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Hello!

My name is William Bateman, aka "Truth Hiker" and I am a blended family father of "many." A number of years ago, my wife Elaine and I made a decision that forever changed the course of our marriage, our lives and our reason for striving in the day to day - we began taking in young men and women too old to be adopted but too ill-equipped to strike out on their own.

Each young person entering our home had the same storyline; abuse, abandonment, rape, rejection, parental drug use and more. The background stories of some of our kids are absolutely terrible. Even as I write this introduction, my eyes well up with tears and my heart becomes angered by the irresponsibility of men and women who call themselves "parents."

Each young person approaching our family possessed another thing in common; their desire to excel personally, socially and spiritually. Using these qualities as a building block, my wife and I simply guided them along - being transparent in our own failings and adamant in our strength being established through a "real" relationship with the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Today, we are "taking in" a beautiful 20 year old woman who wants to grow in grace and maturity - her story is the same as those who have entered our home before her... she wants to know what a "real" family looks like, feels like, sounds like and acts like.

I am a simple man who has been blessed by God to be a "father figure" of sorts. I have grown in my understanding of my role as "father" over the last 30 years. Despite my lack of "formal social training", I have greatly rejoiced in seeing many of my "kids" travel around the world, influence neighborhoods and give themselves to thousands of hours of community service to the local church and in service to our nation.

This is the impact "fathers" have on the lives of their sons and daughters. This is my message to dads.

You have the potential to effect and influence a whole generation of young people starving for a "father's voice of reason." If you will not become actively involved in your children's lives - your family loses, your community loses and our nations loses.

"Fathers don't raise children. They raise parents."

William "Truth Hiker" Bateman
Hike4fathers Across America 2008