Pastor Rick Hagans could be seen walking about 10 miles west of Seney on Thursday, walking along the side of M-28, shortly before an impending downpour.

"We're down by Marsh Creek, in the middle of nowhere," said the pastor. "But it's a pretty middle of nowhere."

He's been walking for eight days, starting in Sault Ste. Marie and working his way west at about 10 miles per day.

He's making his way across the Upper Peninsula, into Wisconsin and later into Minnesota - just three of the 38 states he's tromped across - a long way away from his home state of Alabama.

His journey began almost three decades ago, in Reynosa, Mexico. While on a Christmas trip to give out toys to local children, one boy approached and asked if he could trade his toys for shoes.

"The little fella was barefoot in a garbage dump full of broken bottles and rusty tins, and we had no shoes to give him," says Pastor Hagans.

Giving the little boy his word, the pastor promised to return with shoes. And he did, with 60,000 pairs.

Calling on local churches and businesses, the pastor walked across the state of Alabama barefoot, hoping for 10 pairs of shoes per mile for the 380 miles walked.

An overwhelming support from the community and national media coverage multiplied that goal.

Now, he's been walking for 26 years, in shoes - from Death Valley to Maryland, and now, in Upper Michigan. And the number of shoes, according to the pastor, has hit one million.

He hopes for one pair of shoes donated per mile walked, but says it's usually more. Those shoes go to children in countries like Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua or India.

"Just step out of your comfort zone, that's what it kind of taught me, and I've had a great time doing it," Hagans says.

One of his favorite spots include New Mexico, as the self-proclaimed cowboy says he likes the landscape. Though, he says the people in Michigan have been extremely warm towards him.

The pastor has a travel trailer he sleeps in, where his wife, Miss Kim spends the day.

When he's done with his miles for the day, she'll either pick him up, or he hitch hikes his way back.

Sometimes, Miss Kim will bring him an ice cold YooHoo drink on long days. YooHoo is one of Hagans' favorite drinks.

Pastor Hagans is full of stories about the people he's met along his travels and the blessings he's received.

"Step outside your kitchen door, your school house door, your church house door, by all means and see the world around ya," says Hagans. "Some people are in need and some people have a gift, and we owe it to ourselves to meet both of them."