The organizers of an Easter-eve walk from Knox to North Judson hope their event will raise awareness of many problems that plague Starke County.
“One person can’t fix it all, but as a community we can come together, and we can show these people that we care about ’em,” organizer Jerry Bacon told the crowd prior to the start of the event. “We don’t want to see ’em all thrown in jail because they’re all addicted to drugs. We want to see ’em delivered from that. We want to see ’em set free from that addiction. We don’t want to see people without jobs. We want to see jobs brought into our community and people working and taken out of the situations they’re in.”
Bacon spearheaded Saturday’s Take Up Our Community’s Cross event. He and other volunteers marched from the Starke County Courthouse in downtown Knox to Norwayne Field in the middle of North Judson with a large wooden cross adorned with words highlighting problems facing Starke County – things like poverty, drug abuse, suicide and meth. Bacon says they don’t have to be our local legacy.
“I want these things to be crucified with the cross. Unlike Jesus who was resurrected, I want these things to be dead on the cross,” he said.
Have you known the story about Samson in the Bible, was Samson saved? He also did an action which was an act of war against a bitter enemy. His goal was to kill, not himself, but the enemy. He did let go of his life for a purpose.
Pastor Billy Bope of Global Harvest Church blessed the walkers before they set out on their journey from Knox to North Judson with the cross. He asked God to release his spirit across the county on both the walkers and those who suffer with problems like depression, poverty, meth addiction and who are contemplating or coping with suicide.
“Lord, we just ask that your spirit just go into the households, God, and just bring freedom to those, and Lord every step that is taken, let it be for someone to come into salvation or be released from these bondages in the name of Jesus,” Bope prayed.
