This 'quote' was found, scrawled on the wall below a Star of David, by American soldiers searching a cellar of a Jewish ghetto that had been cleared in one of the war-torn cities of Germany. I always think of this when ever things go a bit pear shaped or when I'm struggling on a long run.
"I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining.
I believe in love, even when I do not feel it.
I believe in God, even when He is silent."
And I always wish peace to whomever scrawled this.
Thursday, 29 September 2011
A quote from Sarajevo to Healing Hands
“Your treatments give our members a reason for living”
Muzafer Teskeredzic, Secretary, Association of Civil Victims of War, Sarajevo
Muzafer Teskeredzic, Secretary, Association of Civil Victims of War, Sarajevo
Liverpool to Bosnia....a marathon and a journey
Raising money for Healing Hands to help fund volunteers offering holistic therapies, working in Bosnia with civil war victims and also now offering treatments to Armed Forces returning from duty
So by running this marathon I am aiming to raise £750 so I can go to Bosnia in Spring/ Summer 2012 for two weeks to volunteer with Healing Hands. My employer, Deutsche Bank, match all funding by DB employees and up to £1000 from family and friends so I may raise enough to get another scouser massage therapist on board.
Just 3 hours away on a plane from the UK, in the early 1990s, generations of people in Bosnia had their lives changed forever. I cannot think of any worse pain than a mother or father losing their ability to protect their children and knowing that, in that moment, nothing will ever be the same again. How anyone can ever find peace again not knowing the fate of their most dearest loved ones, the people they have nurtured and protected thus far, is quite simply beyond my comprehension.
The images from the tv at the time are haunting, and there is one in particular of a little boy with his pet rabbit in Srebenica with all the other people seeking protection from the UN, thinking they’d be protected by the Dutch as the Serbians came in led by Ratko Mladic; I often wonder what happened to him as the massacre (Srebrenica genocide in which over 8000 people lost their lives) began not long after. The little lad just wanted his mum and dad – it’s so sad to think this was his experience of childhood.
I have read many books on World War 2, and indeed wrote all my French coursework on the Holocaust, the French Resistance and life under Nazi rule. I have read many books on Rwanda, Cambodia, Kosovo, Bosnia and the inescapable sense I always get from them all is the utter sense of despair and indescribable emotional pain of the protectors/ the adults at being stripped of their basic instinct to protect their vulnerable, their elderly and their children
And so whilst nothing can undo this, it cannot bring men back out of mass, shallow graves in Srebrenica and repatriate them for one last loving hug with their families, it cannot bring a glisten to the hollow eyes of the mother who sits staring at the wall every day in a refugee centre, wanting for a time that will never come again; something can be done to try and remind them that we care.
We are so, so fortunate to not have experienced what they have gone through, so I wanted to be part of the good work that the Healing Hands Network does, and that they have been doing in Bosnia for over 14 years. I will be working as a Holistic Therapist in their Sarajevo clinic and in their mobile outreach clinics with people who remain displaced over a decade on.
My last marathon was somewhat of a baptism of fire, running on a day when it was hotter than in Athens and watching someone lose his life on a pavement. I'm hoping this one will be calmer and who knows even I might enjoy this one.
So by running this marathon I am aiming to raise £750 so I can go to Bosnia in Spring/ Summer 2012 for two weeks to volunteer with Healing Hands. My employer, Deutsche Bank, match all funding by DB employees and up to £1000 from family and friends so I may raise enough to get another scouser massage therapist on board.
Just 3 hours away on a plane from the UK, in the early 1990s, generations of people in Bosnia had their lives changed forever. I cannot think of any worse pain than a mother or father losing their ability to protect their children and knowing that, in that moment, nothing will ever be the same again. How anyone can ever find peace again not knowing the fate of their most dearest loved ones, the people they have nurtured and protected thus far, is quite simply beyond my comprehension.
The images from the tv at the time are haunting, and there is one in particular of a little boy with his pet rabbit in Srebenica with all the other people seeking protection from the UN, thinking they’d be protected by the Dutch as the Serbians came in led by Ratko Mladic; I often wonder what happened to him as the massacre (Srebrenica genocide in which over 8000 people lost their lives) began not long after. The little lad just wanted his mum and dad – it’s so sad to think this was his experience of childhood.
I have read many books on World War 2, and indeed wrote all my French coursework on the Holocaust, the French Resistance and life under Nazi rule. I have read many books on Rwanda, Cambodia, Kosovo, Bosnia and the inescapable sense I always get from them all is the utter sense of despair and indescribable emotional pain of the protectors/ the adults at being stripped of their basic instinct to protect their vulnerable, their elderly and their children
And so whilst nothing can undo this, it cannot bring men back out of mass, shallow graves in Srebrenica and repatriate them for one last loving hug with their families, it cannot bring a glisten to the hollow eyes of the mother who sits staring at the wall every day in a refugee centre, wanting for a time that will never come again; something can be done to try and remind them that we care.
