Builing missions awareness through "recycling"

One World Running is a charity that collects gently-used running shoes and "recycles" them by shipping them to those in need in the United States and around the world. It's especially poignant when a shipment goes to a country where shoes of any kind are hard to get.

Their model is to hold a 5k race where they ask the runners to leave their shoes at the finish line, to be cleaned and shipped with the money that was collected as an entrance fee.

The organization is not a faith-based cause, but only a humanitarian charity "promoting an awareness of health, fitness and nutrition." But there is no reason you could not partner with them. Make it a missions emphasis by taking Matthew 25 as your theme, and use some of the fees collected for missions and some for shoe shipping. At the awards gathering when it's over, talk about running the race with your best effort, about finishing, about staying faithful and providing a model for others to follow. (2Tim 4:7)

(You might also want to mention that no person is worthless, without use. The shoes that are too beat up to be suitable for shipment are sent to Nike in Beaverton , Ore. , through Boulder 's Eco-Cycle program, to be ground up and made into running tracks and playgrounds through the Reuse-a-Shoe program.)

When you do this, be sure you invite the local media, and give a press release to both Christian and community radio and news outlets a month before, so they can schedule themselves to attend. If they don't come, make sure you take some quality photos and write a "results" article with pictures. Giving the media advance notice will help them help you advertise, to gain a larger crowd. Because the purpose is not just to raise money and gather shoes, but also to have yet another opportunity to present the Gospel.

To quote Upward Basketball's motto: "It's not the shoes, its the souls."