The sounds of a YMCA pool fill your ears; water cascading in the over-flow, kids laughing and splashing, instructors giving pointers, parents talking in the seats, and that one kid screaming as he clutches the side of the pool for dear life due to his fear of going under the water.
If we flash back 30+ years ago, that kid screaming on the side of the pool was me. As much as I don’t want to admit it to myself or anyone else, that is where my lack of swimming skill was honed, while white-knuckled and red-faced. Two weeks ago I walked back in to the exact same YMCA and faced the exact same pool where I had unfinished business.
At 6:00 a.m., with a smile on her face, my swimming coach said, “Swim to the end and back, so I can see what we have to work with.” A little while later as I finished one slow lap of the pool and clutched the exact same pool-side, she followed up her first comment with, “Well, you made it.” We then started where I left off so many years ago, drill after drill of putting my face in the water and swimming. This time without using any arms or hands for a full two weeks worth of training.
My struggle with swimming somewhat reflects the struggle that so many kids around the world have every day of their lives. They have to be uncomfortable, nervous and even fearful of what their day or weeks will have in store for them. A big difference is that I have a choice to do something about my struggle with swimming. The orphans on the streets of Lusaka, Zambia or Tegucigalpa, Honduras, don’t have the choice to make theirs go away. In Zambia alone there is reported to be over 1 million orphans. This gives it the highest number of orphans per capita in the world.
With numbers like that, so many of us wonder how can we make a difference. That is why I am pursuing the Ironman Triathlon with a goal of raising $20,000.00. If this goal is met, we could send 500,000 meals or, put another way, feed 685 kids two meals a day for an entire year.
Join me now by becoming a partner. Donate today to help kids like these face their challenges and fears head on. Simply click the button below and choose “#TRI2FEED Ironman Triathlon.”
Or, text your donation. Text the dollar amount you wish to give to 28950 and designate “ftnkids.” You’ll then be prompted to provide your credit card and contact information.
