The bike tour is over. Now what?

It?s a question the cyclists have been asking themselves. The support staff too. And those of us who have worked on this project for 18 months or more.

It?s a question I hope all of us are asking. The bicycles are put away. The decals on the trucks have been removed. The concentrated attention that this tour has drawn for the sake of the poor is over. So now what?

It?s not about another bike tour or some new big event to draw our attention. I don?t even think it?s about sustaining the momentum of this tour. I believe it?s now about checking in with ourselves and making a decision to live differently, or perhaps more differently?to live lives that exemplify Christ?s compassion for the needy and his desire for righteousness. Let?s search out, each one for ourselves, how this plays out in our own circumstances.

Over the last few months, I?ve been hammering away at the same things: KNOW?become more aware of the plight of the poor in our neighborhoods, in a country across the world and/or in the global context; GIVE?become more generous out of our material blessings; ACT?become more willing to share our time and talent to help those who are having a tough time helping themselves.

All of these require the discernment graciously offered to us by the Holy Spirit through prayer and waiting. Rather than ask ourselves what?s next, let?s lay it before our Father in heaven.

Now what, God?

David Raakman
Communications Manager

Celebrating God?s Work Through the Tour

Amid cheers, tears and hugs, Sea to Sea riders and supporters celebrated the conclusion of their nine-week cycling trek across North America on Saturday.

Hundreds of family and friends gathered on the side of the road in Liberty State Park and applauded as the 190 cyclists?guided and guarded by a 9-mile, 55-minute police escort?made their way to the final destination on the Sea to Sea Bike Tour.

Prior to dipping their tires in the Atlantic Ocean simultaneously, those gathered recited The Lord?s Prayer together, acknowledging the provision and protection of God over the tour throughout the summer?
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Stories of Transformation

Appendix A of the Shifting Gears devotional book contains greetings and stories from many of Sea to Sea?s key partners in poverty reduction (pp 136-149). Please read these stories (one is highlighted here) to see how the church is working to end the cycle of poverty.

Transforming Lives in Kenya
John and Margaret Matheri started their business in 1990 with a loan of $40, just enough to purchase a treadle-operated sewing machine. As the business has grown, so have the opportunities to impact the lives of their employees. Today, as members of the Christian Entrepreneurs Savings and Credit Society (CHESS), a Partners Worldwide affiliate in Kenya, they have hired 15 employees, most of whom are young women who dropped out of primary education or former prostitutes who are now gainfully employed.

Read more stories?

Millennium Development Goals

Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development (trade/aid/debt)

• Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system
• Address the special needs of least developed countries, landlocked countries and small island developing states
• Deal comprehensively with developing countries? debt
• In co-operation with developing countries, develop and implement strategies for decent and productive work for youth
• In co-operation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable, essential drugs in developing countries
• In co-operation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications

Final Donations and Pledges: Sea to Sea will continue to accept new or pledged gifts throughout the month of September. Donations can be given online, by phone or through the mail. If you made a pledge in the name of a cyclist, please give your donation to that person by Sept. 30 or sooner. On behalf of people in need around the world, thank you for your generosity!

Donate here?

Flats and Falls: Cyclists combined for a total of 819 flat tires and 195 falls during the nine-week tour. Of the 127 riders who registered for the full distance, 11 did not have a single flat tire. Eritia Smit, of Hamilton, Ont., had the most flats of any one person: 28.

Injuries: Alida De Boer and Betsy Fox, the tour?s medical staff, we?re kept busy providing valuable advice on health and safety while also assisting injured cyclists along the way. They made 22 trips to the hospital during the nine-week tour. Please remember those in prayer who are still healing from their more significant injuries, including: Arnie Issette (Achilles tendon), Tyler Buitenwerf (collarbone, cycled the last day), Cynthia Aukema (pelvis, cycled the last 10 days), Don Brunsting (collarbone), Josh Krabbe (separated shoulder, continued cycling), Jeff Schoon (separated shoulder, continued cycling), Lynn Verros (knee), Sarah Terpstra (kidney infection, still in hospital). There are likely others who cycled in pain after being injured and for whom the post-tour rest is needed and appreciated. Praise God that, although two cyclists were hit by cars and there were many near misses, no life-threatening or life-altering injuries occurred.

We want to hear from you!

Comment: What inspired you about the Sea to Sea Bike Tour? What irked you, or made you feel uncomfortable? Write to us at yourturn@seatosea.org about your experience.

My Pledge: The cyclists have done something beautiful, and sacrificial and challenging and? And now it?s our turn. Download, fill out and send in your pledge to act on behalf of the poor. Or, just go and do something beautiful!

Links to Help You Follow the Tour

On The Way
You?ve subscribed to this e-newsletter?forward it to your contacts to ask them to subscribe as well; also, read the weekly 2-pager: one more issue to be published this week.

Cyclists Blogs
Personal stories from the road.

Photos
The tour in living color.

Press Coverage
Sea to Sea in the news.

Make A Donation
Support the cause with a donation.