The trip to D.C. has been an adventure all to itself and the run hasn’t even officially begun yet. some of these adventuresome times have been good and sometimes they have been on the undesirable side, but in all we have felt blessed to be here.

After two missed flights and a foot run over by a car (not mine I’m happy to report - my daughter’s ) we finally flew into D.C. and walked out of the airport into a place so humid it feels like we should be able to swim anywhere we might need to go. my girls were searching for the swim goggles and bathing suits when I finally gave them the low down on this mysterious new weather phenomena known as humidity. They didn’t stick around long to hear me blab, but instead they took off running to the air conditioned van.

This has already been one of the most amazing times of my life. It has been so tiring and draining with all the preparations and all, but the people we have met these last few days have been world class people. Today as I drove down the street, my daughter remarked that each person we were excited to introduce our daughters to have been SOOOO nice. I had to take one of those teachable moments to remind us all that wisely choosing friends is one of the most important activities we undertake i this life. Our friends often have the most influential perspectives to either help us change the world or to hinder us - keeping us in our current comfortable life rhythms.

First of all, meeting Theresa Flores was wonderful. She is an amazing woman who has persevered through so very much. The thing that I really must applaud her for, though, is her humble non-judgmental attitude toward those who inflicted such severe abuse for those hellish years of her life. Though she draws so much from her past in awakening the public outrage necessary to motivate change and and inspire compassion for those victims who fear for their lives every day, her life is about her future. Otherwise she would still not be free; her present would be too bound up by the stronger-than-steel cords of hate and anger from her past.

Today we also met with Marcia Dyson. What an angel and a lifesaver she has been to me and to this cause. Of course after my daughters autographed her whole house with their fingerprints and pulled down the curtains (rod and all) I wasn’t so sure she reciprocated as much excitement for our visit, but even in that I was pleasantly surprised. She just laughed and said that there was nothing they could do that her granddaughter either ‘hasn’t done’ or ‘hasn’t done yet!’ Then compound that angel heart with the brilliant mind she has a go-getter and you can begin to see why Rebecca and I thank God above for arranging for our paths to cross on this miraculous Run4 The Rescue.

One last thing to say.

If you are ever planning to drive around Washington D.C. - Get a GPS locator to guide you on your way. We just got one today and I now have hope that I can get to my appointments on time without losing my way to Annapolis!

I have long since been an admirer of the great American abolitionist “Frederick Douglass”. I recently had a fantastic discussion with one of the founders of the Frederick Douglass Family Foundation, also a descendant of Frederick Douglass.

I went back and was touched again by the famous speech that Frederick Douglass delivered on July 4th.

“What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelly to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy - a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.

Go where you may, search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the old world, travel through South America, search out every abuse, and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me, that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival.”

It is a terrible truth to bear, but millions of people are living in slavery in much the same way that they were hundreds of years ago.

This Independence Day when you celebrate your freedom, please think of those who do not have that luxury. Lets join together in prayer and action to end the suffering of the 27 million living in slavery today.

Hey guys,

If you’re reading here, you might be missing out on what’s most current with the Run 4 The Rescue. We are now keeping everyone up to date at www.run4therescue.com .

I won’t blogging here for the next few months, but will be focusing all my attentions on the new site.See ya there! and don’t forget to comment.

click here to go to the new site

Last week I had the privilege of traveling with my wife and one of our sweet daughters to Las Vegas to take part in an amazing candle light vigil organized by Shared Hope International and hosted by Christians Against Sexual Slavery. It was a whirlwind trip with delayed planes and lost flights, but it was well worth the effort in return for some of the phenomenal friends I met and made wile there. I wish I had time to tell you about meeting up with the Jonas Brothers and how excited they are to drive awareness of Human trafficking to the younger generation. I wish even more that that was true!

Given the lateness of the hour, I’ll post some photos and save the big story telling for another day!

I think if we got Tina and Theresa Flores (another survivor who is a world renowned author and activist for freedom on the issue of domestic trafficking) together in the same room, it just might be powerful enough to bring the house down!

Thanks Guys and keep the energy and prayers flowing to move forward this cause.

And if you do know the Jonas Brothers? send them our way!

For all of those who grew up imagining high adventure in the days of kings and queens, I have a fantastic story. In those gallant stories of old, brave knights would sacrifice life and limb to rescue the helpless maiden from certain death at the hand of the cold-blooded villain.

Same story here, but there’s just a little good old-fashioned Shakespearean role confusion.

A REAL princess (I know because it says so on youtube!) has come to help save the day and rescue the helpless slaves of the world from the criminal masterminds of human trafficking. Her love knows no bounds and can only be matched by the deep river of sacrifice she is pouring into her efforts to change the world.

Ladies and Gentlemen I give you my fair princess:

(On your knees - all you loyal subjects!)

My heart is feeling all warm and fuzzy today after thinking again on the work of a few young friends of mine who care about the freedom of children around the world about as much as I do. Upon hearing of the millions of enslaved children around the world the Schafer kids ages 5-14 did their homework literally. They researched chocolate, where it was from, how it was made and what companies used slave labor. After sharing their findings with their school group they decided one great way to bring freedom to the kids on the cocoa plantation was to sponsor-a-day of the Run 4 The Rescue.

From painting to weeding, day after day the Schafer kids happily volunteered their time to do dreaded chores earning money to put in the Run 4 The Rescue jar!

On May 30, I was able to meet briefly with the children (before they rushed off on an across Canada tour (www.familyadventuring.com) where they presented me with their full money jar. $79.25!

Today I train 5 hot miles in chains on behalf of the Schafer Kids! Thank you for your compassion, sacrifice and dedication to ending modern day slavery!

Eric

The other day, I had niggling curiosity about some of the details of the 911 attack so I put on my favorite P.I. music and hopped onto the internet for a little digging. What I found was quite shocking…and strangely motivating. Let me explain.

I remember that shocking September morning in vivid detail, but in the flurry of media coverage, there were things I missed somehow until three days ago that have particular interest as they compare to my current undertaking.

I found out that the final report of missing and dead was 2,996 and the estimated immediate cost of the attack was placed at 100 billion dollars (and they even admit to not factoring every last thing into that number)

WOW! and then I saw how much we estimate the US has spent SO FAR to deliver that retribution we demanded…

more than 2 trillion dollars…let me pick myself up off the floor before I remind you that this number could also be represented as 2 million phenomenally large wads of 1 million dollars.

Now for the shock and awe part of this little presentation.

If we double the number of victims of the 911 attack we get a number close to how many innocent men, women, and children from around the world are abducted, tricked, and violently brought into the ranks of slavery EVERY DAY…and it happens 365 days a year.

By extrapolation, we should be spending 4 trillion dollars a day to end this catastrophic emergency.

I think we should start small though with this run. Let’s raise 1 dollar for each of the estimated 27 million modern slaves to go toward their liberation and begin the healing. 27 Million dollars will be great, but still only a fraction of what it will take to see this trade in humans come to an end.

Together we WILL change the world and start a trend of allocating much needed resources to recognizing the problem instead of closing our eyes (speaking of our society in general), to fund the much needed research, to send the awesome ground troops who do the actual rescue, and enable those whose compassionate hearts are attuned to the work of rehabilitation.

Yes - It really is This urgent!

Though I have never been one to try to fit in (I’d like to think it was because I was always comfortable with who I am…), without the framework of what I’m preparing for, it would seem like I was anxiously trying to NOT fit in. I know Salt Spring has a hearty share of people who for whatever reason play by the beat of their own bong-shaped drum, but I have pushed the limits here.

The other day on my run, I passed some close family friends, after which their teenager responded, “Yes- you really can do anything on this island!” ABOUT ME!

Well, maybe there are other things I should tell you. The other day I called my trainer and received this little gem of a coastal running trick that, though it works, doesn’t do much to enhance my image (all things considered) I am to go to the ocean 2 or 3 times a week and just hang out in the water. That might have been okay if it was just my calves, but I have to SUFFER with that whole above the knees trial and then what do I do for 30 minutes???- I guess I should just be grateful I don’t have to do in in the chains!

With the interviews and release of three newspaper articles last week, I thought the shocked reactions by the drivers would have died down (and it his has…a little) but I still get people who look at me like the escaped polka dotted hippo from the circus.

You know what though, I am so grateful for those who have donated and to those who honk and wave when they see me out in my garb. It lets me know that the awareness I envisioned at the outset has already begin.

The only thing to be seen is how that awareness turns into changed habits and culture…and after you read tomorrows post, you’ll see why for the sake of human dignity It must turn into more funding!

Islander to undertake 800-kilometre journey in chains
By Sean McIntyre
Gulf Islands Driftwood| Wednesday, June 3, 2009

If you’re driving down Long Harbour Road early in the morning and happen upon a man running along the side of the road in shackles, there’s no need for alarm.

Yes, he may be on the run, but it’s all for a valiant cause.

On August 1, 2009 Eric Proffitt will set off from London’s Westminster Abby and run nearly a marathon a day for 25 days as part of his Break These Chains campaign to raise awareness about human trafficking.

I’m doing this to help the world know that human trafficking still happens in every city on earth.” Proffitt said in an interview last week. “The whole point is that I want the entire world to stop and say ‘this is wrong’, I want this event to tip the balance and stop human slavery.”

