Last week, at the Christian Reformed Church offices in Burlington Ontario, there was an official cheque presentation ceremony. A cheque in the amount of $ 56,945.50 was presented to C.R.W.R.C. (Christian Reformed World Relief Committee) on behalf of the C2C riders by Lynn Groen (rider) and Rod Dengerink (rider). This money will now be matched 4:1 by the Canadian Food Grains bank as mentioned in the previous blog post.

Again we are so amazed and blessed by how God has provided for this event and for the people in Nicaragua effected by Hurricane Felix. Below are some pictures from the presentation!

Thank you to all who made this possible.

For a grand total of: $ 279,304.82!!!

It has taken a little bit of time but we finally are so blessed to release the final amounts raised by the Sea to Sea Nicaragua. First we would like to say thank you to God for His incredible and continual blessings. Secondly thank you to all those that felt God calling you to give to those effected by Hurricane Felix here in Nicaragua. So with out further adieu…drum roll please…the total amount raised was -

From the U.S.A. Office: $ 1,366.92
From the Canadian Office: $ 55,587.58
From the Canadian Food Grains Bank: $ 222,350.32
- ( matching funds raised from Canadian office 4:1)

Each evening after our devotion time we would reflect on the day that passed.  It was then that we also discussed how many flat tires the group had that day, who had the most flats, who broke there bike in some fashion (or had the brutal road conditions cause a complete destruction of a bicycle).   We thought this would interest some of you and also remind those who biked who had the worst luck!  Asterisks denote an important story, retold below.

Flat Tires:

• Total flat tires in 8 days: 34 (plus 2 support vehicle flats)
• Most number of flats in one day for a single person: 3
  • three-way tie between Mark, Brian, and Lynn

Other mechanical failures reported:

• broken derailleurs: 1 (******)
  
• broken chains: 12 (approximately)
• broken seat: 1 (*)
  

Falls:

• Major falls: 5 (not including Dave’s fall)
  • Requiring reconstructive surgery: 1 (**)
    
  • 9-foot falls off a bridge into 1.5-feet of water: 1 (***)
• Minor falls: 8

Fatal collisions with:

• Chickens: 1 (****)
• Dogs: 1 (** see Major falls 1)
  
• Cows: 0 (actually, there really weren’t any collisions with cows, but there were some close calls)
  

Other interesting facts:

• # rides bummed from Pepsi trucks: 3 (*****)
• # free Pepsi’s given by Pepsi truck: 3
• # monkeys completing the trip: 2
  • Pablo from CRWM US
  • Pablo from CRWM Canada
  • Is the same name just a coincidence??  I guess great minds do think alike!
• # monkeys completing trip including Kevin: 3
• total man-hours spent on bike: 1152 (approx.)
• Consumed:
  • Gallo Pinto (rice/beans) & Egg breakfasts: 270
  • Bottles of Gatorade: 400
  • Energy/Nutrution Bars: 750
  • Most Nutrition bars consumed in one day: 10 (Manuel)
  • highest daily liquids ingested (L) to urinations ratio: 7.5L:1
  • Liters of Water Consumed: 1200L

* Seat: Shortly after setting out from Rosita on day 3, the lead smartly turned the wrong way (everyone else took the correct road…see the blog) and began a  10 kilometer ride in the wrong direction.  It was after they figured that out and were almost back to the route that Alie’s seat broke of the stem.  John graciously gave her his seat and then proceeded to ride 5km with no seat until they reunited with the slightly worried support team.

**Major Fall 1: The first taste of pavement was exhilarating and most of the riders couldn’t resist them temptation to combine the smoothness of pavement with the force of gravity and their beastly strong legs to achieve high speeds.  Rod was getting ahead of his group, and he was loving it.  Then suddenly there were two dogs running and barking, infactuated by his moving tires.  Before Rod could react, one of them had gotten itself in front of the bike and then suddenly found itself getting run over.  The surprise and impact flipped Rod over throwing him onto his right shoulder and the side of his head.  Rod got up, shook it off, and after putting his shoulder back in joint and a few lapses in memory, he was ready to go again the next day.  His helmet was crushed in one section. The next day he got back on his bike and finished the remaining 4 days to the coast.  Went home and the doctor told him he’d need grade 4+ reconstructive surgery to fix his damaged shoulder.  While we couldn’t find the dog, we can only assume it was fatally wounded.

