So on 24th April I am attempting to run my first ever half marathon, first ever running event in fact, not just as a personal achievement but in the hope of raising money for Stand by Me.
Some of you will know that Stand by Me has a big place in my heart because of the amazing work they do across the world, which I have been lucky enough to be a part of. Stand by Me provides education and health care to some the world's poorest children in some very challenging areas but their main focus is to show these children that they are loved and to share with them the good news of Jesus.
Nepal and Ethiopia are two of the projects I have been able to visit and will both always hold such special memories to me. It was on my first trip to Nepal when I first fell in love with this work and saw the impact it was having on people's individual lives. Travelling back a few years later it was amazing to see these children had grown in their character, in their knowledge and in their love for God.
The money I raise will be used to equip and support the Stand by Me Bethany School being set up in the Khairang area, a remote hill village which was heavily affected by the recent earthquake. The children who are attending the Bethany School are at risk to child trafficking, early marriage, exclusion from society due to low caste and many other complex cultural issues. The Bethany School will provide a valuable education to children otherwise unable to access school, teaching them about cultural pressures, equipping them to protect themselves and giving them hope for a much brighter future.