November 2002
Oregon/Washington District Wrap-up
Dear Friends,
 |
This was a time to retire worn-out Arizona pants from Brandt Faus, my orange T-shirt and flannel shirt from back east, and the second pair of shoes. It was a time to wear new shoes from Valley View COB, Whittier, CA; new pants from Sonia Stouffer of the Covington church; a new flannel shirt from Winston Ho of Hayward, CA, and a new T-shirt from Jack Quinn from Salkum, WA. It became cold enough to start wearing a precious winter coat from Bob & Mary Baucher from Modesto, CA.
I lost a sock, my bandana, and my flashlight in Washington. Dick Weaver gave me batteries and socks, Ernie Bolz gave me socks, Joe Roy gave me a flashlight, and the Sheas' gave me a bandana.
Sewing was done by Gary Meeks, Sonia Stouffer, and Paula Shea. Haircuts were compliments of Leslie Seese and Betty Hames.
It was a time of pack breakdown. The first side of the frame broke in L.A. County in CA, April 30, and was repaired in Bakersfield, CA, May 5. The other side broke 1,900 miles later near Wenatchee, WA, Sept. 27 and was repaired by Bud Preston Sept. 29. Then Oct. 17 the first side busted lower down and was fixed by Pat Liley of Prosser, WA. My pack weighs more now due to reinforcements, but it's still tickin', as am I.
The town of George, Washington (really), was one of the places I walked through. I even rapped on the George W. bust to see if it was hollow.
It was hot as 105 degrees F. in the Springfield, OR, area, and as low as 22 degrees F. near Touchet, WA. I expect it will get colder before Idaho. There were many days in OR and WA that were really great for walking due to dry conditions and cool temps. There were a few snowflakes above the 4,000-foot level crossing Steven's Pass in late September. I was rained on that day, once in Seattle, and was drizzled on one other day. Not much for what us Easterners think WA and OR are like . . . rain every other day!
I was amazed how dry and southern-Californian looking the terrain was east of the Cascades in WA and OR. It is a desert with much irrigated fruit land along the rivers. There were many wildfires in OR during July and August.
I awoke one night with the Columbia River quickly covering me with its water, and I walked 30 miles that night and day. This is the most mileage I walked in one day. I was privileged to see the Northern Lights, which I have not seen in 15 years, near Tonasket, WA.
The Cascade Mountains reminded me of home (West Virginia). They even smelled like mountains. The water was much clearer than back East in the upper Skykomish and Wenatchee Rivers. They were very cold to bathe in! The salmon were running. Wow!!! You won't believe it till you see them swimming and jumping upstream.
OR and WA are contrasts in rules and regulations. In OR it is OK to walk the freeways and I was never hassled on the railroad tracks. WA was "Walk the freeways again and you'll be arrested," and "Walk the tracks and it's a $500 fine." It was a relief to get back to OR.
Fifteen of the 16 COB congregations hosted me royally; also an Assembly of God congregation that Carol Mason-Page's husband (George) pastors. District conference at Camp Myrtlewood, OR, was great. I was introduced to many of the fine folks I'd later meet at different congregations and to the COB Youth Peace Travel Team.
 Lacey, Washington walkers |
 |
Thank you to Jeanesse Rodeffer, who coordinated and contacted congregations for me. Thank you to Bill Dobos, who typed this up and e-mailed it to Elgin. Those in Elgin know how difficult my hen-scratching is to decipher.
Thank you's for food, housing, or both to: Gary, Tim, Andy, Nathan, and Bonnie Meeks; Margaret, John, and Lucas Jones; Camp Myrtlewood Staff; OR-WA District conference; Pat and Owen Wright; Leslie and Dale Seese; Springfield Community COB; Floyd and Ardith Mackel; Tricia Wright; Ruth Anderson; Portland Peace COB; Jane and Vance Shepard; Roger, Paula, Rebecah, Naomi, Sarah, and Benjamin Shea; Salkum Community COB; Jack and Mary Quinn; Carol and George Mason-Page; Don and Betty Stern; Lacey Community Church; Tacoma, Larchmont Community COB; Merry and Mike Titus; Covington Community Church; Michelle, Calvin, Noah and Matthew Teeter; Seattle, Columbia-Lakewood Community Church; John and Velda Braun; Jana, Mike, Molly and Amy Helmuth; Seattle, Olympic View Church; Jeanne Rempel; Haile Bedada; Liz Lindley; Sharon and Chris Miller; Dan and Denise Fredrickson; Northaven Retirement Center; Peggy Gallinger; Patti Berg; Jerry and Carol Bowers; Carol Bowman; Bud and Janet Preston; Wenatchee Sunnyslope Church; Alice and Becka Hildum; Hester, Mike, Bob, and Karen Wells; Carlos, Betty, Jessica, Jason, and Karlos Murillo; Ellisforde COB; Sid and Martha Bosch; Betty Roberts; Whitestone COB; Ben, Sally, and Laurie Hylton; Norm Weddle; Frank and Betty Holmes; Maryanne Williams; Paul and Lois Davies; Ben Green; Carol McCormick and K.C. McFerson; Merry Roy; Lael and Linda Vickery; Everett Thornton; Pat, Peggy, and Fiona Liley; Outlook COB; Harlen and Betty Hames; Steven Baird; Bill, Janean, Rebecca, Jessica, and Brittany Dobos; Weston Community Church; and Patrick Figgenbaum and Eileen Wilson. Also Glenn, Ruth, and Steven Slabough, John Bynum, and Pamela Counsell. More double thank-yous for those I inadvertently left out.
