Dear Family and Friends,

I hope this message finds you and your family well. Call me crazy (I am sure you already do), but I am going to do it again. The New York City marathon is in less than two weeks, and I have been training and gearing up for it. Parts of my body have been telling me to not do it again this year, especially my hamstring parts, but I am truly inspired to be a part of the Covenant House Home Team, 30 special people who are running 26.2 miles for the homeless kids who find their way to our doors.

But it's not just my fellow Home Team members who inspire me, it really is the kids who give me the motivation. These kids, who go through so much trauma and face so many hurdles at such a young age - that's really the only thing that keeps my out-of-shape, over-weight, over 50-year-old body moving when I run.  And this year, it's a special group of kids that I would like to honor, to show a humble, symbolic gesture of solidarity and commitment to; a group of kids that have seen more tragedy and hardships that I can comprehend sometimes. I am running to honor our new program in Guatemala that will open in December and welcome 12 young women who have experienced heinous lifestyles as victims of human trafficking in slave labor and prostitution. The US Department of State has asked us to open this program in order to combat the troubling rise in human trafficking victims in Latin America. I have been involved in many openings of shelters during my twenty-eight years at Covenant House, and this one is certainly very special.

Having done the run last year and being a year older, I know the pain can be quite challenging (especially when you are 25 pounds overweight), but it's really nothing compared to what our girls have experienced. Hearing the stories of what some of these girls suffer makes this program near and dear to my heart. So for 5 hours (or so), I'll be running (or possibly walking and most likely crawling) and enduring the pain of bridges and potholes and aches to bring myself into solidarity with these young girls who have seen far worse.

As I cross the finish line, it will be a tribute to their success and courage, to try and show them that life is benevolent, that there is more than just abandonment, isolation and human beings seen as a commodities; I want to show that there is dignity, respect and love.  We are very excited about the staff we are bringing on to give our extraordinary young people a second chance. So I am not only running on behalf of their suffering and solidarity in their pain, but also running on behalf of their courage and faithfulness.

If you would like to join me and my efforts to help these young women in Guatemala, please check out my website at http://www.firstgiving.com/jimwhite  -- I also ask that you keep Covenant House in your prayers - we are going through tough economic times and, although the stars have aligned for this new facility in Guatemala, it has been a difficult financial time for our other crisis centers. I would be happy to discuss it with you if you are interested, feel free to give me a call.

Keep the faith.

Peace,
Jim

P.S

Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!