***Major Fall 2: Peter Beerda, the most age-privileged on the trip, was the only one on the trip to have a leather seat.  He also was the only one to have fallen from a bridge during our time together.  It was a wooden bridge with planks running from side to side, on top of which there were two sets of planks running the length of the bridge for the tires of vehicles to use.  Peter, in an attempt to avoid some broken planks rode off the lengthwise planks and down onto the cross-wise planks.  When he tried to reenter the lengthwise planks, his tires caught on the edge and he fell 9 feet into the water below, landing on his back, his bike on top of him.  Thank God the water was 1.5 feet deep, and slowed his fall enough to keep him from injury, yet not so deep he’d have trouble staying above water.  God protects!

****Death of a Chicken: It was a cold and wintery morning…but not really…when the group left single file from the hotel.  Suddenly one of them broke the line, veered across the road pedaling like crazy.  It was Mark “the MatePollo” VanderWees and he was headed straight for a chicken.  According to son Jesse, “There was a loud clucking-squabbling noise and I’m sure I saw a few feathers.”  Then there was silence.

*****Pepsi Trucks: On the way out of the town of Rio Blanco, day 4, was one of the largest paved hills throughout the trip.  John, Jesse, and Lucas were out in front of the group beginning the ascent when they heard a truck coming up behind them.  Turning and seeing a Pepsi truck, they waved it over and politely asked if they could grab on, to which they recieved a warm affirmative.  When the three of them, clinging to back and sides of the truck, arrived at the top, the truck stopped and the attendants on the truck kindly offered each of them bottle of Pepsi.  Of course they accepted and enjoyed!  When it was pointed out to John that he could made it under his own power, and asked if he felt it cheapened his trip, he answered definitively that it enriched his trip–where else could he get a ride up a hill from a Pepsi truck?  Certainly not in Canada.  It was a neat cross-cultural experience, and a welcome break from the normal rule-ridden life of North America.  A taste of heaven I might think.

******Broken Derailleur: Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, Cathy fell victim to a broken rear derailleur.  The solution was to put her on the spare bike that the support team had brought along.  But this meant the new spare bike was broken and unusable except for parts.  However, shortly after, Luis and Nestor noticed a local approaching on a bicycle.  Still in the middle of nowhere, they noticed through some miraculous coincidence the derailleur matched!  The man was delighted to sell the part for $10, twice it’s street value.  He continued on his way walking his bike with a smile on his face.  Once installed, it became clear that, while it worked, the derailleur was only a 7-speed, where the bike was a 9-speed, and it also worked opposite the original… The gear changer showed it was in 7, but it was actually in gear one.

First let me apologize for taking this long to post of our last days of the C2C.

Atlantic Ocean

We have made it to the Pacific Coast!  Two days ago now all 24 riders finished the last leg of this incredible journey going Sea to Sea in Nicaragua.  It was a beautiful sunny day on the Pacific coast. Early Tuesday morning the 24 bikers started by biking at 4:30 in the morning through the capital city of Managua, in order to avoid the traffic.  This was a special and awesome way to begin the last day as one group sticking together and guiding each other through the streets of busy Managua.  It was then time to have some breakfast at the Nicaraguan Christian Academy.  We were treated to an incredible breakfast and were able to share it with the teachers of the school.  The teachers than blessed us with prayer after which we headed out on to our final leg of the tour.

It was on to Gran Pacifica only about 50 kilometers left.  All along the way to the ocean the bikers were greeted and encouraged by the many supporters following them and driving past them.  We even had a few extra bikers who joined us for support on the final push to the finish.  The bikers who generally were pushing hard each day to the finish seemed to be sitting back a little letting it all soak in.  There was this sense that the end was near.  That there time had come to an end on this journey.  The riders kept in larger groups, and were talking  and sharing with each other as they rode on.

