"Hey, need a ride?" I heard that several times yesterday. During my walk I realized several things. First of all, a lot of people drive, and I think they figure that if you're walking that its out of neccesity. I do appreciate the offer, but no need to aggressively insist, assuming that its my pride refusing. I also realized that the same route that I've taken home from work for the past seven years by car, looks, and sounds completely different at 1 mph. The Chesapeake fed James River seems to follow me, yet I visualize dry river beds from the Great Rift Valley. The plush greenery that hugs the river turns to acacia thorns, and wild cucumber. The joggers, and cyclist around me transform into proud Pokot, and mighty Messai, when I close my eyes, and the rail road tracks.......... Enough dreaming, I walk through downtown Richmond listening to Damian Marley, Lil Wayne, Antero, and Fela Kuti on my I-pod. I am about 2 miles from home when it starts to rain. I think about my options. For those that know me, I am a lot like a cat when it comes to water. Call a cab, thumb a ride, or stop by my friend Malcolm's,(which conveniently is in eye sight) to ask him to drive me home. In that same moment I realize that I'm trippin. Who will I call to give me a ride when I am in the Kenyan bush? As I proudly step in the pounding rain with my chest out, Malcolm calls me and says, "What's up, man?" I just laugh and asked that he bring me a plastic bag for my electronics. He obliges, and I continue along my walk.
Working America step from buses at this hour, and now that the rain has eased up, the moon peeks through wispy clouds. I see my first lightening bug of the season, bats swoop, and I think I saw a fox. The reality is this, Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most affected region, where 1.7 million people were newly infected with HIV in 2007, bringing to 22.5 million the total number of people living with HIV. More than two-thirds of all people infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa. I feel that it is the responsibility of all that are able to help change this to do so, in some way. I can walk, visualize, talk about this all day, but these are the facts at hand. I will continue to walk, and update you with my daydreams and progress towards our goal. There is a space below for comments, so please feel free to add your 2 cents, or make your way to properwalk.com to donate that 2 cents. Every little bit helps. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely, Joshua
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