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Today 783 million people still lack clean water and 2.5 billion are without safe sanitation. So on Sunday April 22 I will start a 155 mile walk from St Chad’s in Birmingham to Romero House (CAFOD’s head office) in London.  

I will be walking alongside water all the way (the Grand Union Canal and then the River Thames). And water is why I am doing it, because of people like Esther who has to queue for hours, sometimes through the night, for water from the intermittent supply to her village in Zambia. That's her on the card I am holding. I hope to raise at least £1,155 (£10 for each mile walked) for CAFOD’s Give it Up Appeal. Every pound given will be doubled up by the government’s UK AID Match scheme.  

I am also asking people along the way to send a post card to David Cameron. These ask him to get a concrete commitment from world leaders to achieve the water Millennium Development Goal.  Find out more at www.cafod.org.uk/thirst

2012 is CAFOD’s 50 Anniversary year and this personal pilgrimage is a contribution to the year’s activities. If you would like to know more please contact CAFOD Birmingham on 01922722944 or email: birmingham@cafod.org.uk

 

The above was posted before I started. read on for my initial reflections after the walk. 

So it is all over – or is it? That depends on David Cameron and what he achieves at the G8. 

 

 

Firstly I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all the many people who helped make the whole thing possible. They are too numerous to mention here. The help and support I received was manifold and so many people were extremely generous with their time, hospitality and practical support that I was truly humbled and moved as well as extremely grateful.

 

Just a few of the ways in which I was helped and supported were:

·         Not just an overnight guest but being made to feel part of the family

·         Unexpected messages of support and good wishes throughout

·         Surprise accompaniment by friends along the way (some bearing “foodie” treats)

·         Being given a pack of blister plasters!

·         Parishioners putting in enormous efforts to secure as many cards signed as possible

·         Being allowed a lie in

 

It was without doubt an event during which I experienced the generosity and love of many of the Catholic community for CAFOD and the work it does. I like to think that this love was essentially going out to Esther and the other people from Zambia and Zimbabwe about whom I spoke.

 

However over and above all that and what made it all worthwhile was the fantastic grand total of all the actions from around England and Wales.

 

Emails to David Cameron: 3,959

Cards to David Cameron:    34,955

Droplets:                              21,507

 

Total:  60,421

 

See the campaign climax at www.cafod.org.uk/thirst

 

Some figures from my walk

 

Total miles walked: 155

Total cards collected: 1,939 (with one result still to be declared)

Number of talks given: 15

Number of blisters: 3

 

My thoughts and reflections on all of this will take some time to work through but so far these include:

 

·         The importance of campaigning

·         For all our water “difficulties” just how well off we are compared to many of our sisters and brothers overseas

·         An interesting insight to current Catholic thinking at parish level, (positive about CAFOD but not so positive about the institutional church)

·         The power of prayer

·         The joy of meeting new people

·         The beauty and variety of wildlife along our canals

 

It is difficult to sum up the whole thing in a word but if I had to it would be solidarity. Everybody involved in whatever way were in solidarity with each other in order to be in solidarity with Esther and the millions like her throughout the developing world.

 

My final thank you however must go to my family for putting up with the hours I spent in the study weeks on end planning it, for taking on the extra tasks at home during my absence, for housing me in London and generally giving me the space and support to do it. Thank you.

 

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My final blog can be found at: http://blog.cafod.org.uk/2012/05/18/thirst-for-change-pilgrimage-ends-at-downing-street/

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