Day Three .... Continued

From Kathy:  I am sorry...  I got home, updated the blog, then left before Ken stopped on his journey, so I did not get to update the blog last night.  By the time I got home from my meeting, I was too tired to even check it.  So, here are the continued stories of Ken's journey. 

I did not want to discourage anyone, so I did not post this earlier.  While Ken was getting prepared for his journey to begin, he stepped in a hole and went down, twisting his knee.  He was hurting, but his response to me was.. "I tell you like my daddy always told me.... get up and walk it off...  so that is what I am going to do."  I watched Ken literally limp away from me.  I wanted to make him get in the car and drive him to get checked out, but he refused.  He still has not sent me a picture of the knee, but at one point he said it swelled up as big as a softball. 

Two miles down the road, he had to walk through a construction zone that had a shoulder, but the semi's would drive right next to him.  I know I wrote earlier about this situation, but I am writing again, because he sent me a picture from the grass where he had to walk.  I want to also remind you, he was walking on an injured knee and on a slope, in the tall grass, which is how he hurt his knee in the first place.  I am not by any means bragging on Ken, I am simply saying, God is definetly with him. 

Also, he said to tell EVERYONE, that the next time you drive through a construction zone and it says 50 miles per hour, don't speed past workers.  He said that it is crazy how people blew past him and he had no protection.  He had cars almost hit him, just because they were driving too fast for the condition of the road.   Notice how the truck is driving on the shoulder.  Ken is walking in the gravel at this point. 

Again, I have to say, Ken got a ride through the construction because a guy saw an over-sized semi almost take him out, so he stopped and offered to take him all the way to Laredo.  Ken was just thankful for the ride to the end of the four miles of construction.  Just past the construction, he was stopped for an interview by Dara Downs.  She is a reporter for Channel 12 news in Ardmore.  I found her picture on the web since Ken forgot to take a picture. 

Ken got to a Marrietta exit and stopped at the Valero just in time to see a large group of college students come in from Abilene Christian University.  Some of them helped him get some ice to ice down his knee and then they talked to him about his mission of walking to get human trafficking acknowledged.  He said there were about 40 kids (young adults) that sat and listen to the story and took down his info so they could follow along and spread the news.  I think his twitter said something about having a safe trip to KC, so I am going to assume he was saying that they were on their way to Kansas City. 

He said that after he got back on the road again, he had a guy stop and offer to give him a ride again.  He talked to this guy for a bit about human trafficking and this guy had no idea that there was any such thing going on.  Now to do you understand why we must get the word out?  Don't assume that people know that there is an issue with human trafficking, because they don't have a clue!  His plan for today is to talk to as many people as he can and just see if they know there is an issue with human trafficking.  He is going to take his own personal survey. 

The stretch between Marrietta and the Texas border is only about twenty some miles, but for Ken it looked like a thousand.  He says he got to a point where he was just watching for the huge casino sign, because he knew that he would be close to the Texas state line.  He said that his knee at this point was not doing well, but he just kept telling himself that he could do it.  Not that he is saying that the casino was a great place to go, but it sure helped his spirits when he finally saw the huge signs, they were sort of a beacon to a rest stop at the mile marker one. 

Just a quick note, Ken was trying to conserve his battery life, so he did not take many pictures.  So, I am trying to pull pictures from other resources.   So, If anyone sees him alongside the road and wants to send me a picture of him walking, send it to Kat522@att.net.  Let me know where you spotted him.  Thanks!!  Also, if you want to stop and take the pic with him that would be even better.  Also, please take him water or a snack if you can. 

Last night, he made it to the Texas state line and to the Thackerville Truck Stop.  He was so thankful to be there, that I think he could have spent the night there.  His knee was telling him no more.  My cousin, Becky and her husband, Mark picked him up and took him to their place for pizza, (his favorite) a long soak in the bathtub, ice for his knee and a place to sleep.  Thanks so much!