A South Wales Christian is preparing to carry an eight-foot wooden cross on a lengthy walk across the Valleys, to share his religious message, while raising money for faith-based charities.
Daniel Grove, from Penygraig in Rhondda Cynon Taf, will take on the remarkable challenge on Saturday (31 October) – and will be sharing updates on his social media feeds.
And he even hopes the giant cross could become a permanent feature in the Valleys – inviting Natural Resources Wales to grant permission for the cross to be planted on a mountain top in the community.
Powerlifter Daniel, 26, has been a Christian for two years, and attends Freedom Church Porth, where he also volunteers and supports church administration.
‘Beyond the Walls of the Church’
But he hopes the eye-catching challenge will take the Christian message “beyond the walls” of Church and into the wider community.
Daniel said: “I wanted to do something that would be a visible expression of my faith, and something that would take the message beyond the walls of a church and directly into the communities where people live, work and go about their everyday lives.
“Initially I was going to organise walks up to the peaks of the mountains of the Rhondda valleys with the intent to plant the cross but understandably I can’t just randomly plant a cross (as much as I would just like to do it anyway!), as it comes with legal issues.
“The idea of carrying an actual cross came from wanting the message to be unmistakable. It’s one thing to talk about the cross, but to physically carry one through the valleys as a public act of faith and witness felt right.
“There’s also a personal element to it. Jesus speaks in Matthew 16:24 about taking up our cross and following Him. This walk is a practical expression of that commitment.”
The ten-mile walk will take Daniel from Blaenrhondda into Porth – an area whose people, Daniel worries, often have little or no connection with the region’s faith-motivated past.
“The Rhondda is a place with an incredible Christian heritage. We have a history that has reached far beyond these Valleys, particularly through the Welsh Revival of 1904-05,” added Daniel.
“But when you look at the communities today, there are many people who have little or no connection with the Christian faith. I think it’s important that we don’t simply look back at what God has done historically, but consider how we can reach the people living here today.
“This route starts at what is a little past ‘the end of the line’ – and takes us through several communities and past a number of churches, ultimately stopping outside the church I attend. I also want to pray for those communities, encourage the churches and remind people that the message of Jesus is still relevant today.”
His ‘Walk the Cross’ Facebook page has already made a splash locally – amassing 1,600 followers, where he has shared videos of his preparations – including constructing the towering cross from wood. He also posts updates on Instagram.
And he hopes the challenge will encourage conversation, thought and discussion – both during the event on Saturday, and beyond.
Daniel added: “Ultimately, I hope it makes people stop and think.
“An eight-foot cross isn’t exactly something you see every day! Some people might be curious, some might disagree, and others might simply wonder what on earth is going on.
“But that’s okay. My hope is that it creates an opportunity for people to think about what the cross represents and, hopefully, ask questions.”
But will onlookers be supportive, critical, or bemused? Daniel isn’t fazed, either way.
“I’m not expecting everyone to respond in the same way. I simply want to make the message visible and give people an opportunity to engage with it.
“However, I am hoping that this spark ignites something that is so unshakable that people start delving into the bible, start attending church and ultimately seek a relationship with God.
“So while at the start I hope it causes people to be curious, in the end I am praying and hoping for salvation!”
Faith in the Valleys: Past and Present
The proportion of the population identifying as Christian has fallen dramatically in recent decades – from 72% in England and Wales in 2001, down to less than half (46%) 20 years later.
But there have been some suggestions of a ‘quiet revival’ around UK Christianity, in part influenced by an uptick in interest from Generation Z, a demographic of which an encouraged Daniel is a part.
He adds: “There seems to be a renewed interest in Christianity in certain places, particularly among younger generations, and I find that encouraging.
“Social media has also been a great tool to get the message of the gospels out there and I believe in this day and age that people are crying out for something more, something true, Jesus.
“However, I also think we need to be careful not to measure everything by trends or headlines. There are still communities where churches are struggling and where many people have never really encountered the Gospel.”
Claims of a ‘Quiet Revival’ became a talking point last year, after a Bible Society report claimed a massive jump in regular Church attendance – from 8% to 12%.
However, YouGov later retracted parts of the data due to sampling errors, casting doubt over the scale of any such revival.
In the early 20th century, an estimated 100,000 people were converted to Christianity across Wales – which the Christian History Institute says is one of the “most important spiritual awakenings in modern times.”
One of the leaders of the movement was Evan Roberts, also 26 years-of-age, from Loughor. His impact and influence was so significant that his Western Mail obituary wrote in 1951 that he “seemed to hold the nation in the palms of his hands”.
And Daniel doesn’t rule out a similar scale of conversions influencing his home Valleys in the future.
He says: “I would love to see something significant happen across Wales again.
“We have an incredible spiritual heritage, but I don’t believe our best days have to be behind us. I firmly believe that faith will rise up again in the Rhondda Valleys and will burn with more zeal than that of 1904-1905.”
Walk with a purpose
Daniel is raising money for charity as part of the challenge – with donations supporting Christian poverty relief and Gospel mission, with raised funds being split between Freedom Church Porth, Mission Aviation Fellowship UK and Tearfund.
