ThesunbeatdownonZhangTingjunassheranthe"CityofPeace"marathon（马拉松）inDili，EastTimor，lastJune．Asthe28-year-oldcameuptothefinishline，shefeltsomethingrisinginherthroat（喉咙）．Whenshewas

　　ThesunbeatdownonZhangTingjunassheranthe"CityofPeace"marathon（马拉松）inDili，EastTimor，lastJune．Asthe28-year-oldcameuptothefinishline，shefeltsomethingrisinginherthroat（喉咙）．Whenshewasdone，shecaughtsightofherthreerunningmatesandsawthattheywere also troubledbyemotion．Itwasnotbecausetheirunpleasantexperiencewasover．ForZhangandherfriends，eachsteptheytookwouldhelpsavealife．

　　ItallstartedinJuly2009whenthefouryoungSingaporeanwomendecidedtogoonanadventure（历险）together．Someonesuggestedafive-daybicycleraceandtheyjumpedatit．

　　Soontheyweretalkingaboutthepoverty（贫穷）thathastroubledEastTimor．"Theconversationslowlyturnedtoacommonsubject-touseadventureasachanceforchange，"Zhangrecalls．TheysetupTheChainReactionProject（TCRP），withthegoalofusingtheirloveforsportandadventuretohelpthepoor．

　　Inadditiontotheirfour-hour-a-daytrainingplan，theyaskedfamilies，friendsandworkmatesfordonations（赞助）．Theirfirsteffortsraisedjust78．Thenoutoftheblue，Zhang'sfriend，IvySinghLim，donated﹩15，550．"Tohavesomeonebelievewhatwearedoingmeansmorethanthemoneyinmyhand，"saysZhang．Inalltheyraisedmorethan﹩35，000．

　　ThefourfriendsarrivedinDiliinAugust2009，severaldaysaheadofthestartoftherace．Needingaplacetostay，theytookupanoffertocampatHIAMHealth，achildrensavingcenter．

　　Duringtheirweekatthecenter，thewomenlearnedthatmorethanhalfofTimoresechildrenunderfivedon'thaveenoughfood．Theyalsodiscoveredthatthecenterwastryingtogetenoughmoneytoprovewhatitcoulddotohelp．TCRPcametoadecisionthemoneytheyhadraisedwouldgotoHAIMHealth．

　　OnechildatthecenterroundedZhang'sheart．Two-year-oldSarahcamefromapoorfamily．"Sometimesthechildren'sconditionissobadthattheycannotgrownormally．ButSarahreceivedhelpearlyenoughandbecameallrightsoon，"Zhang recalls．

　　WhentheTCRPmembersreturnedforthe2010Dilimarathon，theywerejoinedby18otherrunners．Thegroupraised﹩10，000forHIAMHealth，aswellasa﹩21，750playgrounddonatedbyPlaypointSingapore．TodayHIAMHealthplaysanimportantroleinpoorchil