Good Hearts

A Key. Some water. An interview and one very large cantaloupe! So what do they all have in common?

It's amazing to me that Lucyah and I can enter a new town, walk a country road and meet friends that were strangers five minutes ago! When they woke up this morning, they didn't know us and we didn't know them and yet...something clicked in their hearts and ours. Before we leave each others company...we're friends!

Before we left Mt. Airy, NC, the Barefoot Prophet gave us the key to his home. He said we were always welcome whether he was there or not! I hadn't been walking in Virginia long when a young girl (around twelve or so) saw me on the road. She thought I looked hot and tired...she was right!...and she asked her mom if they could go get me a cold water. Five minutes later I was thanking my sweet benefactor.

Not too much later Richard Rogers, the News Director of WHEO (1270AM) in Patrick County, VA saw our RV parked at Wal-Mart and stopped to talk with Lucy. He wanted to do radio interview. We didn't have cell phone access so she sent him up the road after me and said she would join us shortly. Richard played the interview several times the next day and asked people to call in or tell if they met us or saw us.

The next day, we met Daniel Louis from WHEO. Daniel oversees their webpage and while telling him how friendly and giving the American people are...Buddy knocked on our door. He just wanted to know if we'd like a cantaloupe. He said he bought two but he only needed one. He just didn't know why he bought the other one until he heard the radio program and then saw our RV parked right across from where he was working!

All these people gave what they could....a key, some water, an interview and a very large cantaloupe. They all offered the hand of friendship and we took it. Being on the road we've discovered that the American people want to give and if you want to show them respect, you accept what they offer as thankfully as you can. Receiving with grace is a gift that you give back. It tells people, "I value you and I appreciate your thoughtfulness" and we do.

We so appreciate this country and its people.

Generating Friendships

Not too long ago we had to replace our generator. It was a costly repair but a necessary one as the heat index (a combination of air temperature and humidity) has been a real challenge. We need the generator to power our air conditioning for the six days each week we are not at a campground. Normally the oil is changed at every 150 hours of operation but the mechanic who installed our unit said to change the oil at the first 50 hour mark since we were breaking in a new unit.

My dad was a tool and die maker by trade and a perfectionist by personality. He was a good man and a loving father but when it came to mechanical things I just couldn't seem to do very well to suit him. Even after all these years, I just dread mechanical "stuff"... even something as un-challenging as changing the oil. It's always been easier to pay to have it done than have to fight my own lack of confidence and besides, I hate getting my hands messy.

I knew this day was coming. Sooner or later, you have to face the fear of whatever it is that is limiting you. I bought the oil and an oil pan, grabbed a rag and piece of plastic to lie on and slid underneath the generator. I couldn't see a thing and so I had to get out from under and go get my glasses. "Oh, this isn't starting well," I thought. I got back into position, tools by my side when I noticed that the screws holding the cover over the oil plug were neither Flatheads or Phillips. They looked like five pointed stars. "What the heck is this?" I thought.

I could hear the evil one whispering once again, "You don't know what you're doing." Then I heard another voice, "Need some help?" Instead of feeling grateful, I felt embarrassed. Here's a guy who is going to think I'm an idiot because I can't do a simple thing like change the oil. "Don't think I have the right tool. These screws look like they need a star fitting," I said, not peering out from underneath the beast. He walked away, came back, stooped down and handed me a star shaped metric thing. Don't know if you would call it a wrench or a screwdriver but whatever it was....it fit!

Once I got the screws off the cover, I had to deal with nut that fastened the oil plug to the generator. I had a wrench to fit but the nut was in a recess and so I needed a rachet to give me the leverage to loosen the nut. My friend had that tool as well. As the oil drained in the pan, I slipped out from underneath and met my new friend ...Jon Van Hall Sr. He gave me a big smile, extended his hand and said, "Just call me Barefoot." I shook his hand, thanked him for his help, looked down and sure enough He wasn't wearing any shoes! In fact, Barefoot hasn't worn a pair of shoes since November 27, 1989! He literally stands on Acts 7:33.