News of his project has encouraged several groups in Victoria to invite Proffitt to run through the provincial capital before he leaves for England in late July.

Proffitt’s 800 kilometer run (500 mile) journey coincides with the commemoration of William Wilberforce’s 250th anniversary. Wilberforce was the 18th century British politician and philanthropist who made it his personal mission to ban the slave trade within the British Empire.

The run will take Proffitt west from London to Bristol, where he will venture northward through Gloucester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.

Proffitt’s route wraps up in Wilberforce’s birthplace of Kingston-Upon-Hull, where he will be one of the key presenter’s at the city’s annual freedom festival.

Many of the coastal cities along Proffitt’s route were major international ports and key ideological battlegrounds during the original move to end slavery.

Wilberforce may have succeeded in setting up some of the world’s first legislation banning the trade of human beings, but the underground slave trade is still alive and thriving.

According to statistics compiled by the United Nations between 1-4 million people are trafficked each year, 60 % of those are children and almost 80 percent are used in the sex trade.

There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today.

That’s enough to make it the third largest illegal market after drugs and weapons. The RCMP believes about 800 of those victims end up on Canadian streets each year.

Outside of the sex trade, much of the illegal slave trade involves individual held against their will to work in sweatshops, mines and on farms, where they produce many of the commodities that end up in the homes and stomachs of western consumers.

The involvement of powerful global organized crime syndicates and the weakness of federal anti-trafficking regulations here in Canada has encouraged Proffitt to attack the problem at its source.

“It will be the people who make the change,” he said. “If people are upset by this international disgrace, they may begin to ask questions about how and where the products they use are made.”

Proffitt said the global chocolate industry is among the most lucrative industries known to rely heavily on slave labor.

Strong consumer reaction to corporate irresponsibility around the world, Proffitt said, has proven companies will offer ethical alternatives if a demand exists.

“It’s really about starting where you are right now and questioning the impact of your everyday decisions,” he said.

Proffitt, a songwriter originally from the United States, “recognized the magnitude of this horror” while he was attending the United Nations’ Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking last year in Vienna.

Shocked by its scope and determined to do something about it, Proffitt and his wife made a joint decision to sell their home and use the proceeds to help fight human trafficking.

“My wife and family have been very supportive,” he said. “What awe are doing is really nothing compared to what is experienced every day by millions of slaves around the world.”

More information about Proffitt’s inspiring run is available online at www.ericproffitt.com

Well, I thought last Friday was busy, but today was even more so… So COOL! I started out a little later in the day and maybe that was a contributor, but wow LOTS of people to give me funny stares.

It ranges the gamut from those who hang out their windows and yell - “WOOO HOOO!” to those who give me the loco sign (spinning their fingers around their ears - they look crazy too if you don’t understand theirsymbols!) Then you have the guys who slow down to get a BIG LONG eyeful. You gotta love those, though, who struggle hard to ignore you - like a man in chains running down the road is something they see all the time!

Every now and again people stop and ask! BRAVE PEOPLE!

Today I found out what really happens though.

After running down Raffi (literally - I saw saw him pass me and pull over so I went to his car window in chains…He was a little hesitant to open the window, but after the explanation he wants more info), and running past the high school gym class who was running the other way (one of the kids explained to his peers that I must be training for an Ironman or something. I didn’t have the time to correct him…not Iron…Stainless Steel!) 3/4 of the way home a truck pulled up next to me to tell me that the police were looking for me up ahead!

I wonder - did he think I really was an escaped con and he was helping me out?

Anyway, I kept moving ahead in the noontime heat and just as I passed the corner I saw the lights come on (at least he didn’t use the siren - might have been the first high-speed chase in Saltspring for a long time!) When the officer got out, I recognized him and small talked a bit before he asked, “Aren’t you going to explain?” I waited a second “about the chains?” he finishes.

I give him the spiel and his smile visibly grows all the while. He laughed and said “Do you know how many calls we’ve had about you?” I asked “What do they think I’m en escaped Convict?” He said, “Honestly - they don’t know what to think. It took a while getting out here, but by the time I did, I couldn’t see you anywhere, so I stopped and asked a few people (I’m sure they loved that!) and no one had seen you today…but ALL OF THEM had seen you last week out on long harbor!”

I tried to get him to bring me home so I could get a picture, but he had other things to get to so that will have to wait for another time. “Besides, ” he said, “You need to be training!”

So - For a few months now we have been excitedly looking for a phenomenally talented videographer with a huge heart, tons of free time, and money to spare to help us take this new song and make a ROCKING announcement video that gets peoples’ imaginations fired up.

So we called and talked to a lot of people and realized that maybe our idealism knows no bounds…until this week!

We finally decided to borrow a relative’s HD video camera and get to work ourselves on a simpler video than anticipated (There is still room to make that AWESOME music video as well for those of you know that one in 7 billion who fits the film maker description!) Armed with some tips from this site and my Mac with iMovie09, we were set off on our quick little diversion from the complexity of our regular crunching…Shouldn’t take more than a day - Right???

Well, I don’t have much hair I can afford to pull out (vanity isn’t free after all!) but this process almost did away with what vestiges of my former full-headed self I have convinced to stick it out.

The filming took a day - I expected that, but the editing (with my habit of perfectionism) was a nightmare. It didn’t take long to see both the beauties and the limitations of iMovie, but it definitely was our most workable solution. I had a lot of creative juices flowing at the start, but as I went, that was a bit more tempered by better taste and a healthy dose of intuition. Somehow today I reached a point that I could say it was done.

I felt all warm, fuzzy, and accomplished. After rendering the video, I presented my masterpiece to my wife only to find that she had waited to tell me something that had been gnawing at her for the last 20 or so times before rendering!.

I was tempted to cry, but luckily - no matter how hard I tried ( I kind of did…really…honest!) it just didn’t work out.

So after many determined days and a few fits where I wanted to smash the computer, I finally finished it!.

By the way, if you have any suggestions - I’m sure I have a suggestion box somewhere…

Wow! With a day like today it’s hard to know where to begin. I have been working on my video for YouTube which will announce the run, and while doing some research found this:

I thought that was pretty funny, but as my researched continued, I became sicker and sicker. Slavery is not only real, it is terrifying what is being done to children all around the world. From the Diamond Mines in Africa, Sweat Shops in China, Cocoa Plantations on the Ivory Coast, to Sex Trade in the suburbs of own cities, this atrocity continues.

It is sometimes hard to have faith in humanity especially when faced with such horrors, but as the Good Book says “there needs be opposition in all things” and just as there is great evil, there is also great good. I know that one man, or one woman or one child really CAN make a difference!

Okay guys, this is the perfect opportunity to talk about pornography. I was sitting at my computer minding my own business today when this half naked girl kept intruding upon my screen. I quickly became fed up with companies advertising which claimed to be a “dating service” and decided to do something about it.

Hello,
>
> While working today online I saw your advertisements and reached a point
> of irritation that I had to come and let my thoughts be known.
>
> As a husband and a father of five sweet girls, I have a profound respect
> for the wonder of womanhood all around me. There is so much more person
> to these phenomenal beauties in my life than what you are showing…can
> you not see past the body parts to display women in a way that is tasteful
> and still attractive?
>
> The sexually suggestive nature of your advertising objectifies feminine
> beauty and uses a lowest common denominator to attract lusty men to use
> your services…which appear to be closer to a 1-900 online sex service
> than a simple way to meet singles.
>
> I understand that you are not alone in your depictions of womanhood, but
> this is a poor excuse to me.
>
> Will you revisit your marketing paradigm and see if there is another way
> to attract clients that includes respect for virtuous womanhood?
>
> Thanks,
> Eric

THIS IS THE RESPONSE THAT I RECEIVED TODAY:

Dear ericproffitt,

We appreciate you helping us with our ongoing efforts to improve the site for
our members.

We will look at the pros and cons of your suggestions and hopefully try to
implement them in future updates to ******.

Yours Truly,
******* Support

Today was AWESOME!

When my friends Brad and Matt of The Gratidudes sent out a great promotional email a few days ago about the run to their Honorary Gratidude facebook group, I instantly got on the phone to thank them for their support on this great cause. What happened next was one of those wonderful synchronicities by which great things happen.

They let me know they wanted to help sponsor the run…but that’s not all…they let me know they were presenting at a school in the next few days and wanted to highlight my run. Did I have a video they could use? No - I had something better - the real ME!

You see, these awesome students at Arbutus Middle School had worked hard to raise the money to bring the Gratidudes in for an assembly as a part of their end-of-the-year global citizens project. I offered to personally come to Victoria and share my story while giving the first public performance of the new “500 Miles” song” re-written for this event.

Awesome right? well it gets better… TheGratidudes then earmark some of their fee which was raised from the students as THE money they were donating which hit a triple play - The students, the Gratidudes, and I all felt the thrilling blessing that come from of stepping up to move forward the cause of freedom.

We arrived early to set up but had some sound system issues. After a few additional cords and cables from my magic music gear bag (some intense prep - mere minutes before the show!), the presentation by Brad and Matt was a lot of fun. At the end they called me out. When I jumped off the stage in chains, I was afraid I’d scared them! (I was just thrilled my ankle links didn’t conspire to send me flying again!)

