Some of you may be wondering why I'm doing this twomarathons project. (You wouldn't be alone; I've been asking myself that for months now!) With the finish line finally in sight, it seems a good time to reflect on the origin of the idea, and on its evolution.
As most readers will know, I'm a postulant with the Sisters of the Assumption, which is the first stage of formation. I started here (Kensington) in November 2007, and gradually got used to a timetable of prayer, study, and work. It was a big change from my previous lifestyle (renting a one-bedroom flat, juggling my career as a speech and language therapist with a busy social calendar), so it took me a while to settle, but things gradually fell into place. With the arrival of summer 2008 and a review of my first six months, Sister Simon (who is responsible for my formation) and I agreed that I needed something more apostolic in my schedule. Prayer life was reasonably established, community life too, but I didn't have a lot of connection with the world. Simon thought I could look into voluntary activities; I think she suggested charity shops. So I thought, and I prayed, and I investigated. What a huge array of possibilities there seemed to be! Overwhelmed by choice, I proposed the twomarathons project instead.
"Now, what is she talking about," I can hear you ask. "Two marathons? How is jogging in the park a work of outreach?" Needless to say, my immediate response is, "because of the charities!". I may not have had many opportunities to meet people during my training, but then, my training hasn't been what I expected in any respect! The fundraising, on the other hand, has been all about sharing my enthusiasm for these charities. The brilliant thing about enthusiasm is that, when it's shared, each portion doesn't get smaller, but grows, like flames spreading across the kindling in a grate. We are easily dampened, even doused, by the wet blankets of financial crisis, social breakdown, climate chaos, personal and national violence, and all the other struggles we encounter in the media. Yet there is another side to life! Fundamentally, we are all striving for peace, justice, and well-being. We all want to put an end to inequality. We all want to help where we see suffering. I'm in a hugely privileged position, with the time and support needed to make this project a success, to give others the opportunity to be generous and to make a difference. As so often in this blog, I want and need to say "thankyou"! Your interest and involvement have transformed a tentative idea into a spreading fire of enthusiasm. And you have shown me the unquenchable power of good in our world.
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Targets reached - thanks to you!
What a great joy it was on Sunday to count up the takings from the fun morning and to realise that my fundraising targets had been achieved! It was a delightful end to a very happy day. My brilliant community were particularly brilliant in helping with the setting up, the overseeing, and the clearing of the event, while those who attended showed tremendous generosity. Some figures might help as an illustration:
Refreshments: £154.10
Tombola: £141.50
"How long will it take?" game: £42.00
Auction: £187.00
Donations: £570.00
Grand total: £1094.60
It was an amazing experience to stand in the middle of the room watching it all happen. Those who were looking after the different activities were busily occupied, with queues of people keen to have a go at the games. Many were sampling the coffee and cakes (oh, and don't forget the biscuits). Others were looking at the displays about the charities, or seeking me out to hand over a cheque. Everybody was smiling and having fun. We could even spill over into the garden, God having provided a last dose of sunny, settled weather. And what a great outcome: something that people really did seem to experience as a "fun morning", and a huge boost to my fundraising. Lots and lots and LOTS of thanks to everybody who contributed, in whatever way!
Now all I have to worry about is the actual marathons, which are approaching rapidly. Things are definitely going in the right direction with my training at last, but of course I can't possibly catch up to where I had hoped to be. Although I should make some more progress before the big days, by dint of continued physio exercises and very careful increases in the length of my runs, there's no doubt that I'll be slow and that it will be a struggle to cover the distance. It's interesting to think back six months to all the ideas I had about this project and what it would entail. Hardly any of it has turned out how I expected! But, or maybe so, it's been hugely enriching. I hope I'm ready now for whatever unforeseen happenings the final few weeks throw at me!
Refreshments: £154.10
Tombola: £141.50
"How long will it take?" game: £42.00
Auction: £187.00
Donations: £570.00
Grand total: £1094.60
It was an amazing experience to stand in the middle of the room watching it all happen. Those who were looking after the different activities were busily occupied, with queues of people keen to have a go at the games. Many were sampling the coffee and cakes (oh, and don't forget the biscuits). Others were looking at the displays about the charities, or seeking me out to hand over a cheque. Everybody was smiling and having fun. We could even spill over into the garden, God having provided a last dose of sunny, settled weather. And what a great outcome: something that people really did seem to experience as a "fun morning", and a huge boost to my fundraising. Lots and lots and LOTS of thanks to everybody who contributed, in whatever way!
