Team Dream / Dream Team

Meet Brett, Jay, Julianne, Wildy, Luciano, Claudine, Max, Johnny, Milton, Rodney, Anthonio, Keson, Rochenel, Junel, Renand and Mackenson. 

These guys are my DREAM TEAM!

Last year, when I was planning, praying, preparing, training, communicating, fundraising for Resounding Hope by raising funds doing my first half-marathon, this was my thinking: this year, I'm doing this alone; next year, I'm praying for a team. Thank the Lord for these guys!

First, it was me. Then Jay (from OMS HQ) and his wife Julianne, both runners, said "We want to be a part of this!" 

Then Brett (OMS Haiti field director, also a runner) said "I'll do it here in Haiti!" 

Then our co-workers at 4VEH - Wildy, Luciano, Claudine, Max, Johnny, Milton, and Rodney - said "We're not ready to run a half-marathon, but we'll form a relay team and run alongside with Director Brett."

Then members of a local youth choir, Flamme Spirituelle (with strong connections to 4VEH - they recorded their first album here, and our Operations director Witny Telfort is their choir director) said: "We want to help. Count us in, we're running too!"

Here's the deal: we're running to raise funds for Resounding Hope solar radios tuned to Radio 4VEH to bless families in Haiti every day. On May 7, 2016, Jay, Julianne & Kate will be running a half-marathon, the Indy500 Mini in Indianapolis; Brett will be running a half-marathon around the One Mission Society compound in Cap-Haitien, Haiti; and Wildy, Luciano, Claudine, Max, Johnny, Milton, Rodney, Anthonio, Keson, Rochenel, Junel, Renand and Mackenson will be running as a relay team alongside Brett. 

Why? Because we know these radios are making a huge difference in people's lives in Haiti - reaching people with the Gospel, helping believers grow in their faith, building up the church and serving the people of Haiti in Jesus' name. 

Our goal is to raise $12,000 to sponsor 200 solar radios - and bless 200 households in Haiti. That's $60 to sponsor one radio and reach a whole family with hope every day. 

Would you help us reach our goal by making a donation of $20, $60, $100, $600 or any amount you can manage. Every little helps! Your donation is tax-deductible in the US, and you will receive a receipt from One Mission Society. Give online here on our team fundraising page: Run for Resounding Hope - May 2016

If you prefer, make your donation by check, payable to One Mission Society with "407870-16RHRUN" in the memo line, and mail it to One Mission Society, PO Box 1648, Monument, CO 80132-1648. (And be sure to let me know so I can mark it against our goal on our fundraising page.)

For donations in Haiti in US $ or HTG can be given to Miss Colleen/OMS Haiti office, and designated 407870-16RHRUN.

For donations in the UK, give online through our fundraising page, or through One Mission Society UK if you prefer. Just include a note : Run for Resounding Hope 2016 - and be sure to let me know so we can add your gift to our total. Thank you! 

May Update: Multi-Coloured Pens, Projects & a Medal

It's been a while! 

I usually think that pre-Christmas season is the busiest work time for me, with it being the biggest fundraising season. But no. Busiest time of year is right now. So, sorry if you've missed us in the blogosphere! Hopefully, we're friends on Facebook so you know we're still alive.  

Here's why this is busy season: 

• Radio 4VEH's 65th Anniversary is 2 June. The anniversary is always a major event in Haiti and in Haitian communities in the USA. This year is a big one. So, the staff at the station, Storly and me here in Indiana, and our Haitian representatives in the USA are all busy preparing events, materials and special radio programs. I've been creating, designing, producing brochures and banners, as well as the design for a new CD. More on that later. All in Creole or French or some combination of the two.

• The ministry has expanded beyond radio, and so there's a minor name change and re-branding we're working on. Been re-designing logos, letterhead, etc, all in multiple languages. 

• I'm finalizing a fundraising appeal for the station, ahead of the usual trend in the nonprofit world of lower donations during the summer months. Got a great story to share, and am getting these materials prepared for use in a mailing, online, and to send to our partners (OMS offices in various countries, as well as other organizations who support the station).

