I wanted to take a minute and thank some of the great folks who are making this ride possible. It takes a lot of preparation and equipment to make something like this ride possible. Although the list is not comprehensive and I'm bound to miss something, it's a start! We've got more time to send thanks along the way as we prepare.
First, thanks to my family. Without their blessing this wouldn't be happening. They are making a sacrifice so that we can raise money to help others. Think about it...a mere 6-7 weeks in trade for years of children in Haiti receiving an education, medical care and a place to worship and learn of God's love for them. These may seem like commonplace in the US but in Haiti, it's worth everything. I love you Christy. I love you Jacob. I love you Matthew. I love you Aaron. Thanks for letting your husband (dad) do crazy things like pedal across America....
Next, thanks to my church family. Mountain Ridge has a great group of people who love God and love to serve. It's an honor to serve with them. We've only just begun to realize the things we can do as a church to impact Glendale, Arizona and the global community. I am thankful to the family at MRBC for their prayers and support.
Thanks to Pastor Monty for being my friend and my riding buddy. I wouldn't be in this crazy position if it weren't for him. Ha! I am grateful for Monty's encouraging heart. He's a true friend and I appreciate all he's done for me.
Also, my work family. The folks at work have gone above and beyond to support this mission. I am forever grateful and really love what I do. It makes it even more special when they embrace what I'm doing by working with me to make it possible. They didn't have to be flexible, they don't "owe" me anything and they certainly could have pushed back on this whole crazy plan....but they didn't. They worked with me to make it happen. I am thankful for them. Thanks Michelle and work family.
Donors - We've had great folks step and offer their time, their finances, their prayers, their advice and their resources. Just this past week we had an anonymous donation of $1,000! We've had our bicycle tubes donated, our return flights home from Georgia and we've even had people step up and offer us their homes for a place to stay. Isn't that awesome? I believe it is! A shout out to Nathan Brummer - Nathan designed our super cool Pedal for Haiti logo.
That said - We need more. Not for us - for Haiti. We need to raise $50,000 to make this dream a reality. Of that $50,000 - 100% will go to build a School/Clinic/Church on the Leogane Plain in Haiti. That one building will change lives forever! I'm not just assuming, I'm telling you that I am 100% sure that one School/Clinic/Church building will make a tremendous difference. I've seen it with my own eyes. I've seen children and their parents run to a New Missions school to get registered. Just like you and I, Haitian parents want the best for their kids. In Haiti, that's really hard to come by.
Your gift will be part of making that happen. It doesn't need to be much. A little from everyone will get us where we need to be. I want to be clear that your money will go directly to New Missions. We will then see it go to funding a school/clinic/church. This is the real deal - we've been there and we'll be there again soon. You don't have to worry about your giving being caught up in bureaucracy.
So, give it some thought. Thanks for your kind words, encouragement, prayers and giving. It means the world to Monty and I. We're excited to be a vessel by which change will happen. Join us and be part of it too!
Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter at PedalforHaiti - We'll be updating often - especially after we get rolling on 9/27.
See you on the road!
