MISSION POSSIBLE

She ran 250km, he'll run 100km to raise funds for girls' home. SHE endured harsh conditions as she ran 250km across the arid Atacama crossing in Chile last month.

By Zubaidah Nazeer on 20 August 2006, The New Paper

SHE endured harsh conditions as she ran 250km across the arid Atacama crossing in Chile last month. There were times when Ms WaiYen Jasmine Wong's determination wavered as she crossed sand dunes, rock formations and glacial waters in the rugged South American terrain.
But the thought of the underprivileged girls kept the physiotherapist going, and she completed the race in seven days.

After completing last December's Standard Chartered Marathon here, her first, she itched for a bigger challenge. That's how she signed up for this race.

Said Ms Wong: 'I had apprehensions about whether I would make it through the race... But I thought of the girls and that motivated me to go on.' She has used this run to raise money for the Andrew and Grace Home (AG Home) for troubled women.

She has raised $30,000 so far through friends and word of month. She is hoping to hit the $50,000 mark with more donations.

This on top of raising nearly $10,000 for the cost of her run - with support of the Singapore Sports Council and her running buddies. She came to know about AG Home when a friend told her about a pastor there who was training for his own version of 'mission-impossible'.
Pastor Andrew Choo, 45, is bracing for a 100km race here on 25 Nov to raise money for the home.

Said Ms Wong: 'Coincidentally, I was looking for a beneficiary to dedicate my race to. When I heard about Pastor Choo's mission, it mirrored my own physical attempt.'

Pastor Choo's AG Home has 53 women aged 11 to 39 recovering from drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and juvenile crimes, among others.

He calls his '100km Run: Go The Distance' a symbol for overcoming the impossible.
He prepares by training up to four times a week. Each session, he runs 20km. He's on a strict diet and takes supplements regularly.

Some girls will join him in the race at different points of the route - starting from the Home at Telok Kurau to Fort Road, through East Coast beach and making a loop at the PA Sailing Club - repeated five times.

Said Pastor Choo: 'The race, much like the girls' struggle, is a lonely journey. I want to inspire them to be determined about pulling through.'
He hopes to raise $100,000. The funds will be used to provide more services for the girls in the home.

One of them is expected to be a school of physical education with sports professionals hired to groom the girls into athletes or train them for sports psychology and sports management.
For more details of Pastor Choo's race or to donate, contact Andrew and Grace Home at 6348 5674 or e-mail andrew@pcs.org.sg.
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Let's put our hands to congragulate Jasmine!!!