I shared the details briefly due to the time factor and then let em have it with the new 500 miles! By the end, they were clapping rhythm with the song and feeling - like me - that there is hope for a SLAVE-FREE future!

I just want to take a minute an introduce you all to a wonderful woman who is tirelessly working to end human trafficking. Theresa Flores was put through the torture of trafficking years ago as a teen living in suburban Detroit. She has been courageous in telling her story and working to prevent the repetition of her nightmare in the lives of others. She has put a lot of love into Gracehaven house which provides support to victims as they take the vital steps toward healing.

I’m excited to announce that Theresa has agreed to come to the UK this summer and be a part of the SAVE THE SLAVES FREEDOM MARCH. As we travel and share her story and use music to touch peoples’ hearts, I have a feeling that we - and the world - will never be the same again!

BEFORE YOU GO ON, I MUST WARN YOU THAT THE FOLLOWING LINKS AND STORIES ARE DISTURBING AND CONTAIN CONTENT THAT NO ONE - ADULT OR CHILD - SHOULD EVER HAVE TO VIEW OR LISTEN TO.

SOME PEOPLE WATCH THE HOLLYWOOD VERSION - “TAKEN” FOR EXAMPLE - AND THINK IT’S SHOCKING.

THIS IS WORSE BECAUSE IT’S THE REAL THING…

I’m listing a few links that tell her story:

Audio interview

MSNBC Interview Video

This next one isn’t her story specifically, but it tells the stories shared by the myriads in slavery in our supposedly civilized countries:

In my book of reckoning, dreaming is the beginning to success, but all too often in our society, your elbow metaphorically gets pulled out from under your chin and with a stinging forehead and smack on the back you’re told to get to work and quit dreaming. It doesn’t take long before dreaming becomes some nice luxury that you sneakily indulgence in every so often, but without any faith. In this way, we dabble with dreams but quickly get pulled back to the “REAL WORLD”. All too often, we never take the natural next steps that God intended our dreaming to lead to.

When we do like every great clay sculptor and learn the correct processes of removal and building up, we create masterpieces in our lives! We remove the garbage, and build up and fill out the phenomenal! Because of the way our brains work, there are amazing tools we can use to rocket launch our lives from the ordinary “real world” to the extraordinary life of our dreams. Dreams can become reality.

First we must put more effort into our dreaming. Rough sketches are not enough, we need Davinci-like, detailed drawings that delve to the very muscle of our dreams. Get them out of our minds and put them onto paper and/or audio (I don’t want to be discriminatory here) and remind ourselves of the full extent of the dream.We must plant these things in our hearts and minds until we are filled with the reality of our dreams, for indeed ALL THINGS ARE CREATED SPIRITUALLY FIRST - even if that means the thoughts born in your mind and heart!

I don’t mean this to be such a dry lesson, but I am so amazed by the process that has led to the great successes we’ve seen, that I can’t help but marvel aloud here (or in print rather).

We have taken those dreams, filled them out, put them into a vision board, made our affirmations, and felt the wonderful feeling of accomplishment these milestones bring as we live our dream-turned-plan.

Honestly, we have a choice between the opposite twins of faith and fear in terms of how we see and move into the future.

Choose Faith and start today to live your dreams!!!!!!

500 miles in chains has taken on a whole new meaning in the last two days…let me fill you in.

On Tuesday, I woke up and decided to break into the next phase of my training. The regular running was going great and I was feeling the greater strength and endurance coming along fabulously, so I decided to get the chains in order and get clanking.

After a few hours of grinding off extra links and attempting to make some custom protective gear for my ankles and wrists, I set out in high hopes of an amazing run!

It was sure memorable!

I’m using these clip in chain links somewhat like climbers use to hold things together. I even upgraded from some puny ones to get just the right thing…or so I thought. I didn’t even make two minutes down the road when I spotted my first passer-by… an old black Toyota Tercel hatchback with a young shaved-headed guy behind the wheel. There I am jogging along like it’s perfectly natural to run with your hands and feet in chains when the unthinkable happens. Those “perfect” linking chains on my ankles become a LOT less perfect when one of them happens to link in to the chains on the other ankle and shorten my leg chains to about a 5 inch length. You can imagine the superman sprawl I did in high glory in front of my first public witness to my run in chains. The poor guy didn’t know what to do. He slowed down and watched cautiously as I sat up and started to take care of unhooking my chains…and kept going slowly for a LONG time. (good thing he didn’t hit a tree…that would have really spiced this story up!)

As I was making my way home ( and it happened again two more times!) I thought of that guy and drifted into the imaginary world where he was one of those Traffickers sent to spy on this crazy young runner. I could imagine his cackle as he reported into his expensive phone (made by slave labor, I might add) that I was no real threat! I had to laugh!

Well, sometimes I guess God just has to show his sense of humor and inspire us to remember to stay humble!

Today started out like any other day, with what Linda Kavelin Popov would call my RPM’s. Read, Pray, Meditate. I like this acronym because it really does seem to be the best way to get the gears moving for the greatest success!

Anyway, after I started off then opened facebook, I saw a post by my friend John Assaraf who was donating a free slot for his “Having It All Challenge”

I got excited (because I’m a firm believer that too many people shun the excitement that they could feel every day because they’re afraid of the let-down… I say, enjoy the thrill while you can because you might not ever get it otherwise )

I agonized over what to say and not to say. I opted for the optimistic mutual benefit approach and sent him this:

“John, When I met your OneCoach crew in LA, I had no idea how much that weekend would change my life. I took the seeds of knowledge from that weekend, acted upon them, and they grew into my upcoming 500 mile run this summer IN CHAINS from London to Hull to push the fight for freedom from human trafficking over the tipping point! Although this is larger than anything I have ever done, it seems small compared to the future my mind has already created!

I guarantee that under your mentorship we can leave a legacy of freedom that will change our lives and the lives of the 27 million modern slaves who are calling us onward! Please help me!

Maybe I sounded too far along the path toward success to really need his help, but I was sure he’d love to feel my enthusiasm and drive!

After seeing the results (congratulations to the winners!!!!) I realized that I left out the part telling him how much we still need a doer like him to guide us in finding the most amazing PR person, the rest of the funding, and the celebrity endorsements to bring this run to its best incarnation.

Before I could feel let down about the results, my amazing wife reminded me that I have a close personal friend who I have pledged my all to who has more knowledge about doing great things and WAY more connections than any of us mere mortals!

I really liked this idea.

I also have great and faithful supporters like you who have donated your time and talents to this cause, invited your friends, and bought the new “500 Miles” theme song! (If you didn’t know about those opportunities, consider yourself invited!)

I’m excited for today’s successes, and the even greater miracles and opportunities I’ll greet tomorrow!

I was watching the girls as they played today with the package of cups their grandpa bought them yesterday. First Of all I’d just like to say that I’m amazed at how much playing and creativity a pack of cups can inspire and second I’m keenly aware at the reality that putting the ordinary together one step at a time can create something PHENOMENAL!

This is how I feel about this great cause We are taking on of ending human trafficking. You take a bunch of ordinary folks, put them together to mount a campaign so much greater than any one of them alone and the next thing you know the stories go down in history to inspire future generations. This is the work we are about - Don’t let our over abundance of ordinary-ness fool you!

Have you ever had one of those moments where it seems that God looks down and sends a bright ray of sunshine just to let you know you’re not alone? Well we’ve had LOTS of those moments lately from the fantastic people and organizations who are responding to the leaps and bounds with which we’re moving forward. The moment I want to share may not seem like much to some, but to me it was HUGE!

Wherever I share the news of this run, I get the same question, “Why the UK?”. Well, I had an answer before, but ultimately it was an after-the-fact case we had built up. Most people might not understand if I told them that the idea burst on the stage of my mind in full bloom as “you need to run across the UK in chains!” It just doesn’t make much sense..I know… I tried to resist it! …but it persisted.

Well a few weeks ago, Bill Moore emailed me and asked if I was aware of the huge Freedom Festival taking place this September in Hull (the birthplace of the William Wilberforce - the UK’s Abolitionist “Father of Freedom”) to commemorate the 250th anniversary of his birth in August of 1759.

I was stunned!

I knew nothing of the sort, but I could imagine no better time to run across the UK to help push the cause of modern day abolition over the tipping point toward its success. (recognize …I said HELP here…it takes a lot of hearts pushing to move this cause, but I feel my one heart will turn into the public’s many )

In recognition of this amazing repetition of the fight of historic abolitionists in the days of Mr. Wilberforce, I have changed the run to begin in London on August first, pass through every major city along the way, and end in Hull at the same time as this phenomenal Freedom Festival!

This is also good news for you - it means you have time to get into shape so you can come be a part of history in the making!

I’d like to share a bit about a discussion I had with a well versed executive producer with a major media corporation. Let me just start by saying that she has a phenomenal history in the business and a keen insight into what media executives want to roll of the presses so to speak. I am so very grateful for her advice and the things she is doing to help us get better connected with the right people and sort out some vital details to this run. In the course of our conversation, the point was made that I am lacking a gut wrenching story for why I am fighting for freedom for the 27 million modern slaves. I don’t have a mother, cousin, daughter, etc. who was trafficked, so where’s the story?! How do we sell it to a public carefully trained through decades of conditioning from the media about what to expect when they turn on the TV?

