Plan to walk
My name is Benjamin Miller and i will be walking from Atlanta, GA to Middlebury, IN as a fundraiser for a program called Mission Year. I’m originally from Middlebury, but I’ve been living in Atlanta over the past year doing Mission Year. The date I plan to leave is August 12. When I tell people this I get many questions so here is my attempt to answer all these questions in one place.
What is your route?
I have chosen to follow the route provided by Google Maps. Google does a good job of providing the most direct route to Middlebury and avoiding big highways. While I plan to follow this route, I am open to alternative routes that may come up. Based on the Google route, the trip will be 628 miles (hence the name of this website). I’ll be going through Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. I figure if I can walk an average of 10 miles a day it will take me a little over two months.
What are you going to pack and where are you going to stay?
I plan on taking as little as I can because I have to carry everything. So the basics are a tent, sleeping bag and pad, clothes, toiletries, phone, camera, and of course water. There will be a few other little things such as an emergency kit and duct tape, but not much more. So what will I do for food? And where will I stay? At the end of each walking day my plan is to go up to a nearby house, knock, explain that I’m walking for a fundraiser, and ask if they would be willing to help me by letting me set up a tent in their yard and by providing some food for me. I’m going to be relying on the people I meet to provide me food and a place to put my tent (and if you are one of those people who has helped me… Thank you so much).
Why are you doing this?
My first and main reason for walking is to raise money for mission year. Mission Year is a year long volunteer program that I finished on July 29, 2012 (see Mission Year page for more info). I want to continue supporting M.Y. after I’ve completed it as a thanks for what it has done for my life. Besides raising money, there are personal reasons why I have decided to walk as my form of fundraising.
A huge reason for why I chose walking is… I enjoy walking. I’ve been trying to walk to and from my service site as much as possible over the past months, and have found that I enjoy it immensely. It helps clear my head, I seem to do my best thinking while I walk. I will have lots of time to think while I walk home. I hope to spend my time reflecting on the past year and what God might be leading me to next. I’ll have many hours alone to think, but I’ll also be needing to interact with people on a daily basis.
I’ll be meeting lots of people on this walk, and I’ll be relying on them to get me through my trip. This county has grown up on the idea of individualism, an idea of ‘pull yourself up by your own boot straps.’ This year, however, I’ve been learning how important it is to have community. We are reliant upon those around us in so many ways. We are all responsible for what we do, but we need to be honest and admit that we need other people. I hope to learn a lot about what it means to be humble on my walk, and I know this is going to be one of the hardest part of the journey. I will be homeless until someone gives me a home, and I will be fasting until someone gives me food.
M.Y. 628 Walk 
Aug 12, 2012 @ 22:06:23
Good luck Ben! Phil and I will be praying. Godspeed!
Aug 15, 2012 @ 13:36:36
Ben, may God bless your times of reflection and also interaction with others. We pray that all your needs will be met. LuEtta & Weldon Friesen
Aug 16, 2012 @ 00:23:05
I just came across this blog posted on my friend Andrea’s facebook, and I think this is so awesome…and very brave. God Bless. I will be praying.
Aug 21, 2012 @ 22:02:21
My name is Linda Lewis i work at the Guest Inn in Dalton Georgia and found one of your cards. May God bless you on your journey home and through the rest of your life.
Aug 24, 2012 @ 21:45:21
Hi Ben, here is my email monica.joseph@goshennews.com you can also send to news@goshennews.com. Good luck and stay safe. Thanks for letting me interview you. The story should publish on Monday. You can read it online after it publishes at http://www.goshennews.com.
MJ
Aug 25, 2012 @ 01:49:11
Ben – I just saw Adam Seeley’s link to your blog on his Facebook page, and decided to check it out. My husband and I are both alumni of Mission Year and just moved from Atlanta to Greenfield, IN a couple of weeks ago. It looks like your route takes you right through here, so if you need anything while you’re here, please let us know! My email address is hollyzimbelman@gmail.com. Don’t hesitate to contact!
Aug 25, 2012 @ 16:02:48
You r staying at my.mom and dads apartment right now. U met the best people on earth and greatest church. God bless u! And good luck
.
Aug 27, 2012 @ 01:52:22
Praying for you Ben and thinking of you often! Miss you brother.
Aug 29, 2012 @ 15:14:14
Ben, praying for your safe journey! Hope all your wishes are fulfilled!
Aug 30, 2012 @ 01:38:48
Ben–God’s blessings to you as you are on your journey. I will be check your trek from time to time.
Bod
Aug 30, 2012 @ 12:26:44
you kicked my foot
Sep 09, 2012 @ 04:08:22
WAAYYYYY to be. Lol, love it.
Ben, don’t be kickin’ too many feet now, ya hear??
Hope you’re doing well brother 🙂 One foot in front of the other! Praying for you always.
Aug 30, 2012 @ 20:03:52
Your walk sounds so interesting. I plan to keep reading and praying while you walk! Blessings.
Sep 01, 2012 @ 06:05:10
Heard you speak at Welch Chapel’s Homecoming. Dunlap, TN I’m excited to read of your amazing journey of faith!! Thinking of you and praying for save travels and a full tummy. 🙂
Sep 03, 2012 @ 14:35:28
We are praying for your safety. Hope that Isaac was kind to you!
Sep 07, 2012 @ 14:29:51
Your life is an enrichment to many. Blessings!
Sep 09, 2012 @ 22:09:35
Ben, so glad to hear you’re doing well & meeting many interesting people! I know our God is watching over you! Glenn & Sara Weaver
Sep 19, 2012 @ 14:36:21
alright ben.your faith walk is what we all need to believe that GOD is our provider,protector,our all and all i know that He will get you to your desigation in record time.we all Love you .H.Dean
Sep 20, 2012 @ 22:59:32
Ben, hope you are still walking on left side of road ! HA!!
Was nice seeing you on Thur,9-13 and again on Mon.9-17 at Hope,IN.
L& L T.
Sep 21, 2012 @ 00:10:48
Way to go Ben!!! What a trip. Thanks for all of your blogs.
Peace, Blessings and hugs Doris Braley
Sep 22, 2012 @ 16:10:44
Ben, Thanks for listening to the Spirit and living out Jesus’ instructions in Luke 10:1-24 to sit at the table of the other, as literally and concretely (pun intended) as it can be done today. I hope there is an opportunity for you to debrief in the presence of Jesus and his followers at First Mennonite, as the 70 did in vv. 17-20. May the Peace of Christ be above, below and all around you as you walk
and minister in the Way of Christ, Gary
Sep 24, 2012 @ 19:32:40
Benjamin, hope you’re doing well. You haven’t put a post up in awhile which makes me worry just a little. Keep walking Ben. I trust that God is revealing himself to you in new ways through the different people you are meeting. Continue to tune yourself to God’s ways for you. You’re almost there!
Sep 28, 2012 @ 16:45:26
Hi Ben,
I am so happy you picked our house to camp out at…Just wish I would have known you were comming and I would have fed you better and had a warmer house for you to watch a movie..It was our privilege to meet you. You are an incredible young man..I hope the rest of your journey from our house to yours was a safe one…May you be blessed the rest of your life in everything you do… The Stumps
Sep 29, 2012 @ 02:21:49
HI Ben! You’re almost home! We’re all waiting for you anxiously! Thanks for sharing your journey with us. You will never be the same, and hopefully we are all learning with you!
Brad & Chery Miller