After biking the last 12 kilometers back on dirt roads (very fitting for this trip) they arrived at the gate of Gran Pacifica.  After waiting for all to come to the gate they were led down to the ocean in a very beautiful way.  We were welcomed by about 150 supporters with signs and cheers of encouragement.  Into the water they went and so came to end the Sea to Sea Nicaragua.  It was surreal to believe that it was over.  We as a group have grown so close and it will be something that we all will never forget.

We celebrated in style there at the Hotel and Condo Complex of Gran Pacifica with a BBQ lunch, swimming in the pool and ocean, and reflecting on what we have accomplished.  Not by our abilities but by our Great and Mighty Father in Heavens Power we have crossed this country in 8 days!

Check back again soon for a few more updates and some interesting statistics from the trip.

Pacific Ocean

written by: dave
at: 5pm Jan ?

I have only 3 minutes to write. The day was good. All arrived without major problems and we arrived earlier than expected. Everyone loved the paved roads. What a blessing to end on this side of the country instead of that.

At the Celebration on Tuesday when we reach the coast, we hope to print and post all of the comments made up til tomorrow sometime. If you want to post something that will be printed. do it soon. bye!

written by: Dave
at: 9:15pm, Jan 3

Í’ve finally been able to rejoin the group as of today! I made the four hour trek in car to meet them at the end of their day here in Matiguas and there is internet available for me to update you all! It will be short as I don´t have much time before the internet cafe closes, but here it is.

As was expected, this was the hardest day physically to date. The combination of rough terrain during the first portion of the day combined with two large climbs and many smaller hills proved to push the riders to their limits. Even so, we saw some like Stacie Collie excel when at the end of the ride she could honestly say that she had not set foot down except for the two designated checkpoints. Others admitted with no shame that they were forced to walk several hundred feet amid the daunting inclines. Some experienced riders revealed that the grades were among the steepest they had every ridden if not the steepest. An astounding acheivement to be sure for every single rider!

The Lord continued to show his protection through more close calls and all arrived in one piece. Half way through the day today the riders hit asphalt for the first time in 4 days. They reported that it was heavenly! But along with pavement comes more vehicles and at higher speeds. We´ve talked about strategies for safe road driving and will be taking measures to make the trip safer for everyone.

Looking forward to updating you tomorrow from Boaco. Pray that all goes well!

written by: Nancy
at: 9:30pm, Jan 2

Every biker said they had an awesome day of biking. While this was true for the bikers, the drivers did not have the same experience the road for the vehicles was horrible, major rocks and potholes. The bikers had nicely groomed smooth shoulders of 1 1/2 ft along each side of the road to choose from. Your prayers for the bikers were definitely answered!

Coming into Mulukukú was like coming into an oasis. Most of the bikers headed straight for the river for a nice cool bath and washed clothes or watched their clothes being washed. While they were there, they were spotted by Dr. Francisco Gutierrez who heads up AMC and he boated over and invited them to his friend’s farm where they enjoyed a fresh fish fry and shared stories.

Wim attracted the attention of some interesting company when he hung up his orange shirt in the tree to dry. Not far away was an already agitated bull who managed to get the shirt off the limb and onto his horns and if I heard Rachel right was whipping Wim’s shirt around…Good news is Wim wasn’t wearing it!

An interesting detail. The biker’s bums are doing good today. While that’s been a bit of challenge other days, it wasn’t anything a little bum balm couldn’t solve.

Tomorrow the terrain changes to asphalt roads which will be welcomed by many of the bikers. It also brings on the hills!
Please pray specifically for continued safety and wisdom to know how to travel on the road with other traffic.

phptos added by dave (again from a different trip but the same stretch of road):

Day 5 – to Mulukukú

written by: Rachel
at: 8:30pm, Jan 1

First things first – thank you all so much for your prayers and comment on the website. We were able to access the Internet tonight for the first time since we set out, and had a chance to read some of your comments on the site. Thank you for the love and well-wishing you are sending us as we make this trek across this country that we are learning to love even more.

