The Marathon

so yeaturday I ran the La Marathon. which if you didnt know I am on a running team here at the dream center called "Run for Hope" which we were running the marathon in hopes to raise money for a new ministry starting up called "Project Hope". which is trying to end human trafficking here in La. by opening up a safe house for the people we meet and try to rescue from this lifestyle... my projected time I wanted to get was 4 hours and 40mins which 26miles at a 10min pace is 4 hours and 30min but sense its 26.2 miles i added an extra 10mins. I didnt get my time. When the race started, around mile 3 it started to rain really hard and it got really windy. All i had on was my run for hope t-shirt and my running shorts. The first 13 miles I did good and was on pace to get my time(I had gotten around 2hours 20mins or so after the first 13miles) but around mile 14 the coldness, the rain, and the big winds over took me by that point(it rained the whole marathon which is a first ever for the La marathon) my knees almost gave out towards mile 15 on, I was cold, I was frustrated and but I kept marching on for the goal. After all the whole reason I was running was to help stop human trafficking in La, That is why i trained(kinda trained) for this. so of course I didnt give up. the last 9 miles or so i was limping really bad. I got stopped by so many different random runners and medical people. people were asking if im all right which i was wasn't all right but I told them I was fine so i could keep going, It was hurting bad but to spend time getting help would just prolong the finish and make it worse. Eventually three medical tents(which they place every other mile or so after mile 6) stopped me between miles 18-24 and they all asked me the same thing"are you going to be ok you dont look really good at all" and i just replied back to all them "It doesn't matter" because at that point it didn't matter if I was ok or not or if i was going to be ok or not because I was so close and I put in all those hours to help run a marathon for a ministry greater then me. our running team run for hope could of stood up on stage and told people about the ministry and played a nice video on a sunday morning and people would of gave money and I wouldnt of had to run the marathon at all but we wanted to show people we were more then just words we were going to raise money sacrificing our own bodies for a cause greater then ourselves. so eventually I finished limping as fast as i could which at that point was slower then most people, but i finished. the end result was this we raised 70,792 dollars and with still 26 days to give from today more can still be coming in. Im really sore and my knees hurt like no other, but it was worth it and GOD IS AMAZING!

Run For Hope

Dear Friends

On Sunday, March 20, 2011, I will be running 26.2 miles as part of the Los Angeles Marathon in support of Project Hope LA. The Dream Center is an official charity of the LA Marathon and has served Los Angeles community for 17 years.

The Dream Center provides opportunities and resources for those facing homelessness, poverty, and hopelessness. Assistance is provided in the areas of food, clothing, shelter, education, career development, and healthcare. This year the Dream Center took it one step further and in January 2011, they opened a 38- bed facility to take in victims of human trafficking.

As an official charity of the LA Marathon, I have joined with The Dream Center to RUN FOR HOPE. Did you know 99% of victims are never rescued from human trafficking? Los Angeles is one of the top three points of entry into the United States for victims of slavery and trafficking. The city's widespread diversity makes it easier to hide and move victims from place to place, making it very difficult for law enforcement to locate potential survivors therefore making it one of the fastest growing criminal industry worldwide.

Our goal is to raise $200,000 for Project Hope LA so that we may rescue and help restore the lives of more human trafficking survivors. No donation is too small and each dollar I raise will help to rescue, rebuild and return to society, the life of a victim of human trafficking. I am proud to run to fight against this injustice with The Dream Center.

To donate to this cause and help fight human trafficking in La, simply go to my individual team member site http://www.crowdrise.com/xmarkyx I also encourage you to visit, both, The Dream Center and Project Hope websites at http://www.dreamcenter.org/ and http://projecthopela.com to learn more about the amazing work The Dream Center does helping restore the lives of those individuals who are survivors of human/sex trafficking. In addition, please note that all your gifts to The Dream Center are tax-deductible! Thank you so much for your support.

Please help me make a difference. Help me save a life.