I pondered about that for a while and thought that maybe the real story here is that I DON’T have a circumstantial compulsion forcing me to take action. Maybe the really awesome story here is that I, one normal guy, made a conscious decision to do what is right and initiate difficult self-sacrificing efforts to make a difference in the world. The really awesome part is that I’m not just willing to do, but I’m DOING what I’m asking others to do - make a choice to leave the world better than we found it rather than being pulled along like garbage in the storm drain by every circumstance that comes our way. I like this slant. What do you think?

Well I went to Utah and presented at UVSC with the guys who made ‘Pass It On’. It went good, but the best part was meeting more fantastic people and our lively discussion about the Save the Slaves Freedom March afterwards. With the enthusiastic response I got from Scott Evans and Taylor Hullinger about the event, we decided to plan a similar event in the USA! Boy, if I keep this up I’m gonna be one strong man!

I wanted to meet with some other people while I was in town but just as I was planning the trip the whole family the whole family came down with something terrible. I was barely able to escape without catching whatever-that-bug was myself. The family voted in favor of putting off the meetings for another time and me returning as soon as possible to relieve my wife of the numerous night and daytime duties associated with the flu!

Well with only 5 weeks left until the UK Save the Saves Freedom March I am pleased to say fund raising is continuing on fantastically!

This weekend my wife and I went to our storage unit (sisters garage) and packed up only the bare necessities. Since beginning this fight against human trafficking I have come to have a whole new perspective on ’stuff’. Honestly, how can I rightly spend my time and money acquiring things of so little value, when there are people who are so poor they feel like selling their children is the only answer? It’s horrible.

I decided to get rid of it all. So on Saturday we threw the worlds biggest garage sale. What took me probably 20,000 to buy I sold for less than 200 bucks. And I learned a great lesson. That is exactly what it was worth. 200 bucks.

Anyways I was so proud of 12 neighborhood kids when I came out on the lawn to see that they had educated themselves on child trafficking, and decided to organize themselves into a charity “Kids can Make a Difference”. With cookies, lemonade and popcorn they set up to earn enough money to sponsor-a-day of the Save the Slaves Freedom March!

Talk about inspiration…if they can do it YOU CAN TOO!

Wednsday April 15, 2009 –

Well today we drove the whole day- I am wondering why I decided on driving instead of flying. I did however, learn a few good travel lessons:
1) I learned that when there are rattle snakes stay away
2) Always keep your gas tank full
3) Sleep when you can
4) Everyone breaks at the rest break
5) Know your destination
6) Have a guide you trust
7) Always make friends on the way- We sang to two ladies in the grocery store went the extra mile in serving us

It feels so good to have a break from the heavy work schedule that has got us up early and keeps us up so late every night. The day has been delightful getting time to talk, laugh, sing and listen to classics on our ipod with the girls.

Sunday April 12, 2009 –

Today was perfect. A beautiful Easter Sunday with my family commemorating the greatness of life. It always seemed to me that when it rained the Heavens were weeping, and today it must be that the Heavens are weeping for joy. Because today is Easter, the day we celebrate the very possibility of eternal life. The success over the deepest bondage allowing the greatest freedom the world will ever know.

I thought I was prepared for tonight’s performance. Upon further listening I realized the accompaniment that I had found just wouldn’t cut it. I considered doing it a’ccapella or finding a last minute piano player, I settled on the latter. I discovered an amazing piano player in Burlington –Mrs. Jones. We practiced 30 minutes before the show and I was thrilled to have someone so competent at the ivories. I warmed up using my favorite YouTube warm up video, but after our Easter feast I wasn’t feeling too good. I hope it didn’t have anything to do with the fact that I’m the guy who has to finish all the girls extras before they are allowed to leave the table. Does my wife dish them up extra big portions just to watch me suffer??

An hour later I got up and felt great. I had warmed up (which my wife reminds me makes a BIG DIFFERENCE!) The miracle of singing is that you can take a myriad of feelings and put them into your voice creating a song that transports those same feeling from your heart to your listeners. The presentation went perfectly and I couldn’t have wished for it to be any better.

Saturday- April 11, 2009-

I have really been working hard to get my distance up, today’s training took me from Victoria BC to Seattle Washington approx 150 miles! Unfortunately that was not on foot and my trainer said going by car doesn’t count!

We started off in Sidney to take the Anacortes Ferry. There we saw something that we have rarely seen in the 10 years of crossing between the Canadian/US border…a nice border guard! Except for wanting to confiscate one of our beautiful daughters he was friendly and happy.

We got on the ferry and quickly set up a 500 piece puzzle (something I love to do, but don’t get time too often.) I realized that I actually have never done a puzzle with my family! I was looking forward to teaching my children the great lessons that come from puzzling. We talked about the two types of puzzle pieces, and the patterned way that they fit together. We looked at the front of the board to see the design but then when we got busy actually doing the puzzle we separated out the straight pieces and found the corners. Next we built the framework. Once the framework was complete, it felt so much more doable. We quickly got busy sorting by pattern (water pieces, building pieces, sky pictures)(for those of you who think this is boring I am getting to a point!!)

With only 3 hours to puzzle we didn’t get finished the entire thing, but we made great headway for the next guy who comes along. As I sat thinking about it, I didn’t get to do a lot of physical training today the mental training was really fun, and has relevant application to exactly what I am trying to do. We have tried really hard to help other people catch the vision of the run, but looking at the picture and actually building the framework are two very different things.

We have successfully found the corners and built the frame and are in the midst of filling in all the rest. Just as there are different patterns that fit together, we are coming to see an amazing picture must be created piece by piece by different personalities, ages, experiences and wisdom. That is why we have been overjoyed to welcome so many talented people who have joined this team.

Friday- April 11, 2009

I developed an hour long presentation for 100+ youth conference in Victoria, BC. I was so excited to give this presentation. The subject matter was so phenomenal that I couldn’t sleep until 4:00 am. I am a strong believer of youth leadership and in the strength of the rising generation to create a better world. With that topic I had discovered the most incredible examples of youth leaders across the world that I got to share with the youth today. There was some common themes throughout all 6 inspiring stories there were common themes that made them absolutely perfect candidates.

I hate to give away an awesome presentation but I’ll link the 6 stories here:
The fall of Berlin Wall, Ryans Well Foundation, Blind Boy from Riverside, Apartide, No Cussing Club.

The amazing thing about every story, was that not one of these kids was looking for fame or fortune. They each had something they really believed in and then persisted. They had a vision and a dream and let nothing stand in their way.

The crowd response throughout the presentation went from laughter to tears. It was a rewarding experience and the youth remained completely attentive and enthusiastic the entire time. Youth are so easy to speak to and such a fun group to be around. Near the end my wife brought our sweet 5 girls in to listen to the last song I was singing. They sat very respectfully throughout the performance and after it ended the silence was thick, until my precious two-year old’s voice rang out “My Daddy’s Done!” the crowd burst into laughter and we ended on a beautiful note.

Thursday – April 10, 2009

Investigated Todd Stitzer, the President of Cadbury today. I’ve Fed-Exed a package in the mail documenting the run and inviting Cadbury to sponsor it. I am anticipating a positive response seeing as Cadbury has announced their plan to switch their most popular chocolate bar ‘Caramilk’ to fair trade in the UK. He plans to begin this change in June, which is just when I’ll be running. What an amazing opportunity for Cadbury to get their name out there as a sponsor of this run!!

Tuesday - April 08, 2009

I woke up early this morning anxious to get to my journey. Since my father in law knows all the best places to run, I asked him if he wanted to come and show us somewhere fun to run. To my surprise he said “Yes!” (anyone that knows Dennis knows that he likes to be by himself). Next thing I know, Rebecca asked me to bring our youngest. Knowing I could easily slip her into the back pack, I said yes. In a family when one person gets something everyone else wants it too…

…An hour later the entire family plus Father-in-law were piled into our minivan and we headed off. The “family friendly” jog Dennis promised turned into a hike of mammoth proportions. We scaled the islands largest mountain and two hours later were at the top., picking up bones – I hope they were from an animal not the last traveler.

The view was magnificent. Our children were troopers, remaining cheerful and energetic. The girl on my back didn’t even complain one bit about how hard the hike was!

At the top, however, we had a problem. We had left without bathroom or breakfast. Bathroom, Rebecca had prepared for with her pockets stuffed with toilet paper. Breakfast we couldn’t do anything about. In the middle of nowhere, with nothing but trees and ocean and mountain surrounding us, and hours of forest between our car and the top, my curious father-in-law did something very strange. Without any hesitation he began furiously digging at the ground. After a large rock was removed to children’s delight, and my astonishment he produced, water, granola bars, pop, apple juice!!
After digging in another spot he produced a camping chair, a carving knife and a blanket! I knew I had married into an amazing family- but I had no idea how amazing.

