On 21 May 2005, one of Sister Joan’s supporters, Megan Payne, competed in the 2005 Great Wall Marathon in China to raise funds for Sister Joan’s work.

This was the second marathon effort by Meg for Sister Joan. In 2002, she ran the Bangkok marathon and, with the support of those who sponsored her, raised sufficient funds to buy Sister Joan a much needed vehicle to assist with her work. Additional funds raised were used in the various projects run by Sister Joan.

The Great Wall Marathon was held in Huangyaguan which is about three hours drive from Beijing. It began with a 5 km run uphill to the steps of the Great Wall, followed by a climb up sections of the Wall. A run through the picturesque local villages then back up another mountain before heading to another hill. After the hill, it was back onto the Wall for more climbing, finishing up with a 5 km downhill run to the finish line. For Meg, it was an extremely difficult but definitely memorable race. She completed the full 42.125 km marathon distance.

“The race hosts in China did a fantastic job of organising the event”, she explains. “The local children and people in the villages smiled and cheered us on as we ran past and runners spurred each other on just when we were hitting personal walls. The atmosphere was something I will never forget. I would like to thank everyone who helped to make this event possible. Without your support, there’s no way that Sisterathon 2: Great Wall Marathon would have taken place.”

All funds raised by Meg go to assist Sister Joan in her work in the Klong Toey slums. You can still donate as part of Sisterathon 2. Donations can be made via PayPal (using the link on the How Can You Help? page) or directly into a Presentation Slums Mission bank account. Questions about Sisterathon 2 or making donations can be sent to: sisterathon2@hotmail.com

Every donation goes a long, long way....