Now all I have to worry about is the actual marathons, which are approaching rapidly. Things are definitely going in the right direction with my training at last, but of course I can't possibly catch up to where I had hoped to be. Although I should make some more progress before the big days, by dint of continued physio exercises and very careful increases in the length of my runs, there's no doubt that I'll be slow and that it will be a struggle to cover the distance. It's interesting to think back six months to all the ideas I had about this project and what it would entail. Hardly any of it has turned out how I expected! But, or maybe so, it's been hugely enriching. I hope I'm ready now for whatever unforeseen happenings the final few weeks throw at me!
Friday, 20 March 2009
What does RTU do? - 6. Water Programme
Think of overseas aid and it probably won't be too long before you think of the provision of clean water through well-drilling programmes. The rains can be unreliable in the area of India covered by RTU, and in times of drought there can be very serious water shortages. Even when the rains don't fail, many people have to go long distances for water. Because it is often children who are given this task, school attendance is inevitably affected. It's no wonder, then, that RTU has an on-going commitment to improving access to clean water. Up to 70 wells are sunk annually, with a current total of over 2000 wells serving 400,000 people.
Two aspects of this work interest me. Firstly, Brother James is a skilled water dowser! Now, I am a highly sceptical person regarding such matters, but it's hard to argue with a 92% success rate in finding water where expected. No doubt this contributes to the remarkably low cost of installing a well of as little as £350. Aware that he won't be able to continue with this indefinitely, Brother James has trained a number of local people to dowse, so the programme won't become dependent on the skills of outsiders.
With a similar focus on empowerment and reducing dependence, the second area of interest for me is that a simple hand pump is usually installed on each well, with villagers given training to maintain it. This seems a perfect example to me of what RTU is so good at - long-distance thinking, rather than the creation of problems for the future through short-term crisis management.
Two aspects of this work interest me. Firstly, Brother James is a skilled water dowser! Now, I am a highly sceptical person regarding such matters, but it's hard to argue with a 92% success rate in finding water where expected. No doubt this contributes to the remarkably low cost of installing a well of as little as £350. Aware that he won't be able to continue with this indefinitely, Brother James has trained a number of local people to dowse, so the programme won't become dependent on the skills of outsiders.
With a similar focus on empowerment and reducing dependence, the second area of interest for me is that a simple hand pump is usually installed on each well, with villagers given training to maintain it. This seems a perfect example to me of what RTU is so good at - long-distance thinking, rather than the creation of problems for the future through short-term crisis management.
Friday, 13 March 2009
In the offing: twomarathons fun morning!
I'm a little later in the week than I had intended with this post, but for once I'm not saying "where did the time go?", since I know the answer! Many of you (friends on facebook, for example), could also have a good guess: I've been preparing for the fun morning next Sunday (22nd March). A glance at the clever justgiving widgets on the sidebar will probably show my charity totals still hovering somewhere around the two-thirds mark. Some of this is due to caution on my part; if I included pledges and promises, I'd probably be nearer three-quarters of the way, maybe even more. All the same, there's a gap to be filled. So I came up with the idea of a fun morning!
The event is planned to run from 11am to 12.30, fitting neatly between the end of our Sunday Mass and lunchtime. We have a big community room in the Convent, so there should be space for all the activities. I guess the first port of call for many will be the refreshments table - coffee, tea, pizza bianca, croissants and flapjack should be on the menu, as well as squash and biscuits (following the advice of my friends, these will include both jammie dodgers AND chocolate varieties!). Hopefully that should provide enough energy to have a go on the giant tombola. Last time I counted there were around 100 prizes, and with different coloured tickets for children's and adults' prizes, you will have slightly more chance of winning what you were aiming for! There's another game, too, though for that one you'll have to wait until the end of April to know whether you've won! It's called "How long will it take?", and you have to guess just that - how long it will take me to run the two marathons. Skill, or luck? I'll leave that to you to decide. As well as the games, there'll be a display, leaflets, and a visual presentation about the charities I'm supporting, for those who have somehow missed out on learning about them. And to round off the morning, we'll have a little auction - just a handful of lots - and a mixed bunch they look like being, too!
As far as I'm concerned, the best thing about the fun morning is that every penny and pound put in the collecting pots will go straight to the charities. I've persuaded local businesses to donate prizes for the games as well as food and drink for the refreshments, so there will be no costs to cover. That means those stubborn widgets should show rather higher percentages after the event! At least, they will do if anybody turns up! If you're able to pop in, please do. I would really love to see you. If you can't be there, at least now you'll be able to imagine what you're missing...