Monday - April 07, 2009

Sunday - April 06,

Upon arriving at the beach my youngest got herself stranded in a high tree that stretched across the beach. I reached up my arms and counseled her to jump and I would catch. She was sitting on the branch crying and wouldn’t do it. Her older sister insisted that she would go up and show her younger sister how to jump to daddy. She climbed up, but when she got to the top she realized how high it was and now I had two scared children stuck in a tree. The oldest, my daughter of infinite courage promised that she would climb up and show her younger sisters how to do it. She climbe up but like a bad dream upon arriving realized how high it really was and refused to jump down. Now I had three scared girls stuck in a tree!

I wondered what people might think if they were watching me! And I also promised myself to take time to work on building trust, as this situation clearly showed that there was room for improvement

Saturday April 05, 2009

When I got home I worked on my new website, which ended up being way more awesome than I expected. I talked to some professionals in their industry who helped me a lot in making it amazing and functioning seamlessly.

I feel kinda bad because I have been training (or at least trying to) all these weeks, working on my endurance and stamina, whereas she has been dealing with endurance and stamina of a different sort(with running after all of our kids)! After teasing her a bit she went flying past me and wouldn’t stop until she was almost dead. I practically had to drag her home, and our was run was finished for the night. After kissing her goodnight, I read her the tortoise and the hare- we’ll work on consistency next time!

Phew! time is just flying by until the day I start!

Today It seemed as though things kept cropping up to keep me from starting my run. If it wasn’t diaper/potty training duty or time to cook breakfast, it was hunting down shoes, and mailbox keys and…….

Finally I was able to convince Sariah that she didn’t need her running shoes because she was just going to ride in the stroller (only after her mother told her exactly what I’d said). I plunked her into the stroller and decided that today was the day I would air up the tires that have been flat since I received this second-hand stroller two months ago.

So I did it…finally - and off we went on a little jog up to the mailbox and back home. So, it wasn’t easy to get out and get going, but you know what? It was beautiful and wonderful to be out running again- just like all good things that come after a lot of hard work!

Now I am off, optimistic, and anticipating a pain free run! (do you think it’s possible?)

He said the perfect person to connect with in the UK is Kevin Bales with Anti Slavery International, the oldest human rights organization on the world. When he said he’d put me in touch, I told him we had information on the run ready to send (which we did) As we looked over the document though, and reviewed feedback on it from Paul McFate, we decided to put a little more time into it to make it more effective. Good idea theoretically, bad idea in real life. It took all day and it’s still not done – it feels like I keep re-doing this thing. Actually…I do keep re-doing it and every time I finish, we are amazed by the improvement, but also then shown another place to improve.

I’m going to finish this version completely before I start a new version for a different target audience.

Finally, as I was surfing around -ding!- I saw the name of a film maker in LA whose name I recognized. “I didn’t know Tetsuro Shigematsu did film!” I thought to myself, but how many people out there are saying “I didn’t know Eric ran!” Just because I can hardly walk, it doesn’t mean anyone should wonder if I run….

Well, I finally got a hold of Tetsuro and by the time he had to go, I was thoroughly convinced that he thought I had a few more screws loose than normal ( Come on, don’t we all…..anybody?….please?…..hello??? )

When he said he’d call me back tonight I didn’t know whether or not it was with a little nod and a wink, but to his impeccable credit - he did! and for this I am so grateful.

We tossed around a few ideas and scrutinized things way above what a close friend might have done. I am so impressed by his forthright openness and honesty as well as his penchant for seeing through the hazy surface cloud to capture the genius nuggets that are lingering further down. Together we came up with a phenomenal ideological foundation for the video, but sadly, he’s too busy with his current projects there in LA do help me see it through to completion.

Tetsuro, I think you should be proclaimed the Seii Taishōgun and a warrior in the ancient art of storytelling. May you find every success!

Now for me, I have to find the next amazing person who will help me take this project to the next level…Do you have any suggestions? well, just comment here, or contact me through the contact page to be a part of the next chapter in this modern abolitionists tale!!

Woo Hoooooo!!!!
Today was the day I have been praying and looking forward to.

We received final permission to use AND re-write “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” from Charlie and Craig Reid of The Proclaimers.

Actually, when I first had the idea to use it, I really had no idea what a massively huge song it was - especially in the UK. So all I can do is thank God above for inspiring that thought!

Well, I just want you all to know that the Proclaimers have achieved hero status in my eyes for their willingness to move forward this cause. you can help, too by buying it from my store (Oh no, the famous musician’s self promotion!) Seriously though, the proceeds from the sale of this song, will help make even greater things possible in the fight for freedom from slavery!

And just so everyone knows, be on the lookout for another upcoming album from The Proclaimers … I know I’ll be buying it!

It snowed today.

Today I talked with Normand Schafer, the president of Cheap Tickets Canada (www.cheapticketscanada.com) to get some advice on the sponsorship pamphlet I’m making for the run.

“Publicist!?? That’s why I’m going to get to the newspapers and they will carry it from there.” I could have sung the ABC’s through his laugh!

I didn’t know I was such a funny guy.

So now, here I am looking for the perfect publicist…

I was finally able to meet with Paul O’Callaghan, the trainer who has taken on the arduous task of getting me ready for this run. What a great guy and visibly a formidable athlete. His advice was to take it slowly and let my body ramp it’s way up to doing twenty miles day in and day out.

When I told him about my pains and that I’m just running through them because it’s the same mental fortitude I’ll need on the run, he looked at me like a three headed idiot and said, “there are niggling pains that go away, and then there are serious pains that could put you out of commission. Your task is to use discernment to know which is which” He further said “the more you run the better you will be at listening to your body and knowing what is going on.” Maybe that was the nice way of saying don’t be three-headed idiot!

I think that’s something I needed to hear. My body has been crying for me to wait for my heel to get better, but my brain has been saying “suck it up, princess!” because the time is so short.

He told me not to focus exclusively on running, but do a bit of biking as well. I told him that I sold my Harley years ago, but he let me know that wasn’t what he had in mind. Besides muscular development, I need to increase my cardiovascular system, which the bike will help me do without the huge strain on my knees and feet.

The other good news he had for me was that Victoria is home to Paul McIntyre, a world class physiotherapist who can help me whip myself into shape without doing myself in.

I truly am so grateful for the help and support I’ve met so far in this great cause. Thank you to all of you!!!

Another day of trips to the hospital to find out the source of the mystery bump on my right heel. This is really making it hard to get ready because it’s just too painful to run. No wonder they call it an Achilles heel, it’s sure become my weakness!

I signed in at radiology this morning and before I even had a chance to get through the whole joke page in the Reader’s Digest they were calling my name to come in for the X-ray. Now I know what all those waiting list complaints are all about with Canadian Hospitals! I bank on hospitals to help infuse new life into my pathetic reportiore of jokes by giving me a quick brather in the waiting room. Without longer waits, I’ll never get a sense of humor!

It’s funny the responses I get when I tell people about my run. After I mention 500 miles they put off a feeling of disbelief, “Is this guy serious?” Once I mention the chains, the feeling turns into more of a sympathy for my wife and children who have to put up with such a lunatic!

Needless to say, the fastest thing about my training day was the speed with which my wife turned down a fast food date at McDonald’s.

It was pouring rain today.

I went to see the doctor about my heel and he ordered more x-rays to see what was going on. I halfway hope they find something just so I know what’s wrong and what to do about it, but on the other hand, there’s probably less to be fixed if they find nothing. We’ll see!

It was wonderful, I got to take all 5 of my girls and my wife with me on my walk today. The only problem was that by the time all 6 of them got their noses wiped, bottoms changed and hair done, my hour of training was almost gone! In between holding babies and feeding the girls I stretched every muscle I could think of! We went to the mailbox and back which was a great adventure. The gentle pace was much easier to take than the other days I’ve been doing.

I thought I’d go a little longer than usual. But where should I go? I decided to go to a frined’s house many miles away. No problem, I thought, I have my new shoes and orthotics right? Well I finally found my way there three hours later only to find out that he wasn’t home. Not only that, but his gate wouldn’t open so there I was trapped like a pathetic bird trying to find the electronic trigger that opens the gate(I didn’t want to climb the fence for fear the neighbors would see and call the police) About 10 minutes later, he came home and gave me a nice reprieve before starting the walk home.

About two hours, a stabbingly painful knee, and a few blisters later, I got home to find out that my wife had called out search and rescue to find her missing husband. How embarrassing!

Actually, she didn’t, but she was a few minutes away from picking up that phone and dialing the number.

Lessons learned:
* New shoes need gradual breaking in
* Call before visiting
* Don’t scare your family with unexpected hours gone
* if you forget all of the above - accept rides when they’re offered!

I listened to “the Traveler’s Gift” on the way and just loved it.

There is this line in the book where Anne tells about seeing a balloon release as a part of a celebration and asks her father “which color will go the highest?”

Her dad replies, “It doesn’t matter the color, just like it doesn’t matter the color of people. It’s what’s inside that makes the difference!”

She than makes the observation that if it’s what’s inside that makes the difference and it is our choice what things we let inside, we ultimately choose what we’re capable of.

How positively true!

