Homelessness is acute and seems to be getting worse in the country and across the world. To highlight the problem of homelessness, a young college sophomore walked more than 500 miles on foot to raise money for the National Alliance To End Homelessness.
Gordon Wayne decided to walk 500 miles because homelessness is a cause that Wayne feels for personally after experiencing it first-hand. “Every time I want to quit I just think about the people I’m doing this for and this is bigger than myself and I have to keep going,” Wayne said.
Personal experience of homelessness
Wayne was homeless a year ago and had to apply to colleges out of his car as he worked 10-hour shifts at an amusement park.
But God opened a way for him after he found over summer that he had been accepted to his dream school- Boston College on a full scholarship.
The number of homeless people in our country is estimated to be 500,000 and growing by the day and Wayne decided to do his bit to highlight this problem by walking from his hometown in Caroline County, Virginia, to his college in Massachusetts.
GoFundMe page
He has started a GoFundMe page which has raised more than $100,000 for The National Alliance to End Homelessness. He trekked starting last August and has walked close to 30 to 40 miles a day. “I’m taking a break. I just walked for about 10 miles straight,” Wayne recorded in a video diary.
Support from strangers
He said he found support from strangers along the way, “Today, Ashley and her mom brought me some supplies,” Wayne said. He walked through the Boston College stadium after a 16-day journey. “I’d like to welcome you to the most beautiful campus in the universe: Boston College,” Wayne said.
On campus
After he reached campus, Wayne said that he’s finally home. He said that he wants others to have the same chance as he has. “I hope that I can inspire people to keep walking. You know, keep taking that extra step,” he said. “Even when it hurts. Even when it’s hard and you don’t want to. There’s no other choice. You have to keep going if you want to achieve what you want in life.”
