Pastor’s Column

Phillip and I are back once again. This was our fifth 500-mile bike ride to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. We have peddled our bicycles more than 2,500 miles for Habitat for Humanity over the past few years. If you add in two 300 mile bike rides for the MS Society, two 75 mile roller blade rides for the MS Society and several six mile CROP walks for world hunger, it comes to more than 3,000 miles for charities.

Why do I do these things? I’ve been rained on, hailed on, and sun burned. I’ve gotten road rash, blisters and sore muscles. Phillip has had to endure many nights of sleeping in a tent with his dad, who snores loud enough to keep him awake. After the second day our tent smells like a football locker room from our sweat filled laundry.

Those things do not sound like fun even to me. They would not motivate many people to join us for next year’s ride. There must be some other reasons to do these rides.

I’ve met many good people on these rides and have become friends with some of them. The rides are a personnel challenge to me. They give me incentive to exercise and watch my weight. I enjoy watching the countryside go by as I peddle my bike. We get treated well at the towns where we stay, we are well fed, and the ride is well organized.

Those are positive, but are they reason enough to endure all the rest? I do enjoy the positive aspects of the rides, but I doubt that the positive aspects are enough to keep me doing the ride year after year.

Maybe it is because I like asking people for money. I’ve asked people for money quite a few times over the years. It gets easier with time, but I still enjoy asking for money about as much as I like going to the dentist.

Here are the reasons I ride. There are people living in poverty housing. My riding can help them obtain a simple, decent, home. There are people living with chronic diseases year after year. My riding can help find a cure. There are people who don’t have enough food to sustain their health, and the health of their children. I can help them too.

I’ll be organizing another CROP Walk in October. I’ll be riding again in next year’s Habitat 500. I’ll be pounding some nails, I’ll be filling out grant applications, and I’ll be organizing a crew from St. Mark’s and other congregations to work on a house or two again. I still hope to go back to Honduras to improve the life of people in a village there.

I appreciate all the people from St. Mark’s who have supported these efforts.

Incidentally, many of the riders who were on last year’s ride remember St. Mark’s because of the caramel rolls. Some of them may not remember me, but when I tell them that I’m the pastor of St. Mark’s in Palo, the say, “that’s where we got the caramel rolls, they were great!” They remember your hospitality.

My health is important, and these rides help to keep me healthy. Friends are important, and I’ve made friends on these rides. I enjoy watching the countryside go by, and it is a pleasure to be treated well in the towns along the way.

Moving a family into a simple decent home is more important. Helping to find a cure for a disease is more important. Providing food for those who don’t have enough is more important.

I could ride my bike, walk or roller blade for a million miles, but it wouldn’t accomplish a thing without your support. I thank you for all that you do. Without you it would just be a bike ride. With you it becomes a ministry. Without you it is simply exercise. With you it becomes doing Christ’s work in the world.

When you do your part, I believe that you are storing up treasures in heaven. May God continually shower blessings upon you for all that you have done. Thank you again.

Sincerely,

Pastor Birk