The event is planned to run from 11am to 12.30, fitting neatly between the end of our Sunday Mass and lunchtime. We have a big community room in the Convent, so there should be space for all the activities. I guess the first port of call for many will be the refreshments table - coffee, tea, pizza bianca, croissants and flapjack should be on the menu, as well as squash and biscuits (following the advice of my friends, these will include both jammie dodgers AND chocolate varieties!). Hopefully that should provide enough energy to have a go on the giant tombola. Last time I counted there were around 100 prizes, and with different coloured tickets for children's and adults' prizes, you will have slightly more chance of winning what you were aiming for! There's another game, too, though for that one you'll have to wait until the end of April to know whether you've won! It's called "How long will it take?", and you have to guess just that - how long it will take me to run the two marathons. Skill, or luck? I'll leave that to you to decide. As well as the games, there'll be a display, leaflets, and a visual presentation about the charities I'm supporting, for those who have somehow missed out on learning about them. And to round off the morning, we'll have a little auction - just a handful of lots - and a mixed bunch they look like being, too!
As far as I'm concerned, the best thing about the fun morning is that every penny and pound put in the collecting pots will go straight to the charities. I've persuaded local businesses to donate prizes for the games as well as food and drink for the refreshments, so there will be no costs to cover. That means those stubborn widgets should show rather higher percentages after the event! At least, they will do if anybody turns up! If you're able to pop in, please do. I would really love to see you. If you can't be there, at least now you'll be able to imagine what you're missing...
Thursday, 5 March 2009
WPF Therapy's Grand Opening
I realise I haven't written anything about the official opening of WPF Therapy's new premises near London Bridge, which took place three weeks ago now, on 11th February. Firstly, I must say that they didn't do a good job of ordering the weather. It was a filthy afternoon/evening, with driving rain and wind. Nevertheless, plenty of people must have thought it was worth the effort of getting there, as the room was quite full. Please, don't ask me to locate that room again! I think the new building is really brilliant. Despite quite limited opportunities to provide natural light, the designers have somehow managed to give the impression of a great luminosity (enough to lift the spirits even before couselling!) as well as spaciousness. However, the general consensus at the opening was that a little time would be needed to work out where things were located. As far as I can gather, there are parallel corridors and two staircases. For me this had the effect that I was constantly finding myself somewhere I didn't expect to be!
The new building certainly has a plethora of treatment rooms, all very clean, tasteful, and welcoming, without being cluttered. As I wandered around, I began to realise just how many people benefit from the services of WPF Therapy, something I hadn't managed to visualise from the bare statistic of over 500 appointments each week. Given that there are also nearly 500 students enrolled on the introductory and professional courses run by WPF Therapy, it must be a busy place at times! Even during the opening, an early-evening event, there were plenty of treatment sessions underway, which we were careful not to disturb as we looked around. Well away from these, however, the opening was accompanied by a fair volume of conversation as staff, trustees, friends, trainees, and people with all sorts of links to WPF Therapy took the opportunity to meet each other. Unusually for such events (at least in my experience), rather than being an enforced break from chatting, the speeches proved quite inspirational in their descriptions of the evolution of WPF Therapy so far, and their energy and excitement about what the future holds. It was particularly touching to hear Benita Kyle, wife of the founder, speak about the very small beginnings of what was then Westminster Pastoral Foundation, and how that original vision has been maintained through all the growth and changes of the last 40 years.
I was sad when WPF Therapy moved out of Kensington Square; for me it brought interest and diversity to the campus. I'm pretty sure they were sad to leave, too, after 30 years in such a beautiful setting. However, in characteristic fashion, what could have been viewed as an unwanted trial has instead been seized as an opportunity. I wish them many more decades of success in their crucial work!
The new building certainly has a plethora of treatment rooms, all very clean, tasteful, and welcoming, without being cluttered. As I wandered around, I began to realise just how many people benefit from the services of WPF Therapy, something I hadn't managed to visualise from the bare statistic of over 500 appointments each week. Given that there are also nearly 500 students enrolled on the introductory and professional courses run by WPF Therapy, it must be a busy place at times! Even during the opening, an early-evening event, there were plenty of treatment sessions underway, which we were careful not to disturb as we looked around. Well away from these, however, the opening was accompanied by a fair volume of conversation as staff, trustees, friends, trainees, and people with all sorts of links to WPF Therapy took the opportunity to meet each other. Unusually for such events (at least in my experience), rather than being an enforced break from chatting, the speeches proved quite inspirational in their descriptions of the evolution of WPF Therapy so far, and their energy and excitement about what the future holds. It was particularly touching to hear Benita Kyle, wife of the founder, speak about the very small beginnings of what was then Westminster Pastoral Foundation, and how that original vision has been maintained through all the growth and changes of the last 40 years.
