forced into the sex industry are labled prostitutes, hookers, whores and any number of equally degrading terms. Even if light is cast on their lot, they are often disregarded and even charged with crimes (e.g. prostitution). It is assumed by many that this is a lifestyle that is chosen voluntarily by these children - that somehow, because they have not escaped their horrible situation, they are to be blamed for it. The sad truth is that these same victims, if in Thailand, Cambodia, the Phillipines or any other country notorious for its child sex slaves, would be identified as exactly that - victims. They would be afforded pity, grace and love by those that learn of their plight and it would be widely understood that they were in dire need of rescue. But somehow, the perception of victims in the very same circumstances here in the US has become distorted and instead of rescue they are met with villification and discarded by the very society that should be intolerant of such injustice. Note that in the Lawrence Thomas story (link provided above), very little mention was made of how the 16 year old victim was coerced into that lifestyle and forced to remain there through threats of physical violence. I submit to you that no child elects a life of regular violence and violation and that even adult prostitutes can trace their entrance into the sex industry to force and coercion at some point in their past. Allison Keyes of NPR recently did a story on this very misconception, interviewing the co-founder of The Rebecca Project and a survivor of sex trafficking in the US. Check out this story to hear a true story of survival, straight from the mouth of an American girl that was once caught up in the sex industry.
A training update:
Thankfully, the weather has taken a slight turn for the better and even though it was still cool and a bit drizzly today, I was able to get outside for a run. Four laps around Harvard Gulch Park, near Porter Adventist Hospital, added another 5.1 miles to my training total. By my calculations, I completed the run averaging 7:30 miles which is an improvement. The times are still too slow to achieve a 42 minute 10K (my goal for the Bolder Boulder) but I am encouraged because it is a strong showing for this point in the training regimen.
Today's miles: 5.1
Month-to-date miles: 53
Remaining miles: 47
If you've been keeping an eye on the news recently, you may have read an article about former NFL linebacker Lawrence Thomas's most recent run-in with the law. Thomas was recently charged with raping a prostitute, and although there have been some recent developments in the story, I blog about it tonight because it underscores a few fundamental misconceptions that many Americans have of human trafficking and sexual exploitation here in the United States.
The first misconception is that these problems don't exist here in the US, at least not in any significant numbers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, it is estimated that between 100,000 and 300,000 children are at risk for commercial exploitation each year - a staggering and tragic statistic to say the least. It is estimated that around 17,000 people are trafficked into the the US each year for the purpose of forced labor or sexual exploitation - again, staggering. And the statistics continue - further estimates calculate that there are 17,000 girls and young women forced into the sex industry each year in the US by organized crime alone. Stories of human trafficking in the US include Mexican citizens being lured with the promise of jobs, Asian women brought into this country and forced to work in textile mills or restaurants for little or no compensation and American girls lured into prostitution and pornography. That this exists in the land of the free is nothing short of a tragedy. It IS a problem.
Second, and tied directly to the recent Lawrence Thomas case I mentioned earlier, is the tendency to identify child victims of sexual exploitation in the United States as anything other than a victim of that horrible crime. Girls forced into the sex industry are labled prostitutes, hookers, whores and any number of equally degrading terms. Even if light is cast on their lot, they are often disregarded and even charged with crimes (e.g. prostitution). It is assumed by many that this is a lifestyle that is chosen voluntarily by these children - that somehow, because they have not escaped their horrible situation, they are to be blamed for it. The sad truth is that these same victims, if in Thailand, Cambodia, the Phillipines or any other country notorious for its child sex slaves, would be identified as exactly that - victims. They would be afforded pity, grace and love by those that learn of their plight and it would be widely understood that they were in dire need of rescue. But somehow, the perception of victims in the very same circumstances here in the US has become distorted and instead of rescue they are met with villification and discarded by the very society that should be intolerant of such injustice. Note that in the Lawrence Thomas story (link provided above), very little mention was made of how the 16 year old victim was coerced into that lifestyle and forced to remain there through threats of physical violence. I submit to you that no child elects a life of regular violence and violation and that even adult prostitutes can trace their entrance into the sex industry to force and coercion at some point in their past. Allison Keyes of NPR recently did a story on this very misconception, interviewing the co-founder of The Rebecca Project and a survivor of sex trafficking in the US. Check out this story to hear a true story of survival, straight from the mouth of an American girl that was once caught up in the sex industry.
