Between the Saturday sessions of Pilgrimage 2018, our youth plugged into a service event held on-site, as 930 youth participated in Rise Against Hunger. These energetic youth packaged over 37,000 nutritious meals for vulnerable people in the Caribbean.
For years, the youth at Pilgrimage have put their faith into action and served in various capacities to meet the needs of their brothers and sisters around the world. If you have participated in Rise Against Hunger, you understand the joy and excitement that comes from dancing to “Boogie Shoes” while wearing a hairnet and scooping rice, soy, and seasoning into meal packets. The energy of this event was matched with education, as the Rise Against Hunger staff taught our young people about the issue of worldwide hunger–and how it can end.
Through the gracious giving of those in the NCCUMC, Pilgrimage 2018 participants raised an additional $1,000 over our $10,800 donation goal to Rise Against Hunger. Churches of all sizes committed themselves to justice and mercy and answered Jesus’ call to feed the hungry.
Campground UMC joined us during their Day of Service as they served in various capacities around the city of Fayetteville. The generosity of their time and donations made our event even stronger. For the second year in a row, youth and adults from Soapstone UMC volunteered to spend their entire afternoon as sustainers—meaning they packaged, refilled, loaded, and unloaded for a non-stop four-hour session. Thanks be to God for all 55 churches who chose to spend their Saturday afternoon acting as the hands and feet of Christ.
If someone walked into the Crown Arena on Saturday afternoon, they would have spotted hundreds of hairnets, dozens of food buckets, and a handful of kids in onesie pajamas. They would have heard the sound of a gong marking another 10,000 meals, voices of all ages singing classic hits, and the prayers of the people asking to bless those who are hungry. The sights and sounds of Rise Against Hunger at Pilgrimage 2018 signaled a commitment from our young people to transform the world and build God’s kingdom.
*Article written by Hannah McMillan