VBS participants in Wooster, Ohio, enjoy the new “Global Four Square” game. Photo: Nick Kiger/CWS
When organizing CROP Hunger Walks, the phone is your friend. CWS field staff spend a lot of time calling congregations, colleges, individuals or anyone else who will listen about growing CROP Hunger Walks.
Nothing is better than getting a call from a person who wants to start a CROP Hunger Walk. Seriously, you should see our faces when we hear the words, “My name is … and I would like to start a CROP Hunger Walk in my community.” So, now that you have an image in your mind of me sitting at my desk, answering a call, you can imagine the expression on my face when the organizer of an ecumenical Vacation Bible School in Wooster, Ohio, called and told me that she would like to do a CROP Hunger Walk as the VBS mission project.
Seven churches in Wooster come together annually to offer an ecumenical VBS and each year they choose a mission project. This year, they wanted to do something a little different and decided to hold a CROP Hunger Walk. I was invited to come to the last day of VBS (and, of course, I accepted). I spent the last few hours with the older kids and taught them a new CWS game called Global Four Square. The kids loved it and it served as a great lesson on global inequalities.
That evening, the kids showed up with their families to participate in the Walk. After a great performance of some music the kids learned throughout the week, I was given the microphone to say a few words. As I stood in the front of the room, I could see over 150 kids, parents, grandparents and volunteers. This was such a great event to be a part of!
I think the greatest thing to come from the whole experience is the knowledge that there are some great kids in Wooster, Ohio, who now have a better understanding of the issues people face around the world. I hope they realized that – even at their age – they have the ability to change the world … that big change comes in small packages. Perhaps this CROP Hunger Walk was the catalyst to create new world changers. In the fight against hunger, we can never have too many!
Nick Kiger, Ohio Associate Regional Director/CWS