The Tucson COB, in Tucson Ariz., set the congregation hospitality bar mighty high, and it's been tied but never broken! The OR/WA District has set the district hospitality bar mighty high! It's been a wonderful 3 ½ months here—3 ½ months I'd gladly repeat for a couple of pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Thank you!
In Christ's Love,
Don
P.S.: The Blue Mountains were WHITE upon arrival. Dangerously white, as the snow depth increased to 4 inches when I approached 3,000 feet in elevation near Dead Man's Pass. Walking just one foot from I- 84 traffic with snow flying and fog isn't something I recommend. Praise God, Bill Dobos brought me warm clothing lost in the Weston, Ore., post office, and I decided to retreat 30 miles until conditions improved. Upon returning one and a half days later my beard and mustache were quickly icicled up in the 20-degree temperatures that lowered to 5 degrees that night. Strong winds were in my face much of the way from the Blues along with many more significant ups and downs till Nov. 8, when I reached Idaho.
The actual miles for Oregon are 450 + 199 = 649. Fifty-four nights were spent in homes in Oregon and Washington, and 60 were spent under bridges, in culverts, woods, abandoned buildings, ditches, etc.
One Oregon law enforcement person reminded me of Washington in his tactics. Truckers blessed me on I- 84 with food gifts and encouragements. My pack and entire contents were stolen, and praise God I caught the Missouri thief as he was leaving the rest area. To say I am grateful to be in Fruitland, Idaho, is an understatement. Praise God!
July 2002
Pacific Southwest District wrap-up (central and northern California)
Dear Friends,
I entered Oregon on July 17, 2002. Central and northern California have been more friendly than Arizona and southern California. I'm talking about the general public, as Brethren and affiliated congregations have been very hospitable to me from the get-go.
 |
Difficulties have been different, but no less demanding and grueling. The 152-mile walk from the LaVerne Church of the Brethren to the Bakersfield Community Church of the Brethren in six days brought me to my knees. Praise God that He sends angels to pick me up. Going from 300-feet elevation to 4,100 feet and back down to 300 feet is difficult enough without 75 pounds on my back! Going cross-country and dropping down off cliffs in rattlesnake country isn't like a stroll in the park, either. I froze one night at high elevation, and then Bakersfield was 90-something degrees in the shade. Phew! Northern California presented a different problem walking through dark train tunnels. Not knowing when the trains would be coming was a very frightening experience.
Except for a little jog over to the Fremont Congregational Church of the Brethren its been 90° to 103° in the shade every day since Bakersfield. One hundred degrees in the shade translates to 120° where I walk in the sun and 140° on the pavement for my feet. It was 135° in the sun and 150° on the pavement for 3 to 4 days near Redding, California. That's beyond hot. I hope no one else wonders why I started in Tucson, Ariz., Feb. 2 and not July 2.
Central and northern California are greatly irrigated, and the mosquitoes are numerous in the rice paddies. One night I killed hundreds of them and didn't get one wink of sleep because I wouldn't have had any blood left in the morning. Ants are everywhere. There is no need for me to give blood for a while! Either I lose it cracking my head open in Arizona, or the bloodsuckers and biters get it at night.
