Thursday, March 26, 2009 » To most, 20 bucks equals dinner and a movie or a new t-shirt. But for some in the Marion community, $20 could mean something much greater: a paid electricity bill, a pair of shoes or a full stomach.
A campus-wide prayer walk to the Marion town square will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the circle by the Recreation and Wellness Center. The money collected this week in chapel will be presented to Mayor Wayne Seybold to distribute to city organizations.
No other Indiana Wesleyan University prayer walk has involved stepping off campus and into Marion, according to the Dean of the Chapel Dr. Jim Lo.
The idea came about when Chronicle Tribune reporter Mishele Wright, who wrote about IWU’s fall 2008 prayer walk, approached Lo about arranging a walk for the needs of the Marion community.
Lo had forgotten the suggestion until recently.
“When the economic situation began getting more and tense and fierce in this county, all of the sudden it dawned on me and Mishele’s words came back to me,” Lo said. Lo hopes the prayer walk will show students that they are a part of a hurting community beyond IWU.
The offering collected on Monday, Wednesday and Friday’s chapel services will go to organizations like St. Martin’s, which provides vouchers for medication or work shoes, among other things. Some money will also go to Grant County officials to help citizens who cannot afford their utility bills, according to Lo.
Praying in the community will make IWU visible, but may leave Marion neighbors wondering how students can help. The monetary donations will encourage the Marion community in a tangible way.
“The community can see us walk and pray for them, but unless we follow that up with actions, it’s not going to mean that much to them,” said Aubrey Bethel (fr), Outreach Coordinator for Carmin Hall.
According to Stephanie Gruver (so), this prayer walk allows the students the opportunity to pray and serve their community.
“I see it becoming more focused on stepping outside IWU and really coming together as a community as a body of Christ to Marion,” said Gruver.