On April 23rd Memorial Boulevard Christian Church held its’ 42nd Annual Hike Against Hunger. On a beautiful day, 41 people from St Louis area churches walked 532.2 kilometers for West Timor, Indonesia where food has spoiled due to toxins that contaminate the seed and the produce, causing illness or death, especially in children. The money raised will provide safe storage containers for food and/or seeds. The goal is to raise $12,000: $10,000 for West Timor; $1,000 for Memorial’s Food Bank and $1,000 for the Week of Compassion endowment fund.
Pre-hike instruction from Mary Kay Campbell
Forty-one years ago, Vera Parks, an Elder at Memorial, asked Rev Rhodes Thompson, the Pastor, to sponsor her in a Crop Walk. Rev Rhodes is reported to have said, “Why don’t we do our own Hike for Hunger?” That’s how Memorial Boulevard Christian Church began its Annual Hike for Hunger. In the ’80’s, the name was changed to the Hike Against Hunger by Rev Will Miller who said, “We’re not hiking ‘for’ hunger. We’re hiking ‘against’ hunger.”
Andy Olree & Rev Caroline Hamilton-Arnold, Associate Director of Week of Compassion, relax after the Hike.
With a few exceptions, the Hike has benefited a part of the world where hunger issues are great. The particular country and need is chosen with the help of the staff at Week of Compassion in conjunction with people at Memorial. The intention has been to move around the world and benefit the neediest people in any given year. As of 2015, we’d raised $452,020.33 with the Hike. The Hike is a great source of joy to members of Memorial. It demonstrates how one person with an idea can spark others to work together to benefit many with God’s help and make a BIG difference!
It is still not too late to make a donation, either to Week of Compassion marked for Memorial’s Hike Against Hunger or to Memorial Boulevard Christian Church marked Hike Against Hunger. Money will be collected over the next several months.
Story and photos courtesy of Memorial Boulevard
Christian Church pastor Rev. Margie Pride.