I was sad when WPF Therapy moved out of Kensington Square; for me it brought interest and diversity to the campus. I'm pretty sure they were sad to leave, too, after 30 years in such a beautiful setting. However, in characteristic fashion, what could have been viewed as an unwanted trial has instead been seized as an opportunity. I wish them many more decades of success in their crucial work!
Thursday, 26 February 2009
Two months to go!
Yes, it really is true, in two months my twomarathons project will be over! Probably this is more easily imaginable for you than for me. I've grown accustomed to living with a constant list of people to contact for donations, a constant calculation of when I can fit in my training, and during the last two months a constant anxiety about my knee! The thought that it will come to an end - God willing with the objectives achieved - brings with it a certain lightening of the spirit that fits well with the approach of spring. This is not to suggest that I dislike the project. Through it I've had wonderful opportunities to communicate about some of the things that matter to me, and to experience unexpected generosity. And I've learnt a huge amount about my own (lack of) generosity, and especially about my cultivation of self-reliance as a defence mechanism. Approaching people to ask for help brings the risk of rejection - yet I understand better now how it also brings the hope of communion, the acknowledgement of mutual dependence among the whole human family. I don't find it an exaggeration to say that the continued evolution of humanity hangs on this.
On a more practical plane, there are now 52 days until the Bungay Black Dog Marathon, and 59 until the London Marathon. Donations are approaching two-thirds of the target of £2000 for each charity. Pledges and more vaguely expressed intentions to support the project should help boost those totals significantly, but there is still some way to go, and I'm running out of people to badger! So, put your thinking caps on please, and see if there isn't something you could do to help. I would be delighted to provide you with posters, flyers, sponsorship forms, and literature about the charities, if you have any arena to spread the word!
Things have continued to be less than perfect with my knee, and there have been plenty of times when I've wondered whether all the physio exercises will just be too little too late. However, I'm back to running and at present I'm managing to build up the distance without an increase in pain. This is really encouraging. I'm an extremely determined person (some other adjectives probably come to mind...) so I expect to make it round these marathons, even if not in quite the form I'd envisaged! Maybe you could cheer me on? If you're likely to be in the Bungay area on 19th April or London on 26th, let me know so that I can give you some details of when to expect me where! In my new spirit of acknowledged frailty, I will rejoice in your support!
On a more practical plane, there are now 52 days until the Bungay Black Dog Marathon, and 59 until the London Marathon. Donations are approaching two-thirds of the target of £2000 for each charity. Pledges and more vaguely expressed intentions to support the project should help boost those totals significantly, but there is still some way to go, and I'm running out of people to badger! So, put your thinking caps on please, and see if there isn't something you could do to help. I would be delighted to provide you with posters, flyers, sponsorship forms, and literature about the charities, if you have any arena to spread the word!
Things have continued to be less than perfect with my knee, and there have been plenty of times when I've wondered whether all the physio exercises will just be too little too late. However, I'm back to running and at present I'm managing to build up the distance without an increase in pain. This is really encouraging. I'm an extremely determined person (some other adjectives probably come to mind...) so I expect to make it round these marathons, even if not in quite the form I'd envisaged! Maybe you could cheer me on? If you're likely to be in the Bungay area on 19th April or London on 26th, let me know so that I can give you some details of when to expect me where! In my new spirit of acknowledged frailty, I will rejoice in your support!
Monday, 16 February 2009
What does RTU do? - 5. AIDS Programme
Over the past decade or two we've got quite used to hearing about AIDS and the impact it's having on populations around the world. However, I don't recall reading much in the news about the growing epidemic in India. Reaching the Unreached happens to be situated in one of the most badly affected areas, with an infection rate that is increasing extremely rapidly. Unfortunately, people there haven't had the same chances as us to learn about HIV and AIDS, the means of transmission, the risk of infection, and so on. As a result, the disease carries huge stigma in the area. The story of Pothumani, a 35 year old widow with three children, is not an unusual one. When she and her husband discovered that they were both HIV+, they hid it from the family as long as they could. However, in this man's final days, the nature of his illness became known. Pothumani was chased out of her home with great hatred; she was seen as the bringer of misfortune to the family. She planned to kill her children and commit suicide, but discovered the work of RTU just in time. They helped her to re-gain the land she was entitled to, provided financial assistance and a house, and arranged counselling for the whole family. Now Pothumani can continue to bring up her children with dignity.
