Shoes and the Stranger

John's new shoes

     It was summer in 2001 and we were on our way to Lake Powell for a exciting trip on a houseboat with our friends the Mike and Jan Cain.       Elizabeth was with us, as well as our son-in-law and his three oldest children, McKensey and Cody and McKaila.  It was about 6:00 in the morning and the sun was just coming over the horizon and we were out in the middle of nowhere when we saw a man walking.  We hadn’t noticed a car anywhere so he wasn’t stranded, and he wasn’t hitchhiking.  My husband had a feeling he needed to stop and see if he needed help.  He circled around to get a better look and sure enough there was this small Hispanic man walking briskly, going in our direction, John talked to Ronnie, our son-in-law and they both agreed to stop.  I was in the back seat of the car with the kids and was hesitant; after all, we had precious cargo on board.  John pulled over and asked him if he would like a ride.  He checked us over real well and then agreed.  He jumped in and bit by bit he told his story. 
      He lived in New Mexico and was walking all the way to Denver to attend a funeral of a relative.  Walking all the way, we were all shocked.  He had been on the road for several days.  I had never known anyone who would walk those distances.

     A hour later we were ready to take our separate roads we pulled over to the gas station to say farewell to our new friend, my husband bought him some food and noticed that his shoes were worn out with holes in the bottom of them.  He asked him what size he wore and then my husband removed his new shoes from off his feet and gave them to him.  We wished him well and continued on the road to Lake Powell.  John spend the week without shoes, except for his water shoes, he knew this man needed them a lot more than he did.

John entertaining the Missionaries with his
 ventriloquism talents

    We had a great time on the houseboat, but the thing we all remember the most, was the man walking to Denver and the pair of shoes my husband so generously gave him.

While earning your daily bread,
be sure you share a slice
with those less fortunate

John's wood carvings

The cabin John built