The day started quite early for us as we left the hotel at 6:45 am. Especially so since we had such a full day just before and didn’t arrive until midnight at our hotel.

Arpan and I (Erik) headed out in the Torch Van with our bellies full of a continental breakfast courtesy of the Jameson Inn of Thomaston, Georgia. The day was looking quite dreary with an overcast sky but I was feeling very eager to get on the road and pound out the mileage that was assigned to our team of two (17 miles). We began our run on Hwy 19 just south of Murray’s Crossroads.

The air was extremely refreshing, a gorgeous tonic of morning dew and honeysuckle blended with the energetic stirrings of a severe thunderstorm rolling in the clouds above. Flashes of lightning scorched the horizon: a warning of haste to the peaceful harmony runner.

The road was woven into the rolling hillsides and forest lands of Georgia. To me (a northerner) these trees were some of the most exquisitely beautiful and exotic. There were perhaps some pecan and walnut trees, and even the famed peach trees of Georgia. But I’ll be darned if I could identify which one is which. There were also nice little ponds speckled about the countryside with trees going around them and in them, a real treasure of the southern landscape.

On these roads I encountered only three people. I met a fellow as I was gassing up the Harmony Torch, I was parked along his front yard in front of his shanty-like house. He told me about the cats and dogs that had squatted on his land and wished me well in my journey. The second party was a couple of middle-aged turkey hunters. They were very jovial and smiling, really surprised about a couple of torch-bearing Yankees spreading the message of harmony in their turkey territory. They were decked out in camouflage, Elmer Fudd caps and armed with 12 gauge shotguns to acquire their quarry. I shook their hands and introduced myself as Erik from Chicago running for harmony through America. They gave their sincere regards and best wishes. Oh, and there was a couple of young fellows hooting at me from their front porch. I raised the torch with a “woo-hoo”, which inspired them to howl and hoot with vigor. They continued until I was out of earshot. It just felt good to be alive and running into the unknown future.

Well actually…I did know that I was going to get wet eventually. In my last two miles the rain came down in a torrent that was absolutely unforgiving. Within two seconds flat I was drenched to the bone and the harmony torch went out with a hiss as the heavens spat at the country side. I ran with an abandon that is familiar to a child prancing through the mud. There was nothing to do but to press on best I could and jump off the road as approaching traffic whizzed by to avoid being hit or splashed. Luckily we were very near our destination of Americus where we were expected for an 11:00 ceremony at the Habitat for Humanity Headquarters. Habitat envisions a world where everyone has the opportunity to live in safe, affordable housing.

Prakhara, our coordinator for Georgia, with help from the Executive Director of the Global Village for Habitat for Humanity, Michelle Dalva, arranged for our runners to run to the Global Village and Discovery Center and to meet some of the groups of children visiting there. The rain could not stop our dauntless runners as they came to greet a few busloads of kids from Atlanta and Butler, Georgia. Michelle was so kind and hospitable as she introduced us to the children and their chaperones. Her hard work along with all the staff there reflected in an incredible display of the work that Habitat does for poverty stricken areas around the world.

After addressing the children and answering some of their questions, we were treated to some wonderful and healthy snacks before the runners had to move on. Some of us who had run earlier that day were able to stay and get a guided tour by Michelle to the Housing display. The tour included examples of poverty housing and the conditions facing the poor people all over the world as well as 15 Habitat houses from various areas of the world. Habitat has now built 200,000 homes in partnership with people in need in more than 92 countries. Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalyn have contributed many hours to helping Habitat for Humanity in many of their housing projects.

We are grateful to all those involved in such a worldwide humanitarian project which adds so much to the harmony and oneness of a world in need. We are also grateful to The Quality Inn and the Sleep Inn of Albany for their generous offering of rooms for our runners to stay in on such a rainy and cool night.

Thanks to the former Executive Director

As we ran out of Atlanta today Atulya Berube the US Coordinator, and I were talking about torch relay history. While running in the torrential rain my thoughts continued along this vein and I thought it was an opportune time to recognize and thank Shambhu Vineberg the first Executive Director of our torch relay for all he did in service of the run.

From 1987 to 2002 Shambhu enthusiastically led the global event and did much to lay the foundation of what forms the relay today. Shambhu has his own very successful public relations firm, Vineberg Communications , and he has very kindly helped us with our own media outreach efforts this year.

So we thank you and gratefully continue to enjoy your friendship and support. Also, we look forward to seeing you out on the road.

Our best regards, from all the team.

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