Ezer Leads the Way: Practicing Kindness From Nc to Missouri.

By: Grace Smith – Wise News Network

CHERRYVILLE, NC (WNN) – The expression goes, “Home is where the heart is.” For Ezer Way, home is where her wagon stops as she journeys from North Carolina to Missouri. 

Way describes her life as nomadic. She has been traveling with her wagon on and off since 2020. For most of her travels, Way pulled the wagon by herself. 

Primarily, the wagon is used for storage and shelter. She constructed the walls out of colorful fabrics and painted the structure a vibrant turquoise. In the back lies a bed where Way can rest.

Alongside the wagon, Way has several animals to keep her company as she walks. She has four dogs, four sheep, and a variety of poultry. Recently, she adopted a horse named Eloria. Eloria will assist Way in her travels by pulling the wagon.

She will clear nearly 900 miles on her journey to Missouri. When asked why she chooses to walk to her destinations, Way shared sentiments about slowing down enough to observe. 

“It’s all about the experience, like the things you [don’t] get to see if you’re just driving. You miss so many things like [meeting] people; nobody gets to meet you because you’re going too fast.”

As Way moves through towns with her animals and wagon she attracts a lot of attention. When her wagon rests at the side of a busy road people stop their cars to meet her. 

“When you can take that experience and get to share it with all the people you’ve met along the way, a lot of people really enjoy being a part of that journey.” said Way.

Although she loves her nomadic lifestyle, sometimes challenges cross her path on the road. Whether she needs work done on her wagon or food for her animals, Way will ask community members for assistance if she is in need.

“There are more than enough people that want to contribute. They ask to contribute, you know, and so you’re giving people a chance to give something back in the world.” said Way.

Meeting people is imperative for Way’s travels. Community members will help her with a variety of tasks ranging from providing a home-cooked meal to giving her a place to stay. While she was stopped in Cherryville NC, Way stayed with Hannah Mauney, a local citizen who had befriended her. 

“Cherryville was the perfect place to rest and give her animals room to run and grass to eat. You may have seen her around town exercising her horse and buggy.” said Mauney in a written statement.

Way was stopped in Cherryville for several weeks while she renovated her wagon. One of its newest additions includes two trail-behind chicken coops. The structures were built on wheels, making it easier to carry her poultry.

Juan Diaz, a Cherryville local, played an instrumental role in assisting Way with her wagon’s improvements. He is one of many helping hands that have impacted Way’s journey.  

“I can’t tell you how many people have worked on this wagon between the welding and just maybe help them buy a part, or buy this, or give us that like it’s taken hundreds to thousands of people to make each one of these things happen over the years.” said Way.

To supplement her travels, Way earns a living by selling original jewelry, livestock, and homemade cheese. She states that she has never experienced cold or hunger while on the road, attributing her well-being to her faith in God.

Way says that God’s word is one of the biggest driving forces behind her travels. She will listen to people’s worries, providing friendship and counsel to the strangers who seek her out. 

In a recent Facebook post, Way recounted a time when a woman approached her, having recognized the nomad from social media. Way could see that the woman had sadness in her eyes.

The post from October 20, 2023, read: “I could see in the girl’s face, she had pain, and asked her how she was. She broke down that she hadn’t watched my posts since her father died, [I] gave her a hug and held her and told her it was OK.”

Way feels fulfilled, traveling across the country and meeting new people everywhere she turns. She enjoys providing comfort to those who need it while teaching lessons that are close to her heart.

“I just try to get out of the ministry of God out to people. And so that’s a big part of it, too, is just bringing the church wherever you go and giving people the opportunity to see things they haven’t had a chance to see.” said Way.

Although Cherryville is sad to see her go, many people will remember Way and her messages of love.

“What’s not to love? Cute little farm girl, a painted wagon surrounded by animals in the backyard. It was like a dream.” said Mauney in her statement.  

For those who are curious about Way’s cross-country trek, she can be found on social media under the handle @walkthewaynomadicliving. She documents her travels in vlog-styled videos on the platform TikTok.

As she makes her way across the South, Way’s impact will not soon be forgotten by those she encountered on the path. Her unique journey reminds onlookers that sometimes it’s not the destination that matters, but the journey it took to get there. 

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