The Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) will hold its Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty on Sunday, May 6, with more than 300 sites across 18 time zones participating in its second historic global charity walk.
The INC’s march against poverty will be held simultaneously in different countries with Roxas Boulevard in Manila as the main venue in the Philippines. The event will start at 6 a.m. (Manila time). The Philippines will have more than 200 participating sites in various provinces, while there are more than 100 sites in other countries that will also hold their respective walk simultaneously.
Aside from the Philippines, participants will walk in designated sites in New Zealand, Vanuatu, Australia, Marianas Group of Islands, Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Diego Garcia Islands in the British Territory, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Middle East, South Africa, Malawi, Liberia, Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Norway, United Kingdom, Brazil, Panama, USA including Hawaii and Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala and American Samoa.
Under the leadership of Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, the Church Of Christ will hold the global simultaneous charity walk that would benefit poor communities in Africa where the INC already has members.
“Pang mundo na yan na kung saan ay lalakad ang mga kapatid para labanan natin ang kahirapan. Yan ay tinatawag na Worldwide Walk to fight poverty. Iyan ay gagawin hindi lamang dito sa Asia kundi sa buong mundo. Sabay sabay yang gagawin sa US, sa Europe sa Southeast Asia, sa Australia at lalo na dito sa Pilipinas,” said INC General Auditor minister Glicerio Santos Jr.
(That is worldwide where brethren will walk to fight poverty. This is called the Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty. This will be done not only in Asia but all over the world. This will be simultaneously done in the US, Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia and here in the Philippines)
Santos explained that the INC had already conducted a worldwide walk in February 2014 that set new world records.
The first worldwide walk done by the Iglesia Ni Cristo benefited poor victims of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in Leyte province that was badly hit by the November 2013 howler.
The first Worldwide Walk was recognized as the largest charity walk across multiple venues held in 24 hours. The 2014 event had more than 500,000 participants from 129 sites across the world, situated in 16 countries. This year’s Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty is aimed to beat this previous record.
In fact, just a month after the February 2014 Worldwide Walk, on March 14, 2014, the Church already unveiled its “model community” for the benefit of its brethren who were affected by super-typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan in fulfillment of its promise to help survivors of the strongest typhoon on record to ever hit the country.
Hundreds of Leyte victims of super typhoon Yolanda have already been the recipients of the INC’s resettlement housing and eco-farming community in Sitio New Era where a garments factory and other livelihood projects had been set up.
“Noong 2014 ginawa na nagtin yan pang buong mundo rin..ang beneficiary nito ay ang mga biktima ng yolanda na kung saan ay ipinagtayo natin sila ng bahay. Tinulungan natin sila magkahanap buhay at sila ay binigyan ng pagkakataon upang mabuhay muli nang marangal,” minister Santos said.
(In 2014, we already did this [worldwide walk] which benefited Typhoon Yolanda victims. We built houses for them. We helped them to have a source of income and we gave them a chance to live with dignity.)
Santos said that the main goal of the May 6 Worldwide Walk is to help poor communities in Africa wherein the INC had already established its presence in 37 countries.
INC spokesperson, minister Edwil Zabala, asked the public to participate in the event which is meant to raise awareness about the fight against poverty.
“Gusto po nating tawagan ng pansin ang mga kapwa tao natin. Kami po na kaanib sa Iglesia Ni Cristo ay gagawin namin yung bahagi bilang pagtupad doon sa utos ng Diyos na nasa Biblia ibigin natin yung ating kapwa gaya ng pag-ibig natin sa sarili natin. Damayan natin yung nangangailangan,” INC spokesperson Zabala said.
(We want to call the attention of our fellowmen. We, the members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, will do our part in accordance to God’s commandment to love our fellowmen as we love ourselves. We will help those in need)
Zabala said the event is not only for the members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, but also for non-INC members who also want to help in the Church’s efforts to help impoverished communities in Africa.
The INC had already set up its first eco-farming site in Ladybrand, South Africa in August last year. The 508-hectare eco-farm site had employed more than 200 South African locals and had given hope to their families and communities.
It will set up more eco farming sites in the continent. The Church currently has more than 20 eco-farming communities in the Philippines as part of its project to fight poverty.
Zabala encouraged even non-INC members to participate in the May 6 worldwide walk as poverty is not only a problem here in our country but is a worldwide phenomenon.
“Tayo ay nananawagan sa lahat ng makakabalita at makakapanuod sa aktibidad na ito na kung dati na ninyong ginagawa ang pagtulong at pagmamalasakit sa kapwa tao, ituloy ninyo, huwag nating pagsawaan. Ang Diyos na ang bahalang magsukli sa atin, sa kagandahang loob natin,” he said. (INC-PIO release)
