October 14, 2017

Deacon documents work of Catholic Relief Services in new book

REGIONAL
By Carolee McGrath

Deacon Bill Brawner documents the work of CRS in his new book, Walking with Cheetahs: CRS Rice Bowls at Work in Zambia (iObserve photo/courtesy of Deacon Bill Brawner)

BELCHERTOWN — Deacon Bill Brawner, a husband and father, has served the parish community of St. Francis of Assisi in Belchertown, humbly sharing Christ’s message of love and mercy.

This past year, he was able to experience and document the worldwide reach of that message, as a Global Fellow for Catholic Relief Services (CRS). He traveled to Zambia last January and wrote the eBook, Walking with Cheetahs: CRS Rice Bowls at Work in Zambia, published by Lulu.

“It was a mind-altering trip in that I could see how this little rice bowl we all fill every year, where that money was going, how our church is working for others, not just Catholics, not just Christians, but others in need — our brothers and sisters around the world,” said Deacon Brawner.

His mission is to now commit to speaking about CRS which provides assistance to the poor in more than 100 countries around the world. CRS is the official overseas relief agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Each Lent, more than 14,000 parishes and schools across the country participate in the CRS Rice Bowl Collection. Parishioners are asked to take home a cardboard box and fill it up with spare change, or even a dollar a day, during the 40 days.

“This woman we spoke to who was (pictured) in the Rice Bowl packet last year was so grateful to CRS because her son is now healthy and is not sick anymore,” he explained. “That makes her so happy. She is blessed and that’s what our church is doing overseas.”

CRS’ overseas programs include agriculture projects to help farmers; water and sanitation projects to provide clean water; microfinance projects and nutritional programs for mothers and children.

“They’re bringing in mothers and children and feeding them and teaching the mothers how to cook by maybe raising a chicken, planting peanuts and understanding how fruit works,” he added.

Deacon Brawner’s book documents the lifesaving work CRS is involved in. On the last day of his trip, he got the chance to walk with cheetahs at a wildlife preserve.

“We were instructed how to approach them and I did walk with one, which was an extra bonus,” he said.

When asked about his faith life at that moment he replied, “My faith was fine once they told me what not to do and how not to scare him. I just said, ‘Thank you, Lord, please keep me on this path.’”

Since CRS began the Rice Bowl Collection more than $250 million has been raised for both overseas and local programs to combat poverty.

Deacon Brawner said he hopes people understand how God uses their generosity.

“Jesus calls on us to make disciples of everyone, to treat everyone as our brother and sister whether they are Christian or not. We are all God’s children,” he said.

Walking with Cheetahs: CRS Rice Bowls at Work in Zambia is available on Lulu.com and Amazon.

A video version of this story will be featured on tonight’s edition of the Springfield Diocese’s weekly magazine, “Real to Reel,” which airs at 7pm on WWLP-TV 22 NEWS.