26.5.11

A Woman and her Dog

Ok, I realize the general talk about a man's best friend doesn't always apply to women, but get to know my sweet American Bulldog and you might change your mind. Today I continued my efforts in Love 146's fundraiser Tread on Trafficking to stop sex slavery and human trafficking. I had the pleasurable company of my baby, Bentley. Today we ran 2 miles, and while that may not seem like much, the 5 miles still on my legs made it feel like 10! In order to fully grasp the lesson I learned from my dog today, you should probably get to know him.

Bentley is an adorably sweet 1 1/2 year old American Bulldog known for sporadic energetic outbursts (aka not known for his endurance per se). I took him running before this amazing fundraiser and we got a little scare. Only about seven minutes in, Bentley got scared by a jogging stroller. Once the stroller passed, I got ready to go again and he didn't want to move. Now Bentley is not little, weighing in at about 70+lbs. All of a sudden, all 70 lbs of him starts to fall over, so I catch him. He falls to the other side and I catch him again. I am worried he can't take the running so I walk him back to the truck. My husband assures me he is just feeling a little sick and sure enough he runs twice as far with my husband just a few days ago. So, today I was confident, but still concerned.

I decide today will be a short run. What with 5 miles of soreness on my legs and the possibility of Bentley fainting halfway through. I keep a close eye on him throughout the first mile. I tell him, "good boy, Bentley" and "we're almost there, Bubba (his nickname from mommy <3). Once we turn around for the last mile, I tell him something encouraging almost every 2 minutes, as if he is considering fainting, but my words keep him going. Every time he looks up, I feel like he is looking for another encouragement so I answer with another "good job, Bentley" or "almost there love". About a half mile from the truck I realize, he isn't looking up for encouragement, he is looking up because I am slowing down. At that moment I realized, he wasn't going to stop. He is not thinking in his head when it is going to be over. He intends to run as long as I do. I am the one waiting for the ending. I am the one who needed to hear "good job, you're almost there" or "we're almost done". Then of course, I think of those girls. See, in my small efforts to make a difference, there is an end to every run. Every time I start, I know that a time and place will come when I can stop. The end is wherever I make it. Those girls have no such luxury. There is no promised end, no promised relief to their suffering. They must go on with the possibility that it will never end.

As it turns out, my Bentley is quite the running partner, and maybe our miles can make a difference. Even a small one. Because any amount of relief or hope of an end is a place to start.

24.5.11

Day 1

My attempts to put my foot down to end child sex trafficking have seen and waved goodbye to the first day. One day and 5 miles into my commitment to do whatever I can to help Love 146 give those girls something to hope for. I was fortunate enough to have my husband (and our dog!) support me by lacing up his running shoes also. I am so blessed to have a man I can count on to stand by me, or run with me, in this case.

Those first 5 miles were easy considering I have not run that distance in over a year. Throughout those 5 miles, I pushed myself with thoughts of those girls. How do they make it through each day? If they still have hope, what do they hope for? Escape? A day of rest? An end to their young lives? I will not even begin to assume I can even come close to understanding their pain or how they think. At this point, I want to run for them. If they can open their eyes each morning and somehow survive through the days and nights, I can keep putting one foot in front of the other.

If you would like to help, pull out your running shoes and register as a treader at Love146.org, or let me run for you and make a donation for each mile completed. Message me or email me at mrsnunez1120@gmail.com to make a commitment per mile run in the next 37 days. Thank you for your support in loving these girls.
Keep up with me here or on my donation page at http://Love146.kintera.org/tread/cnunez.

Christina

23.5.11

Making a Difference

So, I recently attended an amazing Women's Retreat with Covenant Grace and Rancho Community Church. I was really blessed to be brought into this environment of beautiful, encouraging women who love the Lord! During one of the sessions, we learned about making a difference, and how each and every one of us has the ability to do so. The world might tell us we can't, but God tells us we can. He has given us all our own special gift to make a difference and bring him glory. I doubted whether or not I as one person could really make a difference and God wasted no time correcting me

There is an organization called Love 146, which is dedicated to stopping child sex trafficking abroad and here in California. Many of these girls are only 7 years old. While I heard about this organization months ago, I did not feel I could make a difference. God reminded me I could just yesterday. They are hosting a fundraiser called Tread on Trafficking. It is an 8 week, global fundraiser that dedicates 100% of the proceeds to Love 146's mission. The fundraiser is already 4 weeks in, but God wouldn't accept another excuse from me so I registered any ways. I have set a goal to reach in the last half, but I need your help. If you feel compelled to support the cause, sponsor me in my efforts by donating any amount per mile I run over the next 39 days, or you can donate any one time amount.

I encourage you to check out Love 146 at their website Love146.org. I will be blogging about my progress and you can follow my miles and make donations at any time here at http://Love146.kintera.org/tread/cnunez

Spread the word and help me put my foot down to end trafficking!!!

Christina