In October, World Renew supporters including staff members participated in a 26.2-mile race with about 6,000 other dedicated athletes in Grand Rapids, Michigan. People ran in the annual Grand Rapids Marathon for many reasons, including personal challenge, good health, and to raise money for a worthy cause like World Renew.

In October, World Renew supporters including staff members participated in a 26.2-mile race with about 6,000 other dedicated athletes in Grand Rapids, Michigan. People ran in the annual Grand Rapids Marathon for many reasons, including personal challenge, good health, and to raise money for a worthy cause like World Renew. 

Eleven World Renew staff people ran an impressive full marathon, a challenging half marathon, or a respectable 5K to raise funds for World Renew’s Free A Family® program.

Free A family focuses on helping families by empowering parents to improve the health and well-being of their children as well as join in their own income-earning opportunities. Free A Family supporters donate $22 a month or $264 a year to help families who live in poverty in developing countries break free from the barriers that keep them poor.

The runners’ fundraising goal was $264 each. It is amazing how running in a race can provide the income for an entire family for a whole year. Thanks to these runners, eleven more families who live in poverty around the world will be helped through World Renew’s community development programs in 2016.

“We hope to double our efforts next year with the awareness created in 2015,” said Wendy Hammond, US church relations manager for World Renew. “The volunteers who donated their time at the race were excited to connect with spectators and other runners about World Renew’s ministry. And it was a great way for World Renew to participate in the local Grand Rapids community.”

Laura Musoke, a staff developer at World Renew, ran the half marathon. “Running for a couple of hours on race day left me with left lots of space to think. I thought about the countries where people, communities, and World Renew’s partner groups are persisting through many setbacks to build their lives,” she said. “The race became an opportunity for me to pray for the countries where we work. But I also loved the comradery and the opportunity to promote a great ministry like World Renew.”

While the World Renew US group was participating in the Grand Rapids Marathon, Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo, World Renew Director in Canada, ran a solidarity half-marathon in her home town in Ontario. She said she is driven by her commitment to support people and communities around the world that are trying to overcome poverty and injustice. 

“As a leader with World Renew who has worked for 30 years to help people living in poverty overcome hardship, get clean water closer to their homes, and promote peace, my running a long race is symbolic to me of running the long race of poverty alleviation with them,” Mutoigo said. 

Each runner was passionate about alleviating global poverty and excited to join with other athletes from around the US and Canada for the race.

“The Grand Rapids Marathon is a great event that is also a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon. It attracts national level runners from around North America,” Hammond said. ”We’re looking forward to participating again next year, and we welcome you all to join us as a runner or contributor or both!”