Motorcycle Mamas
One thing I love to do, and where I often spend the most time talking to God, is riding on the back of a motorcycle. Yep, I’m a big, bad, biker chick. (well 2/3 ain’t bad, I don't think I'd qualify as bad anymore). A founding member of the Wild Goats biker gang. A pastor with a passion for riding like the wind with my arms outstretched singing praise music as we drive down quiet windy roads.
Ok, so our biker gang is pretty tame. Not lame, tame. We’re super cool. You have no idea. We’re a bunch of Jesus followers, including a couple pastors and chaplains. But we’re bikers all the same.
Not much compares to riding a bike. Not even convertibles. Seriously. Bikes are better. If you don’t believe me, you haven’t tried it yet. Before I start a biker vs gearhead brawl, I better move on.
In June, I combined my passion for the road with my passion for the people of rural Tanzania. The first day of the trip began with Christine Davis, Board member, and I being dropped off for a village meeting enroute to Karatu and our final ride from the airport to Karatu was on the bikes! This was Christine’s first ever motorcycle ride, so it was probably for the best that she didn’t know until we were leaving the meeting that our ride home was on bikes. No time to get scared! Just hop on and enjoy the ride sister!
While the love of my life and my normal motorcycle driver (Rob) was not on this trip, I cannot begin to express the joy of riding through the rural villages and remote roads of Karatu District, ‘where there is no freaking road’(quote from an ecstatic Christine), surrounded by stunning landscape on the back of a motorcycle on my way to visit families, one of my other passions. Unlike most rides on our Gold Wing, I never once felt like napping riding the rough rural roads and fields of Karatu. You should’ve seen the heads turn as locals noticed there was an Mzungu (Westerner) on the back of the bike in the middle of nowhere! Clearly, it’s not a common sight. At one point, Christian, FFHC Field Officer and my driver for the day, stopped to tell me how much he appreciated I was riding the motorcycle because most Founders would never ride a motorcycle to travel to the villages. For me, it was the experience of a lifetime and I cannot believe I waited so long to do it. Why wouldn’t everyone want to see the Tanzanian countryside from a bike? Just to sit in awe of His Majesty who created it all. I want to share that experience and passion with everyone!
Wild Goats Tanzania Biker Gang aka FFHC employees
Check out this 2 minute video about riding out to Midabini.
Riding on the back of a motorcycle is a bit like faith. At some point you realize you need to give up control because quite frankly, you don’t have any. Once you learn to trust the driver, the one who is really in control, you are able to take in the beauty all around you and experience life to it’s fullest, to be in the moment and fully present with every breath as the wind blows past you. You can ignore the bumps and the dust as they come your way, trying to throw you off balance or block your vision. Because all you really need to do is ride. Just throw your arms out and your head back and embrace it all. And then let the adventure really begin!
You have a passion. We have a need.
Come to Tanzania in March, combine your gifts and passions to help families or our employees in Tanzania become all they were created to be. Ride on the back of a bike (or in a truck if you prefer) and watch what God lays before you!
Learn more about the trip or register here . Registration deadline is November 15. Email me with any questions.
If a trip is not for you, you can still be part of the ride in Tanzania. Please pray for us or donate at www.foodforhischildren.org to be a dream giver.
