Peace Pilgrim

Peace Pilgrim

 

A Small Woman with a Large Message

 

Peace Pilgrim was the name taken by Mildred Norman Ryder from Egg Harbor City, New Jersey.  In 1938, after walking in the woods all night praying to God, asking to be used in some way, she decided to begin giving, rather than getting.  On January 1, 1953, when she was 44 and had already been on a 15-year spiritual journey, she began her first real walk for peace.  She was to engage in 6 more walks, traveling over 25,000 miles across America and Canada, penniless and without an organization backing her.  By the 1960’s and 70’s, her work for peace was becoming a more popular concept.  As the demand for her to take speaking engagements increased, she spent fewer and fewer nights along the roadside. Peace Pilgrim began to accept rides in order to get to those engagements.  But she always returned to the spot where she had been picked up to continue her walk.  After accepting one of those rides, she was killed in a head-on collision on July 7, 1981.  For 28 years she was known for being a spiritual teacher, a non-violence advocate and a peace prophet.  Her message was always: “Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.”

 

Let’s continue to think about traveling for peace.  But fast-forward with me to the fall of 2012.  A young man named Paul, son of Dale and Debbie Ziegler, sadly died an untimely death in an auto/bike accident.  He was a student at McPherson College, a lover of Camp Swatara and a peace advocate.  And he had a dream of accomplishing a 3000-mile bike ride to raise money for On Earth Peace.  To honor his memory and fulfill that dream, Brethren churches, colleges and camps are taking on that 3,000-mile challenge in his memory.

 

Paul’s home camp is Camp Swatara and on April 27^th that camp will be sponsoring a number of bike rides and walks for all interests and ability levels.  The Peace and Justice Committee of the District encourages you to participate in this challenge.  Peace Pilgrim walked over 25,000 miles.  How far will you walk – or ride - or sponsor someone else to do so – on April 27^th?

 

Marilyn Baker, Peace Action Team member

Palmyra CoB