200 Miles Down…

Originally Posted: 6.9.11

We have gone two hundred miles so far in a five hundred mile bike ride.  The bike ride could be more aptly described as a pilgrimage.  It started with breakfast at Morning Glory a, a wonderful ministry to the homeless in Kansas City and has continued through St. Joseph, Maryville, and Conception.  We arrived at Lake Viking around one this afternoon and are going to be able to relax a bit today.  We have visited several men and women who are dedicated to following the way of Christ as they minister to the poor.  We even met a guy on his own ride that after serving two tours in Afghanistan has decided to share a message of peace instead.  Each day begins with prayer and ends with the celebration of the Eucharist.  It has been great getting to know the guys riding on the trip.  Last night, after praying evening prayer with the monks at Conception, we sat around sharing stories of the day’s events and of past rides.  The weather has been hot but we try to leave early enough to avoid the worse part of the heat.  The rest of the riders are having a difficult time keeping up with me.  I look forward to arriving in Richmond tomorrow.

Fr. Steve

Thoughts just before the ride

Originally Posted: 6.5.11

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

I just finished my last bike ride in preparation for the 7 day cycling for change ride. I was fortunate to have the assistance of Sam Swearngin, and Bernie Schneider from St. Peter’s parish, who often rode with me and coached me on proper bike etiquette, which of course they never followed. I’d like to thank Theresa Van Ackeren from Family Bicycles in Waldo who helped me get the right bike and tools for the ride. I’ve tried to get two or three long rides in over the last three weeks, I’m afraid I topped out at 60 miles for a single ride; finding a long enough period of time to ride has been difficult. I feel I’m as prepared as I can be and am looking forward to beginning on Saturday. It’ll be nice to visit many different communities along the route, which will be having their own food and clothing drives in support of Cycling for Change’s goal which is to “reduce poverty one mile at a time.” Many of us on the ride will be blogging in this space over the course of our ride. Check back here from time to time to see how we’re doing.

Fr. Steve

On the Way to Maryville—Suzanne Cronkhite

Originally Posted: 4.25.11

I have been driving a lot of the back roads of Northwest Missouri these past few months trying to find the best route for our team to take up to Maryville and beyond.  I consider Maryville my second hometown since this is where I attended college and where most of my extended family lives.  I remember so many visits to my Aunt and Uncle’s house as a kid traveling to places like Rosendale, Bolckow, Barnard, Savannah, etc.

A few routes had been suggested to me and I have traveled each of them to determine which one would be best.  The route that looks the safest, and lacking so many of the tremendous roller-coaster hills that Northwest Missouri is so well known for, is Highway B.  It’s a typical Missouri road, 2-lanes and well-kept.  The team should have a good ride on this road. It’s surrounded by barns, cattle and farmland as far as you can see. 

There is an unassuming gravel road that intersects with Highway B with a small sign that says, Walnut Grove Cemetery. If you turn onto this road one block, you will find Walnut Grove that is named quite appropriately as it is lined with walnut trees.  It’s a very pretty, small country cemetery filled with tombstones dating back in the 1800’s.  I know this cemetery very well as this is the cemetery that many of my ancestors have been buried for the past two centuries and this is where my father is buried. 

My dad had fond memories of going pheasant hunting at a nearby farm and my mom, remembers planting those walnut trees when she was little with her 4H group. It was the perfect spot for dad.  Someday it will be the place that my husband and I will be laid to rest.

Dad would be proud of Cycling for Change and its mission to help those most in need.  He would think it was especially wonderful that the team is traveling to some of his favorite places…boy, did he love Missouri! Out of all of the roads to travel to Maryville, this is the one that the team will travel this year.  Not everyone will realize how special Highway B is, but I know we will have another guardian angel with us.  Love you Dad…I miss you so much!

A Reflection of Holy Thursday–Stephen Belt

Originally Posted: 4.22.11

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. The Lord has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” Luke 4:18

 Tonight is about relationships. Jesus takes a little personal time with his closest friends and tries to bring it all together for them. “This is my body and blood.” In other words, you are my body and blood.

