Stories of Impact Blog

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! 
-1 Chronicles 16:8

We are Ambassadors for Christ… On Wheels…

We are Ambassadors for Christ… On Wheels…

Karen, what’s your motivation for doing an Ends Cycling tour? 

I don’t need to be motivated to do an Ends Cycling tour.  I want to do them all!  My reasons for doing them are numerous.  First and foremost is to help the lost to know Jesus and for those who know Him to deepen their relationship with Him.  For me, this doesn’t just mean the youth in the ministry we are riding for.  It might mean the folks we meet along the way or our fellow cyclists or SAG [Support And Gear] volunteers.  Then there is the love.  The love that comes from all those in this great big Ends Cycling family.  Going on an Ends tour now is like coming home every time for me.  I love all those who make up the Ends Cycling family.  I love seeing and riding new areas.  I love the challenges.  I love the worship services each evening.  I love the relationships that are built and that grow stronger on the tours.  It’s just all so good!

Karren, what was your best day ever on the bike? 

There are so many!  But I think the most beautiful moment was when I crested Mt. Washington in Washington State.  I was exhausted from climbing that giant thing for the last 5-6 hrs!  It was a steep descent right away on the other side – which was scary!  But then it leveled out to a nice easy downhill for many miles.  The sun came out, there were zero cars on the road and I coasted down the middle of the road in the sunshine, thinking that this must be a little like Heaven.  Jesus surely was riding on my handlebars down that hill in the sun because I sure felt Him there. 

Karen, what is one cause or people group that you are passionate about? 

Youth struggling with suicidal thoughts. I lost my 21 yr old daughter to suicide. One of the things she used to say to me was “Mom, I don’t need you to solve my problems. I just need you to listen.” She taught me to listen. Sometimes, teenagers don’t need you to solve all their problems. They just need you to hear them when they talk. I want to be there to listen and be their advocate and help them to know the love of Jesus.

Karen, what was your favorite Ends Cycling tour and why? 

All of them!  If I have to pick, I think I’m going to have to say the 2023 Lake Tahoe Bike Ride for the youth of Latin America. That recently moved to #1 on my list.  It was a beautiful tour with varied scenery, including a day in Reno, Nevada. The tour had great accommodations with 3 beautiful ladies as roommates, lovely walks to the quaint town for dinners around the lake, THE LAKE [Tahoe], and the evening worship was just so beautiful out under the trees at the chapel.

John, what’s your motivation for doing an Ends Cycling tour? 

My motivation to do an Ends tour is really simple. I get to enjoy my favorite sport and I get to give back to the Lord by raising prayers, awareness and resources for youth ministries around the world.

John, what was your best day ever on the bike? 

My best day on the bike is any day on the bike that includes good camaraderie, pushing myself and encouraging others as we go.

John, what is one cause or people group that you are passionate about? 

A cause that I’m passionate about would have to be “Cycle/Recycle.” It is a faith based organization that I volunteer with that restores used bicycles and distributes them to under-resourced families at Christmas. This past Christmas we gave away 167 bicycles. I am honored to also sit on the steering committee for this group. I have helped develop their business plan, succession plan and compiled data to help them track their year-after-year bicycle repairs, number of bikes donated and the number of bikes redistributed. 

John, what was your favorite Ends Cycling tour and why? 

My favorite tour was ECs only gravel event – COGAP Bike Ride [C&O Canal / Great Allegheny Passage] for the youth of Latin America. There’s just something special about riding through the woods. The history of the trail and the areas around it is early American history. Ideally, I would love to ride all of the Ends Cycling tours in a single year but finding time for that is a challenge now.

Chris, what’s your motivation for doing an Ends Cycling tour? 

My motivation is to be involved with mission work. I also like exercise & riding bikes.

Chris, what was your best day ever on the bike? 

It is hard to say what day was the best. I have won two races on a bike doing duathlons. On an Ends Cycling tour, the 105 mile day on the 2018 Carolina Bike Ride for the youth of Macedonia & the 100+ mile day on the Wagon Wheel [Indiana] Bike ride for the youth of Bolivia were noteworthy.