We went to Victoria again today to pick up the orthotics and to get new shoes. What a trip! We brought 3 of our five little munchkins with us to the stores. Of course keeping these little angels perched peacefully on the bench while I tried on a billion different shoes was more like trying to tell an unintelligible telemarketer that you’re not interested. My girls were interested though – in everything they could get their hands on and they were tired and hungry to boot. My award winning wife could take no more, though when my next to youngest daughter fell off the little bench and landed on her head in a screaming heap.

Needless to say, I chose quickly and might have paid less with more time to choose, but I got an awesome shoe - the BROOKS BEAST! (this must be said like a grovelly roar) There’s something about it (the name at least) that is what I want to think I am – tenacious, powerful, deadly!

Okay, maybe not deadly, but the other two at least.

I pray the orthotics and the shoes turn out to be the dynamic-duo-miracle-cure my feet have been crying out for!

So now my next step (no pun intended) is orthotics. Most people do the ¾ orthotics, but I really feel that a full foot orthotic is what I need since the de-stabilization is from the front pads of my feet.

I looked up “full foot orthotics” in google and found that the first entry is for orthlab.com which turns out to be a ferry ride away in Victoria. I called up Bruce and we got together to analyze my gate (not like a barn, silly, but like the way a person walks) and to find the right prescription which brings the best compromise between my foot alignment, my weight distribution, and my body’s ability to adjust. With so short time and such great need to prepare for the run, we don’t want to do so much change that we end up damaging anything, but we need to do just enough to help my feet work like they were meant to.

Who knew something we learn as a little babies could be so amazingly complex?

I decided to let my amazing chiropractor Dr Grant Gainor take a look at my mysterious first metatarsal. After all, he seems to be able to look straight through the skin and see what’s going on in the bones and muscles. It turns out that he only had to look as far as my shoe to start giving me some answers.

He said that I’m walking with my toes pointed outwards and in this position, I’m not rolling over my toes in a balanced way. Instead, I’m putting inordinate amounts of strain on my first metatarsal by rolling with most of the pressure on that toe.

Further research led me to the discovery that I have a condition sometimes knows as Morton’s Foot (not to be confused with Morton’s Neuroma) where the first metatarsal is shorter than the second. The problem with it is that it causes the foot in the aligned position to connect better on the second metatarsal than the first and de-stabilizes the foot. Most people will then unconsciously angle their feet inwardly or outwardly to find a more stable posture. Of course this eventually leads to huge problems with the ankles, on up through the knees, hips, spine and neck. What a headache – literally!

Dr. Gainor recommends orthotics, but I want to try to just make myself keep my feet pointing straight. If it works, it’ll be able to save that money for the run right?

The results came back with no indication of what’s causing my pain. How FRUSTRATING!

It seems like I no sooner decided to do this run, than my body decided it didn’t really want to join the rest of me in making it happen. If it were a horse, I’d take it back and get a new one – rebellious thing!

Anyway, I’ve decided to go no matter what. AND I MEAN IT. I think this is the only way some things get done – super persistence.

Good news… They were able to squeeze me in for an MRI today. This has been amazingly quick. What a blessing because I feel that time is so short.

After an hour of waiting, I got my five minutes in the lab.

Is it possible to hobble for 500 miles?

I was able to get some quick attention from the doctor because of the need to get ready for the run and what this run is all about. I was able to get some blood tests and urinalysis done to rule out some undesirable possibilities. We also x-rays done to see if there are any hairline fractures in the metatarsals. Until further notice, I’ve been ordered to stay off my horribly painful foot.

I took Rebecca and my two oldest daughters with me today for a walk instead. We did just like yesterday and walked for half an hour and turned came back for the second half. I was encouraged that even with an eight and a six year old, we covered about 3 miles in that hour.

My metatarsal started killing me even more than it did yesterday, but was replaced tonight by pain on the outside edge of the bottom of my right foot. I need to get some medical advice into what is going on.

Today, I wanted to test and see if my expectation of doing 20 miles a day was reasonable, or just totally crazy so I went for an hour run. I was having a great time listening to “The Lost Choice” by Andy Andrews and just giving my all. It felt GREAT!

I ran for a half an hour and then turned around. My run back was very close to the 30 minute point as well which really encouraged me in regard to my pacing vs. fatigue. When I measured the distance with the van, I found out I’d gone about 5.3 miles (8.5 km) – sounds like this might be doable except for one problem. The first metatarsal on my right foot is killing me!

Every Christmas as far back as I can remember my mom would throw on her old dusty scratchy vinyl record of the Choir singing the old time Christmas classics while we decorated up our (often scraggly) christmas tree. For those too young to remember,vinyl records were that dinosaur technology used more than 25 years ago before we upgraded to 8-track…then to cassettes…then to cds…then to mp3s and ipods. Boy have times changed - and so have I.

I had heard earlier in the day as I was waiting to meet someone that The Choir would be practicing that night. I remember thinking - that would be so cool to go see them, but it’s just not in my schedule. There was a time that my thoughts would have stopped there and inched no further.

As I stopped in Temple square and looked inside at the newly renovated tabernacle, a new thought took hold of me… wouldn’t it be even better to sing with them? Oh how my heart got pumping with that thought. Then I started the old self-wrestling game.

Me#1 - You don’t just waltz in and ask to sing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!
Me#2 - Well, Why not?
#1 - They’ve got a choir to manage and you’d just be in the way.
#2 - Nooo! They wouldn’t even notice me if they put me off in the corner.
#1 - There are no corners. It’s a round building.
#2 - Besides it’s not like it’s a public concert or anything!
#1 - well, How are you going to get to talk with anyone - They have ropes up blocking the public from going all the way to the front…

At about this point, I saw two gentlemen leaving from the front stand to the side doors. I left my arguing selves back there at the back and and hurried outside to the side doors and persuaded them to ask the choir president if I could sit in with the choir on their practice. Being men of honor, they did!

Shortly after that, I was being interviewed by the assistant choir director so he could pre-screen me before getting final approval. At this point I was in utter amazement that I had even come this close. I can’t even begin to tell you the gratitude that welled up in me when he came back and said yes.

From those early days listening to the old vinyls to singing in choirs in university, I had a dream of singing with a choir that sounded like them. Now I was actually going to sing with them! Not just a choir that sounded like them…but them!

My dream well-lived lasted two hours. IT WAS PHENOMENAL! The difference was like going from the old pinto to a top of the line Ferrari. Such control and responsiveness - Wow! It was so amazing to be in the midst of such professionals and to feel their love for the music.

I don’t know how many times I’ve been told that if you never ask, you never receive. Too often just been too afraid to ask. This the take-home lesson has been proven right on the money for me with this one.

Don’t hold yourself back. Ask and receive with heart wide open!

As I have been tuned in to the news in the last few days, I have been filled with a feeling of dread. not because of the drop in the markets in the US. We have all been expecting that. What I have been dreading has been the response to the markets.

For one, after watching The Shock Doctrine I can’t help but look at what we’ve just been seeing with rushed government meetings and grand sweeping announcements of government bailout saviourship and wonder what freedoms we are handing over this time. not just that, but since for many years we have grown as a society to allow and even desire more and more government paternalism, we are seeing a world relieved as the original modern republic(don’t be fooled in thinking I should be saying democracy) hops up on the gurney and undresses to only be revealed as suffering from the cancerous rot of socialism.

Please don’t get me wrong. I know how the fragile the market is. I know that in this fragile state, “american” living could suffer an extremely altered state that we would not like when the market fell. But also hear me right that we have winked and nodded far too long at policies and decisions that run counter to freedom and constitutionality. The “free market” has had it’s wings clipped so far back ago that we hardly realize things aren’t as they’ve always been in reference to the goings on of American business and trade. Without the last century of meddling and mixing, we would not be where we are today with multi-billion dollar bailouts from the tax-base rescuing huge private companies.

Have we really forgotten why it was that the colonials rebelled from Britain? What of the rights of life, property, and religion? A life where I’m only limited in my choices as it impacts you. What of property that is completely mine and is completely safe from ANYONE (especially government) who would take compulsorily from me and give it to ANYONE else no matter what their situation. (be they corporation or individual) What of the society that became great because it was made up of a people who had unwavering faith in GOD. We have forgotten for far too long.

This ranks as one of the most difficult days I’ve ever had…not THE most, but close up there.

Well, let me start with some background. We were traveling home from a conference and stopped for the night at a hotel.

My girls cheerfully woke me up at 5:00 AM and so graciously let me sleep in until about 6:15 at my wife’s insistence. I tried in vain to convince them that the brightness around the corners of the curtain were because our room backed up on the pool and the lights were kept on all night. They were thoroughly unconvinced.

In mid conversation with my adamant kids, my lovely wife turned on the lights of the room. You know, I had noticed she was already up when the kids woke me up but I just thought maybe she had had a bit too much water on the trip yesterday and thus had to get up a little earlier. I was totally suprised by the first thing she said to me which was “honey I think you need to bring me to the hospital. At that, I woke up quickly wondering what I could have missed that had been so pressing. Our baby wasn’t due for another 8 weeks and I was sure that it was happily situated in her womb. However when I called the only hospital nearby, a tiny old thing, they confirmed that indeed Rebecca did need to come in right away. If they knew we were bringing the whole family, I’m not sure they would have been as enthusiastic to invite us!