We talked a bit about walking for Christ and then he said, "Would you like to see my walking staff?" No sooner had I said, "You bet" than did he hop into his van, smile, wave and said "I'll be right back." Lucy had been doing the laundry and so I helped her get things out of the dryer while we waited for our friend's return. No sooner did we finish our duties than did Barefoot return dressed in a white robe, with a red stole about his neck adorned with medals from his service in Viet Nam and his staff in hand.

I noticed that there were marks along the side of the staff. He said he puts a notch in for every year he walks barefoot. Barefoot prayed with and for Lucyah and I and then he asked us to put our mark on his staff. He handed me a small penknife and as I carefully carved N + L into the wood, I could feel God etch Barefoot into our heart. We invited him to have breakfast with us but he said he had to go to work. Before he left, he insisted we keep the tools he had let us use.

We had finished breakfast and we sat silently sipping our coffee; both of us stunned by God's goodness. I needed someone to hold my hand as I faced a childhood fear; someone who would not judge me nor do it for me but just help me. God had sent His Barefoot Prophet and we sat there feeling incredibly blessed but....

Our new friend wasn't through with us yet. He walked into the restaurant with a gift covered in a cloth. It was a framed article about him and God's call on his life. It appeared in the February 3, 1993 edition of the Mt Airy News. It will be the first thing we place on the wall of our home...when we get a home!

Moravian Falls to Ronda

We had an online introduction through our friend Pat in Kansas City...Kevin Basconi's book is Dancing With Angels and he and his wife Kathy have encounters of the supernatural kind. Despite their many angelic sightings, they do not worship their heavenly visitors as many people do. They are very clear, they only worship Christ! They were kind enough to invite us to stay at their home in Moravian Falls as we were without air conditioning due to generator difficulties.

My first reaction when someone tells me they see angels on a regular basis is caution. My reasoning mind kicks in and I wonder, "Are these people for real or are they lost in space?" I believe that GOD gave us a brain to analyze things but there are also some things that are true even though they are beyond our understanding. I don't have to understand everything to know it is true. I mean I have no idea how a microwave heats items so quickly yet I know it does and I benefit by using it.

Although I have not had some of the experiences that Kevin and Kathy have, I have no doubt they are sincere in the expression of those experiences. One thing I do know is that GOD is bigger than whatever I as an individual can imagine or experience! It turned out to be two very inspirational and educational days!

After we left their company, we walked one day and then drove about 50 miles to Camping World in Colfax to get our generator repaired. The cost of RV labor is about $100-$120 per hour and after factoring in the cost of repair versus the cost of a new generator, we decided to go for the new model and get a three year warranty. It took us three days in the waiting room for the part to arrive and be installed but now we have power for the AC and the laptops.

On our first day back on the road, Terri pulled over and talk to me for a bit. She has a genuine smile and a quick sense of humor. I liked her as soon as I met her. It was 6:30am when she invited me to lunch! We made a date to meet at the Town Hall building in Ronda at noon. We actually walked past Ronda and then drove back to catch up with Terri and her husband Mayor Victor Valera.

In addition to being the mayor, Victor works as a scientist doing cancer research. Their house burned down last year and they are still in the midst of reconstruction. They were in the home when it caught fire through an electrical malfunction. The smoke alarms weren't activated because the fire actually started above the alarms. By the time the smoke got down to the alarms, the roof was gone! The good part was that they only lost stuff; not each other and not their animals!

Between Moravian Falls and Ronda was sandwiched LIFE as experienced by three different couples. Encounters with angels, mechanical failure and raging fire and yet in each circumstance these people chose to focus on the provision and protection of God. Never did we nor the other two couples speak of fear or lack but only how blessed we had been in the process. LIFE is a process and it happens to everyone; sometimes it's rain and sometimes it's a rainbow....always GOD is there...always.

