A Marathon Effort for Our Kids!

I asked you recently to pray for Anna Roberti, who would be running in the NYC Marathon to raise funds for our kids in Qinghai. Well, thank God for answering our prayers!  I’m sending you Anna’s full story to her supporters so this post is twice as long as usual…a marathon run deserves a marathon post!

It reminds us all that with God, our efforts on behalf of others will be blest by Him in ways we may never expect.  Why not ask Him what You can do?

WE DID IT!

Early that morning, the air was crisp, the ferry across NY harbor loaded with runners and their nervous excitement. Experienced runners and newbies like me were all thrilled to be alive and a part of what was to come.

I wish I had the words to describe what I felt as I heard the cannon go off with Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York pounding through the speakers. 

Eventually it was my turn to start running. There was no turning back. Running across the Verrazano Bridge seemed surreal; tens of thousands of runners in the space usually reserved for cars and trucks! Onlookers took photos. Running with me were  girls wearing tutus, men wearing tutus (!), a man with a prosthetic leg, a blind man and his guide, all moving with tremendous zeal and enthusiasm.

I could hear the crowd’s roar, getting louder and louder as we entered Brooklyn, until suddenly, there they were! Hundreds of excited spectators on the street cheering and shouting, “GO ANNA! LOOKING GOOD!! YOU CAN DO IT ANNA!” No, I’m not an elite runner, but I had my name on my shirt…and it worked! From Brooklyn to Queens the crowds were out by the thousands.  Music was pumping from live bands, almost on every block, all encouraging us runners to get to the finish line.

In a weird and wonderful way, the crowds were as much a part of the race as the runners…one group feeding off the energy and excitement of the other. It was one of the most memorable feelings I’ve ever experienced. 

As I began my assault on the 59^th St Bridge the crowds thinned out. This is the dreaded `wall’ at mile 15 that runners talk about. I was beginning to feel tired and my side started to cramp, but as I crested the bridge to begin the descent, I heard that sound again. Something faint, like static from a radio; then it was louder.  As I ran towards First Ave, I was completely blown away by the sheer numbers of spectators. People were handing me paper towels for my sweaty brow; many handed out orange wedges, candy and bananas. Again I heard people in the crowd yelling my name, encouraging me to persevere. “YOU GOT IT ANNA! GO ANNA GO!” It was unbelievable! I got my second wind and began to focus on finishing. Only ten miles to go… ten LONG miles! 

Crowds in the Bronx had runners waving our arms to the theme from Rocky. Harlem echoed the energy and encouragement from all the other neighborhoods. Now there were just six miles to go and my body really felt the stress. Fifth Avenue starts at 138^th St, 48 blocks before I could enter Central Park and mile 24, where my family would be waiting for me and would surely give me renewed energy.

I entered Central Park on 90^th St and my body told me to throw in the towel. But my mind told me that just around the bend I’d see my family. Suddenly, I heard “ANNA!!!” and “MOM!!!” I perked up and mustered my strength to show my family and friends that I’m doing it, and I’m OK. All the Saturday mornings they sacrificed so I could go on training runs, all their support, was not going to be in vain. Seeing them out of the corner of my eye as I ran past gave me courage to face the last two miles. 

Those miles pushed me to the very edge of my limits.  

I had nothing left; all my energy was gone. Somehow my legs kept running and I passed a sign that said I had 200 yards to go. But I wanted to stop. It was no longer a physical but a mental test of endurance. Then I was running across the finish line. I did it! In 4 hours, 16 minutes and 54 seconds, I ran the NYC Marathon! 

So now you’re asking yourself, where was God during the marathon? Anna didn’t mention the Lord even once, or the cause for which she was running.  

I can say to you now GOD IS SO GOOD!! In the first half of the marathon, when I was flying through Brooklyn and Queens, I praised and thanked Him for the privilege of running on behalf of Christian Action Asia. I prayed for all those who supported me financially as well as with their words of love. 

But as my body began to tire, my prayers of praise and adoration became prayers of desperation. I needed His supernatural strength to help me take another step. I began to pray for the orphaned and disabled children of the Tibetan Plateau and I began to understand that my pain was nothing by comparison. As I write this, I am overwhelmed and my eyes are filled with tears as I think about their scars. How can I possibly ask for your compassion for the two miles of suffering I felt, when these kids have a lifetime of suffering ahead of them? The good news is that God carried me over the finish line, and He will also carry His precious little ones across that line. 

I am in awe of the fact that God kept His promise and by the time I woke up Sunday morning, I had raised over $10,000!

The Lord has moved me and used me for His glory throughout this marathon journey. I pray that you too will obediently move together with Him in whatever journey He leads you on.