Every night we meet as a group and have some devotions together. John Luth leads us in a meditation and we split into smaller groups and share a little about the day, our lives and things we have learned or discovered about God along our journey. Tonight we stayed in a big group and John asked us the question ¨How have you experienecd God opening your eyes on this trip so far?¨ Here are some of the responses we heard.

- Before Brian Shenk came to Nicaragua some friends of his gave him some money to use at his discretion in order to help the people he met on his trip. He and Mary came across some children along the side of the road and struck up a conversation. As it turned out the kids were going to be returning to school soon and so Brian felt led to give them the money he was given for them to use to buy school supplies. Mary has lived in Nicaragua several years and has a strict rule about giving straight money to people on the street, however, she too felt that this would be an excellent time to break her rule. As they gave them the money, they were able to share the Gospel with them, emphasizing that the money they were giving them would only last a little while, but there is a God whose love never runs out. Both Mary and Brian rode away from that interaction confident in the Lord´s leading in the situation and it impacted them in a profound way.

- As Dave mentioned in a previous post, our group has developed 3 riding groups – fast, medium and not so fast. This morning the fast group rolled out of the hotel first, but unknowingly to them and us, made a wrong turn and started going in the opposite direction. The rest of the crew moved out soon after and soon all were on the road. It took us – the support crew – about 20 minutes to realize that we were missing about 7 bikers. Panic set in as we realized that our worst fears were coming true – WE LOST THEM!!! Since I was acting as the sweeper I made several trips back to Rosita looking for our lost sheep. About an hour later, on my 3rd trip back into the city, I saw them biking towards me. Praise the Lord! They pulled up to my truck and started making jokes and I couldn´t help but realize how great God is. I, and others, prayed hard once we realized they were lost, but in His wonderful grace, they made it back to us unharmed. They ended up adding 20 extra km to their ride today, but their detour allowed them to see some awesome beauty in creation and in God´s provision. God is truly faithful and He is the God who answers prayer. Just don´t do it again guys!

The group would also like their families and friends to know that they are having the time of their lives. It is difficult, it is stressful, but there is nothing we´d rather be doing right now. We are experiencing the country in a very unique way. Not many have had this chance and not many will in the future. It is has been an adventure so far, and its only the 3rd day! Please continue praying – they have been felt so far and are still needed.

But is is getting late and we have another long, but fun day ahead of us. Buenos noches a todos.

Note from Dave: Here are some photos of the stretch to Siuna.

To Siuna

Day three began with an enormous challenge and adventure for which I wish I had a picture and a video for you guys!  They will come soon and I’ll definitely post them when they do, but I guess we’ll have to wait.  If you look back at the picture from the previous post where the truck is parked on the hill, that will set the scene.  Even at the time when Kevin and I were there, we had to use 4×4 to get up the hill and back on the road because of the slippery grass.  The team had a real challenge when they they attempted to get he box truck up the hill.  When it became clear that it wasn’t going to get out on it’s own and when it almost tipped over trying, it was time to hook it up to the 4×4 Landcruiser ambulanceto try to pull it up.  Even the ambulance was unable to get enough traction to pull the box truck up the hill.  So the team deserted the idea of motor power and opted for good old fashioned man power.  All of the men surrounded the truck and with all their strength and a lot of pushing and pulling they finally succeeded in doing what the ambulance could not, and the truck was back on the road and ready to go another day.  What teamwork!

The team felt a great sense of God’s care throughout this day and the trip as a whole, and wanted me to express this in the blog.  Through some falls and close calls, God’s protection was clear as everyone arrived unscathed.

