June 2018
The CROP Walk on May 6th was a wonderful experience for our community! In addition to raising needed funds for hunger relief around the world and in our own area, this walk brings together people from local religious congregations to walk in solidarity with hungry and thirsty people around the world who have to make a 5K trek just to get food and water.
This year, we had an additional challenge: THE WEATHER! After a rainy week, it looked “all clear.” The weather forecast was for widely scattered showers. As the Walk coordinator, I launched our 175 walkers and then went back inside to take care of some paperwork. We’d thanked God for the opportunity to do this, and for the nice day, with sunshine and comfortable temperatures….so I was surprised when someone in the room said, “hey, it’s raining!” and a moment later, “wait, it’s HAILING!” Soon our soaking wet walkers began to arrive. The kitchen crew put out the hot pizza and hot dogs, and we handed out paper towels. I was apologetic and then realized….everyone was laughing and telling their stories. Some folks just toughed it out. Others at rest stops got wet but not AS wet. Yet others told their stories about people inviting them into their garages until the hail quit, or businesses opening their doors to the wet walkers to get in out of the worst of it. People stuck around even after the sun came out, making new friends, and expressing their awareness that this challenge was nothing compared to what many served by Church World Service and CROP Walk go through.
This is a good reminder for us all: even when things don’t go right, God can bring good out of them! I will keep this in mind on my Sabbatical journeys (see the article in this issue), and hope you all will too, as we go through this summer of vacations, service, and worship.
Rev. Mary E. Biedron
The CROP Walk on May 6th was a wonderful experience for our community! In addition to raising needed funds for hunger relief around the world and in our own area, this walk brings together people from local religious congregations to walk in solidarity with hungry and thirsty people around the world who have to make a 5K trek just to get food and water.
This year, we had an additional challenge: THE WEATHER! After a rainy week, it looked “all clear.” The weather forecast was for widely scattered showers. As the Walk coordinator, I launched our 175 walkers and then went back inside to take care of some paperwork. We’d thanked God for the opportunity to do this, and for the nice day, with sunshine and comfortable temperatures….so I was surprised when someone in the room said, “hey, it’s raining!” and a moment later, “wait, it’s HAILING!” Soon our soaking wet walkers began to arrive. The kitchen crew put out the hot pizza and hot dogs, and we handed out paper towels. I was apologetic and then realized….everyone was laughing and telling their stories. Some folks just toughed it out. Others at rest stops got wet but not AS wet. Yet others told their stories about people inviting them into their garages until the hail quit, or businesses opening their doors to the wet walkers to get in out of the worst of it. People stuck around even after the sun came out, making new friends, and expressing their awareness that this challenge was nothing compared to what many served by Church World Service and CROP Walk go through.
This is a good reminder for us all: even when things don’t go right, God can bring good out of them! I will keep this in mind on my Sabbatical journeys (see the article in this issue), and hope you all will too, as we go through this summer of vacations, service, and worship.
Rev. Mary E. Biedron