Charity leader Dan Murray spent part of his vacation walking to raise money in an initiative called Walking People Out of Poverty. He explains why and invites others to join in.
Early in my time at Opportunity International Canada, I recall listening to the story of a mother in Nicaragua. She made tortillas by hand and sold them to neighbours on a rickety table by the roadside. The little income she earned was enough to begin building a better life for her children, and all she needed was a small loan to get started.
I found myself thinking about a passage from the book of James: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
That verse has stayed with me ever since.
When you sit across from a mother fighting to provide even one meal for her children, or a farmer wondering if they can afford quality seed, faith suddenly becomes very practical.
It looks like showing up. It looks like partnership. It looks like walking alongside people who refuse to give up.
That is why, for the fourth year in a row, I spent part of my vacation walking 550 km in support of Walking People Out of Poverty. This year, in July 2026 I walked along a section of the Via Francigena, an ancient pilgrimage route stretching from Canterbury in the UK to Rome.
There’s something humbling about walking ancient roads shaped by centuries of faith and perseverance. I imagine Paul travelling from city to city, encouraging believers. In many ways, Walking People Out of Poverty is rooted in that same belief — that our faith calls us toward tangible expressions of love and compassion.
At Opportunity International Canada, the people we serve are incredibly hardworking and resilient. What they often lack is access — access to small loans, training, and support that enable them to move forward.
A woman may know exactly how to grow her business but lack the financing to buy inventory. A farmer may have the skills to increase production without access to agricultural support or capital. A young person may dream of becoming a mechanic or seamstress while facing barriers that make education feel out of reach.
For many of us in Canada, these obstacles can be difficult to imagine, but they are daily realities for millions around the world trapped in the grinding cycle of poverty.
As followers of Christ, we are called not simply to feel compassion, but to respond to it.
Walking People Out of Poverty is one simple way we can do that together.
This initiative is more than a fundraiser. It is Canadians choosing to walk in solidarity with families around the world who are taking courageous steps toward building sustainable futures for themselves and their children.
Some participants walk 5 km with friends or family. Others organize church teams, workplace groups, or personal fundraising challenges. Regardless of what it looks like, every step and every dollar raised helps create access to opportunity and empowers families to build lasting change with dignity and purpose.
We do not see people living in poverty as problems to be solved. We see image-bearers of God with gifts, talents, and untapped potential. Sometimes all that is missing is opportunity.
And when opportunity is unlocked, remarkable things happen.
Businesses grow. Children stay in school. Families gain stability. Communities become more resilient.
Meaningful change is possible, but it rarely happens all at once. It happens step by step.
This year, as I walked once again, I prayed for the families we serve, our partners around the world, and the Canadians who continue to respond with extraordinary generosity and compassion.
I am reminded that faith was never meant to remain comfortable or stationary.
It was always meant to move us.
Dan Murray is president & CEO of Opportunity International Canada. See how you can participate at walkingpeopleoutofpoverty.com.