ENID, OK - Linda Kodesh, founder of the Knees 2 War 5K/1 mile events, is a teacher at Hillsdale Christian School and lives in Enid, OK. Knees 2 War combines two of her passions: running and seeing lives change through the salvation of Jesus Christ. Over the past several years, there have been Knees 2 War events in several cities in Oklahoma including: Enid, Tonkawa, Poteau, Claremore, and Choteau.
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Kodesh went to India for the first time in the summer of 2010 with Touch India Ministries, an organization supported by churches across Oklahoma and surrounding states. She was greatly impacted by the experience, especially by the organization’s dedication to and lifestyle of prayer as they seek to reach out to the sick, children, widows, and pastors.
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After arriving back in the states, Kodesh had a desire to support the work of Touch India Ministries and wanted to invite other people to join as well. That desire led to the start of Knees 2 War 5K and 1 mile walking/running events that raise funds to support the children’s home and school of Touch India Ministries.
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So, why is the event called Knees 2 War? Well, on the last day of Kodesh’s first trip to India, words were spoken by a leader in the organization concerning the great need in India and the need around the world for people to know the truth of Jesus Christ. He ended his speech with, “We must bring our knees to war.” This statement simply means- we must pray. So, since the organization operates by getting on their knees to God in prayer, and since in a race people use their knees to walk or run, the title Knees 2 War fit perfectly.
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When asked about the need for prayer in India, Kodesh’s thoughts are as follows:
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“We must pray for the nation of India, deceived by idolatrous Hinduism, where people believe in, pray to, and worship millions of gods… where cows are sacred and kids are abandoned, starving of malnutrition and dying of disease… where the outcastes, the ‘untouchables,’ living in slums are not even considered to have equality with human beings… where parents maim children and beggars buy babies to attract more sympathy of the passerby… where there is a handful of the rich that lack compassion and there are countless poor that lack basic necessities… where our brothers and sisters in Christ are beaten, killed, imprisoned, or falsely accused for telling people the truth about Jesus Christ… It is for this nation we must fight, bringing our knees to war. We must pray…
“We must pray for India, where God, in a society that considers widows to be bad omens, took one widow, and used her to start Touch India Ministries… where God, told this outcaste widow to take care of His precious deprived children, and it has grown into a children’s home that cares for, feeds, and loves hundreds of needy children… where God, gave this ordinary widow a vision to reach her nation through education, and it has grown to an English school providing thousands of students the opportunity to receive a good education while hearing about the love and truth of Jesus… where God, uses this unlikely widow to proclaim to other widows and to those that are sick the truth—that they are loved and are important and that they matter to God, their Creator… where God, uses this one widow to organize pastor training seminars, encouraging the faithful, persecuted followers all across India that they are not alone and Jesus is worth everything—no matter the cost… It is this ministry that we can support by bringing our knees to war. We must pray.”
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The Annual Knees 2 War 5K & 1mile Walk/Run will take place in downtown Enid on Saturday, March 25th at 9:00am. Meet at the CNB Center at 301 S. Independence. Supporting the Knees 2 War 10K, 5K and 1 Mile Run/Walk through sponsorship and/or participation will be an eternal investment in the lives of these precious children. Please consider joining the race and “Put our Knees to War” for the children of India. Visit www.knees2war.org for more information.
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7:30 - 8:45 am - Race Day Registration and Packet Pick-up
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10K at 9 am, $30 pre-register, $35 race day
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1 mile at 9:05 am, $10 pre-registration, $15 race day
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5K at 9:30 am, $20 pre-register, $25 race day
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Pre-register at www.knees2war.org
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