A mile in their shoes

Photo by: Henoc Kivuye

An annual event returns to Oklahoma Christian University with a new name, a re-defined purpose and a goal to make a difference.

For the past several years, Oklahoma Christian and Predisan have joined together to urge students, faculty and staff to participate in their annual Walk with Honduras fundraiser.

“The Oklahoma City walk has traditionally been held on the OC campus because campus leaders have always been very supportive, welcoming and hospitable to Predisan,” Mike Osburn, president and owner of Plan Ahead Events, said. “The new trail just adds to the already excellent venue. We appreciate Oklahoma Christian very much for hosting us for the past seven years and we hope to continue well into the future.”

Plan Ahead Events is the planning company that has worked with the walk for the past few years.

This year’s walk encourages participants to view the event as an opportunity to put themselves in the shoes of the suffering, rather than simply donating to a philanthropic charity.

“Would you rather have someone do something ‘for’ you or ‘with’ you?” Osburn said. “Those words are simple prepositions, but they convey different messages … we are not merely walking for a good cause, we are walking with them to understand their lives while we pray for and support them.”

Predisan is a holistic medical mission founded in 1986 and each walk raises money for the work they do in Catacamas, Honduras.

“Predisan’s name comes from two Spanish words meaning ‘to proclaim’ and ‘to heal,’ describing its purpose well,” Osburn said. “Predisan seeks to be Christ’s hands and feet in partnership with donors and volunteers in health services, education and other actions that transform the lives of people, empowering them to pursue complete wellness.”

With the partnership Predisan has with Oklahoma Christian, many students get the opportunity to be a part of mission efforts in Honduras, either directly or indirectly.

“There is a neat pocket of Christians at congregations all over Oklahoma City that have a deep compassion for Honduras and Mission Predisan,” Osburn said. “Hundreds of us have gone and more of us have a dream to go someday. So this walk … provides a practical way to support the mission right here on campus.”

Mission trips offer students the chance to travel to Honduras and work in various villages, clinics and hospitals.

“I went to Honduras during the summer of 2008 for a mission trip with my student ministry,” junior Alex Stewart said. “This was pretty eye-opening for me because until that point, I had a very first-world definition of poverty.”

According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development, 65 percent of Hondurans live at or below the poverty line.

“Going and experiencing true poverty firsthand and realizing that something as cheap as a bed can give a kid a fighting chance is something that sticks with you,” Stewart said. “It’s helped me not only realize how blessed I am, but how easy it can be to spread that blessing to the less fortunate.”

Predisan’s Walk with Honduras provides an avenue for college students and the surrounding community to band together in an effort to raise funds and awareness for the work being done in Honduras.

“I’ve done the walk the last three years and had a blast each time,” Stewart said. “[It] not only helps increase awareness but also helps gather funding necessary to provide health care back in Honduras. Perhaps the greatest thing about the walk is how accessible it makes helping out to us college kids.”

Contributing to a mission effort is not just about the money donated.

“There are so many different ways that people need help,” senior Amanda Powers said. “Clothes, hygiene and medical care are just some of the earthly things they need, but they are so eager and willing to hear about God. They want to know, they want to learn, they are just in need of people to come down there to tell them about it. A lot of them just need love.”

The Walk with Honduras will be held at 6 p.m. on Oct. 27 at Oklahoma Christian. Each participant will receive a pair of flip-flops and is invited to wear them as they “walk a mile in their shoes.” The event is $15 for students and $25 for the general public.

“We are asking participants to bring their smartphone or tablet so they can read stories and recite specific prayers at stops along the way,” Osburn said. “We’ll wrap up the walk with a time of worship led by OC alum Brett Vanderzee.”

If students are looking for other ways to serve in Honduras, Oklahoma Christian and Predisan have a cooperative program called HonduraServe. More information is available at www.predisan.org.

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