In the Children's Villages more than half the children have been orphaned due to AIDS; at present almost every new admission comes from a family affected by AIDS. Many of these children are HIV+ themselves. In-depth training is given to the foster mothers to enable them to integrate HIV+ children fully into the family and the village, and to provide whatever special care is necessary. Medical check-ups take place regularly, with the prescription of anti-retroviral drugs when appropriate. Of course, some of the children eventually become too ill to be cared for at home, in which case they go to a nearby hospice run by the Presentation Sisters. Brother James (the founder of RTU) and the current director Father Antony write frequently in the newsletter of these children. Their dedication to them is so clear from their words, as is their immense grief when a child dies. There can be no doubt that every individual helped by RTU is just that - an individual - given every possible care with unstinting love.
Why not have a look at RTU's website to find out more about their work? You will even see a picture of me on there! But don't let that put you off.
In the Children's Villages more than half the children have been orphaned due to AIDS; at present almost every new admission comes from a family affected by AIDS. Many of these children are HIV+ themselves. In-depth training is given to the foster mothers to enable them to integrate HIV+ children fully into the family and the village, and to provide whatever special care is necessary. Medical check-ups take place regularly, with the prescription of anti-retroviral drugs when appropriate. Of course, some of the children eventually become too ill to be cared for at home, in which case they go to a nearby hospice run by the Presentation Sisters. Brother James (the founder of RTU) and the current director Father Antony write frequently in the newsletter of these children. Their dedication to them is so clear from their words, as is their immense grief when a child dies. There can be no doubt that every individual helped by RTU is just that - an individual - given every possible care with unstinting love.
Why not have a look at RTU's website to find out more about their work? You will even see a picture of me on there! But don't let that put you off.
Monday, 9 February 2009
Cold Conditions: Warm Welcome!
What a week to choose for some more "outreach" publicity! I travelled to Cambridge last Wednesday ready to speak in assembly at the Perse (my old school, as blog followers will know) the following morning. Thursday dawned: snowy... Snowy to the point of school-closure, that is!
This is the point at which I must say a huge and public "THANKYOU" to the school staff. Despite having small and insignificant decisions to make such as whether it was safe for girls to travel to school and whether staffing levels would be adequate for the girls to remain safely at school once they got there, a good deal of effort and flexibility was in evidence so that my presentation could go ahead. This finally happened on Friday, still surrounded by snow, with girls arriving late and others leaving early, yet I really felt that I received the warmest of welcomes. I was particularly delighted to have such an attentive audience in distracting circumstances. Thankyou, everybody!
Hopefully, a few "Perse parents" might be reading this. If so, you daughter has probably heeded my appeal to show you my blog and to encourage you to make a donation! So why should you support this unknown person and these unknown charities? Well, my visit to school last week has certainly convinced me of the existence of a "Perse Girls Community", extending to embrace families and past pupils as well as girls currently attending the school. Within that community I know that there's a real and long-standing commitment to development and progress on a global scale. My two charities contribute to that ideal of development in contrasting yet complementary ways. With Reaching the Unreached, the focus is on solutions to poverty. With WPF Therapy, it's individual emotional well-being that's at stake. Yet in both cases, the charities are working for empowerment, with particular emphasis on the dignity and worth of each individual. These concepts are key values in the educational approach of the Perse, and so I trust that we are "on the same wavelength". As a result, I have the audacity to appeal to you very directly: please make a donation! You can be sure it will help people to turn their lives around.
This is the point at which I must say a huge and public "THANKYOU" to the school staff. Despite having small and insignificant decisions to make such as whether it was safe for girls to travel to school and whether staffing levels would be adequate for the girls to remain safely at school once they got there, a good deal of effort and flexibility was in evidence so that my presentation could go ahead. This finally happened on Friday, still surrounded by snow, with girls arriving late and others leaving early, yet I really felt that I received the warmest of welcomes. I was particularly delighted to have such an attentive audience in distracting circumstances. Thankyou, everybody!
Hopefully, a few "Perse parents" might be reading this. If so, you daughter has probably heeded my appeal to show you my blog and to encourage you to make a donation! So why should you support this unknown person and these unknown charities? Well, my visit to school last week has certainly convinced me of the existence of a "Perse Girls Community", extending to embrace families and past pupils as well as girls currently attending the school. Within that community I know that there's a real and long-standing commitment to development and progress on a global scale. My two charities contribute to that ideal of development in contrasting yet complementary ways. With Reaching the Unreached, the focus is on solutions to poverty. With WPF Therapy, it's individual emotional well-being that's at stake. Yet in both cases, the charities are working for empowerment, with particular emphasis on the dignity and worth of each individual. These concepts are key values in the educational approach of the Perse, and so I trust that we are "on the same wavelength". As a result, I have the audacity to appeal to you very directly: please make a donation! You can be sure it will help people to turn their lives around.
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