Inclusive Running Club Impact: Timothy’s Story

Timothy is a 5-year-old boy who struggled with feeling different from other children because of his disability. One day this changed, however, when he attended an inclusive Youth Running Club at his local church in Kenya. The inclusive Running Club, developed by the Micah 6:8 Foundation and piloted and implemented by Kupenda for the Children, is part of an initiative to promote inclusion between children with and without disabilities. For children like Timothy, attending the Running Club meant the difference between believing he was cursed and being hidden away for having a disability to becoming a valued member of his community.

More Than Just Running

Each week, Timothy attended the Running Club, which holistically paired physical activity with social, spiritual, and educational content. The children not only learned about running but about the value of others who may be different.

At first, Timothy felt self-conscious about his disability and was visibly fearful. At one point, he even pulled his chair away from the group, intimidated to interact with or be close to the other children.

By the second meeting, however, Timothy’s coaches reviewed a lesson on the meaning of inclusion and what barriers may exist to achieving it. They could see that, while Timothy was still not completely at ease, his interest was piqued. He also seemed more curious about the other children in the group.

Finding Value in Unexpected Places

As he continued attending more meetings, Timothy not only developed an enjoyment of running, but he also began to learn he had value. When he learned scripture from the Bible, he began to understand that he was a child of God, made in his image. He also learned that this applied to the other children in this group—that they were also loved by God. Furthermore, he understood that God wanted all of them to share this love with one another. As a result, he slowly began to step out and increase his interactions with others. He also began to understand the need to live in community and the meaningfulness it can bring!

Today, Timothy no longer fears others or excludes himself from community life. As he reflects on Christ’s example, he is more confident in going out and sharing the message of loving inclusion with others.

As a result of your support, not only are children of all abilities learning that they have value, but they are able to demonstrate it to others. Thank you for strengthening entire communities to embrace children like Timothy and mutually benefit from living in loving inclusion!

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