Today was supposed to be the day when I would tell all my friends and colleagues I will be running the Berlin marathon this September to raise money for Oxfam.
I wanted to tell you why I decided to run for an organization whose work I have supported for some years now. This post was supposed to give you a sense of the enthusiasm and trepidation with which I will be training and racing over the next few months to support Oxfam’s humanitarian work. I will hopefully get the chance to do this again later.
But over the weekend, disaster struck in Nepal. As I am sure you all know, an earthquake devastated this impoverished country, destroyed its limited infrastructures and the old city of Kathmandu. As I write, the death toll has already passed 3,600, thousands more have been injured, and tens of thousands find themselves homeless, desperate for shelter, food, and the basic necessities we all take for granted.
The Oxfam team in Nepal has been assessing humanitarian needs and a team will soon fly out of the UK to provide clean water, sanitation, and emergency food supplies.
I don’t just run for Oxfam to demonstrate my commitment to their values or my solidarity with all of those who suffer from poverty and disease. I support Oxfam because they are there when disaster hits as it did in Nepal this weekend. They work hard and effectively to respond to critical emergencies like this one. But they cannot do it alone. They need us, all of us, and whatever we can give to help their relief operations.
If you want to help, you can use the JustGiving page I just set up in preparation for my marathon:
https://www.justgiving.com/pierreisrunningforoxfam/
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
Thank you very much in advance!!