He adds: “I wanted the walk to have a practical impact as well as being a public expression of faith. If people feel led to support the work, they can do so through the fundraising page. People can also get involved simply by praying, sharing the campaign, or joining me for part of the walk.”
But conversations and engaging minds will also be critical for Daniel in the coming days.
“This isn’t going to be a headphones-in, music-playing kind of walk!”, he jokes.
“The intention is to be present and approachable. I’ll be happy to speak with people who want to ask questions or find out what we’re doing. You can even talk and walk with us!
“We’re also planning to stop outside several churches along the route to pray. I’ve invited people from those churches and the wider community to come and join us, whether that’s for a short section of the walk or simply to pray with us at one of the stops. The aim isn’t to rush through the Valley and get to the finish line. The journey and the people we encounter along the way are the whole point of the walk.”
Powerlifting Meets Endurance
While training plans for half marathons or mountain climbs are commonplace, carrying an eight-foot wooden cross for 10 miles is another matter entirely.
But while Daniel’s powerlifting experience means strength training is no stranger to him, he accepts this challenge will require a different skill set.
“Powerlifting is largely about producing strength over a short period, whereas this requires endurance, pacing and being able to keep going over a much longer distance,” Daniel admits.
“I’ve been mindful that the weight and awkward shape of the cross will make the walk challenging. It’s not just about being strong enough to lift it; it’s about being able to carry it safely and consistently.
“I will attach some small wheels on the bottom if it starts to get too much, but I will certainly be trying my best! I haven’t approached this as a race. There’s no time to beat. I expect it to take several hours, particularly with the prayer stops and opportunities to speak with people along the way.”
Daniel has had lots of offers of support already – and a “much bigger” response on social media than he expected.
He says: “The support has been so encouraging! My church family has been particularly supportive, with people committing to fasting and praying throughout the week leading up to the walk, which has meant a great deal.
“The wider Christian community has also been incredibly encouraging. We’ve had support and interest from people beyond the local area, including Christian evangelist J.John, who has helped share the walk.
“The response on social media has also been much bigger than I initially expected. It’s been amazing to see people engaging with the idea and offering their support.”
Spooky Season, Sacred Steps
The walk is scheduled to take place on Halloween – meaning Daniel may come across some Trick or Treaters on the route!
Though today dominated by costumes, sweet treats and spooky decor, the date originally stems from All Hallows’ Eve – a Christian vigil preceding All Saints’ Day that has steadily shifted in meaning over centuries.
Modern interpretations of Halloween can divide opinion among Christians, ranging from enthusiastic participation to strict avoidance, and much in between – but Daniel suggests people shouldn’t read too much into the date of his challenge.
“Whether it was deliberate is a difficult question to answer. I initially wanted this walk to happen much earlier but nothing was working until I prayed on it and consciously moved it to October 31.
“The amazing thing about October 31 and Wales is that the 1904-05 revival is widely known to have begun on exactly that date. So, it only felt right to pray for revival to happen following that date again.
“I appreciate that Halloween can be a divisive subject among Christians, and I understand that people have different convictions about it, but this day and every day that goes by is the day of salvation! I recall a conversation with a whole family who fasted and prayed for this walk, and told me that it shall be a Sanctified Eve, and I quite liked the sound of that!
“Nonetheless, the focus of this particular day is the walk itself: carrying the cross, praying for our communities and pointing people towards Jesus. I don’t want the date to become a distraction from that central purpose.”
‘Just One Soul’
Unlike many physical challenges, however, success for Daniel isn’t just about crossing the finish line.
“Success, for me, isn’t simply reaching Porth after ten miles. Of course, completing the walk safely would be a great achievement, but I would measure the success of this by the conversations that happen, the people who are encouraged, the churches that come together in prayer and the opportunities to share the message of Jesus.
“If even one person stops to think about their faith, asks a question or takes a step towards Jesus, then I would consider that incredibly worthwhile. Just one soul will make this whole thing worthwhile.
“I also hope it encourages other Christians to be bold about their faith and to think about how they can make a difference in their own communities.”
Daniel, who cites Joshua 24:15 and Romans 8:38–39 among his favourite scriptures, says the cross is “at the very centre of the Christian faith” and “represents the foundation of the Christian message”.
And he ambitiously hopes there could even be a permanent home for his cross, and reminder of his walk, and of what he says is “the message of hope Jesus brings of salvation”, installed in the Valleys after the event – with local landowners or even the Welsh Government-sponsored NRW invited to grant permission for the wooden cross to be planted at a suitable site.
“I hope people across the Valleys, Wales and the UK are reminded that the cross is not just part of history. Its message is still relevant, and the invitation of Jesus is still there today.
“I do have hopes that someone in the Valleys with land would allow permission for this cross to be planted. I would be happy if NRW would even allow us to plant it at the top of a mountain somewhere.
“What I can say for certain though is that this walk will happen again and I’m planning on making it a bi-annual event, the next walk will be Easter, where it will take place I cannot say for certain but I’m certainly open to suggestions!”
More information on the challenge can be found on the Walk the Cross Facebook page. People can also donate to Daniel’s chosen charities online.
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