-I’m in a lot of pain!!

-Imagine if God spread this idea so that other people all over the world could dribble races to help those in poverty!!

Over 30 Races later, here we are today!

When I dribbled that Marathon, Jose Grullon was a freshman at Memorial High School in West New York, NJ where I sub and coach. His first exposure to Dribble the World was when he ran in our first ever 100 Mile Challenge.

Since then, Jose has participated in every one of our 100 Mile Challenges and Descalzo Relays!

Jose really took his involvement to the next level when he joined Create the Crossover’s Prom Trip to the Dominican Republic to work with orphans and the elderly.

As Jose continued to join us on these events, we would frequently talk about a dream of his that he would accomplish after he graduated: dribbling the New York City Marathon with a Basketball!

Just months after he graduated this past June,  Jose is ready to achieve for us another powerful reminder of God’s grace: our 5^th straight New York City Marathon!

Jose has chosen to run for Lend-A-Hand India, an organization working hard to change young lives throughout India through education. Half of India’s poplulation is under the age of 25, and in rural India, there are an estimated 24 MILLION unemployed working age youth. These young people are many times forced to move into already overcrowded cities. Check out an impressive video from Lend-a-Hand India, expaining how they plan to reach 20,000 youth with job training: Plan 100 Video.

WANT TO DONATE TO LEND-A-HAND INDIA IN HONOR OF JOSE?

-You can visit Jose’s personal donation page to donate online by following this link: crowdrise.com/LendAHandindia/fundraiser/JoseGrullon  

-Like other DTW events, you can always donate to Ball for Lives on the right side of this webpage (just type Jose’s Marathon under “Note to Seller” during your paypal session).

-Checks can be made out to to Lend-a-Hand India and mailed to Ball for Lives - 395 Park Ave - Fairivew, NJ 07022.

Each donor will receive a copy of a book entitled, “No Longer a Slum Dog” from an amazing organization named Gospel for Asia. GFA labors to spread the hope of Jesus Christ throughout India as they meet the physical needs of the poor and oppressed. It is our honor to spread their message through Jose’s marathon!

Receive a free copy of this powerful book when you donate to Lend-a-Hand in honor of Jose!

Jose, I am so proud of how you! Thank God He truly can use our actions to inspire the future generation with the incredible potential to do great things with their lives. We love you Jose! You’ll do great!

When Ashley Ten Kate dribbled the 2009 New York City Half Marathon, she probably had little idea that it would help inspire Eric Martin and Micael Carbounneau to dribble the Quebec City Half Marathon in Canada that same year. Little did I know that Eric would then dribble the New York City Marathon a couple months later! If you’ve followed Dribble the World over the past year, you know that Eric and Micael then did ANOTHER TWO MARATHONS in 2010: the Quebec City and New York City Marathons!

I love how God takes the plans of His children and makes them so much bigger than we originally planned. So I should not have been surprised when Dribble the World received an application from Ontario, Canada saying the following:

“I found out about Dribble the World from a very distant relative (4th Cousins). These particular relatives live in the
Quebec City area and attend the same church as Eric and Rachel Martin, who, if I’m not mistaken, you know personally. So a postcard with the information on Dribble the World has been passed along quite a ways until it got to me.”

Colin Heyens is set to dribble the Hamilton Marathon in Ontario, Canada on Sunday, November 6!

Colin is a young man who has not only traveled internationally to work with kids in poverty, but has also been running and playing basketball for most of his life! Now he will bring the two together as he dribbles the Hamilton Marathon with a basketball to raise funds and awareness for two organizations that are helping kids in need:

Joy and Hope for Haiti: Colin’s younger sister was adopted from Haiti, and he has an enormous heart to help them help more children!

City Kidz, based in Hamilton, “strives to transform the lives of inner-city children, to break the cycle of hopelessness, and to end child poverty.” As we Dribble the World to save lives in 3rd world countries, we can’t forget about poverty right in our own backyard!

Check out Colin’s website and find out more about how you can join him in changing lives in Haiti and Canada!

Dribble Hamilton Marathon

We truly do serve a Sovereign King. We are praying for you Colin!

Sunday, October 16th will be our 3rd Annual The 100 Mile Challenge:

20 Runners dribbling a basketball 5 miles each totaling a 100 Mile Relay! The 100 Mile Challenge spans 8 different towns and cities in New Jersey and all 5 boroughs of New York City, including 8 bridges!

