On April 21, Willow Creek hosted the 5K Run/Walk to kick-off the Celebration of Hope. God blessed the race with beautiful weather, and young and old—from infants in strollers to veteran runners in their 80’s—came to run, walk, cheer and celebrate this fantastic event!
The focus of this year’s compassion campaign was raising awareness of the disproportionate effect of injustice on women and girls in developing countries. In Africa and Latin America, where clean water is in short supply, the responsibility of carrying water from distant wells usually falls upon the shoulders of the girls in the family, some as young as three or four years of age. These girls—often barefoot—walk an average distance of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles), carrying heavy jugs or buckets of water each morning and night across dirt or rock paths. In addition, water-hauling is time-consuming, occupying the hours when the girls could be in school.
Just over 3,200 participants showed up to run or walk the 3.1 mile course (almost 2,800 in South Barrington, 220 in DuPage and 215 in Huntley) to show solidarity with the cause. Proceeds from the 5K registration fees will provide shoes for children in Africa and Latin America, lightening their walking burden, protecting them from parasites and other foot-borne diseases, and even making them eligible to attend school.
