Update #47 - Dec. 09, 2003
Vinton, LA - 10,607.2 miles (16,972.2 kms.)

It hasn't been a week since I posted my last update but things have happened. A couple of days ago, I was riding along U.S. 190 between Opelousas and Eunice. About a mile and a half out of the small town of Lawtell, an old blue car pulled off the road in front of me and I was flagged over. Inside was a young couple. They did speak very good English.

What the wife said had an impact on my feelings. As I had expressed in several previous updates that I have been a little bummed out by the responses that I've gotten from the people that I've met and from the churches that I've stopped at. I was getting into a bit of a funk like it didn't make a difference if I was even riding across America. I had thought that nobody really cared in what I was doing. I had gotten several messages placed in my guestbook by people who were accusing me of just riding around the country panhandling and expecting churches to pay my way.

The lady in her broken English told me that I should keep on praying and that I was making a difference out here to the people that I have been encountering. To me, it was just like Y'SHUA telling me through her that I should keep it up, I'm doing a good job, and I will be cared for by the appropriate people along the way.

The husband gave me a packet of Christian cards that he wanted me to give out and also three dollars. The way it looked this might have been all the money that they had for a while. I didn't really want to take it but they insisted.

For a long time, I've been carrying in my wallet a very worn out and creased piece of paper that had a short message attributed to Mother Theresa. The message was called the "Final Analysis". It goes like this.

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;Succeed anyway
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;Be honest and frank anyway
What you spend years building, someone may destroy overnight;Build anyway
If you find serenity and happiness; they may be jealous;Be happy anyway
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;Do good anyway
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;Give the world the best you've got anyway
You see, in the final analysis, it is all between you and G-D;It was never between you and them anyway.

I finally realized more strongly that I am not out here trying to win respect and kudos from the people that I meet and from the people who visit my site. It doesn't really matter what their reactions are or what they say. The final analysis is that I'm doing this out of respect for what ADONAI and Y'SHUA has done for me. I'm giving my best to ADONAI and Y'SHUA and that is all that matters. I was called out by them through the Holy Spirit and I will be out here for as long as it is needed until I hear that one small word of "Stop" and then I will end my trip.

Time and time again, I've been supplied with the financial means to keep on going. My needs for housing each night have pretty well been met. My health has been maintained and my physical needs with the maintenance of my two-wheels have been met. I'm out here for the long-haul. I've been cycling for over 2,110 days and if I have to ride 2,110 more days that is fine with me. Come on cold weather, try your best to stop me. You will not succeed. Bad and inconsiderate drivers, try your best to scare me off the road. You will not succeed. Keep the flats and pump failings coming. I might be slightly frustrated for a little while but eventually I'll get the tire inflated again and then the miles will roll.

Tomorrow, I will be crossing the Sabine River into Texas. I'll be heading down to Port Arthur to visit a Baptist church there. After that, I'll be riding through Beamont, Liberty, Houston, Galveston, and eventually on to San Antonio. I hoping to stop for a few days and volunteer with the Habitat for Humanity affiliate. About this time of year back in 1997, I stopped there and helped do the finishing touches on three of the five houses being completed for families so they could move into them before Christmas.

Who knows after that, I might just keep on going and ride back to California. This will be my 14th crossing of the country. My heart has really been on the victims who have lost their homes during the recent fire storms in Southern California.

I'll try to post an update as often as I can if there are any changes in my plans.