Check out video from the first 100 Mile Challenge HERE

Dribble the World was started in 2007 when Occh dribbled the New York City Marathon with a basketball to benefit Bethesda Outreach in South Africa. AIDS has left millions of children orphaned in Sub-Saharan Africa, and our friends at Bethesda do an amazing work in taking in these children and placing them into Christian families and their own Christian school. They also partner with local churches and orphanages, better enabling them to respond to the AIDS epidemic. Whitney and Ashley went there personally last year and saw first hand what God is doing through Bethesda!

Best of all, Bethesda’s number one priority and goal is so powerfully stated in their mission statement: “to help local churches in meeting the needs of orphan children that they may become disciples of Christ.“ Bethesda daily offers their children and the surrounding communities the most wonderful thing in all the world: a relationship with God through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Unfortunately, the parent organization of Bethesda, Evangelical Baptist Missions, had to dissolve their organization this past summer. The Lord has taken care of Bethesda, and they have become their own non-profit organization. However, they lost A LOT of funding and support in the process. In this extremely challenging time for them, we want to step up and help our friends continue sharing Christ’s love with more orphans!

5 SIMPLE WAYS YOU CAN RESPOND WITH US TO THE ORPHAN CRISIS IN SOUTH AFRICA:

1. Pray that God would would use our efforts to spread His love through Bethesda Outreach in South Africa, and through this event right here in our community. It is only His love that can offer both the African orphan, and the American young person the greatest love, joy, and peace in all the world. 

2. If you live in the NYC area, come be a part of the event! We still have room for dribblers, runners, bikers, photographers; we will find a way to get you involved!

3. Help Spread the 100 Mile Challenge everywhere! Post this video to your facebook, share it with your Sunday School class; whatever you can do to inspire the people you know with what God is doing through the 100 Mile Challenge. Make sure you follow Dribble the World on Facebook so you can watch and share our upcoming videos.

4. Encourage Bethesda Outreach in this time of deep difficulty for them. Leave a comment on this page letting them know you care!

5. Donate to Bethesda Outreach in honor of the 100 Mile Challenge. You can give online or by check.

-DONATE ONLINE to Ball for Lives (the parent organization of Dribble the World) on the right side of this web page.  Be sure to type “Nicole Smith” in “Add special instructions to seller” during your paypal session.

-CHECKS can be made out to “Ball for Lives, Inc.” and mailed to

Ball for Lives, Inc. * 395 Park Ave. * Fairview, NJ 07022.

100% of your donation will be sent to Bethesda Outreach!

BallforLives is a 501(c)3 organization, and your donation is tax deductible.

Thank you, Father, for truly being the Father of the fatherless.

Missed that update? You can check it out here: Race to Her puts DTW on TV!

On the day of Nicole’s final race, we want you to see the heart of God that drove Nicole to dribble 39.3 Miles this summer. Check out this video she made for Race to Her:

Sometimes when we set out to attempt great things for God, He shows us that His  agenda is greater than ours. Nicole was not able to dribble her final race today due to some physical injuries. The work to bring justice to this world is the Lord’s, and He uses willing hearts exactly as He pleases. And He has used Race to Her in big ways!! We know that God loves Nicole every bit as much as the people she ran for and is doing a great work in her life through all of this.

Nicole, thank you for  dribbling 3 Half Marathons in one summer. What you did to be a voice for the countless children and young women trapped in the global sex trade is beyond measure. Your efforts are a beautiful picture of the love Christ had for us when He suffered on the cross to set us free. He is proud of you!

As our hearts break for these little girls and boys across the globe, let’s get behind Nicole and all she has accomplished to share the love that Jesus has for each one of them.

Want to join Nicole in saving young lives from sex trafficking?

1. HELP SPREAD THE STORY OF RACE TO HER EVERYWHERE! Post this video to your facebook, share it with your Sunday School class; whatever you can do to inspire the people you know with what God is doing through Nicole.

2. Encourage Nicole on her Race to Her Facebook Page!

3. Give on behalf of Race to Her to help stop sex trafficking in Moldova and Minnesota by donating one of two ways:

-DONATE ONLINE to Ball for Lives (the parent organization of Dribble the World) on the right side of this web page.  Be sure to type “Nicole Smith” in “Add special instructions to seller” during your paypal session.

-CHECKS can be made out to “Ball for Lives” and mailed to Ball for Lives, Inc. * 395 Park Ave. * Fairview, NJ 07022. 100% of your donation will be split between the Stitt Family in Moldova, and Breaking Free in Minneapolis, helping to save more young people from prostitution.

