By By MaryClaire Foster
Not deterred by torrential rain, lighting or thunder, just holding a little tighter to the reigns of the four mules leading his covered wagon, Randy Boehmer kept moving through Atmore last Tuesday on his cross-country journey to save souls.
The journey had Boehmer traveling through town almost a year to the day from its beginning in a white covered wagon with the words “Jesus saves, ask him” and the bible verse, Acts 16:31 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” on the side. Boehmer tells people there are eight people on the journey with him – his four mules, Dick, Jack, Frank and Jesse; his two dogs, Shep and Proverb; himself and Jesus.
Boehmer, who is originally from Arizona, began his journey in Indiana, but has in some ways been planning for it for the last 18 years.
After the death of both his parents, Boehmer said his siblings were dividing up belongings and taking the unwanted ones to the dump.
Boehmer said the idea to travel in such an unusual way occurred after meeting a man named Lee Young, who was also traveling across the country in a covered wagon, shortly after the death of his mother in 1991.
Boehmer said it occurred to him that Young had little worries living such a life.
Following his wife’s death, Boehmer attended a non-denominational bible school for two years and then headed to Indiana where he bought his mules, and spent seven months learning how to shoe them so he could take care of them himself. There he also trained them and learned how to handle them. He also began work on the two wagons he travels with one pulling the other.
His reason for his means of travel and witnessing also stems from Proverbs 14 verse 4, “Where there are no oxen, the crib is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of oxen.”
Boehmer compares his mules to the oxen, and said while it is not an easy journey, it often has him working 16-hour days, it is a necessary one.
According to Boehmer, the biggest part of his journey is sharing the word of Christ and is more easily done so by having the words visible for all to see than trying to speak to everyone.
Boehmer, who said, “God provides” for him and his animals needs, said the journey is indefinite and he will continue until he dies as long as he is healthy enough to keep going. He expects to travel back north to Minnesota for the summer.