What they’re learning … Part of what the youth at Kerkhoven (Minn.) Lutheran Church have learned, and shared with members, is that the global water crisis claims more lives each year than war. And these facts from ELCA World Hunger resources:
In an eff ort to not off end, mem-
bers could be added to the “no hit” list if they didn’t want the outhouse on their lawn, Hanson said, even if they didn’t buy insurance. “We didn’t want anyone to feel coerced into donating,” she explained. Most community folks know
about the traveling outhouse, thanks to its fi rst landing: outside the Kerkhoven Banner newspaper offi ce. Editor Ted Almen, a church mem- ber, wrote an article that informed and ignited interest, causing others in the community to donate and checks to arrive from other states,
E.W. Solyst (below) got an unusual gift for his 103rd birthday—an outhouse in his front yard, compliments of Kerkhoven (Minn.) Lutheran Church. Six youth and two adults (above, left) will bring a generous check to the ELCA Youth Gathering to add to the “Walk for Water” campaign, thanks to their unusual fundraising.
• 1 of every 4 people in the world drinks from contaminated water sources. • In the U.S., the average person uses 152 gallons of water a day; in Uganda, four gallons. • Unsafe water leads to illnesses that claim 840,000 lives each year.
• Many women and children must spend hours walking for water. In Kerkhoven’s narthex, worshipers have been encouraged to touch and try carrying six gallon jugs that many people throughout the world carry 3 miles daily.
• More people have access to a mobile phone than to a toilet.
including one from a former mem- ber confi rmed at the church. In mid-May, Hanson energeti-
cally gave the rundown of future outhouse appearances and eff orts: commissioning of the youth going to Detroit, including presenting them a check (more than $5,500 at presstime) to take with them, and an all-night vigil on Main Street dur- ing which the community can buy baked goods and enjoy a bonfi re, s’mores and a hymn sing. T e outhouse won’t be burned,
she was quick to clarify. T e Meyers bought it at a silent auction and will repurpose it as a garden shed. T is passion for justice is nothing
new for this church, where projects oſt en coincide with the pastor’s Lenten preaching theme. T is year’s emphasis included cardboard piggy banks from the ELCA. From Rally Day to T anksgiving Eve, kids and families collected money, and the pastor promised to kiss a pig for every $30 donated. “Fiſt een minutes into the coff ee
hour where that promise was made, $475 was collected,” Hanson said. T e eff ort culminated with a pulled pork supper (of course), more than $1,500 and too many kisses to count. T is year’s theme, “Be Refreshed,
Renewed, Revived,” was a fallback to a previous eff ort when mem- bers set out to raise $2,500 for a traditional well through ELCA World Hunger—but ended up with enough money for two. Hanson said the rural church wants to make sure it is making a diff erence somewhere, and the outhouse has helped members draw awareness in a whole new way: “So here we are kissing pigs and promoting travel- ing toilets .…”
Author bio: Sevig is managing editor of The Lutheran, and grew up 15 miles east of Kerkhoven, where outhouses travel and pastors kiss pigs.
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