This past Saturday (10th March 2018) I attended my first run for the Bible-less event ever. Run for the Bible-less is an event organized by Bible Translation and Literacy, an organization that facilitates Bible translation, sustainable literacy and language development programmes among small language groups in Kenya and beyond. The purpose of the run is to create awareness about the need for the translation of the Bible to ethnic languages that can be understood by the different ethnic groups in Kenya and through the awareness created raise funds that facilitate the translation task.
I had an opportunity to attend the run last year but I ended up not going, I was at home at the time and despite my numerous efforts to build myself up for the event the evening before, I overslept and didn't go. Instead I stayed at home and had to hear stories about the happenings of the event from my nephew who went for the event with his school.
Fast forward to this year, when the opportunity for me to attend the run presented itself, I just couldn't miss. This was made easier by the fact that I was at school and that I had friends who were heavily invested in attending the run and in ensuring that everyone else and I attended.
The event was held at Uhuru gardens, that was where the main event was taking place and where the run would start. I arrived at Uhuru gardens at 7:15, I was in the fourth bus that left the university that morning together with the other students.
The run was very well organized. When you arrived at the garden, you were welcomed in, and as you entered, there were volunteers and helpers who guided you and handed you a flyer that described the schedule for the day and a map of the routes for the 10 km run and the 4km walk. You were then guided to an open field in the the garden where a stage was set.
Reaching the open field, there was already a crowd of people gathered and on the podium were the events organizers and guests including the chief guest- the vice president of Kenya- who to my surprise had arrived early.
We had a brief moment where the event organizers talked about the purpose of the event, then the vice president being the chief guest also had an opportunity to say a word or two, we were afterwards given direction as to where where both the run and walk would start and we were off to start off the run. A prayer was said before the beginning of the run. "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen." shouted the crowd as the vice president flagged off the run and we were off on our heels.
I decided to do the the 10km run instead of the of the 4km walk. I have always had this idea in my head that I am a good runner this was my day to prove it. I started the run on a positive stride but with each passing moment it became very clear that I am not a good runner. I burned out very fast and couldn't sustain running for longer periods of time. Anyway I finished the 10km run alternating between running and walking. I got my "participation trophy", a certificate that said that I had finished the 10km run. Proud of myself.
All in all the event was great, I especially liked the performances by the various gospel artists that came to support the event, the dancing especially the VP doing modern dance routines, the generous contributions of funds from various people that will help a lot in the translation of the Bible in more languages while also not forgetting the amazing photography. See you at the run in 2019.