BallforLives is a 501(c)3 organization, and your donation is tax deductible

The Bergen Record: Gabby Lauda adds Zest to Half Marathon.

But what is more interesting to me than a major newspaper article is to hear how God worked from the very person who dribbled the race. Enjoy this letter from Gabby!

3 Huge Ways you can join Race to Her in abolishing child sex slavery:

1. Post this video to your Facebook page and spread the word!

2. Become a fan of Dribble the World and Race to Her on Facebook and encourage Nicole to keep going!

3. Donate in honor of Race to Her. You can donate in one of two ways:

-DONATE ONLINE to Ball for Lives (the parent organization of Dribble the World) on the right side of this web page.  Be sure to type “Nicole Smith” in “Add special instructions to seller” during your paypal session.

-CHECKS can be made out to “Ball for Lives” and mailed to Ball for Lives, Inc. * 395 Park Ave. * Fairview, NJ 07022. 100% of your donation will be split between the Stitt Family in Moldova, and Breaking Free in Minneapolis, helping to save more young people from prostitution.

BallforLives is a 501(c)3 organization, and your donation is tax deductible

KEEP GOING NIC!! God is more proud of you than you could ever understand.

Dear friends,

On August 7th I plan to run a half marathon in Providence, Rhode Island. When I decided to run a Half marathon I immediately thought of Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord not for men.” I see this as not only an opportunity to seize a personal goal but more importantly an opportunity to serve God and others.

Over the last couple months the issue of human sex trafficking has been laid on my heart. I am joining an organization called Dribble the World in which I will dribble my half marathon with a basketball and look to raise money to help an organization that helps stop the injustice of sex trafficking and provides aid to many after they have been saved from this tragedy. I am choosing to raise money for Tiny Hands International. Tiny Hands is a Christian non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the church in a developing world to help the poor over come poverty and become lights of the world. Tiny Hands is committed to finding the greatest injustices in the world, and works to relieve them in whatever way possible. They are particularly called to orphans, street children, and the victims of the sex trafficking industry.

Sex trafficking is one of the biggest tragedies in our world. In only one year an estimate of 10,000 girls are trafficked in Nepal. They are trafficked across the border into Indian brothels, and are forced to become prostitutes. The girls range from age 7-24, with an average of age 15. Nearly all of these girls are forced to begin having sex with their clients within the day of their arrival. Many are gang raped and beaten to be initiated. Often they are held in cages. These precious daughters are forced to have sex with as many as 40 clients a day. This needs to be stopped, so I chose to help join the fight to stop this injustice now. I hope you may also choose to help join the fight and join me in my efforts to raise money for Tiny Hands.

I was immediately drawn to this organization as it not only provides aid to the poor and deprived but also provides the victims with the opportunity to receive the gospel and gain eternal life with our Savoir, Jesus Christ. When I realized I was a sinner, in need of a Savior, I accepted Christ into my heart and now I live with an inexpressible joy that I simply must share. This organization not only saves lives in this passing world we live in, but also gives many the opportunity to choose eternal life in Christ Jesus.

If you feel led to donate to Tiny Hands International, you can make checks payable to Ball for Lives, Inc. 100% of your donation will be sent to Tiny Hands (You can read Dribble the World’s donation FAQs HERE). You can also donate online at DribbletheWorld.com (right side of web page) and write Gabby Lauda in PayPal’s “Add special instructions to seller” box. If you are called to prayer, please pray for those who are involved with Tiny Hands Ministry. Also pray that the victims will experience the love of Jesus through the love shown to them. Pray that they may come to know Christ as their Savior. Pray for the race on August 7th that opportunity to share Christ’s everlasting love will come about. Pray for strength for all those experiencing injustice around the world. Pray that the Glory of God becomes more evident in our world today!

I pray and ask earnestly that you, if called by God, join me in the fight to stop injustice around the world. I pray that all is done in obedience to, and for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Sincerely,
Gabby Lauda

Everyone who donates $10 or more will receive a bracelet made personally by a girl in Nepal who has been rescued from trafficking! You can check out the bracelet at this link: One Girl Bracelet and more about Tiny Hands International on their website, TinyHandsInternational.org.

Great Job Gabby!!

Remember these faces from last Summer?

Nicole and Jamie at the finish of the 2010 Twin Cities Half!

