I have written a few times here about the wonderful work that the Comunita Cenacolo is doing to not just get people off drugs, but helping them find true peace and freedom that comes only from a life in Christ. It’s such a great organization doing amazing things for people lost in the darkness of addiction.

On Facebook recently I got a notice that a woman is running a half marathon next month in thanksgiving to Cenacolo for helping her brother. Her goal is to raise $5000 for the community and right now she’s only a little over a quarter of the way there. Here is her story:

I am committing to run this half marathon in honor of my brother and all of the work he has done over the past two years to make enormous changes in his life.

Through his late teens and early twenties, he battled a horrible addiction and has recently celebrated his two year mark of being clean from all drugs and alcohol. While this has been a labor of love and hard work for him and my entire family, he would never have made it this far – nor would we – without Comunita Cenacolo.

Comunita Cenacolo, where Jack has lived for the past two years, is pretty much the school of life: a dedication of faith paired with hard work and almost no material possessions. “The community”, as it is called, has helped thousands of young men and women over the past 28 years overcome their addictions and go on to live fulfilling and healthy lives for many, many years.

Cenacolo is completely self-sufficient, receives no state or federal funding, and relies SOLELY on the donations of families, friends, anonymous donors and the general public. They operate under the assumption that any item they need – from a car to new shoes for the guys to butter – will be provided when it is necessary. They ask for nothing and receive everything.

While I don’t think I will ever fully understand the community, as I have never actually lived it, I will be eternally grateful to them for the life they have given back to my brother – and thousands of others just like him and their families.

I am running this half marathon in gratitude to the Comunita Cenacolo and am asking for your support not only in what they have done for my brother and my family, but for the thousands of men and women who will need their services for years to come.

As she said, the Community relies heavily on generous donations to make this life-changing experience free for all who enter –please help if you can and/or pass it along to someone else who can! The run will be on Feb 26, 2012 – Deadline to give is Mar 15, 2012.

Also check out:
‘School of Life’ is Path to Freedom and Peace for Addicts
Why Not Sterilize Drug Addicts?