Running with Martin Parnell

Running with Martin Parnell in Calgary - his 221 marathon this year for the charity "Right to Play". Go Martin Go! You are almost done. You are great.

Calgary Footpaths - Runing Snow Marathon

Calgary - what a beautiful city. Lovely running trails right from the Good Earth Cafe at the Eau Claire Market.

My 43rd Marathon - Calgary, AB - Run with Martin

It was a cold (minus18)snow marathon running with Martin Parnell (he is running 250 marathons this year for Right to Play), with Danny Gallagher (Calgary) and Marc Johnson (Calgary) on the 21 of November, 2010.

Driving to Calgary from Winnipeg, was a challenged. I drove right into the snowy and cold weather. Even so, it was a pleasure to meet Martin, Marc and Danny and other runners at the Eau Claire Market. The Calgary pathways along the Bow River are so beautiful. Meeting other runners at the Good Earth Cafe was a treat. "Networking" with other runners is always such a great thing, because building running friendships is quite easy for a lot of runners are very friendly people.

2010 AIA Runnng and Baseball Camps Recap

Albert & Edna Martens
408 Second Street
Steinbach, Manitoba
Canada R5G 0V5
Tel: (204) 346-1345
email: aemart@mts.net
2010 Newsletter

February 2010: It was a pleasure and privilege to be a part of the MORE THAN GOLD outreach team in Vancouver, Richmond and Whistler. Our little hub of 8 workers helped out with churches in the area - e.g. Richmond at the skating Oval, in Vancouver on the streets, at the O zones where we met fans going up to the Super G downhill skiing. Also, a few AIA staff were chosen to be chaplains at the Athletes Olympic Village. I personally was able to meet a long distance runner for lunch.

May 2010: Shortly after the Olympic outreach event, I returned to Vancouver to run in the Sun Run - some 52,000 runners - the largest race I have ever been in. The winners crossed the finish line before the last runners had even started.

May 2010: The Blue Nose Marathon is in Halifax. Edna and I set up our first “RUN AIA” booth. We connected with runners and handed Christian literature to those that were interested. It was a great joy to meet many runners, as well as run the marathon. I was introduced to one of NS top elite runners - Mark. His crew was interested not only in the races I had done, but were interested and open to hear of my faith in Jesus.

May 2010: Besides the great Blue Nose Marathon experience, Edna and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in the Maritimes. Wow that red lobster was expensive and good.

June 2010: The Manitoba Marathon was our second “RUN AIA” booth. What a bunch of wonderful Manitoba runners. My grand son Timothy helped me both days in meeting runners and handing out valuable Christian literature. The response was very good.

July 2010: Our Pauingassi First Nations AIA baseball camp was a great success. Wonderful volunteer staff from Winkler and Calgary did a fantastic work in connecting with the people in this community. I was privileged to write a letter of recommendation for an honourable award to one of their First Nations official staff at Pauingassi. We were received well by the people, youth and children, giving them material like gift bags, teaching them, attending and participating in their church services.

July 2010: Power To Change Staff Conference in Whistler was another huge highlight listening to the challenges of Erwin McManus. The inspirational meetings are always very helpful and encouraging.

August 2010: Tadoule Lake, Manitoba is a northern community, about 200 km west of Churchill. This time we again had 7 volunteer staff, several from our home SEMChurch. We were so encouraged to be of some help in the area of DVBS for the children, baseball training, offering church services, Men’s breakfast, and gift bags. A new event and a highlight was a ladies tea party that Edna and Diane organized. Edna was absolutely delighted that 45 ladies accepted her invitation to tea that afternoon. One lady accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour.

September 2010: For about a week I helped out on a potato farm. Wow was it tough to get the potatoes in because of the very wet soil conditions. I think harvesting those potatoes was harder than running 20 km each day. But a good farmer does not give up - he sees the fruit and it needs to be harvested, just like in Christian work, some sow, some cultivate, some reap and harvest.

November 2010: Run a marathon in Calgary with two other long distance runners.

Balance of year: Writing reports, reporting in churches and other places, preparing newsletters, cards, promotion and planning the for up-coming events take a lot of time.

Prayer: Planning for next years Running ministry events

“RUN AIA” Ministry
- Please pray as I am planning a number of special running events
- A possible Winter Marathon in the cold stormy Manitoba - Feb 2011
- Producing a “RUN AIA” movie - film 2-3 runners running through the
Grand Canyon to create an outreach film to runners.
- A possible fundraising, evangelistic run across Paraguay

First Nations Camps 2011
For planning - search for volunteer staff and for the funds needed to do this ministry.

Thank-you very much for all your support in prayers and finances. Without your prayer support and your donations I could not do this ministry. You are great and I appreciated this very much.

Talk about support, we are looking for the increase in support, especially monthly donations to our ministry work. Please consider monthly donations - see card enclosed.

Edna & I wish you and your family a very blessed Christmas season as we again remember and celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ.



Albert Martens
AIA Ministry

Athletes in Action 2010 Grey Cup Breakfast