Here's a reflection from someone who participated in the Walla Walla CROP (Communities Respond to Overcome Poverty) fundraising walk last week:
My CropWalk Experience
What a beautiful day to walk. Due to not being in as good of shape as I had hoped to be, we (my friend and Pastor, Linda) decided to just walk the 5k instead of the 10k. Such a wonderful time of enjoying Gods beauty, a nice visit, and getting some good exercise - all at the same time! We kept a steady comfortable pace and yet managed to be the last ones to finish.
Tired, feeling the blood throbbing in my now swollen fingers, and feeling the flush as well as the pulsing in my face, I felt a sense of accomplishment - ahhhh, I did it!
When I walked in the door feeling smugly proud of myself, I grabbed a glass of orange juice, a cold glass of water, and an ice pack for my aching, arthritic toe and dropped into my recliner. What a great feeling of accomplishment! I repeat this phrase for a reason.
It must have been 30 minutes or so later, I had the idea of jumping out of my chair and seeing what I wanted to fix for dinner; only I didn’t jump. As a matter fact, I didn’t move! Pain and stiffness had moved into my body while I was sitting there feeling so good about myself. Shock! What is THIS?! The rest of the day was spent wondering where the other “me” had gone so quickly, the one who had happily walked earlier that day. Where did that sense of accomplishment go? Over the rest of the evening and throughout the next day, I found more evidence that I was not as “in shape” as I had hoped. My lower back caused me to walk at an almost 90 degree angle. My groin muscles pulled. I had rubbed a sore spot on my leg and found a huge blister along the outside of my left heel.
Then it hit me! THIS is what it was all about! DUH. It wasn’t about the good weather for the walk, or the happy wonderful time I had. It was about the pain! With a totally new perspective, I realized that while what I had done was a fun thing, but there are millions who walk that far and much farther every day just to get food to feed their families. And then they have to walk back – I had a comfortable ride home in a car. We walked in fine weather – others walk in searing heat without water; walk in blinding rain – with no cover. They walk carrying children whose ribs are showing, their bellies bloated from hunger and lack of nutrition. Sometimes they have to stop and bury those children because they die before they reach their destination. They feel more pain than I have ever felt in one moment of my life, and yet they walk – just to survive one more day.
All of a sudden I loved every ache and pain I had. I thank God for my now not-so-big aches and pains, as each one reminds me of those who are dying every day because they don’t have the luxury of driving to the grocery store - an act I take for granted.
O Heavenly Father, I thank you for my pain from this walk, as it is a reminder of those who are dying every day because they lack food and clothing, and shelter from the elements. Let me never take the things I have for granted and always help me to find new ways to share my wealth with those who are in need. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