With Appreciation,

Mark Brattrud

Phoenix Trip

so this upcoming week we will be traveling to the mother church of the dream, Phoenix First Assembly of God, we will be there monday-thursday. it is for there 34 Pastor's school where pastors plus leaders want to grow in there walk with God. The Movement will be doing to sessions to support and raise awareness for the dream center, we will also be doing almost all the behind the scenes work of all the stuff that needs to get done for the conference. We will be going there to help out the cause as there will be over a thousand people from all over the United States. So to prepare for this we have been having 10pm practices for our sessions we will be doing there. some of these practices have gone till close to 3am, then the next morning we get up around 7 or 8am like we would every day. its been crazy but God has been moving in this place.
thank you VCA and who ever else reads this, I know you are praying for me and I know I miss you guys alot, I cant wait to see you guys soon.
LOVE MARKY

A whole new level

so today sunday we had our 7th floor dedication, for our new classroom floor which we use for bible studys and other things.as this floor was being build I had to help out building file cabinets and putting front office desks together...also yesturday(saturday) I helped out with worship almost all day. every saturday we go give groceries to people who live in bad areas and at the site im at we get to do a couple worship songs, just on a side walk. but after we did the guy who leads worship my good friend benny, asked if I could help out with worship at the church, the church small groups were getting together to have a day of fast and we got to end the day by leading worship, and I tell you God was moving, we started the worship at 2 and we didnt finish till like 6. we played for 4 hours! and people were getting filled with the holy spirit it was awesome!...lastly back to earlyer when I helped with worship the first time, there was family we help out there that was in need, they were about to have a baby but there house was horrible they didnt even have much food or a good place to sleep in there apt. so before we even got there we prayed that God would provide and then of course I realize I have an extra blanket, which I ultimately gave to them because they needed it more than I did. so now all im left with is a small blanket my Great Grandma made me(its like half my size, she made it for me when I was like 10). I gave away my good blanket because it was bigger and better and I thought it could help them more. so far I havent felt cold because I know God saw my deed and he keeps me warm.

so its been awhile sense ive last posted, I was on break for 2 weeks and now im back, there have been alot of great things going on here in La. I couple of new things is were doing alot of music out, its awesome to see the people we have getting involved, it puts a joy on there face to see these them and us comming together in Christ making music...The college is starting next week on top of our busy ministry schedule so it will be good not only being able to serve but to learn about the bible of college professors. the thing I like best about it is, everything we have done so far will not be lost, nothing we have done will get cut because of the college, we still get to do the ministry with the college on top of that. God is really good. we also had 20 new students come in for the first ever January class and its amazing to meet more believers in Christ. God is doing great things...lastly because we have 20 new students me and 4 other guys had to build all there bunk beds and paint everything on there floor which is the 3rd floor. It took 3 days working most the day and it was a ton of work but we had to get it done for the new students to feel welcome and at home and also so they can have a room with a bed and basic needs.

NEW seasons upon

as I've been here over 2 months(sense oct 1st.) I have been back to the valley for various things and thanksgiving and over nighters(sunday night-monday night) because we get mondays off... but after Christmas break the 19th-3rd that will be my last major break minus the overnighters from time to time...so for the last 6-7 months I will not be home...now that the Christmas season is upon us, we are doing a big Christmas giveaway where we will be giving FREE bikes to families in our foster care program and to families who wouldnt be able to afford presents for there kids this year, this is a season of holiday and good cheer and some of these kids/youth can't have that because there families are broken in single family homes or in low income families and were here to spread the love Christ along with some holiday cheer. I know I love this time of year, and as I get older I tend to less and less want material things, when I was a kid I wanted everything now I dont even care I just want to spread the good word of Christ, while maybe getting a small gift or to doesent hurt. I think here at the church they are really good at providing the needs of the people even in this economy, and im just thankful to be apart of everything thats going on here.

Need a Helping Hand?

so today(friday) went out with the mobile food truck ministry where we bag and hand out groceries to the people in different areas. today we went to a place called 5th and union. after we bagged the food and other people were handing it out we got to pray with the people after they got there food. and most the time they would say "thank you" and walk away which makes no sense, like "would you like prayer for anything"...."thank you" as there walking away...but there was some people we got to pray with. we actually got to meet a guy who had arthritis and it was really bothering him so when we asked to pray with him he prayed with us and after he said he needed help with the food we just gave him so I helped him walk into his gated apartment complex, and we got to talking on just life, hes a lakers fan and hes a artist and draws alot. He has a passion to be in the sports industry...after alittle while he told me he was going to have surgery next week for his arthritis and he didnt want prayer again but was thankful that we helped him out and just in his mind went to great lengths to do it(even though he only lived right across the street) the guy said he knows alot of the people at the church and will try his best to come on sunday. God is good, even in just something so simple God can do amazing things. thank you all for your support with out VCA I dont know where i would be thank you everybody.