Roy Halberg, retired Charis Fellowship pastor, is poised to ride his bicycle across the U.S. to benefit Water for Good, a Charis Fellowship cooperating ministry that was founded by Jim Hocking. He recently issued an update. It’s included below.
Three weeks from today I begin my journey across America.
On Sunday morning, May 13, I will place the rear wheel of my bicycle in the Atlantic Ocean at Yorktown, Va., and begin pedaling west on the TransAmerica Bicycle Route. 4,228 miles later I will arrive in Florence, Ore., and dip my front wheel in the Pacific Ocean.
Its already been an epic adventure . . . and I haven’t even started yet!
My goal is to raise $21, 140 for WATER FOR GOOD . . . that is $5 for each mile with the goal of each $5 providing clean water for one person for one year in the Central African Republic. Here is what the Lord has done in the recent weeks . . .
- As of today, $5,789 have been donated toward my ride for clean water
- Friends, family, and total strangers have joined in this effort. Some people I have never met are on board with this.
- Friends have escorted me on training rides encouraging me as I have hoped to gain strength for this adventure
- One friend started a gofundme account to help with expenses. I think he wanted to make sure that I got a motel once in a while and was especially concerned that the motel room included a shower
- Another friend hosted a fundraising ride asking people to donate money for the privilege of riding. A five-gallon Sparkletts water bottle was set out on a table for donations to be dropped in and at the end of the day more than $320 had been given to again help me with expenses and motel/shower facilities
- I understand that another group that hosted a ride to raise money for several charitable causes has also included me in their list
- A man I have yet to meet has offered to give me a couple of nights of hotel stays from those he has accumulated in his account from his business travels
- Two friends are going to drive to Ordway, Colo., and get on the Amtrack train with their bikes and jump off the train in Newton, KS and ride with me across Kansas for 6-7 days back to Ordway
I am truly humbled and blessed by all of this. Now the pressure is on! I have to get on the bike and start the trek across this great land. I am trusting that many will pray for me, for my safety as I ride, for conversations with people I will meet along the way, and for the accomplishment of this goal for the needy people of Central African Republic.
People who wish to donate can do so by
- going to my WATER FOR GOOD fundraising page: donate.waterforgood.org/campaign/roy-rides-for-clean-water/c167978.
- mailing a check to: ROY’S RIDE
Water For Good
PO Box 247
Winona Lake, IN 46590 - texting the word water to 48421.
People who want to follow me along the way can do so via my facebook page facebook.com/royhalberg.