Pastor to walk for end to killings
By Eldie Aguirre, Orlando Dinoy
Mindanao Bureau
First Posted 16:41:00 06/14/2008
Filed Under: Unrest, Conflicts & War
DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur, Philippines -- A 58-year-old Seventh Day Adventist pastor has launched a walk from his hometown in Matanao, Davao del Sur to Aparri in Cagayan Valley to dramatize his call for an end to unabated extrajudicial killings of journalists, militants, and suspected criminals, plus the massive environment destruction.
Edervin Samson of Barangay (Village) Camanchiles set off alone on Thursday and has been in contact with his family through a mobile phone.
Bringing only an umbrella, some food, and a few clothes tucked in a small bag, Samson informed his family, friends, and associates that he finally reached General Santos City on Saturday.
"I wanted to stop the practice of extra-judicial killings, which is against the law of God, and to encourage people to renew their faith in Him," Samson told reporters when he passed by here on Thursday.
The trek to Aparri and back is a new endeavor according to the pastor and is the most daring walk he made in his life as marathoner.
But he said his past experience in marathons would surely help him in attaining his goal.
Samson clarified though that he would take ferries when moving from island to island.
On April 7, 1988, Samson joined an anti-drug marathon from Davao City to Manila. They reached Manila on May 26 of that year.
A year later, he and 34 others embarked on a similar activity and reached Manila on May 2, 1999.
For his Matanao-Aparri-Matanao walk, Samson said he estimated that it would last until January 22, 2010.
But he said he was determined to finish the course in a bid to draw people’s attention to the killings and environmental destruction.
"Humans are only stewards of this planet and we don't have any right to kill people or destroy the environment that God has entrusted to us," he said.
Samson said he would be stopping by selected areas from time to time to preach the Gospel.
He said he would ask the people to pray for his safety, so that he could finish the course without hitches.
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