A training update:
Thankfully, the weather has taken a slight turn for the better and even though it was still cool and a bit drizzly today, I was able to get outside for a run. Four laps around Harvard Gulch Park, near Porter Adventist Hospital, added another 5.1 miles to my training total. By my calculations, I completed the run averaging 7:30 miles which is an improvement. The times are still too slow to achieve a 42 minute 10K (my goal for the Bolder Boulder) but I am encouraged because it is a strong showing for this point in the training regimen.
Today's miles: 5.1
Month-to-date miles: 53
Remaining miles: 47
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Living in a world of injustice
I admit that I have been neglectful about posting these last couple of days but vow that my commitment to fulfilling my goal has not faltered. In spite of a bit of nasty weather and a very busy schedule this week, I am still running and on track to finish my 100 miles by the end of the month.
I watched the movie Blood Diamond for the first time in a few years a couple of nights back and thought that it would be good to post some of my thoughts following the viewing. First, if you haven't seen the movie, I strongly recommend it. It can be very difficult to watch but provides a relatively quick preview of several of the major problems regularly facing people in a number of African countries - child abductions, child soldiers, child sexual exploitation, government corruption, forced labor, genocide (by government and anti-government forces) and what is essentially the isolation and captivity of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in relocation camps, to name a few. Honestly, and even though I have seen the movie before, it left me feeling incredibly discouraged about our ability to effect positive change in the face of such immense injustice and outright evil. The truth is that we live in a world of injustice where darkness intertwines the fabric of our societies and lives, where too often this darkness masquerades as good and can easily mislead even those with the best intentions. Somehow the value and promise that is inherent to every person has been subordinated to worldly things - material goods, power and the basest elements of human depravity. I sometimes wonder how I, we, can make a difference when the problems seem so vast.
In such times of discouragement, I am reminded of a quote from Gary Haugen's (founder of IJM) book, The Good News About Injustice, that reads, "Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom or his virutue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God - the responsible man who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God." It helps me remember that when I, we, focus on developing and exhibiting those outstanding characteristics of the human spirit - love, faithfulness, selflessness, sacrifice, obedience, responsibility and so many more, take your pick - and, by dying to the our worldly desires, make service to God our goal that we are empowered to make the change that this world so desperately needs. We are called to be light in the darkness and I encourage you to shine your light by taking action today - give of yourself through prayer, offer your resources (time, money, talents), become informed about social injustice in your community and others, and/or participate in events that raise awareness and support programs that battle injustice.
Finally, check out the Love146 and Love146 Denver Taskforce webpages to see what this great organization and its Denver volunteer arm are doing to combat human trafficking and child sexual exploitation internationally and here in Colorado. As always, thank you for your support.
Monday's miles: 4
Today's miles: 6.3
Month-to-date miles: 47.9
Remaining miles: 52.1
I watched the movie Blood Diamond for the first time in a few years a couple of nights back and thought that it would be good to post some of my thoughts following the viewing. First, if you haven't seen the movie, I strongly recommend it. It can be very difficult to watch but provides a relatively quick preview of several of the major problems regularly facing people in a number of African countries - child abductions, child soldiers, child sexual exploitation, government corruption, forced labor, genocide (by government and anti-government forces) and what is essentially the isolation and captivity of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in relocation camps, to name a few. Honestly, and even though I have seen the movie before, it left me feeling incredibly discouraged about our ability to effect positive change in the face of such immense injustice and outright evil. The truth is that we live in a world of injustice where darkness intertwines the fabric of our societies and lives, where too often this darkness masquerades as good and can easily mislead even those with the best intentions. Somehow the value and promise that is inherent to every person has been subordinated to worldly things - material goods, power and the basest elements of human depravity. I sometimes wonder how I, we, can make a difference when the problems seem so vast.
In such times of discouragement, I am reminded of a quote from Gary Haugen's (founder of IJM) book, The Good News About Injustice, that reads, "Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom or his virutue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God - the responsible man who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God." It helps me remember that when I, we, focus on developing and exhibiting those outstanding characteristics of the human spirit - love, faithfulness, selflessness, sacrifice, obedience, responsibility and so many more, take your pick - and, by dying to the our worldly desires, make service to God our goal that we are empowered to make the change that this world so desperately needs. We are called to be light in the darkness and I encourage you to shine your light by taking action today - give of yourself through prayer, offer your resources (time, money, talents), become informed about social injustice in your community and others, and/or participate in events that raise awareness and support programs that battle injustice.
Finally, check out the Love146 and Love146 Denver Taskforce webpages to see what this great organization and its Denver volunteer arm are doing to combat human trafficking and child sexual exploitation internationally and here in Colorado. As always, thank you for your support.
Monday's miles: 4
Today's miles: 6.3
Month-to-date miles: 47.9
Remaining miles: 52.1
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