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Through the Eyes of Amani

2/1/2013

19 Comments

 
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A few months ago I had the joy of getting my first puppy - Amani!  She is a border collie and husky mix that Brittany and I found at a rescue in Albuquerque, NM and we both fell in love with her from the moment we first met her!  Amani's blessings are many - a running buddy for Brittany when I am away training, unending energy, and a constant companion.  She also reminds me on a daily basis about the simple joys in life!  

1.  Food! - Anyone who has a dog (especially a puppy) knows how excited they get at breakfast and dinner time.  Amani does a little "food dance" whenever we go to fill her dog bowl with her delicious organic dog food (she's a runner and needs good fuel to train hard everyday).  Her "dance" involves wagging her tail, a little bouncing, and a little spinning while she struggles to stay seated because she knows she only gets her food if she "sits".  It is a daily reminder to never take food or nutrition for granted and to count the blessings of having access to food.  In Kakuma refugee camp I felt the same joy for the one small meal we got everyday and now in America I realize the true blessings we all have.

2. Family - One of the greatest blessings of adopting Amani was enjoying the unending love and loyalty that she has for Brittany and I.  No matter how long a workday Brittany has or how exhausted I am after a hard workout, Amani is waiting at the door to lick our worries away.  It reminds me of the importance of being surrounded by loving family and friends everyday.  The greatest gift I ever received in my life was being adopted by a family when I was 16 years old.  In the refugee camp I was a boy without an identity, family, or a country.  When I came to America in 2001 I got a country to be proud of, a second chance at my childhood, and most importantly, I got the unconditional love and support of a family. Thank you so much to my parents Rob and Barb Rogers for everything you have done for me!

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3. Peace - When Brittany and I were thinking about what to name our new puppy we wanted something that would remind us daily of the joy she brings to our life.  The word "Amani" means "Peace" in Swahili.  As soon as we thought of it we knew that was her name :)  Amani is a ball of energy and happiness and it reminds us everyday of the blessing of going to sleep at night knowing that we will wake up safe.  We know that so many people living in war torn countries constantly worry about the safety of their families.  I want to make sure that no other child is ever robbed of their childhood the way that I was.  By simply providing a sense of peace and security for someone, a world of opportunity opens up allowing him or her to achieve their dreams. Our only limitations are the ones we put on ourselves.  That is a beautiful thing!  I train harder everyday so that together we can do amazing things and provide "Amani" for children in South Sudan. 
Running Tip 2: To increase running speed add a burst of speed at the end of every run.  Even accelerating for the last 100 meters of every run will have you craving speed and you will see the results!
These are only a few of the many joys of Amani.  Amani is a goof-ball a lot like me and quite clever like Brittany.  She is a great runner and training partner (of course!).  I hope that we give her even a fraction of the happiness she gives us!
Please keep sharing my story and Running for My Life with family and friends!  I know that together we can change thousands of lives in South Sudan and share the many blessings - Join my team and the 4 South Sudan Campaign!
19 Comments
Donny
2/1/2013 03:46:14 am

What a beautiful pup! Dogs are incredible, and loyal to the end. You will surely love having Armani around, even more in the future!

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Lopez Lomong link
2/3/2013 05:52:01 am

Donny -

Thank you so much for your post. She is a joy and I am sure that you are right that Amani will only grow to be a more wonderful friend as the years go by!

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Donny
2/3/2013 06:14:37 am

Ah --I misspelled her name, Amani. Sorry about that!

AUNT PAULA
2/1/2013 05:06:58 am

I understand how much love a dog can bring to your life thats why we have 4

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Bo, Robyn, Kim & Bailey, too!
2/1/2013 06:12:05 am

Yes, the love of a dog is unconditional. When we are having a bad day we just think of Bailey and instantly the "sun starts shining". I love you post - how true those words are.

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Tracy
2/1/2013 06:22:57 am

God Bless you and your wife enjoy your dog, we too are dog lovers. Thanks for all the inspiration you give. I enjoy the running tips and need all the help I can get.

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Lopez Lomong link
2/3/2013 05:54:36 am

Aunt Paula, Bo, Robyn, Kim, and Bailey :), and Tracy,

Thank you so much for your comments. It is so true that Amani makes everyday sunny! I love her puppy smile :) Brittany and I are definitely very lucky that such a wonderful puppy found us.
Tracy - so glad that you are enjoying the running tips too! I will keep including them in every post!

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jen link
2/3/2013 05:59:27 am

Your dog is gorgeous!

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Molly
2/8/2013 05:04:13 am

What kind of dog is Amani?

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Molly
2/8/2013 05:05:15 am

She is a beautiful doggy...

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Lopez Lomong link
2/9/2013 05:35:52 am

Molly -

We got her from a rescue so we are not totally sure her breed but we think she is a cattle dog/ husky mix. Maybe a little border collie in there too :) We know for sure she is the energetic, long distance runner type.
Thanks for following me and cheering me on!

Lopez

Ryan
2/16/2013 03:44:01 pm

Great posts Lopez! Keep up the good work on and off the track and come back to NM sometime. It's a GREAT place to run/train..Make USA proud!

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McKenzie
3/12/2013 04:46:57 am

Hey your dog is so pretty. So when did you get her.

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Tanner
5/22/2013 06:06:03 am

Your dog looks awesome!!! How old is he/she?

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Anonymous
6/4/2013 04:22:46 am

Is your dog a female or a male? You should get he/she a partner.

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Dating in Portland link
10/6/2013 04:55:51 am

Great post, thank you.

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John Perry link
10/7/2013 02:45:51 am

You are having great fun with your new puppy Amani and definitely he is enjoying your company too. It is very necessary to take care of your puppy and take natural food for him rather than commercial foods as it have some bad effects upon the health of dogs. I am really inspired to read your post in which you described how you are taking care of your dogs and for making him active what tips you are using. Really very informative blog for the puppy and dog lovers.

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Adam link
5/22/2014 04:48:53 pm

Good placement from your side. Such type of information must be spread in such a way that people could easily find good stuff for their knowledge enhancement.

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Joy Woodard
7/14/2014 02:26:51 am

My son, Dakota, is 18 (19 in September). He is in Ethiopia right now. He is fulfilling the dream and calling God put on his heart for the children of South Sudan. He just arrived in Gambella a couple of days ago. He will be there for 5 months. He is with a couple by the name of Brad and Kim Campbell. They are with "Keeping Hope Alive" under Freddie Powers (look it up online). He was originally going to go to South Sudan back in February 2014 but when the war broke out again in December 2013, he had to cancel his trip. He just recently was at our local library and saw your book, "Running for my Life" and brought it home. Then he realized that it was about a South Sudaneze "Lost Boy." He started reading it but didn't get to finish it because it was time for him to go to Africa. His sisters and I are reading it now and tell his dad about it as we go!! We are inspired by your struggle and triumph!! God is good. Our hearts go out to the South Sudaneze and we are proud to say that Dakota has stepped out and is showing love and compassion to those children there right now! I know he'd love to hear from you. Could you please respond and I can make sure he sees it when he returns or send him a fb message. They have found a nearby hotel that allows them to access the internet about once a week, or so. Thank you for your time.

Joy Woodard

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