Miller keeps empty stomach to raise food

Miller, a McKinney resident, drinks water and explains his objective: to raise 30,000 non-perishable food items for the Salvation Army and McKinney Food Pantry. If the goal isn’t reached by Thanksgiving, he won’t be joining the 50 family members he’s hosting for the meal.

“The first nine days I wasn’t doing well,” Miller said. “To be honest with you, I was having some very messed up thoughts. You don’t realize that when you’re not eating and you’re just drinking water, because that’s all I’m doing is drink water, you start getting depressed thoughts, you start thinking why am I doing this, there’s got to be an easier way.

The origin of Miller’s fast came via an article in the Dallas Morning News about the lack of donations to food pantries in the area and the problems Texas has been having processing food stamps for needy families. He said that people were going months without receiving benefits.

“If you’re a single mom and you’re depending on food stamps and you have to wait six months and you have kids to feed,” Miller said. “I grew up in a home where we didn’t have a lot, so I know what that’s like. And I went to school in Africa where I was holding malnourished children. Children don’t understand why there’s not food there.”

After reading the article, he visited local pantries to find out if the shortage had been exaggerated.

“When I went there it was bad,” Miller said. “So I started thinking, what can I do?”

During the day, Miller visits local businesses looking for support. So far the list of participating businesses includes Best Buy, Panera Bread, Dodge City of McKinney, Olive Garden, Anytime Fitness, Family Video and Frisco Printing and Graphics Center, among others. These businesses are collecting food items to go toward the 30,000 goal.

After putting on a good face for local businessmen, Miller collapses. “I get exhausted,” he said.

Miller still remains motivated. The time he spent at school in Africa and Central America, including a stint in Nicaragua when the Sandinista and Contras were at war, gave him great sympathy toward the pain of others.

“I’ve seen war, devastation, starvation, I’ve seen it up close,” Miller said. “With the economy right now there are a lot of families that are really hurting, and when you see something like that up close, you get really sensitive when you know other people are suffering.”

A pastor by trade, Miller takes inspiration from the Bible and the 40-day fast of Jesus. While not directly from the mouth of the devil, temptations have plagued him as well. One day the distinct smell of bacon struck him, despite the lack of a breakfast joint in the area, and another saw a tray full of free sandwiches paraded before his eyes.

He was at Discount Tire having a tire changed when a tray full of free Jimmy John’s sandwiches walked through the door. Miller said there’s never a time when he’d turn down a free sandwich. His hand reached out automatically, and he had to will it back to his side.

Free sandwiches never came drifting past when Miller was eating.

The food being donated, some of which sits in the trailer directly beneath him, looks good as well.

“The people that are giving food,” Miller said. “They’re giving good stuff. I help load it on. A can of beef stew, you look at that and you’re like man that looks good. You want to eat it but you know it’s for other people. The last couple of days I’ve felt a little better, though.”

Miller still sits on top of his trailer. It has a McKinneyFoodDrive.com sign on the side, clearly visible to those driving the expressway, which leads to an internet site that explains his cause, counts up the time he’s been without food and takes donations via credit card. If his goal isn’t reached, he’ll keep sitting there while others in the city, and his own home, will be having the year’s biggest feast.

“If we don’t have 30,000 by Thanksgiving, they will be having Thanksgiving dinner at my house and I will be right here at this truck,” Miller said. “If we can galvanize the community and get this 30,000, I can actually go back to my family. I can eat. We can say, not my victory, but it can be the community’s victory; that we did it together. That’s what I want. We do it together, it’s not just me.”