Walk2gether focuses on unity

Bob Hetzen, 77, will walk 8,000 miles to tell the poor CFCA President and Co-founder Bob Hentzen embarked Dec. 29, 2009, on a walk from Guatemala to Chile that ended June 6, 2011. The trek is called Walk2gether.

Walk2gether covered nearly 8,000 miles (12,875 km) through 12 countries in Central and South America where CFCA sponsors children, youth and the aging. Sponsored members and their families, sponsors and CFCA staff joined Bob at various points during the walk.

Hentzen, 75, often walked 20-25 miles (32-40 km) per day.

Someone cares

Sometimes those living in poverty can feel forgotten by the rest of the world. Walk2gether is a way to help counterbalance the isolation of people living in poverty, and show them that someone cares.

"By walking with them, we are saying, 'You are not alone,'" Hentzen said. "We are listening to you and learning from you."

A symbol of unity

During Walk2gether, we helped build community and strengthen the bonds of unity between CFCA's sponsored members, sponsors and staff. The walk also symbolized and promoted the unity of countries, races, languages, genders and creeds.

No stranger to the road

Bob Hentzen is no stranger to the road

Click the photo to watch the 28-minute video.

Hentzen, who lives in Guatemala with his wife, Cristina, and travels about three-fourths of the year to visit CFCA projects around the world, is no stranger to the road. In 1996, he completed an eight-month walk covering more than 4,000 miles (6,437 km) from CFCA’s international headquarters in Kansas City, Kansas, to Guatemala. He walked in gratitude for all that the poor have taught him, and to show his love for them. Walk2gether is a continuation of the first walk.