In more than 300 sites across 18 time zones, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) members will be holding a “Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty” on Sunday, May 6 to benefit poor communities in several countries in Africa .
This is the second worldwide walk of the Church members that aims to help impoverished communities. The first was held last February 2014 which benefited victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in the Philippines, particularly in the province of Leyte.
The first Worldwide Walk of the INC broke several world records and was recognized as the largest charity walk across multiple venues.
This time, hundreds of thousands around the globe will march together in the second, “Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty” which is a charity walk hosted by the international religious organization, the Iglesia Ni Cristo, in cooperation with the FYM Foundation.
-INC reaches 37 countries in Africa-
“The Church has already established its presence in 37 countries in Africa and INC members worldwide also want to help the poor communities there,” explained Iglesia Ni Cristo General Auditor minister Glicerio Santos Jr.
In fact, 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.
“We know that Africa is suffering from so much poverty. The Iglesia Ni Cristo has already reached 37 countries in Africa and we saw their condition. We saw how they are suffering. They don’t have enough food, jobs and housing,” Santos said.
The INC had already conducted “Aid for Humanity” outreach activities in several countries in Africa, he said.
He said that in each outreach site, some 25,000 to 50,000 people had been helped.
-Helping more people-
In the May 6 Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty, the INC hopes it would be able to help more people in Africa.
INC Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo had intensified the Church’s outreach activities which had been started way back 1952 through medical and dental missions under the first INC Executive Minister, Brother Felix. Y. Manalo. These efforts were continued and expanded by the late INC Executive Minister Erano G. Manalo with the “Lingap sa Mamamayan” projects.
Presently, the INC had also been helping communities in need, not only in the Philippines, but all over the world, including those in calamity-stricken areas, through its outreach activities under the International Aid for Humanity projects, and under the program Kabayan Ko, Kapatid Ko (My Countrymen, My Brethren).
This is in accordance to the biblical teaching to help and love your fellowmen, the INC said.
“Yun ang nakatala sa Banal na Kasulatan, na ang dalawang pinakamahalagang utos ay ibigin mo ang Diyos at kapwa tao mo. (That is what is written in the Holy Scripture, that the two most important commandments is to love God and your fellowman),” INC minister Santos said.
In the Philippines, the Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty will have more than 200 sites, the biggest of which will be held along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.
To further stress the unity in the Church’s efforts to fight poverty, INC members will also try to form the “largest human sentence” and the “largest picture mosaic” in the grounds of the Quirino grandstand on Sunday, May 6. (INC-PIO release)