stay upright

Last weekend I got to be on the Route Safety Bike Crew at the Boston Breast Cancer 3 Day. There were about 18 of us on all kinds of bikes who were tasked with patrolling the line of 1600 walkers on their daily journey and keeping them safe. It was the most fun I've ever had on two wheels.


I could not help but flash forward, as I endured cold rain, blazing sunshine, and city streets and tented nights, that I was in training for Rwanda. With some measurable differences: I expect to have my feet on the ground for the most part and I will get a bed! One thing that is surely the same is we will all need each other every day to do the tasks that are planned - thank God that he created us to work as a team! God himself IS, in fact, a team: the three in one, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Even they don't act alone!


I had never done volunteer bike crew at the 3 day before (last year I walked it), and as I looked for specific direction as to how to perform my job, my stoic Captain, Nick, was a man of few words. He looks like a young Peter Lawford, and his side glance is chilling but his heart is pure gold. Nick has a favorite phrase that he signs off with: stay upright.


On a bike, staying upright is quite crucial. I've been cycling for 4 years, and primarily I do it for fun and fitness. Last weekend, I was on my bike for other purposes entirely; to have close physical proximity to the walkers who may experience medical emergencies through out the weekend, both because of their strenuous activities (16-22 miles on foot daily) and because of existing conditions. Many are currently in chemo and fighting breast cancer like little pink pit bulls. In order to be near them, we were frequently riding on the "wrong" side of the road, depending on what sidewalk the walkers were directed to use. As a cyclist, this is particularly hard because we all know we are supposed to ride with traffic and this is the responsible way to ride and what cars expect of us. Considering that they hate us already (yo, today just give a cyclist a little road margin; they will be so grateful), riding on the wrong side/left side also put us at considerable risk.


I went down twice, but neither slip was serious. Each time, I was not paying close attention to my personal fatigue, and I failed to stay upright. And each time, I was embraced, fed electrolyte-laced liquids, and band-aided back to the upright position. It was painfully clear to me ( I needed the big bandaid) at the 3 Day that I was being given a living tool to add to my tool kit as I leave with the Peace Teams in 8 days: to stay upright, we need each other. I needed my team of cyclists to answer my radio call, and I needed walkers to keep me juiced, I needed the med team and the food service crew to take care of me, and they needed me to watch out for them on the roads and cheer them home.


So, true confessions time: it was hard for me to surrender to needing people last weekend. Why is it so hard to need each other, when it feels so good and works so well? I am like a little kid who wants to run away from my Daddy when he's trying to hold my hand and keep me safe. But this thing is also true: I am marvelously spoiled by that Father with the lessons from the 3 day this year, and extravagantly drenched in the faith I have in my team as we go. Needing each other is going to be half the fun!

Details, details:

• Our team as of Sunday will be at our financial goal, thanks to the hail-Mary-style checks that have been lobbed in at the last second, including money from another team that was over-goal! God is good :)


• Watch for your blue envelope, support team! It's coming to you this week. I will post prayer needs here before I leave, as well.


• Dave has a big interview while I'm away, so please pray that this job works out! He'd be great at it. Three cheers for the best husband ever :) Missing him will be one of my significant challenges on this trip, but loving him is one of my greatest joys. xo David

Thank you to every one who is praying - you are my team and I need you and love you.