CHAPTER 16: GOING TO KANSAS CITY Lawrence to Independence, MO; Days 188-197 (5 rest); Distance = 66 Miles; People Met

= 77 Since Cindy and I are with each other 24/7 she was bound to catch the cold I came down with before Lawrence. Fortunately we could take a rest day at the Tall Oaks Christian Camp when this happened. The director of the camp Sharon Bracken had just returned from Kansas City where she helped out with something called Micah Ministry. I talked to her a little bit about that food assistance program, providing over 35,000 home cooked suppers over the course of the year. They also are involved in clothing assistance and health kits. Just the title of the program got me thinking. Micah 6:8 reads: He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. I've read through the entire Bible a couple times, but I'm not one to memorize passages from what I read, focusing instead on understanding concepts in their context. I was familiar with Micah 6:8, but never connected it with this journey until confronted by the title of Micah Ministry. To do justice for me relates to the Housing, Health and Hunger issues I focus on. In early nomadic societies all members had access to food, shelter and health care such as existed at the time. For a modern corollary look at the Amish and other communal groups. They depart from early nomads in some important ways. They often operate on fixed doctrines. Being sedentary and affected by private property they are more vulnerable to food shortages than early nomadic groups. Yet even modern small band societies tend to provide universal access to the basic necessities; the limited access created by large mass societies amount to injustices that should be remedied. To love kindness is stronger wording than to do justice. We can do justice without having to like it. Not so with kindness. We are to embrace this trait, just as we are to embrace our natural empathy that leads us towards kindness. The two commandments for loving, to love God and others, are rooted in our ability to love kindness as well. Walk humbly with your God seems to naturally apply to a 5,000 mile walk across the country,

yet for me the operative word is humbly, not walk. We started this journey with a mission, yet ended up on a pilgrimage where we constantly learned more about humanity. One can let go of a fixed message, a fixed doctrine or belief, through a humble heart that is open to new experiences and revelations. As we headed further east my talks to church groups would rely on Micah 6:8 as the foundation.

Before Lawrence the Flint Hills provided mildly rolling topography, though we could usually see far off into the horizon. Lawrence was situated on hills, reminding me of some eastern cities in that regard. Immediately after Lawrence we came down into flat plains at first, but then up into hills and occasional forest. The horizon stopped looming so large as it had throughout the western part of our journey. Claustrophobic westerners might have started to feel uneasy at this point, but for us we were hiking home. The highlight of hiking through the Kansas City area was a bike path called Corporate Woods. These woods featured an eastern-like variety of trees, including some like the Pawpaw that I never saw before. Interpretive signs all along the path helped us identify the unfamiliar trees. Though woods and creek dominated the immediate landscape, skyscrapers often peeked down into the park. The border crossing into Missouri was the least conspicuous one yet. All previous states had signs announcing for us our new milestone. At this border crossing there were no signs, just an underpass for a bike path beneath the urbanized State Line Road. Our route brought us to the Blue River, which in turn angled us up towards Independence, MO and the Missouri River. The landscape in eastern Kansas served as a prelude for entering Missouri. We now occasionally walked along the base of limestone cliffs with deciduous trees other than cottonwoods and evergreens other than juniper and pitch pine. Central Kansas delineated west from east by geographic measure; the Kansas/Missouri border delineated by landscape. This small feeling of home provided a little extra boost in our steps.

