By Ava Galyean
Friday, Oct. 19, Harding will host a glow run at 9 p.m. in front of the Ganus Activities Complex to raise money for White County Jail Ministry.
Senior Sterling McMichael, a volunteer photographer and race helper, said the Kinesiology Club hosts an annual 5k run during Homecoming. This year, their new sponsors were hoping to get more students involved, so they changed the time and distance of the run.
“The glow run will be a short two-mile fun run around campus. There will be various glow stations on courses and many door prizes for the runners,” McMichael said.
One of the run’s sponsors, Britney Finley, assistant director in the kinesiology department, helps out with White County Jail Ministry and wanted to donate some of the proceeds to aid that ministry. Finley got involved in this ministry through some friends in North Little Rock, Arkansas, who had been doing a “Moms in Prayer” ministry at the McPherson State Prison in Newport, Arkansas. After realizing she was driving 45 minutes each way, she wondered why she did not bring that ministry to the White County jail.
“It’s awesome to pray with these ladies for like an hour or two. And they’re just praying for their kids,” Finley said. “A lot of them don’t even know their children or have lost them to the state, but they’re just mamas who love their babies.”
Finley said being involved in this ministry is when she really sees Christ. She is always reminded of a verse in Matthew 25 when Jesus says, “I was sick and in prison, and you did not look after me.”
“I believe all ministry is important because I think that’s our purpose as Christians, as God’s children. … To spread God and his Love to people who don’t know about God,” said Rachel Lewis, Harding alumni and female jail chaplain at the White County Jail, who is supported by College Church of Christ.
Lewis believes that both very happy and very unfortunate situations can turn people to God, and that is why it is important that they are there for these women.
“I always believe there’s hope. As long as you’re alive, you can change,” Lewis said.
To be involved in White County Jail Ministries on Sunday and Tuesday nights, contact the College Church of Christ.
