{"id":3511,"date":"2016-05-14T15:03:34","date_gmt":"2016-05-14T15:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/feetofgracefoundation.org\/?p=3511"},"modified":"2016-05-14T15:03:34","modified_gmt":"2016-05-14T15:03:34","slug":"together-we-can-make-a-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/feetofgracefoundation.org\/together-we-can-make-a-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"Together, We Can Make A Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"

The weather forecast for the April 30th<\/sup>, 2016 was rain when I checked a week before the date. We had been praying for good weather. Good enough for us to be able to walk in the woods. We visited the site, and I knew we needed some sunshine to dry up the path. I lifted my eyes to the heavens; “Lord, You gave us a good weather last year, You can do it again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friday, April 29th<\/sup>, the sun blazed the horizon. I smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you checked the weather for tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n

“We have good weather,” I replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the temperature?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am not checking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo how do you know the weather will be good for the walk?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked God to give us a good weather, good enough to walk in the woods.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2016-04-30<\/a>Saturday, April 30th, the sky was clear, but the temperature had dropped in the night. We set out to the Versoix Forest for the Annual Feet of Grace Charity Walk: Hit The Street 2016. The cabin designated as the meeting point was cold. We all needed our jackets. At 10:00 am, I stepped out to address the participants who had gathered. The sun was bright in the blue sky. I sat down on the table facing the group. The sun shone on my face, and the warmth of its rays caressed my skin. It felt good. My heart rejoiced. The Lord answered our prayers. It\u2019s going to be a good day.<\/p>\n

It was indeed a good day. Outfitted in multiple shades of yellow T-Shirts, and yellow and green bracelets, the Friends of Feet of Grace were set to Hit the Street so that six amputees may walk again.<\/p>\n

\"Friends<\/a><\/p>\n

More than one hundred and twenty (120) Friends of the Feet of Grace gathered together in eight locations across four countries (UK, Nigeria, USA, and Switzerland) to participate in the flagship event that marks the commencement of the Foundation’s fundraising efforts for the year. The target for 2016 is 25,000.00 Swiss francs. The funds raised will be used to procure prosthetic limbs and wheelchairs for six amputees.<\/p>\n

By the time, we started in Geneva two friends of the Feet of Grace had already completed the walk in Kent. They set out at 5.00am. The walk was underway in Zurich, Leeds, Surrey and Abuja. The three UK teams defied the cold weather to complete the 5km Charity Walk.<\/p>\n

After a brief welcome message, I shared the stories of the amputees to be supported in 2016 by the Feet of Grace Foundation. These are the people waiting in hope. I believed that as we carried them in our hearts as we walk, they will give us the impetus to keep putting one foot in front of the other when fatigue begins to set in. At least that was what it did for me.<\/p>\n

When I started my walk at 10:38 am, I was already fatigued from the stress of organizing the event and not sleeping enough. The first 500 meters was an ordeal. My body cried out in protest. All I wanted was to sit down and take off my \u201cFeet of Grace\u201d but I realized that we had forgotten the stool I planned to use during the walk. There were no clean tree stumps or fallen branches in sight to sit on. I thought if I could just make it to the first junction, which was about 800 meters from the starting point, I would turn back and give up on the Walk for this year. But I had committed to walking 5km. I wanted to do more than the 3km I did the year before.<\/p>\n

“Lord, please help me. Give me the grace to go on.” I prayed silently in my heart. I kept going, one foot in front of the other. The irritation in my stumps stopped. I kept going. Strength flowed into my tired muscles. And I kept going. 3 km completed. I kept going. Still no clean tree stump in sight to sit on until we went just over 5 km and we realized that we were off the track. I sat down on the tree stump for a while. Elated that against the odd I completed 5 km. But quite unsure how much longer I could walk. The horsemen on the trail told me we were 30 minutes from the starting point. The cyclist confirmed it. Thirty minutes more of walking seemed like forever. \u201cI can do all things through Christ who strengthens me\u201d had been reechoing in my heart since I started the walk. I began to speak it loud again; \u201cI can do this. Six amputees must walk this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two young ladies who walked with me chatted nonstop throughout the Walk. I was amazed at their enthusiasm. They passed me water to drink and tissue paper for my dripping nose. They provided me with entertainment for the journey.<\/p>\n

One hour and fifty-two minutes after I started the walk, I arrived back at the starting point having completed 6.93km. It could only have been God.<\/p>\n

Mission accomplished, we got into the car at 1:30 pm to head back home. The sun disappeared. Heavy raindrops splattered the car. Our walk was done. The rain began its scheduled work for the day. God is surely faithful. He held the rain back for us to do what He appointed us to do for that day. As the rain came down, our praises went up.<\/p>\n