The kids were understandably upset. They cried and pouted, and woke up all our neighbors at 6:15! “It’s wonderful that they care so much about their mother and understand how serious this is” I thought, until I heard the real reason for their distress …”It’s just not fair, I don’t wanna take momma to the hospital, its all her fault that we can’t go swimming again…!” I tried the usual “what’s more important momma and the sweet new little baby in her tummy or swimming?” line and of course was met with an emphatic all at once chorus of “SWIMMING!” This was just the beginning of trying to take care of four overtired, hungry, cranky girls, while Rebecca was being rushed in and out and all about by doctors and needles, and tests.

Actually if the attending nurses and physicians weren’t so nice, we might have interpreted the rampant poking and prodding in numerous places too uncomfortable to recount as evidence that this was one of those psychotic hospitals from the 1940’s where they practice experimental medicine on vulnerable and unsuspecting patients. (this is where you hear the thunder crashing with the sounds of the mad evil genius cackling in the background)

Miraculously my brother-in-law and her husband showed up like angels of mercy for me. I don’t even know if it’s wise to recount those traumatic hours before their arrival, for fear my blood pressure will rise again and I’ll be the one in the hospital!

The nurses seemed relieved when the girls were out of the room. That meant no more flying from the windowsill onto Rebecca, no more squeezing the IV bag, or trying to pull out the needles. All in all the experience was much more exciting than I had anticipated! However my lovely wife and sweet girls are now safely at home, and trying to rest.

You might wonder what this has to do with fighting global issues, but I certainly think that childbirth falls under the category of a “Global Issue”, don’t you?

Rebecca and I had the pleasure of having lunch with the Honorable Carolyn Bennett, member of parliament and former public health director of Canada. The meeting was fortuitous as the timing between our two schedules happened to bring us separately to the same location on the same day. She was traveling from Toronto to Victoria and I was traveling from Alberta to the island as well. There is no reasonable way to describe the meeting as coincidence, and we truly felt guided in making this acquaintance.

At first glance, it might have seemed that the three of us didn’t have too much in common. However, we shared an interest in creating a better Canada, and protecting and standing up for women and children whose lives are being destroyed. This led to excellent conversation and a mutual friendship that I think is the beginning of greater things to come.

It was refreshing and promising to meet with a government leader whose love and willingness to serve really was evident. I want to emulate some of the fantastic qualities about this good woman and always remember to take time to reach out and support those working towards creating a more beautiful world for all of us to live in.

Every now and then, the beautiful face of opportunity breezes into the classroom of life – like a welcomed guest, but too often we are too busy to notice. We are busy sending those little notes to the other students like: do you like me? (mark yes or no) will you join my club? (mark yes or no.) ! If we knew opportunity was there looking for us, we would be falling out of our seats flailing in the wildest ‘pick me’ dance ever. We recognize opportunities as we listen to the subtle whisperings in our hearts that tune us into what is real in life. We realize our dreams only after we take action.

Linda was that beautiful face of opportunity at a crucial time for me. For a brief moment, I tuned in and heard the subtle whisper to tell Linda what my dream was. Even Oprah herself could not have orchestrated a timelier meeting. From that auspicious first meeting and the wise counsel she has shared with Rebecca and me since then, we have built up a vision of using our talents to bring messages of hope to audiences all over the world. Opportunity by opportunity, we have gained greater clarity into what that looks like for us.

When a few months ago Rebecca was inspired with the virtue of generosity as a principle of power, I felt afraid… very afraid!.

She was told (and this is the oversimplified version) that whatever you desire, you have to be willing to give it away. I knew some of what we desired, and I had wild visions of the things she was then going to give away to others who need it. I saw myself wandering in rags – homeless and hungry. Naturally, I saw this as a principle of poverty rather than a principle of power!

I finally calmed down enough for her to convince me that we could give and be reasonable, so we decided to put this to the test. Rebecca was in her element! Within weeks she had freely licensed organizations all over the world to use my music to support any cause that sounded remotely humanitarian…ROYALTY FREE! I was dying!

However, this tactic proved to be the direct instrument by which I received the invitation to sing and present at the U N Conference on Human Trafficking in Vienna, Austria.

Can we see the virtues as principles of power?

While we are here together, let us not forget that the beautiful face of opportunity is smiling here with us. If we choose to listen to the simple whispering in our hearts, we will find powerful collaborative opportunities that can and will change the world with some of the most desperately needed gifts.

Our labor of love is to bring the peace of the virtues to a world crying out with the pain of vice.

We gathered at the beautiful Laurel Point Inn and held what was for me one of the most wonderful conferences. What made it so was the diverse collection of perspectives, nationalities, and backgrounds all gathered in respect for the awe-inspiring power brought alive through everyone involved with the Virtue Project. In addition to singing, they also asked me to share how I first learned of the Virtues Project.

It was on a warm August afternoon in 2005 that I found myself anxious to finish my work and catch a ferry to Victoria. I had been called earlier by my sweet wife with the news that I had 2 beautiful newborn twin nieces that I had to see. This was the last stop before my work was done for the day. After arriving at the assigned address, I got to work quickly, never realizing that my life was about to change forever.

In the middle of my labors, I was thinking about a dream that I had of using music to make a positive program to inspire youth. I just needed to figure out what music to use and what exactly to tell the youth in my make believe audience.

In the middle of my thoughts, I had a powerful impression that I needed to share my dreams with this lady - Linda - whom I had just met. I tried to dismiss the impression, but it just came back stronger. Understand my dilemma, I was at the northern end of this island and needed to rush to the southern part to catch a ferry… and I was definitely behind schedule.

I risked the chance of this lady thinking I had eaten one too many ‘fruit loops’ for breakfast, and as quickly as I could blurted out my dream to her. I explained that I really didn’t know why I was telling her this, however, I had previously found success in listening to that still small voice that sometimes whispers to my heart.

Imagine my surprise when, after a long pause she asked, “Do you know who I am?” Of course I did. She was my customer. Her name was Linda, what else could there be to know? “Ya, your names Linda isn’t it?”

She looked at me with an amused face and asked again, “So you really don’t know who I am?”. By this time I was starting to feel dumb. What was I supposed to say? Finally she took pity on me and asked If I had ever heard of the Virtues Project. “Oh Yes! I hear it’s a great program thats being used all over. Isn’t it neat that people are doing good things like that?” I asked her.

With a gentle smile, Linda then explained that she was in fact one of the founders of the Virtues Project! I knew at that moment, that the feeling to tell her what I was doing wasn’t my own idea. This began a beautiful journey and relationship with this good lady and the amazing work that she was involved with.

That was three years ago. Since that time I have released a full length virtues based music album for teenagers and traveled across the world with my speaking and singing. The Virtues Project is used in over 90 countries worldwide and it’s influence continues to grow.

It was a pleasure and honor to perform my music and share my story with this creative, and generous group of leaders. Keep up the great work!

Well I just recently read two articles on happiness and found some of their findings very fascinating. The first article “Is Happiness Preordained?” studies two groups of people. The first is a group who have recently experienced very good events such as marriage, birth of a child, new home, winning the lottery. The second group is made of people who have recently experienced a very bad event such as: death in the family, divorce, loss of house, bankruptcy, etc.. The finding showed that although the happiness increased or declined according to the nature of the event, within one year the person had returned to their regular state of happiness.

In other words, an external events do not significantly determine how happy or sad you really are. So then the question begs, what does determine how happy you are? The answer of course is YOU! You determine how happy you are. How many times have we told ourselves that if it weren’t for this or that we’d be just fine. The truth is, we choose if we want to be happy.

The second article I read was actually a synopsis of a TV show aired on BBC. It listed 10 things that you can do to increase your personal level of happiness. I thought I’d share them with you here.
1) Count your blessings at the beginning and end of each day
2) Plant something and nurture it
3) Take time to talk- have an hour long discussion with a loved one
4) Smile. Smile at yourself in the mirror, at your spouse, children and a stranger
5) Serve. Do something unexpected and kind for someone (let them go first, put money in the meter, etc..)
6) Cut TV viewing by half
7) Thank someone every day for a positive attribute
8) Have a good laugh, find a good joke and then share it
9) Do something kind for yourself (read a book, take a bubble bath, write in your journal)
10)Spread kindness: share, serve, enjoy..

Well I hope that we all decide to be happy!!

Well after our first packed house meeting about human trafficking, and our trip to Vienna, Rebecca and I were asked to speak together again. This time we met in the handicapped center, which provided more space for those attending. We weren’t sure how many people would show up because so many had already come the week before, but we were surprised!! It was a good thing that there were so many extra chairs available because in the end the room expanded to pack in a good 30-40 people.

There is something I noticed about my wife… people like her! I think I speak well and then I give her the mic and she has everyone sitting on the edge of their seats and in tears with laughter. I LOVE IT! It’s so fun speaking together. In fact it’s so fun living together! I wish she would speak with me all the time.

We got to meet lots of great people from the community and a few from further away. We got asked to speak three more times on the same topic. It is really nice to be meeting members of our community in a more intimate setting. Many people in the audience knew nothing about human trafficking and were on fire in their desire to help. In fact just at that meeting we got letters representing 110 individuals, who would like to know what the Canadian government is doing to ensure the safety of woman and children during the 2010 Olympic Games.