On July 4th, 2010, Nicole Smith dribbled the Twin Cities Half Marathon to help raise funds and awareness for Patrick and Kalyna Stitt in Moldova. Moldova is the poorest country in Europe, and sex trafficking has become a huge problem there. After we sent Nicole’s donations to the Stitts, I received this amazing letter from Patrick:

“I just wanted to write to you and say THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! . . . The past few weeks we’ve been scrimping and saving to put several of the children and women to school. God saw the need and your donation came at the perfect time. . . Also with the money you gave I’ve been able to buy some seeds so as to start a small garden at the Home for the girls. We’re hoping experiencing God’s creation in creating and nurturing something beautiful will bless them in the healing process.” (See more of God’s amazing work through the Stitts on PatrickandKalyna.com!)

ISN’T GOD’S WORK AMAZING??? A girl dribbling a basketball in Minnesota literally kept Moldovan girls in school and away from trafficking! Yet Nicole’s heart wasn’t satisfied with just helping once: she is now ready to be an even louder voice for the oppressed through one of the most impressive Dribble the World efforts I have seen:

One Girl. One Basketball. One Summer. Four Half Marathons to Combat Sex Trafficking.

An amazing vision that Nicole calls

If one race last summer made such a specific difference, imagine what God is ready to do through Race to Her! 

100% of the donations we receive in honor of Race to Her will be split between two organizations that are powerfully combatting sex trafficking in their communities:  the Stitt Family in Moldova, and Breaking Free in Nicole’s home town of Minneapolis.

You can DONATE ONLINE to Ball for Lives (the parent organization of Dribble the World) on the right side of this web page.  Be sure to type “Nicole Smith” in “Add special instructions to seller” during your paypal session.

CHECKS can be made out to “Ball for Lives” and mailed to  Ball for Lives, Inc. * 395 Park Ave. * Fairview, NJ 07022. BallforLives is a 501(c)3 organization, and your donation is tax deductible!

Follow Nicole and Race to Her on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/racetoher

If God could lead one woman to dribble over 50 miles this summer, imagine what He could lead you to do for His glory.

Proud of you Nic!

On Sunday, May 1st,  18 participants helped complete Dribble the World’s second annual Descalzo (Barefoot) Relay: 8 Barefoot runners dribbled a basketball while running barefoot to complete the 20 Mile Relay throughout Jersey City, NJ!

Why dribble barefoot? Because hundreds of millions of kids around the world do not own shoes, and many suffer or die from infections that enter their feet. We did this for them, and to offer you 2 huge opportunities to help change lives!

1. You can donate $10 to Samaritan’s Feet by texting SHOES to 85944 ($10 will be added to your phone bill).

2. You can help HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO ARE SKIPPING THEIR PROM AND PROM WEEKEND TO GO WITH BALL FOR LIVES TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND PERSONALLY DELIVER SHOES, SOCKS, AND OTHER NECESSITIES TO ORPHANAGES!

Here’s the story of one Senior who’s ready to make a difference with the love of Jesus:

If you are inspired to help Allen and 4 other seniors who are going with us, you can donate online on the right side of this webpage, or mail checks made out to Ball for Lives to 395 Park Ave, Fairview, NJ 07022. You can check out the full story of these amazing seniors on CreatetheCrossover.com!

As Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, let us love this hurting world in deed and in truth.

Kathy Kelly became only the third female Dribble the World runner to complete a Half Marathon!

As anyone who has ever run a Disney race before can attest, this half marathon is like no other.  Celebrating women’s health and wellness, the race had over 17,000 runners, most of whom were decked out in princess garb.  A few men decided to dress up as well; there were princes, frog princes, and even some male Cinderellas.  The bottom line is that this could very well be the most fun 13.1 mile race that anyone has ever run!

Kathy also was our first runner to ever Dribble the Disney World! : )

Even though many runners donned funny costumes, as the lone dribbler, I stood out in the pack.  From the time the fireworks blasted as the race started, runners snapped photos of me, asked what I was dribbling for, some told me I was crazy, and others called out that I was their hero.  I received so much positive attention for Dribble the World during that 13.1 miles, and it is truly inspiring to me what a basketball can do.  As I crossed the finish line, I was so overjoyed at what I had accomplished, but even more that I did it for others.  Thank you to everyone who read my story and offered their support.  Your generosity is being felt across the nation and around the globe.

-Kathy Kelly

Ball for Lives will be mailing out a $2, 853 check this week to both Be the Match and World Vision. We’re so proud of you Kathy!! Thank God for the amazing people He keeps bringing across our paths.