Since the beginning Eric Jager has been supporting Ruach’s work in county Dorset in the United Kingdom. We have known each other since our student days and we have kept in touch ever since.
Eric started off his work for Ruach by translating into English the Dutch blogs that are published on the Vivir Juntos website, and soon were spreading news about Ruach’s work and raised funds in their circle in Sherborne where they live. When I visited Sherborne in March, I made a presentation about our work and was able to personally thank many of our well-wishers there, in particular members of the Anglican Parish who through the Faith-In-Action Committee made a generous donation to our work in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Eric also raises funds for us through his running. In November last year Eric ran his 2nd Ruach run of 31 km in the beautiful hills around Sherborne (see picture above).
His 3rd Ruach run
He is now preparing himself for his 3rd Ruach run for which he has raised the bar to run 50 km on 14th September 2019 in Winschoten, his home town in the north east of the Netherlands. Eric tells us a little about what drives him and how he prepares for the run:
“My involvement with Ruach has given me a lot of happiness ever since I got involved in 2015. My Dutch friend Astrid Delleman and her Nicaraguan colleagues in Juigalpa have made such a difference to the care for intellectually disabled adults in Nicaragua, in fact so much has been achieved with tremendous spirit and little money that it is truly amazing. Ruach deserves every penny of support they may get and I’d like them to succeed in taking their work to the next level, which is the expansion of their work with intellectually disabled adults in their Activities Centre; and above all to become less dependent on external donations through developing income generating enterprises or activities. If I can contribute to this, I’m more than happy to do the running!”
“The Run of Winschoten is not new to me. It is the annual official Dutch championships for the 100 km which attracts competitors from all over the world. The 50 km race and the 10 times 10 km relay race are the two main side events. I participated in the 50 km race in 2011 when I had just turned 55 years. But it is 8 years later now, and I can by no means take for granted that I can complete the distance this year. Just before Easter my preparations were well on course, but a minor but persistent injury kept me out of serious running for about two months. Now I’m training very hard to give myself a running chance of completing the distance on 14 September within the 6-hour time limit. On 17th August I’ve planned a 35-40 km training run with Sherborne SPFit team mates. It’s impossible in hilly Dorset to mimic the Dutch flatness, but we’ll do our best to plan a route that has a minimum of very steep sections!”
Will you support Eric?
We’d really like to bring Eric’s run to your attention and would like to encourage you to make a donation to Ruach via the Ruach Foundation page on the website of Global Giving: No amount is too small!
Global Giving is an international organisation that vets charities from all over the world and then helps those selected with fundraising. At the time of writing Ruach has got Superstar status within Global Giving as it is ranked 376 out of 5,238 member charities.
A gift via Global Giving on the dot of 12 August, 14:00 BST (UK time) or as soon as possible after that time would be even more valuable for Ruach. From that date and time Global Giving organizes the Little-by-Little matching fund campaign, which means that Global Giving will top up your gift up to $50 (or equivalent in £ or €) by 60%. However, the matching funds are restricted to $60,000, and they will be applied on ‘first come, first served’ basis. A timely donation of £5.00 will become £8.00 therefore, or even £10 if you are an English tax payer and can claim 25% Gift Aid!
You can also help us by bringing Eric’s fundraiser to the attention of friends and family to increase the chance that more people will support Eric’s initiative. Together we can make a bigger difference!
Promotion of Eric’s run in the UK
‘Supporting Children with Special Education Needs’
Eric’s 50 km run is also in support of the Dorset based Hidden Needs Trust. The Hidden Needs Trust is an organisation that resembles Ruach as it also does amazing work in giving children with special needs a chance to be the best they can be and contribute to a more human society.
Eric’s promise to all people who donate via Global Giving for his 3rd Ruach run: I will match your donation to Ruach with the same amount for the Hidden Needs Trust from ‘my-work-for-charity fund’
You can read more about this in the blog: ‘Dogsbody for Ruach’ on www.vivirjuntos.org.