Research has shown that the Olympic Games has become a breeding pot for thousands of traffickers and their victims. It is interesting to note that the governments of many countries have legalized prostitution in the hosting city in an effort to gain the favor of the Olympic bid. Vancouver is one of those cities. In anticipation of the 2010 Olympic games, and in an effort to make their bid to host the games more compelling, Vancouver legalized prostitution.

“It’s a great idea,” said Liberal Senator Mac Harb, a long-time supporter of legalized prostitution. “Other jurisdictions have done it very successfully – Amsterdam is a case in point,” he said. “It is a major tourist attraction there, and it works.”

4 years later, Senator Mac Harb’s comment has proven to be anything but true. Legalized prostitution in Amsterdam, has in fact, exploded the human trafficking market in the area. Studies show 80% of prostitutes now working in Amsterdam are in fact trafficked victims. Before legalized prostitution in Amsterdam there were 4,000 identified children being sold as prostitutes, after legalized prostitution that number skyrocketed to 15,000 in 2001.

the 2004 Olympics in Greece saw a 95% increase of identified trafficked victims. This was due to poor governmental planning, inadequate training for border guards, not enough security and of course legalized prostitution.

It is my hope that we will not allow Canada to make the same mistakes as Greece. As a caring and wealthy nation, it is our duty to stand up and demand a plan that will ensure the safety of thousands of woman and children that would be trafficked through our borders.

Well, we pulled it off!

Since coming home, we are always getting asked how it went in Vienna. It was evident early on that trying to report the same miraculous stories over and over just wouldn’t do them justice. Five minutes in the hallway or on the street is not enough time, and the repetition might just make it hard to consistently be as enthusiastic as we feel/felt about the events while we lived them. So as every great promotions agent knows ( which would be Rebecca…not me ) we invited a number of guests to attend a private gathering we hosted to report on the obstacles and miracles of our trip.

We packed a good 50 – 60 great people in a room more suitable for about 20 without any major injuries at which point I would have been happy to sit back and watch Rebecca wow them with her phenomenal storytelling powers (I was already feeling so tired from watching her work so hard to prepare for the event) but she let me know that if I ever wanted her help again, I was going to have to carry the evening! Not only that but I’d better tell her repeatedly how great she was and give her at least two SEPARATE foot massages before the night was over, and then maybe she wouldn’t leave me high and dry to entertain all of our guests alone. After much deliberation and contemplating the consequences of a few more mild threats, I finally decided to step up to the plate and do my part. It was her birthday after all! How heartless do you think I am?!

Our hope for the evening was threefold:
1. to help raise public awareness among our friends on the subject of human trafficking
2. to help them know that this truly was a bigger deal than we imagined and to feel how blessed we were throughout this amazing experience because of their faith and support.
3. to help them know the details (and hopefully spread the news), so that we could get at least a little bit of variety in the inquiries about the trip.

At the beginning, we showed the video ‘One life No Price’ produced by Gary Lewis and his crew at the UN whose concern is primarily for issues confronting Southeast Asia. Even though it is reporting the situation in India, the message is so universal and the production is so captivating that it inspired our guests to ask that vital question “How can I be part of the solution?”

From laughter to tears, we shared our experiences and at the end of it all, besides being grateful it was over, we were thrilled that it had surpassed our expectations. My thanks go out to those who attended, and those who helped in the preparations. This is only the beginning!

I promised I’d tell you about our experience at the VIP cocktail party. First of all, let me remind readers that neither Rebecca or I drink alcohol, and most certainly DO NOT usually accept invitations to cocktails parties. In fact neither of us could agree on what to wear, and so Rebecca opted to go conservative and dressed in jeans and sneakers (it had way more to do with comfort I think that anything else) and I went formal with my silver tie and suit.

As I am sure you can imagine it was evident which one of us fit in better than the other! But then again, Rebecca never was worried about fitting in. In fact that’s just one of the things I love so much about her! But don’t worry that wasn’t all, we stood out in many other ways too! First off the waiters offered us a choice of 23 ancient Austrian wines, none of which we could accept and instead requested water. The look of shock was momentarily apparent until it disappeared beneath a quick smile and a glass of water. Throughout the night the many waiters made sure that there was never an empty glass of sparkling water made available to Rebecca and I.

The room was filled with people from many walks of life, but I am sure that my lovely bride and I were the least likely visitors to be attending such a party, strictly because we didn’t belong to any particular organization, nor were we out to make a ‘deal’ with anyone. Because of those things we enjoyed ourselves more genuinely than many other there. Rebecca was especially thrilled when high level executives, or celebrities asked her what she did, and she got to smile and reply that she was a professional mother, expecting her fifth!

The Sr. Vice President of Microsoft, Sr. Vice President of the GAP, Ricky Martin, and many other involved and well known individuals were there at the party with us. This provided interesting conversations, and many fun memories and friendships were made as we mingled together.

At one point during the evening the guy who invited me, Jeffery, and the man who was hosting the event, David Arkless (VP of Man Power)were trying to figure out how to get this excited and noisy crowds attention. Jeffery turned to me and said “Eric why don’t you sing for us?”

Anyone that knows me, knows that I never turn down an opportunity to sing and so with all the energy I could muster, I belted out, as loud as I possibly could “Amazing Grace”. The effect was phenomenal. The room instantly went silent and everyone listened with gracious reverence. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect as it was the 200 anniversary of the abolitionist movement in England. And seeing as we were gathered there together to fight human trafficking is was an appropriate selection for the event.

The night went wonderfully, and we stayed late until Rebecca was too tired to stay or visit any longer. We never imagined that we would find such good people from so many backgrounds dedicated to protecting children and fighting slavery so passionately. It’s a good thing we accepted the spontaneous invitation earlier that afternoon.

I have always considered myself a world class traveler, and ventured to include my family members, especially Rebecca into that category as well. I knew I had a problem, however, when on the first day at our hotel in Vienna, Austria Rebecca tried to make dinner. She carefully examined the German words on the front of the hotel microwave and then popped in her food, pressed the buttons and closed the door. I watched in amusement a few minutes later as she tried unsuccessfully to open up the door of what was obviously not a microwave but now locked up safe!

Vienna was a wonderful and exciting experience for both of us. We attended a press conference with Emma Thomson, and Helen Bamber the first day that we were there. Emma Thomson has created an exhibit called “The Journey” which is a series of 7 containers that graphically illustrates the horror and pain of one girls journey with being bought and forced into prostitution. It was very disturbing, and there were parts I didn’t feel comfortable looking at, however, the reality of it all spoke a message that sank deep for both Rebecca and I. Perhaps the most difficult part of “The Journey” came at the end when they had the actual recording of the young girl, Elena recalling the horror of her journey, the help she didn’t get, the pain she felt, and the life she had been been forced to live.

After the press conference we met Helen Bamber, an amazing lady who has dedicated her life to helping heal and restore life to woman whose lives have been taken. We were also spontaneously invited by Jeffery Avina to attend a VIP cocktail party at the Burg Theatre. That turned out to be a hilarious experience, that I will write about later!

Many people have asked me how I was given the honor of singing for the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking Conference in Vienna. I’m not sure I’m ready to give away all the story yet, but I think it’s important to leak out some initial parts of the tale.

We have planned a desserts party at my place for this coming Monday (25th of February, which also happens to be my wife’s birthday!) where we will be telling the whole fantastic story of how we got there, all the trials and problems that threatened to ruin our trip, and the miracles that magnified the efforts we put in. After this party, I’ll be posting all the information for everyone to read.
Okay, now for the little bit that I’ll leak…

At the close of last year, my sister in Law (she knows who she is) scared me profoundly with some sage advice she passed along to her little sister (my beautiful bride)which seems to be a little more along the lines of ‘The Secret’ (or in my imaginings, ‘The Nightmare’.
She had read that if you really need something, the surest way to invite it into your life was to give it away. I had visions of my wife desiring a nicer house and giving ours away or some other grand lunatic interpretation. After she finally convinced me that she still was thinking in the realm of reason, I decided to TRY to listen and understand the concept whereas before that I just fought the idea.

We finally decided to give it a try. What I really wanted was to work with others to do great things… to form partnerships that would add greater value than that which I alone could offer. We decided to give it a go by giving away what I had to offer for others to use free of charge. This took a lot of faith on my part because I like to get paid for the work I do ( call me strange! )

We emailed people far and wide who were doing great things and offered them the rights to use my music to advance their cause free of charge. I found some, and then my wife forwarded it on to others that I didn’t even know about. One of these was a UN conference in New Delhi fighting Human trafficking.
The organizers liked the song and requested the CD. At first I just thought it was cool to be working with people on the other side of the world. I didn’t know then that my feelings would shift and change so much as time passed.

We packaged the CD up and went to the post office to meet a great surprise. In order to get it there in time for the conference, it would cost us $100.00. It was a hard envelope to agree to mail, but finally I did. We never heard from our New Delhi friends how the song went at that conference, but in time, we were told that the culminating forum was being held in Vienna and we were invited to take part. I don’t yet know what happened in the middle, but needless to say, the experiment was a resounding success.