Sunday-Part 1

Okay, last week we told you some good stuff was going to happen yesterday.  Now it's time to share.  It's going to take a few days.  Here is part one.

Yesterday was the Porto Alegre marathon.  I've shared before that Matt and I have run the marathon a few times.  It's the most incredible feeling to finish one but the training is brutal and if you aren't 100% motivated then you might as well not even start to train for one.

About three years ago I lost my 100% motivation to train for another one.  Matt did as well.  He then had a great idea.  Why not train the guys from the chácara (the drug and alcohol rehabilitation center) to be a part of a team relay covering the entire 42km of the marathon?

Matt and our brother Paulo Renato go to the chácara every week.  Two years ago Matt began using that day to start training the men there to run a 5k.

After a few months of training they were ready for the Porto Alegre marathon relay.  Matt asked me to be a part of the team.  It was just guys.  Amazingly we finished in 4th place and won a trophy.  A real God thing.  You can go here to read about that day.

We ran again last year and even though we didn't win a trophy (we finished 6th) it was an amazing time with those guys.

This year we didn't have enough guys training to have a full guys team so we got a new team member.

That's right.  My girlfriend.  She's been training pretty good over the last few weeks.

She did great yesterday.  It was warm and it made for a tougher run.  The marathon is usually the last Sunday of May and it's always been pretty cool, even cold, since I've been a part of it. Yesterday was warm and it made for a tougher run. It was a bit of a struggle for her but she finished with a little help from Carys. Carys loves to meet us with a few hundred meters to go and help us finish strong.

For her help yesterday she got my medal (My girlfriend had given her fruit, drinks, snacks and medal, given to participants upon completion of the race, to some street kids who were asking for food......if you know her that sounds like her doesn't it?).

I'm proud of my girlfriend for finishing but I am especially proud of these guys for being able to run the race.

Just a few months ago these guys were either addicted to crack or alcohol or both.  God is using the chácara to do kingdom work here in our city and he's using guys like Matt to not only treat their spiritual and emotional needs but their physical needs as well.

Anytime you spend time with these guys your day will be uplifted.  God is claiming and reclaiming ground that Satan had previously had a stronghold in.

Please keep these men at the chácara in your prayers.