Pies save lives
6/11/2010
Miranda Walters bakes pies. Miranda Walters sells pies. Miranda Walters helps save lives half a world away.
The teenage baker from First United Methodist Church in Cedar Falls inspired the gathered members of the 2010 Iowa Annual Conference session to follow her lead and support the efforts of Imagine No Malaria by contributing by making contributions to purchase bed nets.
Miranda was one of four persons who participated in Bishop Julius Calvin Trimble’s Episcopal Address – “Our Call to Action.” She described how she had been moved by a video she had seen at her church, collaborated with her grandmother, and held a bake sale with the goal of raising $100 to purchase 10 mosquito nets. At the end of the day some $640 was collected, enough for 64 nets, or, as Miranda said, “each net can protect up to four people so our little bake sale will help more than 250 people to live healthy lives.”
Good Morning America picked up the story of the taste of hope and celebrated Miranda’s accomplishments in a nationally-aired segment. When the members of the Annual Conference session heard her story they rose to give Miranda a standing ovation.
At the end of the Episcopal Address the teenage baker presented Bishop Trimble with a pie which immediately became the subject of a bidding war. At last report the Southeast District made a pledge of $1000 for the pie and one congregation pledged $1000 for the pie plate, a pledge that was later channeled to the FIT Challenge. Citing Miranda’s information, an additional 400 people will be protected from Malaria-bearing mosquitoes by the Southeast District pledge. (As of the writing of this story the actual whereabouts of the pie is unknown but pastry detectives are on the case.)
The pledge for the pie will be forward to Imagine No Malaria in Miranda’s name.
Following the conclusion of the Conference session Bishop Trimble issued an invitation to persons to continue the pie-for-pledge opportunity. “For every $250 sent through the Conference directly for purchasing Malaria nets the contributor/group will receive a specially baked pie. I’ll also send them a personal note of thanks for the life-saving contribution.” (Send checks and a note to whom/where the pie should be sent to the Conference Office, Conference Treasurer, 2301 Rittenhouse Street, Des Moines, IA 50321 and indicate “Miranda’s pies” on the outside of the envelope and on the check memo line.)
