#261: Dir of Largest Christian Humanitarian Org Halting Long Walks for Water, As She Runs Marathons for Team World Vision

She's the national director of the world's largest Christian humanitarian organization that's been helping people in poverty for 75 years, across 100 different countries. And later this week, this mom and recent cancer survivor is running the Berlin Marathon for the cause...while I'm training now to run the NYC Marathon this fall for Team World Vision too!

(3:20) Lyndsey Dean Ratchford aka "LDR" leads Team World Vision. During her more than a dozen years with the organization, she's personally raised $250,000 to help bring clean water to more than 4,000 people. We start with her journey to running and TWV that started back in college, with she and a friend healing from failed relationships. 6 years ago, she took on the national dir role for the largest non-governmental supplier of water in the world, all in the name of Jesus.

(9:23) LDR also saw the struggle for herself, walking with two moms in North Kenya, an 8 hour and 11 mile roundtrip - that journey featured in a new documentary "Long Walk For Water" being shown soon at film festivals. (19:40) She also touches on the Biblical principals of the nonprofit...how generosity is the currency of the Kingdom of God...and how Jesus showed us the power of relationships. TWV has showed her how everyday people can do extraordinary things through the power of God, including hard things - like running a marathon.

(25:55) She's about to run her 5th full marathon for this charity, her first being Los Angeles in 2014. She talked about her favorites that include the NYC Marathon (she's got some tips) which I will be running this November 2 with Team World Vision. Here's how you can support me and the cause with a child sponsorship: https://www.teamworldvision.org/participants/423982.

(32:09) We also discuss the differences in spiritual fundraising...what sponsoring a child for $39/month really does...how our Christian values play into this giving...how TWV spends money you donate, including the strategic plans of how to solve the global clean water crisis. Here's more on the organization: https://www.teamworldvision.org/home

(44:50) Last year at age 42, LDR also battled breast cancer and has a God story about her cancer doctor who ran the same London Marathon she/husband did in 2024. Now cancer free, she's grateful for things that got her through a horrendous year: faith, family, and fitness. And you can still support LDR, almost at her fundraising goal for the Berlin Marathon: https://www.teamworldvision.org/participants/Lyndsey-DeaneRatchford-2024

(51:33) We wrap the podcast episode up with how fitness intertwines with her/our faith walk. Can we hear God better when we're moving? LDR also closes us out in prayer.

On your journeys of fitness and faith, we are helping you stay motivated to be stronger physically and spiritually on the new RUN THE RACE podcast. Host Jason Dennis - veteran WTVM news anchor, marathon runner and missionary, will talk to experts and people with inspiring stories as we dig deeper into the mind, body and soul.