Once again, we are very much a part of one of the largest CROP Walks in the state. Our walk once again will be at the beautiful river walk right downtown. We start and end at St. Mark's Lutheran Church. The river walk is a three-mile loop and people will be walking this loop once, twice, or three times. Or, as much or as little as they can or want.
It is not how far you walk, rather it is how much you support this important event in order to raise money for those in our world who are hungry. You can support CROP in two ways - first, sign up to walk and start collecting pledges; second, sponsor someone who is walking.
I have been walking in CROP Walks for 40 years. When I started I can remember a figure like 75,000 children dying every day due to hunger related issues. Currently, that figure is more like 16,000 per day. This is a case of good news/bad news. It is good news that 75,000 now is 16,000. This means we have indeed made a difference. Our dollars given each year mean something - people - usually children, are saved from dying. This is indeed a great thing. However, the above statement also is bad news in the sense that there still are 16,000 children who DIE EVERY DAY and WE CAN PREVENT IT. That number translates to one child dying every five seconds.
You might think that these kinds of numbers are too big for you to do anything about, but that is not the case. In fact, it is preciously your $5, $10, $50 gifts that will indeed save the life of a number of people. Billions of people live on $1 to $2 per day. Therefore, your gift of $50 can keep someone alive for 30 days. Church World Services has been doing this for many years now and it uses every single dollar in the best way possible. Having traveled the world, I have seen with my own eyes what a difference you and I can make.
We can and we do make a difference. In the past 32 years the Williamsport CROP Walks have raised more than $700,000 with close to $170,000 of that staying right here in our community helping our local food pantries.
So continue to help us help others as we are called to do by God. Get a sponsor form and walk Oct. 14 at 1 p.m. at St. Mark's Lutheran Church. Or, find one of our walkers and support them generously with your contributions. Every single dollar makes a difference. If you do not know anyone who is walking, think about supporting me - Ken Weiss - as I walk. Send contributions to Ken Weiss, 1250 Almond St., Williamsport, PA 17701.
- Weiss is the pastor at First Church of Christ Disciples in Williamsport.
