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A Broad Street “Opportunity”

whitneyrodgers45 — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:35:51 +0000

A good friend of Ball for Lives, Kellyn Lovell, is dribbling The Blue Cross Broad Street Run in Philadelphia this Sunday for the 2nd time.

According to Kellyn, this race is the Lord providing her with an “opportunity”. In her own words, she says “Initially, I saw Broad Street as my opportunity to get back into competitive running after having major hip surgery a year ago (which it still will be). But how blessed am I to have the opportunity to run for more than a PR or a finisher’s medal. The opportunity to proclaim Christ with my life and raise funds and awareness for a cause so dear to my heart is one that I’m just so thankful for!”

Below is a message from Kellyn regarding this race and her desire to raise awareness and funds for the children of Haiti. Please pray for her as she dribbles this race Sunday and plans to visit Haiti in the very near future.

Dear friends,
If you know me at all, you probably know the two things that rank quite high on my list of life passions. One is the country of Haiti and its wonderful people; another is the sport of running. God has again orchestrated the events of my life to allow those two passions to meet and I am super excited to share this opportunity with all of you.

On May 6th, 2012, I have to opportunity to partner with my friends at Dribble The World and run Philadelphia’s Broad Street Run. The race itself isn’t that big of a deal, as there will be another 30,000+ runners that day. However, I plan on running all 10 miles with a basketball. Some of you may remember me sharing a similar opportunity with you in 2010 – how blessed I am to have this opportunity before me again this year!

The most common question I’m asked when I mention dribbling Broad Street is ‘why?’ I asked myself the same question as I thought through this opportunity and I’ve identified three main reasons:

1) This opportunity gives me a unique platform upon which I am able to raise a public awareness of the severity of global poverty in general, and specifically as it relates to Haiti,
2) Partnering with Dribble The World allows me to use a tool like this race to raise needed funds for a project in Haiti that is extremely close to my heart. I’m traveling to Haiti just two weeks after the Broad Street Run to work with the children of On the Rock Orphanage in Ouanaminthe. Any funds raised as a result of this run will go directly to the development of the orphanage and meeting the daily needs of its children,
3) God has gifted me with certain abilities and passions and I would be lax in failing to use them for His glory. Obviously, dribbling a basketball is unusual, and sure to spark a great deal of conversation. What an opportunity to point to Christ and publicly acknowledge His work in my life.

For me, the question is no longer ‘why,’ but ‘why not’? If I can use running to help the people I love so much in Haiti, I simply cannot pass that up.

So, I write to all of you today not only to share what God is doing in my life, but to invite you to be a part of the adventure! God is using me in this one, simple way. I wonder, how might He use you? Here are a few ways you can get involved:

1) Pray!
- That I won’t miss opportunities to share Christ for this event. It’s really easy for me to focus on the fundraising or just the race itself and fail to give God the credit for putting me in this situation in the first place.
- That fundraising goals are met (more information on that below).
- For the trip to Haiti at the end of the month to distribute the funds raised and minister to the people there.
- Good weather on race day (superficial, I know, but I’d appreciate it, nonetheless).
2) Give!
Over the course of 10 miles, I’ll dribble the basketball approximately 5,000 times. The goal that I’ve set with Dribble The World is one dollar per dribble. $5000 is ambitious, I know, but I serve a big God and I believe that he can use something as silly as dribbling to accomplish His purposes. Additionally, if you know of businesses, organizations, or individuals who would be interested in sponsoring one or more dribbles, please send them my way!
3) Come!
If you’re anywhere near the Greater Philadelphia area on May 6th, come down to Broad Street and cheer me on! I’ll be the one with the basketball

If you’ve read all the way to the end of this message, I’m both humbled and impressed! Thanks for letting me share what God is doing in my life. If you want to know more, feel free to message, call, text, or catch up in person – I’d love to hear from you.

