Clicktivist to Activist

World News & Perspectives
Thus was born a campaign to get
100,000 of the Philippine’s 1 million Seventh-day
Adventists to pledge 20 pesos,
about 46 cents U.S., every Sabbath for the
next five years. It is to this campaign that
pedicab driver Magaad is donating.
“When I first saw that [video] clip,”
Thorpe said, “I wept. This is the vision
of taking the gospel to the cities.” n
■■north america
Kenyan Adventist Wins NYC Marathon’s
Women’s Section
Also, Colorado Adventists raise funds for vulnerable children
Seventh-day Adventists
played several roles in
the 2013 INC New York City
Marathon on November 3,
2013. A Kenyan Adventist
won the women’s division of
the race, along with a U.S.
$500,000 prize.
Also, two Adventists from
Colorado ran to help vulnerable
children around the
world.
Kenyan Priscah Jeptoo not
only participated in her first
New York City Marathon
that day, but also finished
photo: AP/Kathy Willens
Need caption head: Priscah Jeptoo (center) a
Seventh-day Adventist from Kenya, poses with
fellow competitors after winning the women’s
title at the New York City Marathon on November
3. Jeptoo is a member of the Adventist Athletic
Association in Kenya.
first, with a time of 2:25:07. She crossed the line 49 seconds
ahead of the second-place women’s finisher, Buzunesh
Deba. With the victory, Jeptoo earned the World Marathon
Majors women’s title, and the $500,000 bonus that comes
with it.
Jeptoo’s church pastor, Noah Kipkoeth Chumo, says that
the church prayed for her. “We are very thankful for Priscah.
She and her husband are very dedicated and committed to
the church.” Chumo explains that Jeptoo’s husband has
been called to be a deacon in the church next year, adding
that “when she comes back from New York, we will have a
special celebration.”
(Editor’s Note: The January 2014 issue of Adventist World magazine
will feature a longer report on Jeptoo’s win.)
Among the 50,000 other enthusiastic runners were David
Kennedy (right), pastor of the Newday Christian Seventhday
Adventist Church in Parker, Colorado, and his friend
and church member Scott Miller. The Coloradans ran with
Team World Vision to raise awareness of vulnerable children
worldwide.
Kennedy said, “Our church has worked with World Vision
for the past 10 years in Rwanda, so we’ve seen firsthand the
Photo: Courtesy of David Kennedy and Scott Miller
GOING THE DISTANCE: David Kennedy
(right) and Scott Miller ran the New York
City Marathon to raise money for vulnerable
children. They attend the Newday Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Parker, Colorado,
where Kennedy is the pastor.
way they are able to transform a community through child
sponsorship. When we were invited to run the New York
City Marathon to raise awareness and money for child protection,
it was a win-win—support a fantastic organization
that does incredible work rescuing and protecting vulnerable
children, and get to run one of the most epic marathons
in the world.”
The 32-member Team World Vision collectively raised
more than $208,000, with donations still coming in. Kennedy
exceeded his personal fund-raising goal of $6,100, and
finished the race in 3:44:52. Miller exceeded his goal of
$5,000, and finished the marathon in 3:43:46. “That money
will be used in places such as Bangladesh and Cambodia to
fight child slavery and sex trafficking,” Kennedy said.
During the race, when things got tough, he said, “We
thought of children in dark places all over the world, and
that gave us motivation to keep running. We were running
for them.”
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization
that tackles the causes of poverty and injustice regardless of
religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. n
—reported by Adventist Review staff and Diane Thurber
12 (1036) | www.AdventistReview.org | November 21, 2013