It is a blisteringly hot day in early July. Rex, my ordination classmate and I are in his home state of Arkansas on vacation. We have been priests for about 3 weeks. We took a drive to visit his life-long friend, Buddy, and his two sons. Just as we arrived, Buddy was preparing to remove the training wheels from his younger son’s bicycle. A few weeks prior, I had completed a 1,000 mile bike ride. I was psyched to witness this little guy’s first truly independent ride.
Training wheels off! Rex and Buddy are photographers so positioned themselves accordingly. Older brother wanted to ride alongside younger brother to cheer him on. That left me to be the one to generate momentum. I grabbed hold of the bike seat with my right hand and the handlebar with my left. I did a short countdown. . .3, 2, 1, GO!
I ran. He pedaled. And soon he was going faster than I could run. I let go and he kept going. YES! That’s the moment when life changes, when a new level of speed, self-propelled motion permits us to go farther and faster than we have been able to before. This new rider beamed. He had taken a giant step forward and he knew it.
I love this memory. That little boy is now a 30-something year old man who still loves to ride.
And I look forward to hearing how the lives of brothers and sisters in Burundi change thanks to the bikes we are making possible through our gifts. I hope you will be generous so that many adults and children alike will be able to get where they need to go, want to go, dream of going. . .and farther still until they, their families, their neighbors all are thriving!
This appeal isn’t about one person and a bike. It isn’t even about 200 people and 200 bikes. It is about building an entire community of people who have dreams beyond their current limitations. Let’s help them, just like someone helped us, however long ago, gain momentum so we could go farther, faster.
Please enjoy these photos, they capture the experience so well and can’t you see the joy in his face as he realizes he’s riding without training wheels?!
If you feel compelled to give a bike, please do! You will enable more children like Buddy’s son learn and enjoy to ride….but this time they will be riding to school, to learn, to build their future.
To Give:
God Bless,
Fr. Mark
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