God has also been responding to prayers and revealing himself in other ways.  His provision was seen in almost ordinary things such as dark clouds and a cool breeze to sheild the riders during the hottest part of the day.  He answered the prayers of Mary Ezzel and those who prayed with her.  She knew that they would be biking through an area that she had been with a work team a while back and had asked the Lord for the opportunity to see people that she would recognize and who would recognize her and that they might reconnect.  As she passed the church they helped build she saw a man she knew sitting on the steps.  She was able to stop and talk and see others she knew as well.  They took fotos and shared about what they were doing with the Sea-to-Sea ride.  It was an answer to prayer.

Another rider mentioned that the trip was so surreal.  Cows, horses, chickens, kids, pigs, busses, women with packages on their heads.  The constant activity of another world.  This rider, and others, feel priviledged and very glad to be part of this wierd and special experience.

One of the groups reported seeing a procession in the road with some well dressed people.  They stopped and talked with some of the people in the procession.  They discovered that it was a baptismal procession on their way to the river, and it was neat for the group to see how God is working in and through his local churches.

Please continue praying for us!  Thanks! Click on the following picture to go to the “to Rosita” album. Then click the slideshow button

to Rosita

Day two of this trip was actually the first real day of riding as the team made their way 67 kilometers from Puerto to Nazaret Uno.  This section of the road, as mentioned previously, had deteriorated significantly beyond the already rough condition during the trial run a month and a half ago.  Rains have continued making more ruts, more mud, and a bigger challenge both for the bikers and the support/logistical team.

But even despite these challenges, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the experience, some riders even nearly keeping up with the vehicles that went on ahead to setup the refreshments stands at each 1/3 of the trip.  From what I understand the riders seem to been finding themselves in one of three groups.  Fast, medium, and less fast.  Mostly they end up being within about 100 meters of others in their group.

And in face of the challenges and suprises the team is maintaining an excellent attitude.  Riders are not as much pushing themselves to finish fast or even to necessarily finish at all, but they are taking their time, stoping to talk to each other, take pictures, and start conversations with locals.  They have been feeling overwhelmingly blessed by the opportunity to participate in this type of event.

One of the days adventures impacted deeply those who were present.  When some rainclouds rolled in, the group looked for shelter along the side of the road and were invited into a Nicaraguan home.  Conversation ensued and the family began to tell their story of the Hurricane.  The house they were sitting in was actually a new house because their home was destroyed in the Hurricane, and the house they were in had been rebuilt by AMC (Acción Médica Cristiana–the very group we are riding with and who would be putting them up this night).  When the hurricane came early in the morning, they had no where to go so they layed down on the floor.  During the next four hours, they watched the house around them being torn apart and when the storm ended, their house had been completely destroyed.  Hearing the story first hand from the people who lived it was a rich experience and left a mark on those who heard and they felt in a new way what it meant to be part of the solution and to show God’s love to those in need.

When the group arrived in Nazareth Uno, they would stay at the AMC training center, a building constructed in the typical style of wood planks and raised up on stilts.  The shower consisted of a bucket of water and four tarps.  Heads were visible to onlookers.   Some chose not to bathe in the ’shower’ and opted for a nearby river.  Many people slept inside the house on foam mattresses but others slept outside on hammocks.  It would be a cold night.

That night they enjoyed a cultural presentation with music, singing and dancing.  Some of the guys actually got dragged into the dancing as well.  And a local meal was prepared for them.  This day will have been the most rustic, most localized, and the most culturally interesting day of the trip as it was hosted by our own local partner AMC.

Praise the Lord for his work in the hearts and minds of the participants and for the ways in which he has provided for them physically and emotionally.  Please also continue to pray for safety and the Lord’s provision as they roll on, and for oppotunities to see and be God’s hand in Nicaragua.

Below are some fotos from my trip with Kevin as they have not been able to send any actual photos yet.

Heading out of town

Waiting for the Ferry

The ferry

Ferry

On The Ferry

On the Ferry

Next to the Ferry

More of the road

A house along the way. Destruction if the forest still evident.

Outside AMC house

AMC training center (and our guesthouse)

Inside the house

Under the house, where some stayed in hammocks.

She lives next door and takes care of many preparations at the AMC House.