Be the Cause

2007 Walk for Hope ~ Activity Stations

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The Walk for Hope is a reflective journey that leads the walker along a park path decorated with handmade expressions of love and famous quotes, all selected with care for their insight and inspiration. In addition, there are several activity stations set-up along the beautiful path to give each walker the opportunity to pause, interact, reflect and sow new seeds of change. Here is a brief description of each activity station:

Activity Station #1:   Leaf to Self & Hope Tree

The Walk for Hope is a reminder to us all of the things that matter most in life: love, compassion, truth, peace, unity, family and hope for all that is good. Each new day is an opportunity for us to be the change we wish to see in the world. With this in mind, when you enter into this first activity station, you will be given a paper leaf to write a note or a letter to the most important person you know: YOURSELF!   Write down your hopes, your dreams or simply what you wish to change from within. As you hang your leaf on our Hope Tree, ponder upon and plant the seeds of change deep within your heart. By the conclusion of our Walk for Hope event, our amazing Hope Tree will have been magically transformed with hundreds of colorful leaves, each with it’s own inspiring message to a very special recipient: YOU!  Next summer, you will receive your leaf in the mail along with a picture of our beautiful Hope Tree. May this gift put a smile on your face and warm your heart as the memories of this year’s walk begin to flow through your mind. As you read your leaf to self, may you be filled with joy knowing that the seeds of change which were planted months ago, have now blossomed from within. May it also serve as a reminder of how important you are and that each individual can and does make a difference in transforming our home, community and world. 

Activity Station #2:   Best Wishes Cards

The Walk for Hope seeks to create a venue in which individuals may feel, in a very real way, the interconnectivity of life. The quotes along the walk path remind us of the bond that we all share with one another through the thread of hope. Another dimension of this bond is that we have the very powerful gift of being able to share one another’s suffering – that we are able to find support in our fellow man in times of sorrow and struggle as well as those of joy and triumph. With this in mind, Be The Cause is creating a way to connect people on that level across the globe, through the Best Wishes Cards activity station. From Africa to Sri Lanka, Malaysia to Pakistan, Greece to the Philippines, a selection of individuals and groups from around the world will be presented to the walkers, and their stories shared with those at El Dorado park that day. The walkers will then have the opportunity to create a card that will be sent to these recipients, spreading love and compassion all around the world through a bit of construction paper and ink…. creating a heart-to-heart connection with our global family. 
 

Activity Station #3:   Kindness Garden

Inspired by the picture on our Walk for Hope brochures and posters, which depicts a walker taking steps and moving forward in her journey through life, unaware that her kindness and good deeds has caused a trail of blooming flowers in the hearts of all that she has encountered along the way. With this in mind, on the last mile of your walk, each participant will enter into the Kindness Garden and pick a beautiful, handmade daisy to take with you as a remembrance of your experience at the Walk for Hope… turn that daisy over to reveal a Random Act of Kindness to continue spreading joy and beauty in the world.  Although we may never fully know how our own lives and the lives of many others on our path of service may be touched by the things we do… keep on doing… keep on walking… keep on serving!! 

We wish to express our gratitude to Manav Sadhna (a WFH beneficiary in India) and all their kids in the Earn N’ Learn program, for creating the hundreds of handmade daisies for our unique garden. May the love and care that they have put into each beautiful flower cause a blossoming of more love and kindness within your heart to share with everyone you encounter on your own journey through life.

A Concrete Bed

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Michael’s face touched the fringe of my heart again. A gentle, middle-aged, sullen man found on the streets of Long Beach from time to time.

A homeless man bearing a tattered, discolored blanket. A lost soul finding his way, much like me, actually. A brother with an enigmatic smile.

We served him hot chicken, bread & soda last winter. I nearly wept as he devoured his meal. It soiled his beard and hair – it didn’t seem to matter.

I miss Michael dearly. I miss all that I have yearned to talk to him about. I returned several nights in search of him. All that remained was a cold, forsaken concrete bench.

I just want to embrace him and offer my thanks. And give him all that I yearned to share:

Thank you. Thank you for serving me well. You are without home, yet you are not homeless. There are those who shelter you on benevolent wings of empathy and affection.

My gratitude. For you are attached to nothing. Not residence. Nor obligation. Nor possessions. You sense hunger; you thirst, yet you grasp at nothing.

Thank you for sharing that you are not a veiled, subhuman part of society. Jesus, himself was born ‘without home.’ I can just imagine his parents, poor and exhausted, trudging from door-to-door, begging to be let in.

Yes, you do have a right to dignity and respect; forgive us for talking about you, instead of talking with you.

I miss you so much. I pray that you are content. I trust that you are comforted. Winter is approaching – please draw that blanket closer to you. As you lay on your concrete bed tonight, remember, no man is alone who has friends.

I just hope I served you well.

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