After an early morning and long drive from Washington DC, we arrived this afternoon to West Virginia. Mitch and Clare Hescox, Alexei Laushkin, Ben Lowe and myself were greeted by Allen Johnson and Rebecca Eppling from Christians for the Mountains.  Allen guided us down narrow rutted roads, past coal trucks, and through hollows (pronounced “hollers”) to our destination, the Stanley Heirs Park.  Home to Larry Gibson, the homestead is a 50-acre plot of land surrounded by acres and acres of destroyed mountains and devastated landscape.  What used to be lush mountains are now flattened terraces, what was formerly pristine valley now filled with “overburden”, aka the tops of mountains. 

Larry Gibson passionately told us his story and the challenges he has had to face by staying in the middle of coal industrial work.  Larry spoke about the way people used to live by depending on the plants and animals around them, they respected the land, and the land provided for them.  Even though his property is extremely valuable to the mining industry, he refuses to move because his family has lived on this land for generations.  He has a conviction that mountaintop removal has costly human health impacts.  He challenged us to think on what we would be willing to fight for, what if anything would we defend?  It is in this light that he takes his stand for mountains and homestead. 

After Larry’s, we went to Ansted, W.V. our starting point for the walk tomorrow.  In the evening, we met with Mrs. Katheryne Hoffman a W.V. resident for many years and very involved in her local community.  She went on to tell us the history of her mountain conservation work in Ansted.  She has had to fight to express the views of the local community, which is not interested in potential new mine work.  She spoke of her community-based approach, and connected these local issues to human health and clean water. 

So, on to spread and add to these stories with the people we encounter on the walk to DC.  With prayer for change and thanksgiving for the beauty that still exists, we look forward to tomorrow!