• We're putting together projects for various needs at the station, including repairs and remodeling for the building which is now 15 years old; upgrading computer and broadcast equipment; replacing air conditioning throughout the building (mission-critical when it's 100 degrees outside!). Lots of details needed, costs for everything need to be figured out (including 'is it better or even possible to buy it in Haiti or buy in USA, ship to Haiti, and try and estimate shipping and customs charges'....yeh, fun.) And then I need to package all the info in a way that a donor will be inspired and excited to help get the job done. Need another marketing writer! 

• And we leave in two weeks' time to spend the summer in Haiti. So, there's packing, relocating my office (ok, just temporarily, but still thinking through what I might need there, and what I need to hand over to someone else while I'm gone from here), there are major deliveries arriving from Amazon (I always hope it's something for me, but nope - usually some cables, piece of equipment, office supplies, or other things we need to take down to the station). There's things to take care of (dental stuff, medical stuff, house stuff, end-of-school-year stuff). 

• And then there are our girls - two weeks left in school. The day after school's out, we head to the airport. They've been desperate to start packing, and now need serious monitoring so they don't just pack a suitcase full of stuffed animals :)

I've just finished one project, sent it to the printers. So, am taking a little breather with you (and a cup of afternoon tea, of course). Here's a few photos from the last few weeks: 

A gorgeous trip to local state park, Brown County, during Mum's visit at Easter.

For those of you who think Esther is the quiet one,
just check out that expression on her cheeky little face :)

Mum had bronchitis for the first few days here. So it was even more special
to enjoy the gorgeous sunshine once she recovered. 

Happy in sunglasses. 

Me and my mama.  

Weeeeeeeee!

Gorgeous!

Lots of printing of works-in-progress recently. This one is the new CD, the first in a series of Bible dramas written by Rachael Picazo, called Parole Vivante, translated into Creole and produced and aired on 4VEH during the 1960's (and still on the air, and much-loved by listeners of all ages). It's all about going in a Time Machine back to biblical times and hearing the stories unfold. Storly's been working on improving the quality of the audio (which was originally recorded on reel-to-reel), I did the design work. We'll have the CDs in our hands in Haiti for the Anniversary week ($10 a piece, if you're interested. Would make a great gift for any Haitian friends!). 

Esther wasn't too happy that I 'borrowed' her fantastic multi-coloured pen for editing the fundraising appeal I'm working on. But it brought a little more joy to the tough discipline of 'slash and burn' editing of your own stuff.  

Two weeks left in school. How is that possible? They start 2nd and 4th grades first week of August. 

Taken on (American) Mother's Day. These two are growing up quickly!

And the final photo for now. 

I finished my first-half marathon on May 2, the IndyMini. And LOVED it! More details in another post. For now, a BIG THANK YOU for all the support and encouragement! Seriously, I really appreciate it! 

My inspiration for running for 13.1 miles? Getting more Resounding Hope solar radios tuned to Radio 4VEH to bless families in Haiti every day. As founder of the Resounding Hope initiative, I know these radios are making a huge difference in people's lives in Haiti - reaching people with the Gospel, helping believers grow in their faith, building up the church and serving the people of Haiti in Jesus' name. With the help of generous friends, we exceeded my fundraising goal, raising a total of $4,410, to sponsor 73.5 radios (a donation of $30 will make it 74 radios, if you're interested. You can donate securely on my fundraising page: http://org.grouprev.com/katesrunforresoundinghope).

Thankfully, blisters have now healed and I'm preparing for running in Haiti's heat. Should be interesting! 

Well, cup of tea's finished. Back to it. Blessings to you wherever you are! 

In training: the IndyMini

If you've seen some of my Facebook posts recently, you'll know that I'm in training, for my first half-marathon.

Last year, something unexpected happened. It didn't start with running, it didn't even start with working out regularly and becoming active (though that did happen) but I became a runner. I'm still tempted to say I'm becoming a runner, but as my fitness app (MapMyFitness) is telling me I have run 316.28 miles over the last 12 months, (yes, RUN!, I've walked and biked some miles too), I am a runner. And I'm loving it!