By His Grace,
Kellyn

Running With Compassion

whitneyrodgers45 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:27:47 +0000

We are continually amazed by the people the Lord puts in our DTW family and how He uses events, moments, and interactions that we know changed our lives to change others as well, sometimes without us even realizing it. A young man who visited New Jersey with his youth group from North Carolina, met Occh, heard his testimony, and now, several years later, he has decided to dribble a Half Marathon!! Spencer Leeds will dribble the Raleigh Rocks Half Marathon for Compassion International. Read about Spencer’s decision to dribble this race:

Hey, my name is Spencer Leeds and I am planning to run in the Raleigh Rocks Half Marathon on April 1, 2012. That is one thing I never thought I would say, but there is more. I am running the race while dribbling a basketball. Let me tell you why real quick. Recently my dad started running, alot. It really impressed me, and when I heard he did well in a half marathon I started to get the desire to run with him. After one run with him I needed something to take mind off the pain! So I grabbed a basketball and then it hit me. I remember doing missions work with a guy up in New Jersey named Occhi. He started an organization called Dribble the World after getting some recognition from running in a big race in New York with a basketball. He didn’t do it though just for fun, he did it to Raise Awareness for a cause that he was passionate about. I loved that idea when I first heard it, and it took picking up a basketball and running for fun to realize that I still loved the idea! Every day I run around my school’s campus, Liberty University, to prepare for my race, I bring a basketball with me. That both helps me to remember why I am doing this, but also to raise awareness for the cause that I have chosen to those who ask me.
The Cause that I have chosen to support is Compassion International. This organization uses forms of support such as financial, prayer, and love to support children in need all around the world though local churches. I can’t fully express how amazing it has been to support a kid named Trevor Ojanga in Uganda, Africa with my sister. We get monthly letters from the Pastor of Trevor’s church with recent news about Trevor and recent drawings that are so cute. I love that there is a way to support a kid on the other side of the world in such a way. So that is why I am running, to Raise Awareness for Compassion International. If I could get just one person to realize that they could also support a child then I will have considered this mission a success. Please pray for me as I continue to train for the race, and also support Compassion International in any way you can, whether with your prayers, financially, or like I am by Raising Awareness. Thanks!
-Spencer

Please pray for Spencer as he trains for this race while continuing his studies. Please pray for Compassion and all the work they are doing for children around the world. Please consider sponsoring a child through Compassion or making a donation to this cause in honor of Spencer’s race.
-Whitney

My Second Half!

occh — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:32:34 +0000

Some of you may remember that 2 years ago I did my first Half Marathon. My “goal” was to dribble a half before I was 30, and I accomplished that with 2 days to spare. It was by the grace of God I accomplished that task, and thankfully He provided some great helpers to encourage me. Ashley Ten Kate ran this Half with me and motivated me to do my best and I had a great group of friends there cheering me on. I needed it. This Half was in Queens and it looped around itself and when you passed Mile 2, you saw the sign for Mile 9, and I can tell you that is a bit discouraging. Regardless, I kept thinking “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me”.

This year I got into the NYC Half through the lottery. I’ll say, I was a bit surprised, but I know the Lord has a plan for me. I also know that it will once again be by His grace that I finish. Ever since my last race, I have wanted to run for Empower-A-Child, the organization that I had the privilege of working with when I went to Uganda in 2008. On March 18th, I plan to to run in honor of EAC.

EAC “seeks to bring confidence and sustainability to orphaned and vulnerable children of East Africa by teaching them modern skills, giving them the opportunity of education, and enlightening through the word of God”. My life was truly changed by this trip to Uganda and I was inspired to see this group of people, all who were younger than me and most who were Uganda natives, who wanted to make a change in their communities and share God’s love with children who were hurting, abandoned and forgotten. I am so grateful that God led me there and showed me how He can use individuals to make differences for His kingdom in their own backyard or around the world.

Please pray for me as I train for this race, that I stay focused and remember the purpose of dribbling. Please pray for Empower A Child and all they are doing in East Africa for the children there, take a few moments to check out their website and see what projects they have going on. Finally, please pray for the children of East Africa many of whom have been abandoned and forgotten due to the AIDS epidemic. Pray that they learn how precious they are in God’s eyes and that they are worth something.

All support raised from this race goes directly to Empower A Child. If you feel led, please donate via PayPal or check to:

Ball for Lives

395 Park Avenue

Fairview, NJ 07022

Thank you for your kindness and love,

Whitney