The Prayer/Faithful Walkers group was established in Tarboro, NC (Edgecombe County) in 2012 coordinated by Derrick Haskins from Edgecombe County Health Department. The walkers started at the church each morning with a prayer. They divided themselves into various groups covering East Tarboro, Main Street, Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, and Rocky Mount. Eventually, the more active participants began to work out at home, at B&G Fitness Center and a few of the members started water aerobics. The main goal of course is to begin physical activities based on your own abilities and continue to move it, move it, move it!
Our congregation and the members of our community have many health issues including cancer, diabetes, hypertension, mental health, and several members are on dialysis. We are constantly learning that our eating habits and physical activities can have a tremendous effect on our health. Through various seminars and workshops, we have adopted better practices and better habits. We have utilized Health Lay Leaders as well as a dialysis support group to inform and encourage our members. We are becoming more aware of the saying “You are what you eat.”
We strive to help our congregation and the members of our community to be aware of all the resources that are available through Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, Eat Smart/Move More, DEPC Faithful Families, and Edgecombe County Health and Human Services. We frequently insert information in our church bulletins concerning healthy living from the previously mentioned organizations. So prayerfully, the health of our members and the members of the community will continue to improve.
For more, visit us on our Facebook page: St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Tarboro, NC
Submitted by: Sister Hilda Morris and Deaconess Barbara Vick