Time to replace the more-than-10-years-old running shoes!

But the first few weeks of running around our local park, desperate to get to our end point (a STOP sign) nearly a mile away left me red-faced and puffing like a dragon - just in case you're thinking I'm a natural :) But the persistence paid off. If I had not persisted through the early miles, I would not have learned that it takes me about 3 miles to get into my groove. Then I hear whispers of "Run, Forest, Run"....

After I finished our city's Mill Race 5K in September, we went to the finish line of the half and full marathons and cheered the runners on...I must admit I went a little wild and crazy in cheering and shouting for people I had never met, nor have met since. But seeing people - of all ages, shapes and sizes - working hard, putting in the effort and reaching their goal was pretty amazing. And inspired me to do the same.

But as I started building up my distances from 3 miles to 5, 6, then 8 miles, I began wondering what would keep me going for 13.1 miles. And it was obvious - another family in Haiti receiving a Resounding Hope radio. That's what would keep me going another mile, another mile....

Though I had enjoyed the fact that running was my own activity and not work-related, what I do with Radio 4VEH/Resounding Hope is such a part of who I am, and I just can't separate it! So I'm running for Resounding Hope, to raise funds for solar radios tuned to Radio 4VEH to bless families in Haiti.

I started the Resounding Hope initiative a few years ago, and I know these radios are making a huge difference in people's lives in Haiti - reaching people with the Gospel, helping believers grow in their faith, building up the church and serving the people of Haiti in Jesus' name. Others have ridden bikes across the country, made hair bows to sell, had lemonade stands and pancake breakfasts...all to raise funds for Resounding Hope. 

And so I've been putting in the miles (and miles...) through the cold Indiana winter and now stormy spring to be ready for the Indy 500 Mini (Half Marathon) on May 2 and to raise funds for more radios. 

I was determined not to be just a fair-weather runner, though the winter here can
get nasty. I only missed running outside one week because of ice and wind-chill
advisories (frostbite warnings etc), and one week because I pulled a calf muscle.

Can't have too many hats on when it's below freezing! 

Did you know: 

• 4 in 5 people in Haiti live in poverty
• 4 in 5 adults can't read well enough to cope with daily life

So these radios, powered by the sun, help connect often-illiterate, isolated, Voodoo-background households with the Bible in their heart language, with practical farming & health advice, life-saving information when disaster strikes, and friendly voices (like hubby Storly's) to help and encourage them.

My goal is to raise $3,900 to sponsor 65 solar radios - and bless 65 households in Haiti. That's $60 to sponsor one radio and reach a whole household. And 65 radios in honour of Radio 4VEH's 65th Anniversary in June. And thanks to some generous friends, I'm at 73% of my fundraising goal. 

You can help me reach my goal by making a donation of $20, $60, $100, $600 or any amount you can manage. Every little helps! Go to my online fundraising page here: http://org.grouprev.com/katesrunforresoundinghope to make an online donation. 

If you prefer, you can give by check, payable to One Mission Society with "407870-HRKM1 Kate's Run" in the memo line, and mail it to One Mission Society, PO Box 1648, Monument, CO 80132-1648. Your donation is tax-deductible in the US, and you will receive a receipt from One Mission Society. 

If you're in the UK and would like to give, make your cheque payable to One Mission Society, marked for Resounding Hope (Project RESHO) with a note "Kate's Run" and send to:

One Mission Society/OMS UK, 1 Sandileigh Ave, Manchester, M20 3LN Charity No. 245124    Tel: 0161 283 7992

Be sure to let me know so I can mark your donation against my goal on my fundraising page. 

So, what is the Indy Mini? 

• the biggest half-marathon in the USA - about 35,000 participants
• there's nothing mini about running 13.1 miles
• in Indianapolis, the big city nearest us
• it's part of the Indy500 racing car festival
• the route includes a 2.5 mile lap around the Indy500 racetrack at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - woohoo!
• and it's in 19 days - yikes!