The spirit in which John has set himself such an ambitious challenge is inspiring to me.  When I first came to work at AbleChildAfrica I’d never thought of undertaking physical challenges like these!  Yet here I am 6 years, a Marathon, a Triathlon and a Half Marathon later.  I hardly have the shape for it and, I have to confess, I dont always throughly enjoy it (!) but I love the discipline of setting yourself a challenge and going for it!  These physical challenges have taught me a lot about focus and determination and keeping going when the going gets tough.  I always say that as long as your ‘reasonably fit’ most people can physically achieve these challenges – yes they are hard and, you might not be fast – but your body can rise to the challenge!  The question is always whether your mind can rise to the challenge?  Whether you want to suceed enough?  When I was struggling (and I mean struggling) around Silverstone in the Half Marathon earlier this month I quite literally kept myself going by thinking about the people we work with.  By remembering the times when I have visited children in villages in Africa who have been kept locked up inside because their parents are afraid and ashamed of their disability, by thinking of the women, mothers of disabled children who have given up their lives to change the lives of their children and by remembering that Anne, who had polio as a child in Africa herself was racing ahead of me and wouldnt be impressed if I gave up!

John will need all the mental courage and positive thinking he can muster to make it through 3 marathons this year.  Why not give him a push by leaving a comment on his website or a donation on his giving page.  Every little positive action – when they are all stuck together – can make the changes we want to see in this world.

The feedback from the training, which was to help exsisting teachers to work with children with special needs more effectively, was excellent and we are so grateful to Katherine for giving her time and energy to make the training happen. Just before Christmas Kat also arranged for an art day for some of the disabled children whom we work with – As you can see from this picture they seem to have had an amazing time! Some of their work will be on show at an event in London which will take place in June!

Want to go the Extra-Mile to help Disabled Children in Africa? Get in touch with maryann [at] ablechildafrica.org.uk and keep watching this space for details aboout more ways to help!