 |
Thank you to: Sara, Ashley, and Jenny Haldemann-Scarr; Bakersfield Community CoB; McFarland Church of the Living Savior; David and Dena Snell; Todd, Cindy, Jocelyn, and Ethan Pobst; Donna and Wayne Shimer; Doug Shimer; Sam Witcher; Lindsay CoB; Pat Bray; Calvin and Arline Hilty; Monalta, David, Jakob, Geo, and Coby Duffin; Chuck, Norma, Katy, Chris, and Ariana Lovelace; Gene and Berdine Gerbrandt; Laton CoB; Dick, Jeanne, Jared, and Richard Ball; Kathie and Jim Howard; Fresno Community Brethren Church; Ataloa, Nevin, Alana, and Deborah Woodin; Zoya Kadoshnikva; Carol and Ray Weaver; Russ and Kay Betz; Waterford CoB; Sandy and Gerald Allinson; Mary Pieczarka; Nels Jacobs; Pete and Vic; Modesto CoB; Bob and Ann Marie Vardman; John and Doris Heisel; Bonnie, Ken, Jesse, and Lizzy Kline-Smeltzer; Ruth Sesser; Bob and Mary Baucher; Gene and Lenore Palsgrove; Milton Ewert; Ben and Starla Garst; Esther and Winston Ho; Gayle Howell; Gerald and Kay Moore; Fremont Congregational CoB; Connie and Rick Nafzinger; Tio Julio; Tristine and Jim McKee; Sacramento Prince of Peace CoB; Pat, Paul, Stephanie, and Ashley Miguel; Taka Blackburn; Bobbie and Vern Hardin; Don Kindell; Live Oak CoB; Esther Kindell; Terry Kauk; Rennatta; Randy, Sheri, Kayla, and Tyler Miller; Chalmer and Corrine Johnson; Cecil and Bonnie Catledge; Paradise Community CoB; Mel and Jane Campbell and Judy; and Chico Peace and Justice Center; David and Cassandra from Modesto, Calif.; Brothers Paul, Bob & Dave from Cottonwood, Calif. 4-Square Church. All of the above gave me food, lodging, hospitality, or some other kindness.
Special thanks to all I've left out, plus Gene Yeager for repairing my backpack's frame in Bakersfield; the Bakersfield Community CoB for agreeing to purchase my next pack; Hazel Hoover of Modesto for sewing my pack and pants; Fremont CoB for a new photo memory card for the digital camera; Mel Campbell for a professional haircut and beard trim; Valley View CoB for my next pair of shoes (Imperial Heights and South Bay are on deck); and Esther Ho for the original church contact work.
I've been truly blessed as 29 of the 31 Pacific Southwest District churches have opened their hospitality doors for me. Thank you!
It's been interesting getting to know jackrabbits, roadrunners (not the Chrysler cars), magpies, and other assorted critters from the animal kingdom. I believe jackrabbits' ears are large enough to be satellite dishes! The West is way different than the East, for sure.
If you'd like to financially contribute to this walk, make your check payable to the Walk Fund and mail it to Church of the Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120. It will be divided 50-50 between the Global Food Crisis Fund and Emergency Disaster Fund (Brethren disaster relief). If you'd like it to go elsewhere, note it on your check memo, but make the check out to the Walk Fund. Thank you.
I need places to stay all over the western US. Please help me out. Also thanks to the lady who gave me Ben & Jerry's ice cream coupons from the Modesto CoB. B&J's hits the spot on these hot days. Thanks to all who walked with me and carried my pack. Thanks to all of you who put up with grief for trying to turn my homeless money into money for the neediest in the world.
I was in Arizona for 27 days and 361 miles; southern California for 63 days and 760 miles; and central and northern California for 74 days and 904 miles. One hundred and four nights I was safe in a home, and 60 days out there somewhere less than safe. Pacific Southwest District totals were 164 days and 2025 miles.
Don't forget to check into www.meetingground.org and scroll down to my picture, and click underneath for a column I write for Loaves & Fishes.
Please continue to pray for this walk. I'm not strong enough to do it without yours and the Lord's love. Thanks again.
In Christ's love,
Don
May 2002
Dear Friends,
The Southern California part of this walk is history. While visiting 13 of the 14 congregations, one high school, and the University of La Verne, and walking 760 miles, much happened during those nine weeks.
It was a huge ordeal from Phoenix to San Diego at the start, and again for the 152 miles in six days from L.A. County over the mountains to Bakersfield as I exited Southern California.
In between, Brethren hospitality including much pizza and ice cream helped me gain the seven pounds I lost getting to San Diego. Each of the 40 consecutive nights in L.A. County had Brethren hospitality connections. What a treat to have a bed, good food, fellowship, and safety! What a change from sandwiches and sleeping under bridges, in ditches, and under trees.
The injury (since healed) I received in Arizona somehow turned into a serious infection in my lower right leg, which caused large problems. After a month, the infection finally left due to antibiotics and prayer. Please check out www.meetingground.org, then click on the update by my picture for "I fell down."
