Running A 5K To Change The World

This past weekend my oldest daughter talked me into running a 5K with her. For people that run you are probably scoffing at that distance. I don't run though, just not my thing. It was for a good cause (more on that in a minute) so I felt I had to say yes. Looking back I realize I was focused on the wrong thing leading up to it, myself. I focused on how much I didn't want to run, how it would be painful as I was doing it as a weekend warrior. It was only 5K though, and saying no to it made me feel old if I couldn't even run/walk 3.1 miles.

Listening to the message though before the run made me realize where my focus needed to be. This run had nothing to do with me having to run 5K. This had everything to do with shinning a light on the slavery epidemic that still exists today. I knew about the subject prior to this weekend but something shifted in me. Some people there that morning ran 30 miles, a symbol of the fact that every 30 seconds another person becomes a victim of human trafficking. I can't begin to describe the emotions as I learned that the average age of a sex traffic victim is 13 years old, being the father of a 14 year old and 11 year old. In the world today there are thousands of girls the same age as my daughters being forced to live a life nobody should ever be subject to. So we ran, my body still aches, but my mind and my heart have been changed forever. The run is called 30 For Freedom. This was one of the videos they played for us that morning:

This event partners with three world wide organizations that have a lot of great information and ways to give on their sites:
Project Rescue
Free International
Venture

You can also give through the donation page that my daughter and I setup here. Even if it is $10, that money goes towards rescuing and supporting victims of human trafficking. Your small act today can be a part of ending human slavery.

If not this cause, I would encourage each of you to find a cause that lifts up people in need. There are organizations that are building wells to get clean water to everyone in the world. Organizations about feeding starving children or sheltering the homeless. Give of your time, talent or money to those that face hardships we can barely imagine. Honestly we have it really easy, sometimes the toughest thing we have to worry about is how we feel after running our first 5K.

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