What comes to mind when you think of a bicycle? Maybe fun childhood memories of pedaling around a neighborhood (or like me, memories of skinned knees and never quite getting the hang of it!). Maybe you got one for a special birthday or Christmas gift. But have you ever thought of a bicycle as an evangelistic tool?
Let me share a story. Purnendu is a pastor in South Asia. He is responsible for leading congregations at three mission stations. But the mission stations are fifteen miles from his home. His only method of transportation is walking. It took hours to walk to the mission stations and hours to return. These were precious hours he couldn’t spend encouraging other Christians and sharing about Jesus with those who have not heard. But that was before someone gave him the gift of a bicycle. Now he can reach the villages much more quickly, giving him more time to spend with the people there. He can even take his wife along to the services, allowing her to minister to the needs of the women in the congregations. He can also reach additional villages he was not able to reach on foot.
Bicycles for pastors in South Asia mean much more than fond memories or a few hours of pleasure. They are important tools that help them share the love of Jesus with men, women, and children who are dying on the inside from not knowing Him. The next time you jump in your car – or hop on your bicycle – please pray for the pastors in South Asia who are working so hard to reach the lost, whether walking or pedaling to get to them.
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