Having a bed, company, and a shower only once in 21 days was a smelly situation. The general public continued to treat me with unfriendliness even before they could smell me.
Walking at 2 m.p.h. is different than riding in a car in many ways. I saw the beautiful people diversity of Southern California. The hymn sing at South Bay CoB April 14 is the high point of the entire journey so far. It was a treat to be part of different colors, nationalities, and languages singing praises to the Lord like none of the other things mattered.
 |
While in Long Beach, I photographed a sleeping homeless person at 9:30 one morning, near the Queen Mary and where the city was being spruced up preparing itself for the Toyota Grand Prix race that weekend. City workers were even cleaning light poles with little squeezy bottles of cleaner to remove bird poop. And yet we put less effort into the struggling "lower classes" of humanity.
The worst night of my entire life occurred in San Diego County March 24-25. I was rained on from 6 p.m. till 2 a.m., and then the strong north winds froze my prunelike body from 2 till 6 a.m. when the sun came up. Praise God for the sun, as I was a seriously frozen prune! I've been spoiled not having to deal with tents and very little rainfall. This will change as I try to reach Seattle by September.
Thank you to Imperial Heights, Valley View, and South Bay CoB's for purchasing my next three pairs of shoes!
Thank you's to: Norman Groth, Ken and Mary Aeschebacher, Susie Glass, Betty Judy-Hylton, Jackie and Avery Merrow, Eldon and Margaret Eller; Mike, Julia, Scott, and Kat Chatt; Craig Schubert; Bella Vista CoB; Glendora CoB; Jack and Cathy Banks; Linda and Cliff Lee; Principe de Paz Iglesia de los Hermanos church; Bob Walker; Don, Belita, Don II, and Serenity Mitchell; Jean and Tony Anthony; Jean Christian; South Bay CoB, James Anthony, Cherie Anton, Panorama City CoB; Lucille Leard; Glendale CoB; Jeff Walker; Pasadena CoB, Debbie Roberts and Steve Kinzie, Emily, and Seth; Joe, Carol, and Vivian Vecchio; Pomona Fellowship CoB; Juliette, Eric, Riley, and Brandt Davis; Rodney and Dorothy Davis; La Verne CoB; Sara, Kathryn, Elizabeth, Christopher, and Alexander Bache; and Sara Haldeman-Scarr for either feeding or housing me or both in Southern California. Thanks also to JoAnn Waggoner, for making all the initial contacts with congregations.
A special thank-you to Robin Walker and Neil and Lois Schubert. They have gone above and beyond the definition of friends and Christian brothers and sisters. Space doesn't permit me to write all they have done helping me out. They have been lighthouses in the fog.
 |
Thanks to Jack and Jean and all the others who have accompanied me. My pack seems to lighten up when others walk with me.
If you'd like to financially contribute to this walk, make your check payable to the Walk Fund and mail it to Church of the Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120. My only request is that this is your sacrificial giving and not just "robbin" from somebody/something else you'd give to. The Walk Fund monies are distributed 50-50 to the Emergency Disaster Fund and Global Food Crisis Fund. If you'd like it to go elsewhere or all to one or the other, note it on the memo on your check. Thank you!
Please continue to pray for this walk. I can't do it without you. My pack is too heavy, and my legs are too skinny! Praise the Lord for carrying me through every situation.
In Christ's love,
Don
February 2002
Dear Friends,
Arizona has come and gone. It has been both lonely during the long stretches of no Christian brothers and sisters, and wonderful during the times with others. Every step is painful in one way or another, with 45 to 65 pounds on my back. I entered Arizona on Feb. 2 and exited Feb. 28.
 |
Thank you to Jan Thompson, who coordinated Arizona. Also to Roma Jo and Jan Thompson, Tucson Church of the Brethren, Linda Kent, John and Bessie Stauffer, Karen and Jim and Tony Walters, Amelia Fitzpatrick, Merle and Willet Barnhart; Ron, Carol, Josalee, and Brandt Faus; Tish and Gary Berkey, Jill and Chad Stettler, and Circle of Peace Church of the Brethren. They all fed me or gave me sleeping quarters for a night or more. I am truly blessed to have met everyone at all four congregations in Arizona.
I was surprised to see farmers baling alfalfa hay in the desert on Feb. 18. Rainfall came down only once for 10 minutes my whole time in Arizona. This is a large country we live in, this America.
Another thanks to the Wilmington, Del., Church of the Brethren for purchasing a new pair of shoes for me. The first pair has over 800 miles on them and are worn out.
In Christ's love,
Don