While going through the Kansas City/Independence areas our frequency of encountering people while hiking increased, always with pleasant results. While on the Kansas City bike paths we talked for a good while with Ron and his dog Boomer, and later with two effervescent women, Courtney and and Haley. We took a break at a Starbucks near the Corporate Woods bike path where we intended to use the gift cards given to us by Kathy Luis way back in California. Instead, Jen and Natasha provided us coffees on the house, while customer Jeff came over to tell us we just made his day. As we neared the Missouri border Scott caught up to us as he was out for his brisk walk and helped us to navigate the divergent bike paths. At the border we waited at a Taco Bell for Ky to pick us up. Two customers there, Tony and Colin, described for us the Indian Creek Trail we would encounter on the Missouri side, while manager Liz chatted with us outside the store and enthusiastically claimed she was going to tell her church all about us. The day that we hiked from the border to Independence brought us our first delightful encounters with Missourians. Road construction workers Terry and Micaiah (yes, it's spelled that way, I asked) were the first cheerful folks we met in the state. That was followed by carpenters CJ and Graham, who lived in Kansas but were working on a house in Missouri. Police officer Joe helped us out with directions and Valero store manager Dennis chatted with us about his recent vacation. We were innocently walking by the home of Chan when he flagged us down. He and friend Derrick where outside working on a car. Chan was hard for us to understand but clearly he was excited; he even called his wife and kids out to meet us. There were other good folks as well with whom we chatted but the conversations did not get around to names; typically the proprietors, managers and clerks of convenience stores where we stopped for bathroom breaks. I know what you are thinking: if you encountered two middle-aged people walking across the country you'd be friendly, too. I'm sure you would, but keep in mind most people did not know what we were about until after a conversation started, yet all were willing to

amiably engage in a couple of scruffy-looking, smelly hikers. You look for trouble and suspicion in others and you'll find it. You look for kindness in others and you'll find that instead.

Before the trip started we were the most apprehensive about Kansas City over every other major city along the route. We knew absolutely no one either in or near Kansas City. Our chance encounter with the Davis's in Frisco, Colorado changed that. Before we even reached Kansas City our contact with Gretchen bore fruit, through our Thanksgiving on the Talbert farm and through our stay with Reid Nelson in Lawrence. Once we reached Kansas City the results of that chance encounter in Frisco was nothing short of amazing. Here is the broad sweep of what happened to us in Kansas City. Thursday evening: Arrived at Lorene Miller's house, where we met Gretchen and Ardie Davis for dinner and where we stayed for two evenings. Before Lorene's delicious dinner Gretchen gave us our itinerary detailing all the speaking engagements and housing arrangements for our Kansas City stay. Friday morning: Gave a presentation to the 4-6 graders at Westwood View Elementary School, where Gretchen used to teach and our future host Brian Watson now teaches. Before the trip started I never imagined I would speaking to such a young audience and I was nervous, but I was well-received. Friday afternoon: We went to Ardie and Gretchen's for lunch. After lunch we hiked the remaining six miles from where we left off on the Corporate Woods bike path to the Missouri border, getting well-acquainted with trees again. Friday evening: Gave a presentation to a group of Gretchen's friends at the Westwood town hall. They put on a potluck and a good time was had by all. A couple told me there were thinking of restructuring their food pantry program based on the information I provided in the talk. Saturday: Lorene brought us to the KristKindl Markt at her UCC church, where her daugher

Karen arranged for us to host a booth. A KristKindl Markt is a German tradition, sort of like an Oktoberfest for winter. During the festive day we were introduce to Jeff Whitman, conference minister for the UCC Missouri Synod. This introduction would lead to huge benefits. Saturday evening: We dined and stayed at the home of Phil and Heather Gudgel, arranged for us by Christy Watson, wife of Brian. Phil and Heather invited their daughter Whitney, friends Ray and Kathy, and Whitney's friend Amy to the dinner. I interviewed and created a podcast of Amy regarding her work with the Kansas City Free Health Clinic Sunday morning: Gave a presentation to the Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church. Christy Watson, wife of Brian, friend of Gretchen's, serves Rollling Hills as their Congregational Care Director. Several youth were in attendance and the youth director wished that I could have spent some time with her group. Sunday afternoon: The Watsons took us out to a late lunch at BRGR, an upscale burger place where both men's and women's restrooms shared the same sinks. We were joined at the late lunch by Brian's brother Phil, Pastor Ted, and friends Laura, Olivia, Leslie and David. Sunday evening: Brian and Christy prepared dinner as we stayed with them that evening. We had one of the most relaxing, delightful conversations of the trip that evening. Monday: We transferred over to the home of John and Patty Quick, where we would stay for the next three evenings. Ky was without her support vehicle at this point, as Ardie and Gretchen helped her set up an appointment with the man they got to for auto repair, Kip Sailor. We were finally getting the body work done from the accident that occurred near La Junta. Patty prepared a delicious pasta dinner for us in the evening. Tuesday morning: We enjoyed watching the light snow fall from inside of the Quick home. I was able to catch up on a lot of Internet work. In the afternoon we met with the Davis's once again to talk about our journey and what my priorities should be. I felt I was stretched a little thin by everything I was attempting to do and wanted their input to help prioritize.

