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UPDATE: Well, the 2007 Chicago Marathon has come and gone. As many of you know, race officials and the city of Chicago shut down the race after about 3 and a half hours due to extreme heat and lack of water. There was one fatality, and the area hospitals were not able to keep up with the volume of runners that were collapsing from heat exhaustion. With your encouragement and prayers, I was able to make it to the 18 mile marker before the course was shut down. I truly wish I had had the opportunity to finish the race; but in reality, it wasn't about me anyway. Bottom line (due to your sacrificial giving) many people in Africa suffering from the AIDS crisis will be helped. Thank you so much to all of you who gave to World Vision!
UPDATE v.2 !!! Given the fact that you all supported my fundraising efforts at the 100% level, I felt it was only right that I do the same. Although the cancellation of the Chicago marathon made it impossible for me to finish that particular race, I decided to sign up for and run the Grand Rapids, MI marathon. With you as my support team, I was able to complete the Grand Rapids marathon in 5 hours and 18 minutes. Now I can say that we both went all the way to support World Vision's ministry to those stricken with AIDS in Africa. Again, a very heart-felt thanks for your financial and prayer support. I couldn't have done it without you!
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Dear Friends and Family,
You may be wondering why I would attempt to do the near-impossible -- run and FINISH the Chicago Marathon. Well, if you follow a time-tested program to train for the Marathon, success is possible. Similarly, some of you might be thinking the AIDS crisis in Africa is an impossible situation. But Team World Vision has a time-tested strategy to make a difference in Jesus' name. Here's the picture ...
In Africa, an entire generation is dying. Mothers. Fathers. Teachers. Farmers. Even pastors. Working men and women. Dead.
15 million children have been orphaned due to AIDS (That's around the same as the total number of high school students in the U.S.)
6,000 people die everyday of the disease.
In 2005 more than 2.8 million people died becuase because of AIDS - That's equal to a plague killing off the entire population of Chicago.
Every day more than 29,000 children die, mostly due to preventable/treatable diseases and lack of clean water.
But this is not a hopeless situation. Not if people like us are willing to stand up and use their One Life to Do Something about it.
I have decided to do something about it, and I invite you to join me! World Vision is a Christian Humanitarian Relief and Development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty. Through Team World Vision, I have dedicated myself to train for and run in the Chicago marathon as a way to encourage you to join me financially to raise much-needed funds for World Vision's ministry to the children and communities in Africa impacted by HIV and AIDS.
There are two simple ways that you can support my efforts:
1) Click the link in the text box below, and sponsor a child for $35 per month
OR
2) Click on the SPONSOR ME NOW button at the bottom of the page and make an online donation.
For the glory of our Lord Jesus,
Dan Anderson
P.S. I had the privilege and opportunity to spend 12 days in Africa (July 28 -- Aug. 8) to see first-hand the challenge before us. The need is real. I hope you can help.