After unexpectedly receiving $9,000 of booth rental space for free, Far West End church (Richmond, VA) members began preparing for FitFest, a two-day fan appreciation event held by the Washington Redskins. With 20,000 people expected to attend, the 40-member health ministry team began their preparations. They packed their booths with health books, brochures, recipes and promotional material for upcoming events. They also prepared to give health presentations on the main stages and offer free services such as blood pressure testing, glucose testing, lifestyle counselling and a Kids’ Zone.
As the first day of the event kicked off, members realized the situation may play out a little differently than expected. “There were far less visitors then anticipated,” said Laurie Baier, Health Ministry Leader, “but opportunities arose because of the smaller number. We were able to pray with several people who came to our booth. You aren’t able to do that when you’re rushing.” Several from the group were also able to talk to other vendors at their booths. After sharing some of her struggles, one vendor said, “I know everything will be okay because you prayed for me.”
“Our desire to help people in their wellness includes their spiritual health,” says Baier. “We were able to really hone in on that factor at this event. With that in mind, we couldn’t have wished for a better outcome.”