PHOTO BY AMANDA GARCIA | SHACK TOWN: The WT Alliance consists of all seven campus ministries. Throughout the week before “Shackathon,” each ministry is responsible for a specific day to man the informational booth set up in the JBK. Sign up sheets will be located at the booth from March 23 to 31 with additional information about the cause. BSM intern Tiffany Shaffer sits ready as she promotes the event in the shack display.
Amanda Garcia
Photographer
The WT Campus Ministers Alliance is kicking off its third annual “Shackathon” at 8 a.m., April 1. This full-day event will campaign under the theme of giving goats to families in southern Sudan and will challenge students to invest their time, money and efforts into spreading awareness of poverty in the world.
“The purpose of the ‘Shackathon’ and the ‘Give a Goat’ campaign is to make people keenly aware of poverty globally, specifically in southern Sudan, and to promote the importance of actually helping these people,” Kent Mereness, director of the Buffs for Christ, said.
“Shackathon” began two years ago by the Buffs for Christ as a fundraiser to build an AIDS clinic in Kenya.
The following year, the BSM used the same concept by promoting and supporting the cause of the “Invisible Children” in Uganda through the “Displace Me” campaign.
This year, the Alliance is joining up with the Christian Relief Fund, a global relief group based in Amarillo, to raise money to purchase goats for internally displaced families in Nimule, Sudan.
Beginning around 1987, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in southern Sudan, led by Joseph Kony, began an onslaught on numerous tribes and races in the area. With genocide being their motivation, the LRA has kidnapped an estimated 20,000 children between the ages of eight and 10 to increase its forces. After brainwashing them, these kids are forced to return home to kill their families in order to prove their loyalty to the army.
Out of fear that their children will return only to murder them, these families flee from their homes and congregate in safe-havens known as Individually Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
Though many efforts have been made to make these camps livable by creating schools and feeding programs, there are so many that have retreated to these camps that there are not enough funds, shelters or food to take care of everyone.
The “Give a Goat” campaign will purchase goats at the price of $95 each for IDP families. A goat will produce enough milk to not only provide nutrition for a family, but will also produce excess milk that will make a means for a family to make a living off of. Previous donations of goats through other mission organizations have proven to have long-term results.
“The reason why we chose to go with this particular avenue of giving goats to these Sudanese families is because we’re building off of the foundation placed by the book the readership program chose for students to read this year, ‘What is the What?’” Mereness said.
Because students read this book, they are aware of what is going on in Sudan and have this idea instilled in them to help with this situation. Instead of sitting idly by and feeling bad for what’s going on in the world, we’re giving students a huge opportunity to actively do something about it.”
“Shackathon” is only one of the several events the WT Alliance has hosted since its formation in the spring semester of 2008. The Alliance consists of the seven campus ministries: Baptist Student Ministries, Buffs for Christ, Catholic Student Center, The Navigators, North (Trinity Fellowship), Overflow (First Baptist Church of Canyon) and The Wesley Foundation.
“The Alliance creates a bold statement and a united front for Christ at WT,” Mereness said. “Sure we are apart of different denominations and have a different traditions at different times. However, instead of focusing on our different principles, we’re choosing to focus on the ideals we share which are seeking to follow Jesus Christ as closely as possible and helping people in need.”
“Shackathon” will begin at 8 a.m., April 1 where students will begin building their cardboard and duct tape shacks on the lawn between Old Main, the ANS building and Cousins Hall.
From noon to 1 p.m., the WT Alliance will host a Social Justice Luncheon which will demonstrate the proportion of food the majority of people eat across the globe.
After some leisure time from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., the day’s events will be continued by a special service. Along with Provost Dr. James Hallmark presenting awards concerning various activities and a brief message from Milton Jones, president of the Christian Relief Fund, the WT Alliance has invited the Sudanese church (sponsored by City Church) to lead worship for the evening. The preacher of this group is one of the “Lost Boys” of Sudan and will also be speaking during the service.
After the special service, students will sleep in their shacks overnight. Breakfast will be supplied on the morning of April 2 and shacks must be torn down and removed by 8 a.m.
For more information on “Shackathon” or to donate funds for the “Give a Goat” campaign, contact any of the campus ministries.
The Leadership Board will be leaving for the Sipapu Leadership Retreat on Feb. 20.
With students finally setting into a routine, the religious organizations are shaking up the monotony of the semester by taking students to their annual spring retreats.
