100,000 Small Steps
Last year, Outreach challenged staff to come up with unique ways to use their talents and interests to support the youth we serve. Our Office Manager, Faith, decided to turn her love of walking into a fundraiser.
Faith Musgrove
Sep 4, 2019
Last year, Outreach staff were encouraged to think creatively about the interests and skills we have and to use them to actively participate in raising support for the work we do together at Outreach. At the time, I had already been working my way towards an Olympian Sandal Fitbit Badge, a digital reward Fitbit gives you for getting 100,000 steps in a day. I really love stickers in every form - even digital ones - but it seemed like a really dumb and selfish reason to do something so extreme.
So, last year, I decided to turn my day of over 16 hours of walking into a fundraiser for Outreach. At about 75,000 steps in, I was in pain. Slowly limping my way down the Monon Trail alone, I did mental math to figure out how much longer I had to keep walking. I remember figuring out I still had four more hours to go and began to cry in frustration. This was so stupid. What was I doing?
Faith stops to check her steps during last year's walk.
Right then, my friend Julie called me. “Where are you, Faith? I’m coming to meet you.” Less than 20 minutes later, she was walking slowly beside me as I limped onwards, her company and conversation helping to keep my mind off the pain. Not too long after she left, a few other friends showed up and walked with me to the end.
I know without a doubt that I would have given up if Julie hadn’t called me. That day on the Monon taught me the value of community. Without friends walking with me, sharing stories from their lives and asking about mine, I wouldn’t have completed 100,000 steps that day. It made me think about Outreach and how our case managers walk alongside our youth through all the ups and downs of life. We celebrate life together, mourn together, work through anger and frustration, healing and reconciliation. Our case managers do such an amazing job of speaking truth in love - calling our youth onwards to the abundant life that God offers because of His deep and unfailing love. I’m so grateful to be part of God’s family and to work at a place that actively seeks to live out God’s vision for relationships and community, especially when it isn’t easy.
So now as I do this again on Saturday, with Outreach friends and lots of stickers to give away, I invite you to journey with us - to come share your stories and hear ours, and give what you can to support and encourage our youth as they travel their own challenging roads.
Follow Outreach on Facebook for live updates throughout Faith's journey on Saturday!
