Run for Ratanak
My name is Colin Bruins and I am running for a reason.
I am 27 years old living in Stettler AB. Canada.
I grew up in small town Alberta and have been sheltered from a lot of the major trauma's and social disasters that I heard about on the news. A few months ago I was at my computer casually checking my facebook account when I came accross a link my friend Treven told me to check out. had a yearning to support a cause that was beyond what I could fathom or grasp. The video presentation was on on the value of human life and how that value is diminished when people are sold and bought like other commodoties.
I was shocked as I heard children as young as 6 years old were being used for sexual favors by their owners a half a world away in Cambodia. I was even more shocked to learn that several desperate parents would sell their own children for as little as $30 just to make ends meet. Having four children of my own, the thought of them being sold as an animal sickened me. This was the first time I was confronted with the reality of Human Trafficking and its global epidemic around the world.
After that presentation which was given by Country Singing Star Paul Brandt, I felt like I had to do something more than merely sit back and agree that what was going on was aweful. During Paul's presentation, he mentioned an individual who was inspired to cycle a long distance to raise money to bring Awareness to Human Trafficking. That is how I became aware of Ratatank International.
At first I casually looked at www.ratanak.org to see what information that I could glean more about the Human Trafficking issue. It was there that I was able to first be acquainted with its founder McConaghy. I was inspired even further to do something to raise money for this organization when I heard, how Brian, a former police officer, wanted to get a couple of suit cases of medical supplies into the country. After several people heard about his cause, two suitcases turned into nine tones of medical supplies. Brian deliberately went into harms way to make sure that the people of Cambodia, had basic medical supplies. Brian and the medical supplies were detained in Cambodial. After being interviewd on state television he was later seen as an ally to the Cambodian people and was later released along with the medical supplies. This was how Ratanak started. Ratanak (meaning precious gem) was a girl who died of Dengue Fever when there was still a UN embargo over Cambodia and no medication or aid was allowed in. It is for this type of courage, and for speaking up for voices that are muffled under adult manipulation and greed that I have gained a heart of compassion for the people of Cambodia.
I later got in contact with Brian to tell him about my fundraising idea to do a race of some sort to raise funds for Ratanak. I drove five hours one day to hear him speak on the injustices in Cambodia and the hope that Ratanak was giving to several girls and woman there. I was inspired at how projects like their "New Song" Centre was helping girls who were once trapped in an endless cycle of usery, were able to tranform their lives into something greater. Many girls have gone from living on the streets to owning their own seamstress shops, or bakeries.
After getting in touch with Brian, I was further encouraged to run by hearing the story of a man named Larry. Larry had never really ran in his life until he was inspired by the stories of Ratanak International to raise money for specific projects that Ratanak is involved in. Larry has gone all the way to the Boston Marathon to raise awareness of Human Trafficking and the work that Ratanak International does to address the issue. I have contacted a local T-Shirt designer to get a couple t-shirts made, have had someone dontate an item from their home business for raffle, and am getting the word out about Ratanak through word of mouth and social media. I have also been inspired to create a blog that I will use to highlight my journey for fundraising with Ratanak. www.rhythmsofasojourner.weebly.com.
Having trained and run for a 1/2 Marathon last year, I am looking forward to when I run May 22nd in Red Deer Alberta at the Woody's Marathon for Ratank International.
Contact E-mail for me: [email protected]
(Image from: http://forum.belmont.edu/bfitbu/2010/09/interested_in_running.html)
My name is Colin Bruins and I am running for a reason.
I am 27 years old living in Stettler AB. Canada.
I grew up in small town Alberta and have been sheltered from a lot of the major trauma's and social disasters that I heard about on the news. A few months ago I was at my computer casually checking my facebook account when I came accross a link my friend Treven told me to check out. had a yearning to support a cause that was beyond what I could fathom or grasp. The video presentation was on on the value of human life and how that value is diminished when people are sold and bought like other commodoties.
I was shocked as I heard children as young as 6 years old were being used for sexual favors by their owners a half a world away in Cambodia. I was even more shocked to learn that several desperate parents would sell their own children for as little as $30 just to make ends meet. Having four children of my own, the thought of them being sold as an animal sickened me. This was the first time I was confronted with the reality of Human Trafficking and its global epidemic around the world.
After that presentation which was given by Country Singing Star Paul Brandt, I felt like I had to do something more than merely sit back and agree that what was going on was aweful. During Paul's presentation, he mentioned an individual who was inspired to cycle a long distance to raise money to bring Awareness to Human Trafficking. That is how I became aware of Ratatank International.
At first I casually looked at www.ratanak.org to see what information that I could glean more about the Human Trafficking issue. It was there that I was able to first be acquainted with its founder McConaghy. I was inspired even further to do something to raise money for this organization when I heard, how Brian, a former police officer, wanted to get a couple of suit cases of medical supplies into the country. After several people heard about his cause, two suitcases turned into nine tones of medical supplies. Brian deliberately went into harms way to make sure that the people of Cambodia, had basic medical supplies. Brian and the medical supplies were detained in Cambodial. After being interviewd on state television he was later seen as an ally to the Cambodian people and was later released along with the medical supplies. This was how Ratanak started. Ratanak (meaning precious gem) was a girl who died of Dengue Fever when there was still a UN embargo over Cambodia and no medication or aid was allowed in. It is for this type of courage, and for speaking up for voices that are muffled under adult manipulation and greed that I have gained a heart of compassion for the people of Cambodia.
I later got in contact with Brian to tell him about my fundraising idea to do a race of some sort to raise funds for Ratanak. I drove five hours one day to hear him speak on the injustices in Cambodia and the hope that Ratanak was giving to several girls and woman there. I was inspired at how projects like their "New Song" Centre was helping girls who were once trapped in an endless cycle of usery, were able to tranform their lives into something greater. Many girls have gone from living on the streets to owning their own seamstress shops, or bakeries.
After getting in touch with Brian, I was further encouraged to run by hearing the story of a man named Larry. Larry had never really ran in his life until he was inspired by the stories of Ratanak International to raise money for specific projects that Ratanak is involved in. Larry has gone all the way to the Boston Marathon to raise awareness of Human Trafficking and the work that Ratanak International does to address the issue. I have contacted a local T-Shirt designer to get a couple t-shirts made, have had someone dontate an item from their home business for raffle, and am getting the word out about Ratanak through word of mouth and social media. I have also been inspired to create a blog that I will use to highlight my journey for fundraising with Ratanak. www.rhythmsofasojourner.weebly.com.
Having trained and run for a 1/2 Marathon last year, I am looking forward to when I run May 22nd in Red Deer Alberta at the Woody's Marathon for Ratank International.
Contact E-mail for me: [email protected]
(Image from: http://forum.belmont.edu/bfitbu/2010/09/interested_in_running.html)
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