JOURNEYS

Raul Saldivar completed an arduous Great Wall Marathon, not for personal glory but for the love of disabled kids

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Spirited by a love of athletics and adventure, Raul Saldivar's life is committed to helping those in need. Throughout the years, Saldivar has run five marathons, and in 2007, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro for the Climb for Kids Campaign, which raised $20,000 for Romanian children. While Rauls dedication has taken him to many countries, his inspiration knows no bounds.

Saldivar is the vice president of human resources and the chief integrity officer for Mosaic. He has spent over twenty years working at Mosaic, which is an organization that provides support and partnership for disabled individuals. When he was a child, Rauls family, who were migrant workers in Texas, moved to Axtell, Nebraska. He spoke no English when he started kindergarten, however, quickly learned the language. As he grew older, Saldivar found his groove in athletics, especially wresting. In fact, he was Axtell, Nebrakas first state champion. "That built my confidence and self-esteem," Saldivar recalls.

In 1975, he participated in the Olympic free style competition and joined the U.S. team's trip to Communist Romania. This eye-opening experience gave him a greater understanding of the freedom given in the United States. During a two-day trip from Frankfort, Romania, Raul and the team came across the Communist Romanian militia. They watched as the military men, who were armed with machine guns and dogs, inspect the rail cars. The inspection was also under the careful gaze of other militia guards who were posted on street corners. During their stay in Romania, the Americans could speak with other wrestlers; however, they were banned from communicating with anyone else.

-Raul Saldivar

While excelling at wrestling, Saldivar soon unearthed another passion: working at Bethphage (one of Mosaics founding organizations). He was impressed with the work done at Bethphage and the number of people they help. Inspired, Saldivar resolved to make his lifes work helping those with disabilities and decided to pursue a degree in special education. He attended McCook Community College, graduated from Kearney State College, and returned to Bethphage, where he worked his way up through the organization.

"My whole career has been dedicated to supporting people with disabilities. It came from my experience as a teenager," Saldivar reflects. As a mentor, he had one particular client diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and they learned to communicate through nonverbal signs. Saldivar was struck by the man's upbeat attitude and determination to do the best with what he had.

"I decided this was a life calling and mission," he reveals. Instead of just taking care of people, Saldivar saw the importance of treating others with respect. "People put value on your job title and how much money you make, but it all comes down to friendship and integrity."

During a later trip to Romania (for human resource consulting work), Saldivar saw how that government treated people with disabilities. He was horrified with the way children were institutionalized. Raul knew he had to help. After working with non-government agencies and others, he was able to get homes built for the children in need. "We saw the kids thrive," he expresses. After they were placed in homes, the children began feeding and dressing themselves- tasks no one had previously believed they could accomplish. He adds, "We brought happiness to them."

His earlier experience laid the groundwork for Saldivars love of international relations. Additional work in a human resource leadership training program motivated him to try new challenges. In 2001, he joined the Omaha Running Club and was seeking new challenges when the option of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro became available. Looking for someone to share the formidable task, he met a running partner- a lady in fact- who would later become his wife.