'Great American Journey' winds through Chilton

Red, white and blue - these colors don't run, but they sure love to walk.

This week, two ladies from Seek Him First Ministries, an interdenominational Christian ministry in Paso Robles, Cal., made their way through Chilton County, carrying American Flags and waving at every car they met on U.S. Highway 31 along the way.

Their trip, dubbed the Great American Journey, is more than just your average leisurely afternoon walk. These two ladies, Lyn Hanush, 62, and Joni Balog, 66, have traveled more than 3,100 miles by foot and have been on the road for 11 months.

Their journey began in Plaine, Wa. and will end this July in Key West, Fla. Their purpose: to pray for America.

"We're praying at every town," the ladies said. "Our theme is to give glory to God," said Hanush, coordinator of the mission.

Each wave to a passing car means more than just hello; it represents a prayer for the person's safety.

The ladies are also leaving a memorial stone at each town's welcome sign, also symbolic of a prayer for the residents of a town as well as for schools, churches, families, businesses, military personnel and even personal requests they receive to pray for the sick.

They have also had the privilege of being invited to many different churches across the country by citizens including police officers.

"We love all the policemen across the nation," Balog said. "They actually will look out for us and wave as they go by."

But the ladies are not completely alone.

A motor home that was donated to the ministry stays a far as 100-miles ahead of them, and when they catch up to it they sleep there for a night.

They make various stops to eat along the way, and a pace car stays about 5-miles ahead of them and supplies them with food, water and support along the way. Inside the car is a German Shepherd mascot named Cassie.

Two interesting experiences the ladies shared occurred during the portion of the trip through Montana - a stay at a wild animal refuge and a time among natives at the Crow Indian Reservation.

People had told them not to walk through the reservation, but the ladies said God led them to go there. The people turned out to be nice and even shared prayer requests with them. The ladies even had the opportunity to share at a local school and the parents thanked them afterwards.

This is the longest, but not the first, trip Hanush and Balog have participated in, and is sure not to be the last.

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