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Thursday, July 9, 2020

Join Me For A "100-Mile Prayer Walk" For MCC

Since I've been advised against taking part in public events, I've come up with an
alternative to this year's SOS "Hundreds for Hundreds" Walk. 
As a part of the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale's efforts to raise desperately needed money for Mennonite Central Committee during a worldwide pandemic, our SOS (Sharing Our Surplus) Committee is sponsoring a special "Hundreds for Hundreds" Walk August 23. Through this and other means we are hoping to enlist large numbers of people to help make this the greatest fundraising year ever--in honor of MCC's 100th anniversary and in light of unprecedented needs around the world.

My own modest plan for helping this cause is to prayerfully walk a total of 100 miles between now and the date of the Sale, October 3-4, and to enlist as many people of all ages as possible to make generous contributions during this time. But we hope all who can will solicit generous sponsors and donors for the actual two-mile Refugee Walk planned in Harrisonburg August 23, starting and ending at Community Mennonite Church. Representatives from MCC will be present in the parking lot area with information on refugee and other needs and to collect contributions by cash, check or credit card. Walkers will be encouraged to wear masks and to maintain appropriate distance during the walk.

Interested individuals, families and youth groups can also plan their own walks or other fundraising activities,  and make their own generous contributions at any time. For my part, I am not actively seeking sponsors as such, but I will be urging people to visit the Relief Sale donation page frequently during the next months.

We also urge everyone to "Like" the SOS Refugee Facebook page and encourage all of their friends to share the link on social media. The "Learn More" link will connect them to the donation page.

This is not about seeing how successful we Virginians can be at fundraising. Rather, it is about responding to the crying needs of millions whose very lives are at stake due to food shortages, lack of medical care and from the spread of COVID-19, especially in densely populated refugee camps.

Here are among the things I will be praying for on my daily walks, hoping to encourage others to do the same:

1) For an outpouring of generosity worldwide for millions of our neighbors in need.
2) For the efforts of MCC and other relief organizations attempting to meet some of those needs.
3) For an end to wars, persecutions, famines, floods, locust plagues and other disasters that add to the number of people fleeing for their lives.
4) For the health, safety and resettlement of families in crowded and "temporary" refugee camps, some of whose children have lived there for all of their lives.
5) For God's mercy on all of us who remain well-to-do and who live in comfort and ease while so many are experiencing unimaginable levels of despair.
6. For Mark Keller (434-4535), Jason Ropp and others who are coordinating the Walk.

Here are four possible responses: 
https://harvyoder.blogspot.com/2020/06/four-responses-to-sos-hundreds-for.html

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