Tuesday evening: Ardie is an author of barbecue cookbooks, in an area famous for barbecues. Our Kansas City handlers took us out to a restaurant famous for barbecue. When we returned to the Quick's, Cindy and I were able to watch a UConn women's basketball game with John. He was such a gracious host he even cheered for the powerhouse Huskies along with us. Wednesday: We hiked our first 18 miles in Missouri, from the border to Independence. Ky picked us up in Independence and brought us back to the Prairie Village Presbyterian Church where I gave my last presentation during our whirlwind stay in Kansas City. On Wednesday evenings Prairie Village hosts a dinner followed by programs. Jarrett McLaughlin, the head of ministries for this very large church, was our connection that set up the talk and we ate with him during dinner. He shared how their food pantry runs like a grocery store, serving 1,000 people a month and using 300 volunteers. Evidently the volunteers get a lot out of the experience. The food pantry has operated long enough for deceased volunteers to bequeath generous donations. Ardie and Gretchen came to this last presentation and we said our final good-byes afterwards. You just never know who is going to affect you life in wonderful ways on journeys such as ours.

There was one other notable encounter during this stretch that took place only via email. A contact had been made for us with someone who lived in between Lawrence and Kansas City. We originally planned to stay with Bart, but as the day drew near both Cindy and I were victimized by colds and we thought an extended stay at the church camp would be best. Thus my only contact with him remained via email, where we had quite a discussion going. Our Lawrence host Reid Nelson was an alternative energy advocate who once tinkered with a windmill on top of his suburban home. He also went to bat as a lawyer against large coal-powered generation in the area. In contrast, Bart was a retired geologist in favor of said coal-powered generation, and made his disdain for the opponents known in his emails. The opportunity to stay with people on both sides of the coal-powered issue would have been interesting, but instead my take away

from Bart's emails relates to the general issue of large corporate energy. Bart had as a signature line at the bottom of his email a quote that alleged the follies of centralized planning. Being a community advocate, I sent an email agreeing wholeheartedly with that sentiment. Yet by the end of our email exchanges Bart was defending the very centralization his signature line lambasted. Why? I pointed out to Bart that corporations require centralized government to be effective. Our Supreme Court's jurisprudence, along with protections and infrastructure provided by national government, are necessary for corporations to compete effectively with proprietors. Otherwise, the added, inefficient costs of paying substantial sums to stakeholders, maintaining large management hierarchies and the marketing/lobbying costs needed to expand markets beyond local/regional spheres would place them at a severe disadvantage. Not only that, but corporations are the only real justification for centralized national governments. Social programs, etc. all could be administered through something less centralized than national government. Yet in general, for our country and others, the bigger and more centralized the government the the bigger and more successful corporations can become. I could go in much further depth regarding the supreme dependency of corporations on national government. I only needed to scratch the tip of the iceberg before Bart the geologist with multiple degrees conceded the need for centralization, indeed his support for centralization, because of his support for coal-powered generation requiring large corporations. He then shifted the debate to the need for the progress and cost efficiencies that corporations can provide. Those claims are a little bit suspect as well, but at that point I dropped the conversation, particularly since illness changed our plans for staying there. As we headed further east this email exchange formed another lens for viewing the fracking issues we would encounter. Podcast: KristKindl Markt

Podcast: Kansas City Free Health Clinic