From Buttevant to South Sudan With Love

Fr. Eugene Baker, Parish Priest of Buttevant, is the representative for Trócaire's fundraising within Cloyne Diocese. This year's Trócaire Lenten Campaign focuses on its work in South Sudan which is the newest country in the world but has suffered greatly from civil war.

9,144kms OF LOVE AND SUPPORT.

To help bring attention to the important work of Trócaire Fr. Eugene proposes to invite as many people as possible to undertake a virtual walk from Buttevant to Juba, South Sudan which is a distance of 9,144kms. If any person could do this walk it would take 70 days and 16hours of continuous walking much of it through the desserts of Algeria and Niger. So a virtual walk with a couple of hundred people on board over the 40 days of Lent is possible but it will require lots of people helping out.

WHAT'S ASKED OF YOU AND YOUR CLUB.

What Fr. Eugene asks is that all the people who go on their daily walks, jogs, runs, cycle, rollerblading or any other energy sapping exercise would count the kilometres they have clocked up each day and share it through the Buttevant Parish Facebook page (Buttevant and Lisgriffin Parish Pastoral Council)where your effort will be logged. You can also download the Strava App (for free) which will monitor your activity and join you up with the Buttevant Parish Group.

A map of progress will show how much of the journey is completed. Fr. Eugene has set himself a target of 200kms over the forty days of Lent. Many people could do much more and others might not have started at all. Come on board and be part of this community initiative. Everyone is welcome to be part of it. This is a journey of love, support and friendship together for Awut and Ajak who feature on this year's Trócaire Box. A donation to Trócaire can be made at the end of the challenge towards Easter, if you like, through a donation button on the Facebook page.