A Walker's Perspective
Article by Gezell Fleming
We’ve done it! The 2008 FILA/Samaritan’s Feet World Walk to provide shoes for the impoverished is finished. As the name of Damien Horne’s CD is “Somebody’s Hero,” this was the spirit that pervaded throughout the entire 300-mile walk that began on Saturday, October 11, 2008 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway at Concord, NC and concluded Saturday, October, 25, 2008 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. During that two-week period, strangers became a family, individual aspirations became one unified purpose, and we were all forever changed. We walked 14 days through oppressive heat, torrential rain, and bone-chilling winds – all four seasons presented themselves during this short period of time. Manny Ohonme, our barefoot leader and president of Samaritan’s Feet, inspired us all as he persevered through his blisters, Achilles heel problems, and swollen toes and feet from walking the backroads between Charlotte and Atlanta for so many days. Our trainer, Calvin Fleming, stretched us, fed us breakfast, encouraged and enlightened us, and pressed us beyond our own physical limits. When we would encounter a hill to climb, Calvin would yell, “Take The Hill!” and he would run up the hill, challenging himself physically and mentally. He set the example and it became a goal of each team member to “take the hill” at least once. Each of us did, with shouts and screams of support from fellow team members, and it is a title of honor we all possess. Damien Horne, Nashville recording artist, volunteered to walk with Manny because he felt the heart of the need that Samaritan’s Feet wants to fill – over 300 million children will never have a pair of shoes unless someone brings them to them. In his song, “Somebody’s Hero,” he expresses passionately his desire to make a difference in this world before he dies by being somebody’s hero. He walked the entire way, bringing his beautiful, playful spirit to help keep the atmosphere light. Although he says it was more work than he expected, it gave him more than he could have imagined. It inspired him to write the song, “Samaritan Feet.”
Walking along the countryside gave us all the opportunity to personally connect with the residents (and sometimes the animals) of the towns as we passed through. We talked, walked, and ate with a delightful array of people in each locale. We witnessed incredible generosity as strangers gave impromptu when we told them why we were walking and about Samaritan’s Feet.
At Damien’s closing concert on Saturday night, October 25th, we hugged, cried, exchanged numbers and emails, and knew that this was a moment in time that we would never forget. Our lives have been transformed and we will never be the same. As we return to our ordinary lives, may our extraordinary experience revolutionize us to live giving lives and influence those around us to do the same.