 A few members of the New Life Assembly Church youth group in Haskell stop to rest while 11 other members catch up during the Speed The Light “All Will Drive - 26 Mile Walk” from Malvern to Haskell on Saturday. The 26 mile walk was made to raise donations for missionaries visiting other countries. to purchase necessary equipment. From left, Brad Crutchfield of Malvern, T.J. Tucker of Traskwood (front), and Blake Evans of Leola. (Courier photo by Matt Burks) group pic - Twelve students of New Life Assembly Church youth group in Haskell and two youth pastors walked 26 miles together on Saturday to help raise money for missionaries visiting other countries to purchase necessary equipment during the Speed The Light “All Will Drive - 26 Mile Walk” from Malvern to Haskell. Front is New Life Youth Pastor Brent Henderson. Back, from left, Heather Thomason, Cameron Lee, Railey Nolan, Payton Holiman, Courtney Blacklock, CaLynn Blacklock, Alex Nichols, Dalton Dugan, Blake Evans, T.J. Tucker and Youth Pastor Brad Crutchfield. Not pictured are Elise Teel, Stefene Hale, Aaron Foushee, Branden Lusinger and Zack Davis. With dawn just upon the horizen 12 Saline and Garland County kids staired down 26 miles of roadway. They forged ahead from Malvern to Haskell with one goal in mind: helping others.
The event was called Speed The Light “All Will Drive - 26 Mile Walk” began at 6 a.m. on Saturday at Life Point Church on U.S. 67 South in Malvern in Garland County and ended at New Life Assembly Church in Haskell. Brent Henderson, youth pastor at New Life Assembly Church, coordinated the event and said despite the walk already taking place, donations are still being accepted. He said the goal is to raise $1,200 by Sunday.
“The national STL was started years ago to raise money for missionaries in other countries,” He said. “A lot of the places they go into is very remote, very hard to reach and so far out of society that many have never even heard of Jesus Christ. The STL raises money to buy vehicles and other equipment so that the missionaries can reach the lost.”
The youth who participated were Heather Thomason, Cameron Lee, Railey Nolan, Payton Holiman, Courtney Blacklock, CaLynn Blacklock, Alex Nichols, Dalton Dugan, Blake Evans, T.J. Tucker, Elise Teel, Stefene Hale, Aaron Foushee, Branden Lusinger and Zack Davis. Youth pastors Henderson and Brad Crutchfield also joined the group.
Only five of the fourteen that walked did not reach their destination.
“A lot of people that donated pledged a certain amount of money per mile that the person walked,” Henderson said. “The longer the youth walked, the more money they raised. Several in the group even added up their donations in their heads while they walked across another mile.”
Henderson said this is his second time his group has participated. Last year, however, there were only four people who took the challenge. Three reached the stopping point and little money was raised.
Lask year it took the group 9.5 hours to finish the walk. This year the group finished in 9 hours and 9 minutes.
“The (New Life Assembly) church was just opened that year and there was only around 7 to 10 kids in my youth group,” he said. “It was just three girls and I that started that walk. Now we average around 45 youth members. It’s crazy how fast we are growing.”
Henderson said he reaches the youth in Haskell, Glen Rose, Benton and beyond by “doing things a little different,” than a lot of other churches in Central Arkansas. He said people spreading his message through word of mouth also helps.
“I don’t mean anything disrespectful to any other church by any means, but I just think I do things a little differently than other youth pastors,” Henderson said. “I try to develop relationships with them and teach them real life things. I tell them what they need to hear about the real world and they respond very well to that.”
Henderson said after the walk last yearhe didn’t think he would take a second trip.
“I told those kids that I may retire out of this,” he said. “We’ll do something to continue raising funds for the STL though. But then again, I said I would retire from it last year too. I am sure I’ll probably do this again next year. It is just hard for me, I am still sore, but then I am out of shape. It takes a couple of days to recover and I am sure the kids are sore too, but there were some that I think could have walked another 10 miles.”
Henderson said he was very happy with the amount of support the group received before, during and after the long walk. He said as the group took breaks at Doyles Corner convenience store in Poyen, Country Store in Glen Rose, Temple Baptist Church on US-67 South, and Southern State Bank in Haskell. He said people honked, waved, and yelled praise to them.
“At one stop we saw a whole family donate and give support,” Henderson said. “When I say the whole family, I mean it was the mom, dad, grandparents, brothers and sisters and probably some cousins. I was just blown away from all the support we got this year. It was awesome how the community responded.”
For more information or to donate to the New Life Assembly Church, 1120 Grand Avenue in Haskell Speed The Light “All Will Drive - 26 Mile Walk” visit the church Web site at www.newlifeag.tv or call Brent Henderson at 501-229-3673. For more information fore Speed The Light, visit www.speedthelight.ag.org.
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