Philip: Good morning everyone! This is Philip .E. Deez live from Run Radio 26.2 FM hosting your favorite show "The Honest Hour". Where we get the honest answers from those runners out there pounding the pavement and burning up the trails in every corner of the World. Today our guest is straight from the jungle and beachside of Liberia, West Africa, Samaritan's Purse Field worker, mother of 2-Bev Kauffeldt---Good morning Bev...
Bev: Good morning Philp
Philip: So Bev-let's just get down to business here-why are you running the London Marathon AGAIN...
Bev: Well, Philip, honestly it was not my plan to run again. However, when the SPUK office called and said that they were a runner short for 2012 and asked if I would run again-I found myself saying yes, without even thinking about it.
Philip: Ok, but WHY besides that the SPUK office needed a runner-are you running...?
Bev: Honestly-it is for our SP Liberia projects, the people we work with-and Liberia as a whole. The funds I raise through running the marathon-go straight to our SP projects and I know first hand how those funds can make such a huge difference to people.
Philip: So you are running for SP projects...is there a specific project you are running for or just for all of them?
Bev: Honestly, I am running for one specific program that has community projects within it. The HOPE/CMP project is a community led project - communities can discuss the issues that are facing their community and then identify their assets that can be put towards helping the issue.
Philip: Well, if it is community led then why is SP even involved?
Bev: Great question Philip. SP provides the training and technical advice to assist the community-if a community wants to build a spring protection box-they need to know how-that's where we come in-to help, train and encourage them through the process.
Philip: Interesting...so let's be honest Bev-does it always work? Do communities really want to change?
Bev: Honestly, it can be a challenge-our staff spend months going through training on how communities can recognize their assets and how Biblically-it is important for the church to be the helping hand of the community. Some communities catch the vision right away-others you have to work with longer-it takes time and patience for sure!
Philip: Alright Bev-honestly though-what have you seen communities do to change and is it really sustainable change?
Bev: Honestly, I have seen changes-I am not just saying this because I a on the Honest Hour...I have seen communities come together-share a piece of land-and plant crops for themselves. I have seen communities come together and fix a piece of road near their town-and I have seen pastors digging latrines for people-all of these are their own initiative after their training.
Philip:Well ok Bev, thanks for those honest answers-now let's talk a little bit about running before our show ends...what are some of the hardest things about training in Liberia?
Bev: Obviously the heat and humidity are tough-but I have found that my body has adapted to the heat-and I have learnt how to hydrate better and the best time to run.
Philip: But, Bev, there must be some other aspects of training/running in a different culture...what are those challenges...
Bev: (Sighs)...Well Philip, honestly some days are better than others! I run on the ELWA compound which has different routes that I take- the longest is a figure 8 of just under 2 miles. So I do get tired of running in a small loop-especially on those long 12-18 mile runs. Running on a compound doesn't mean that I don't get harassed by a lot of people-mostly young men or teenage boys...I get called names, yelled at, many times people won't move off the road-or the motorcycles try and run me off the road the odd time. So that can be very frustrating...
Philip: So honestly Bev have you ever yelled back or done something else? Also-have you ever felt threatened?
Bev: Ummmm....well....ahem...I have maybe said the odd comment to a young man who has called me something very inappropriate and wanted to do something very unappropriated with me...and for that I am not proud-my patience was low and my cross-cultural stress was high...and there are only a couple of times when I have felt threatened-due to a motorcycle making a point of trying to hit me...
Philip: Wow-thanks for that Bev-now for some deeper questions-honestly what are some of your 'fears and hopes' as you head into this second marathon?
Bev: Honestly Philip-more than anything I hope that people understand the reason why I am running to help the people of Liberia and for our projects. I hope that people don't see me running but the faces of the people I am running for...I hope that through what I do on April 22nd will show people that with God's strength in us-we can do things much bigger than ourselves no matter what the challenges.
Philip: And your fears?...
Bev: (shifting in chair) ahem...(clearing throat) Well...I a fear...(pause)
Philip: It's ok Bev, I am listening...
Bev:Well honestly it is strange-I am not one that has a lot of fears- but when I think of the pain that I suffered through last year-I get sorta scared. I fear that people will just see me running and not why I run. I fear that I won't raise enough funds to make a difference...
Philip: Bev, what do you do to help your fears?
Bev: Honestly, there is only one thing I CAN do...trust God. I remind myself that there is NO pain greater that was endured than that of Christ on the cross -with my sin on Him...my sin. I remind myself that God has created me for His purpose so what people think about me or see in me is not for me to worry about-"Christ in me" is my motto-and my prayer is that is what people will see. I remind myself that God is in control-regardless of how much money I raise-He can take the smallest amount and multiple it and use it for far greater things than we could ever imagine.
Philip: Well folks that ends the Honesty Hour-and I would like to thank our guest Bev for her honest answers-This is Philip. E. Deeze on Run Radio 26.2 encouraging you to run your own race-but run it well...
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