On the road again
Well, almost…Kay Owen gets back on the fundraising trail
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these my children, you did it for me”. Matthew 24:40
Some readers may recall an article I wrote three years ago about my half-marathon charity bike ride which raised over £900 for the International Justice Mission (IJM). Last summer I decided it was time for another fundraiser and began planning how it would go.
Plan A: Practising on the cycle path to make sure I could still manage the 13 miles, a tyre suddenly punctured and I was thrown unceremoniously into a ditch full of dirty gravel.
Unable to get up and without a soul in sight to help me (except for a rather bemused cow staring wide-eyed over the fence), cuts and bruises everywhere, I realised I was in serious trouble. Help, Lord!
As I lay in that ditch, pity party in full swing, I had a sudden vision of all the children and young people who, at that very moment, were being kidnapped and sold into brothels and sweat shops. That soon put things in perspective and tumbling off a bike seemed like a walk in the park in comparison.
However, with significant sponsorship money already promised, I was in despair; I knew it would be a long time before I could go out cycling again. I needed a new plan . . .
Plan B: As I prayed about how to overcome this dilemma, I had a light-bulb moment: once I’d recovered enough, why not ride the same distance on a stationary bike and thus fulfil the criteria? Grateful to God for answered prayer, I set about contacting all my sponsors, who readily agreed to honour their donations. So instead of cycling the wild Welsh coastal path, I pedalled away in my living room and completed the 13 miles in comparative comfort!
Human trafficking is at its highest-ever level worldwide; the vision statement shared by the two charities I support reads simply - “Until all are safe and free“. Check out their websites (www.ijm.org and www.houseofopportunity.org) to find out more about how they operate, and please continue to “be faithful in prayer” for this vital work (Romans 12:12).
In conclusion, I am so grateful to all those friends who so generously contributed to my fundraiser, with special thanks to the congregation of St Mary’s Church. Together we raised over £1000.