{"id":4308,"date":"2010-07-02T23:57:00","date_gmt":"2010-07-02T23:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/2010\/07\/02\/mind-the-gap"},"modified":"2017-09-12T07:36:43","modified_gmt":"2017-09-12T13:36:43","slug":"mind-the-gap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/?p=4308","title":{"rendered":"Mind the Gap"},"content":{"rendered":"<script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"22826\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"22827\">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<\/script><div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<p>I would like to start writing about my experience in Kenya this year with one of the most personally powerful experiences I had while there this year. I shared this story with our group during our <span class=\"goog-spellcheck-word\">de<\/span>-briefing session on one of our last days in Kenya, but would like to elaborate and expand upon it here&#8230;..<\/p>\n<p>When I was 17 years old, I left my faith. I felt no connection to God, and couldn&#8217;t continue to stay in something I didn&#8217;t believe in. For the next 20 years I continued down\u00a0my own\u00a0path, carving out my own beliefs and convictions through life experiences, but in no way was I connected spiritually to anything&#8230;.<\/p>\n<p>In Jan 2007, my little sister and best friend was hit by a car accidentally while she was jogging. She had no ID on her, and I remember watching the news story that night about it, and felt in my heart it was her, but didn&#8217;t want to believe it. It wasn&#8217;t until my Mom called me early the next morning asking me if I knew where she was, that I knew it was her on the news the night before&#8230;.<\/p>\n<p>As we kissed her and whispered our goodbyes into her ear before we took her off life support, I bent down and whispered to her &#8221; I love you sis, but it should have been me&#8230;&#8221;, and I cursed God for what he had allowed to happen.<\/p>\n<p>I few months later, I started to come to the \u00a0realization that I wanted to do more with my life, and in wanting to try to connect with my community and feel meaning and purpose, I started running 5K&#8217;s in my sister&#8217;s memory. Which brought me to the World of Difference 5K in Sept 2008. I remember when I first told Ranger and Jodi about the circumstances surrounding how I found out about their organization, they commented on how funny it was that life works in the way that it does&#8230;..<br \/>\n_____________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;\">THE NIGHT WE ALL REMEMBER<\/span><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/cc0f5-photo28729.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/cc0f5-photo28729.jpg?resize=475%2C328&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"475\" height=\"328\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/0f013-photo28429.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/0f013-photo28429.jpg?resize=200%2C200&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/e575f-photo28529.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/e575f-photo28529.jpg?resize=200%2C200&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">While working on the schools in the slums of Nairobi this year, we reached the point of completing our roof structure model\u00a0at Isaac&#8217;s, and thus started the back breaking process of mixing ingredients for cement,<\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\u00a0<a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/27c41-photo28629.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/27c41-photo28629.jpg?resize=400%2C313&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"400\" height=\"313\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">shoveling it in buckets, and lifting it up to the roof, thus pouring the buckets into the mold.<\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/9279e-photo.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/9279e-photo.jpg?resize=381%2C400&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"381\" height=\"400\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">This was all done by hand, with forty white people working together with the Kenyan community towards a common goal.<\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\u00a0<a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/8846c-photo28329.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/8846c-photo28329.jpg?resize=400%2C400&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">Several hours into this, our team was silently screaming for a break. We were worn out, exhausted,dehydrated, and defeated (physically and emotionally). I personally felt that my body could not lift one more bucket, I could not shovel any more cement, and\u00a0I thought I was going to die. I couldn&#8217;t do any more, even though i wanted not to quit.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">As we took a short break, I went to Isaac, and asked him to come into a back room of the school. Once there, I broke down, and begged Isaac to say a prayer for me, and the team. I&#8217;ve never, ever, asked anyone to pray for me in my entire life.<\/div>\n<table class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/49dd8-img_0133.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/49dd8-img_0133.jpg?resize=320%2C320&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"320\" height=\"320\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><b>Isaac &amp; I<\/b><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">I could barely stand as Isaac grabbed both of my hands and offered a prayer to God. His words were so powerful. As his prayer was ending, I could feel strength soaring through my body, my eyes were brimming with tears of joy, and my soul felt a warmth I&#8217;ve never known before.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">I realized that although my gap with God was miles away ( in my eyes) that his higher power has never left me. I knew in that moment that God guided me to the World of Difference 5K, answered all the prayers that helped me to recover a week before our expedition, and that he has brought me to Africa to help me learn of the power I have inside myself to help others <span class=\"goog-spellcheck-word\">thru<\/span> service.<\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/78ecc-photo28229.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/78ecc-photo28229.jpg?resize=400%2C293&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"400\" height=\"293\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">I am so thankful to have narrowed this Gap.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0And for all those who were a part of it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/18b83-35393_10150219554265243_838665242_13267627_7611608_n.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/18b83-35393_10150219554265243_838665242_13267627_7611608_n.jpg?resize=320%2C179&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"320\" height=\"179\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"blogger-post-footer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I would like to start writing about my experience in Kenya this year with one [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4517,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"googlesitekit_rrm_CAowqprcCw:productID":"","_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[],"tags":[2214,26271,43345935,488898],"class_list":["post-4308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-africa","tag-journey","tag-support-kenya","tag-wod"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/49dd8-img_0133.jpg?fit=1196%2C1196&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p99I7P-17u","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4308"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4308\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6255,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4308\/revisions\/6255"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}