I've used the cold weather to not run so many times this year.  Bailey, my running partner does not understand this.  In her mind, running without fences is a joy despite any kind of meteorological conditions.  I have slacked off the evidence are shown on the scale and the length of Bailey's toenails.  Now that my mileage is getting back to pre-winter levels my body is telling me that I should have sucked it up and got out there when it was cold.  Now that daylight is starting back into our mornings, the promise of a post run sunrise really starts my day off right.  It is a glorious sign that the day will be good.

Heartline provides this kind of hope to those in their ministry.  If you took a look at the summary of Heartline ministries you will see they have a men's discipleship program.  When we were in Haiti last summer we help build the bakery for the men's program.  My job for the most part was helping build the septic system (a hole 15'x15' by 10' deep).  My team was responsible for hauling the dirt dug out of "the hole" in wheelbarrows about 100 yards away.  The ancient wheelbarrows seemed to be made for someone about 4'6" high.  I had to crouch to keep the dirt from spilling out. And they had been repaired with welded rebar that was shin high.  Any time I got the handles too high, the front of the wheelbarrow would catch on a rock, stopping the wheelbarrow and send my shins painfully into the rebar.  This happened dozens of times.  It soon became a joke to the team.  My bloody shins were not.  At 90° and 90% humidity it was grueling.  I was hot, tired and my shins hurt but I was strangely exhilarated by the whole task and the team was in high spirits.

Thank you for following this event, your support and any donations.  When I figure out how to post pictures to my updates I will post some along with some more stories.

Curt