We are so, so fortunate to not have experienced what they have gone through, so I wanted to be part of the good work that the Healing Hands Network does, and that they have been doing in Bosnia for over 14 years. I will be working as a Holistic Therapist in their Sarajevo clinic and in their mobile outreach clinics with people who remain displaced over a decade on.
My last marathon was somewhat of a baptism of fire, running on a day when it was hotter than in Athens and watching someone lose his life on a pavement. I'm hoping this one will be calmer and who knows even I might enjoy this one.
I've done it!! Mission Fundraising accomplished
We counted the pot of money we've been collecting and it's meant I've reached my target for Marathon fundraising!! Woo hoo!!!
I have to raise £750 to go to Bosnia next year and work as a volunteer therapist.
As my employer also will match some (or most of it in fact) this is taking me well over the £1000 mark.
I can't thank the people who've supported me enough, we've been on this running and fundriaising since May and at times it feels like it will never end. Only 1% of people on this earth have ever run a marathon, and it's hard to explain how 'up and down' it can make you, but also how exhilarating it can be to acheive running distances you didnt think you could. It's not even about the distance to me it's about the mental strength and will power that we all have in us and often don't use!
I am going to Bosnia with Healing Hands Network, Sandra who heads it up was good enough to put an article in the charity newsletter this week to rally supporters to come and cheer me on.
In my next post I'm going to post the few words I wrote a while ago about why I wanted to do it: (also on my web link to the sponsorship page http://www.liverpool2bosnia.co.uk)
I have to raise £750 to go to Bosnia next year and work as a volunteer therapist.
As my employer also will match some (or most of it in fact) this is taking me well over the £1000 mark.
I can't thank the people who've supported me enough, we've been on this running and fundriaising since May and at times it feels like it will never end. Only 1% of people on this earth have ever run a marathon, and it's hard to explain how 'up and down' it can make you, but also how exhilarating it can be to acheive running distances you didnt think you could. It's not even about the distance to me it's about the mental strength and will power that we all have in us and often don't use!
I am going to Bosnia with Healing Hands Network, Sandra who heads it up was good enough to put an article in the charity newsletter this week to rally supporters to come and cheer me on.
In my next post I'm going to post the few words I wrote a while ago about why I wanted to do it: (also on my web link to the sponsorship page http://www.liverpool2bosnia.co.uk)
Happy 18th...mile :)
Last Sunday, well in fact the one before (18th September) i set out with my co-pilot Gill Torres on our biggest running test so far..18 miles from not far off Liverpool city centre to Liverpool airport and back.
The highlight humour-wise was me running into MacDonalds (havent been in one for decades) in full runninge gear, a belt full of running gels and the whole place just starred at me from behind their big macs; i felt like an utter idiot but I was glad for the bottle of water (and the wee!).
The biggest thing to spur me on was meeting James and John along Menlove Avenue (where John lennon lived) - from a distance I realised it was them as James taps his dad on the shoulder whilst running because James is blind. And he is running Liverpool marathon - it will be his 41st marathon. And his Dad is 73 and looking great on it. He doesn't run with a tether like other blind runners, he runs behind his dad and taps his shoulder. So we had a really good natter and found out we are all in the same starting pen on Oct 9th for Liverpool marathon.
They overtook me a few years ago in the Liverpool Half marathon and I remember being in awe of James then. And so as we went our separate running ways I had a spring in my step I hadn't had before as the two of them are a total inspiration and I can't wait to meet them again on the big day.
Here is an article about the pair of them in the Liverpool Daily Post:
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2011/09/03/inspirational-blind-runner-to-run-liverpool-marathon-his-41st-26-miler-alongside-his-73-year-old-dad-100252-29353404/
Thursday, 22 September 2011
DIY SOS Day with Nick Knowles
Last Wednesday (September 14th) I went with some workmates and 2 friends (Kate and Soraya)to work on a Children in Need Special DIY SOS Norris Green Youth Centre. It was a ten day project to rebuild and refurbishment of their building. This was 10 times larger than any of the building projects undertaken by the DIY SOS team in their previous series.
We joined in to help paint, dig, construct fences, clean, move vast amounts of building material and generally get covered in wet plaster (which then set on my knees) and window foam and dust.
The food they made us was immense, and we sat next to Billy from DIY SOS for our dinner. The spirit and atmosphere was really cracking to see everyone there giving up there time to help a place which has become " a beacon of hope within the community, committed to offering young people from the area an equal chance to achieve and gain positive life experiences".
It will be shown during Children in Need, and as I couldn't go back for the reveal day I am really looking forward to watching the show to see what it looked like finished.
We then had a couple of drinks down at Rigbys, 3 girls - looking like a bunch of dusty builders - we got some hilarious looks from people - mainly men!
As they say you have to be the change you want to see in the world. Simple.
Monday, 12 September 2011
Free as a bird....
I watched this during my late lunch. Sent by Ms Torres who knew I'd love it.
A young whale, trapped in nets is happened upon and saved. You should see his reaction when he is freed - it's totally amazing and very uplifting.
A young whale, trapped in nets is happened upon and saved. You should see his reaction when he is freed - it's totally amazing and very uplifting.
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