Blacksburg, SC to Earl, NC

This past week has been more about people who blessed us than people we have blessed. Last Wednesday, we stopped to worship with the folks at Mt. Paran Baptist. Pastor Jay invited us to say a few words and after the service, a neighborly man by the name of Garnell took us over to his house to fill our tanks with well water. Sooo nice! Later we met Pastor Jay & Christine for a cup of coffee at a nearby truck stop. Everybody has a story and finding out how pastors become pastors is always an interesting tale.

Thursday morning, quicker than you can say "Blackberry cobbler," we were in Earl, North Carolina. Now we didn't expect much out of a town named Earl but....where we ever mistaken! We stopped at New Hope Baptist Church and a lady named Tamara stopped to check on us. We moved on but she called her pastor who wanted us to come back for a photo and a little conversation. She tracked me down later on the road and we made arrangements to meet Pastor Russ when our walking day was over.

Lucyah had parked at an Ingles supermarket and the manager and a cashier came out to investigate. She was able to share about our walk for Christ, praying for America and gave them each a Zacchaeus DVD. The cashier asked if I would come in so she could have a picture taken with me. Later on Zacchaeus interrupted her work day for a photo-op.

As I walked through town a bit, a man came out of his trailer and approached me on the side of the road. “I’m mentally ill,” he said. His hands were behind his back and there was fast moving traffic behind me. In less than five seconds, all kinds of scenarios came into my mind. What if he was holding a hammer? What if he pushed me into the traffic?I asked him why he thought he was mentally ill. “The doctors said so. I’m schizophrenic and bi-polar.” “Do you take any meds?” I asked. “No. I hear voices.” Do they tell you to do bad things?” “No. Not bad things.” Do you know Jesus?” “Yes, I do.” We continued to talk about the healing of the Lord and after a few minutes of mentioning the name of Jesus, my friend abruptly left.

Finally, our walking day ended and we returned to New Hope to meet the pastor and that’s when we met Kirsten. Her husband is a navy chief currently deployed. He’ll be home in late July and until then she has three energetic kids to handle. One of her hobbies is taking pictures so she got lassoed into being the photographer of the day. Pastor Russ and his youth pastor Travis were very gracious, open and curious. Sunday morning was a salute to the graduates …high school and college…so they invited us to present Zacchaeus to their congregation on Sunday night. Woo-Hoo! We always get a thrill when a pastor who never met us before steps out in faith and invites us in! God is always looking to bless a man like that!

Kirsten had been on the phone to her grandparents, the Crawfords, and so it wasn’t long before we were at their house for supper! They and their family have lived in these parts most of their lives. Despite a houseful of hungry relatives, Mrs. Crawford managed to save us a couple of slices of homemade strawberry pie…..soooo good! Just before it started getting dark, Mr. Crawford, got us hooked up with electricity for the night plus directions on how to get back on the road in the morning!

In the town of Shelby, there is a health ministry called Hallelujah Acres (www.hacres.com) and the first Saturday of every month they have a free seminar. They’re teaching people how “You don’t have to be sick” and a lot of what they have to say makes sense. Not only did we get an education but we also got a chance to eat some healthy foods like pizza (made with macadamia nut cheese, spinach & sun dried tomatoes) and homemade coconut ice cream (without the cream!) After we learned to eat “skinny” we headed back out to the Crawfords for lasagna and home made apple cobbler. The diet begins “tomorrow”

These are the people of America. They are not the exception; they are the rule. They are your neighbors who are waiting for you to step out and say “Hello.” They want to share their recipes and their lives with you. They want to get to know you but don’t know how.

You need to take the first step. When trying to connect with people we’ve never met before, you can simply ask a question. We use what we call the Indian technique…that’s right… we simply ask “How.” How long have you lived here? How did you learn to do that? How did you come up with that idea?

Try it….you’ll make new friends and …so will they!