Chris, what is one cause or people group that you are passionate about? 

Reading & studying the Bible. I am a Gideon [Gideons International]. Gideons are in 200 plus countries & have distributed over 2 billion Bibles. I am also excited about all of the mission projects that my friend, Pastor Wade McHargue is involved with. I am concerned about all people, but if I had to pick one, I would say the black races such as in the Caribbean & Africa.

Chris, what was your favorite Ends Cycling tour and why? 

My favorite Ends tour was the 2017 South Dakota Bike Ride for the youth of Guinea Bissau for the following reasons.

My mom & grandparents are from Rapid City, South Dakota. My great grandfather was an agent to the Lakota Indians and my Grandfather was in the Air Force in Rapid City for 20 years. I wanted to see where my family is from.

My friend, Pastor Wade McHargue was the Ride Director & Tour Pastor for this special tour. We were going to ride through the Indian reservation of SD where he was missionary for many years, as well as for the youth of Guinea Bissau, Africa; which is likely one of the best mission projects we have ridden for. This Ends Cycling tour had a deeper spiritual component for me than other rides. The scenery was great & changed a lot during the trip.

Half the cars driving around rural South Dakota were Chevy Impala’s, which is the type of car I have driven most of my life.

Other especially noteworthy rides were:

  • 2015, 2017 & 2018 Key West Bike Rides (benefiting the youth of India, Kenya, multiple countries in East Africa)
  • 2018 Carolinas Bike Ride for the youth of Macedonia
  • 2020 Indiana Bike Ride for the youth of Bolivia
  • 2023 Natchez Trace Bike Ride for the youth of Ukraine

Jay, what’s your motivation for doing an Ends Cycling tour? 

My motivation is the comradery, the challenge, the people, the missions to global youth, and the fresh ideas for ministry (from the missions). I also learn ministry tools on tour that I can also use back home.  

Jay, what was your best day ever on the bike? 

I refuse to answer that question. I have so many great days on the bike!

Jay, what is one cause or people group that you are passionate about? 

I am passionate about Prosperous Youth Foundation, ministering in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It was the first mission to global youth that I rode for with Ends Cycling. I love following their social media. They remind me what Jesus is doing in the world.

Jay, what was your favorite Ends Cycling tour and why? 

My favorite Ends Cycling tour was the 2021 Key West Bike Ride for the youth of Romania, when the world was coming out of the pandemic. We didn’t know what a post-pandemic cycling tour would look like, or if and when we would be able to do the annual Key West Bike Ride again. That cycling tour was a great relief and encouragement that Ends Cycling would continue to host bike tours.

Jerry, what’s your motivation for doing an Ends Cycling tour? 

To fulfill the great commission.

Jerry, what was your best day ever on the bike? 

Everyday on the bike is a good day.

Jerry, what is one cause or people group that you are passionate about? 

Young-adult men in the Church. I love to mentor them and bring them along in their faith.

Jerry, what was your favorite Ends Cycling tour and why? 

My favorite Ends Cycling ride was the 2022 Key West Bike Ride for the youth of Egypt. I finished the whole thing [cycled all of the miles]!

Jeff, what’s your motivation for doing an Ends Cycling tour? 

I like to ride my bike and do something productive while I’m riding. Ends Cycling helps ministry grow and gets the word out about Christian cycling. It’s a win-win!

Jeff, what was your best day ever on the bike? 

So many… So many… The thing that comes to mind is climbing up Mount Etna, Italy (and getting to the top and seeing the lava field). It was a big personal achievement for me.

Jeff, what is one cause or people group that you are passionate about? 

Winning the lost and sharing the Gospel. Not one particular people group, but anybody who wants to hear the Gospel.

Jeff, what was your favorite Ends Cycling tour and why? 

I loved the 2019 Iowa Bike Ride at RAGBRAI, for the youth of Poland. It was like a party on wheels. I saw a lot of different groups being “Jesus” to others. In particular the Air Force team.


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