You.

Jesus is telling his disciples, telling us; “We are together now. Take. Eat. Drink. Oh, and one last thing. I shall wash your feet. I, the one you call teacher and master, am going to kneel down before you and wash your feet.”

 There are many things about those days we can’t really understand. Time and custom and context have a way of obscuring the depth of meaning of what was going on. Not in this case. “Wash my feet? You?! Never!” The significance of the act is visceral. It crosses the ages and strikes us at our core. We share Peter’s uncomfortable bewilderment. Yet, like Peter, we are invited to surrender our vision of teacher, master, Messiah. We are invited to see the world as God sees it. To engage the world as God does. We are invited to be the body of Christ.

 Jesus’ work with his friends is coming to a close. This is the last lesson before things get really crazy. He has one last chance to get through to them. “Remember me. Remember what I taught you. Remember what I did and why I came. Remember. Surrender. Re-member.”

 Tomorrow is going to be a difficult day. But tonight is about relationships. Tonight is our chance to gather together, to re-member who Jesus is and why he was sent to us. And how we are to continue on.

 -Stephen Belt

 

People and Places – John Mocella

 

We met so many people, went to so many places and saw so many things that it’s hard to summarize all of them, but a few stand out. People I’ll always remember Wes in Tacoma. Wes was dealt a tough hand. A Vet (I think the Army) he bounced around the west coast quite a bit and never was able to find direction to his life. He wandered into the Food Connection at St. Leo’s one day and he found purpose in his life. He works there now and is someone who would be my friend if I lived near Tacoma. He is a happy, positive person who is anxious to help others. Who can forget Robert in Denver? The first thing he said to me was “I don’t hate white people anymore”. He was wrongly accused and imprisoned based on the testimony of a white person and he was (understandably) angry and bitter. Instead of sinking into hatred, he channeled his energy by reaching out to others who were also angry and turning them to love instead of hate. It’s easy to be a loving person when you’re surrounded by loving friends and family, but you have to really admire someone who embraces love instead of hate. It was a thrill to listen to Grandpa Elliott in New Orleans. I stood there and listened to him play the harmonica and sing the blues. He transported me to another place and made me smile for the rest of the night. There is a category for singers known as “Just plain the coolest in the world”. Grandpa Elliott isn’t in that category, he exists on a much higher plain – there’re still trying to invent the right words to describe him. I have to add my fellow rider Sara to the list. She is the happiest person that I’ve ever met. I’m convinced that Sara doesn’t know how to have a bad day. She happily (and enthusiastically) rode in the worst kind of weather and wanted to play with the kids she ran in to at our destination town. Always smiling, she helped to raise everyone’s spirits and make the bad days good and the good days fantastic. What a good time I had with my adopted family in St Francisville, LA. I really enjoyed the time that I had with John & Felicia Langlois. There was an immediate comfort level being around them. I get the feeling that it would be a nice evening just to sit on the front porch and sip ice tea (or maybe a beer) with them. We could easily solve all of the world’s problems in an evening or two. There are so many more people to talk about. Mark from Pensacola, you had to enjoy his enthusiasm. David from Baton Rouge – what a great guy (and a very strong rider). Fellow rider Karl Schafer; a strong and fast rider, but always there to help out fellow riders and a very quick wit. Miss Doris from Hickman, KY – truly the definition of southern grace and hospitality. And of course Karla from Washington – what a peach, if only she could have finished the ride with us. Places There are so many beautiful places, but I’d rather focus on the meaningful places. First of all there was the Aloha Inn in Seattle. What a great concept for transitional housing. Helping people to be responsible and becoming self-sufficient at the same time. A real model for other programs around the country. We spent a little time at St Vincent DePaul in Clarkston, WA. They are overwhelmed with donated clothing (and that’s a good thing).. Former homeless people helping the homeless. Closing the circle and reaching out to everyone. Then there was the Food Connection in Tacoma. Serving over 850 meals a day to hungry people. No need to explain yourself or justify your need. Just show up and eat. It’s hard to forget the Poverello Center in Missoula. Ellie is running a real service to the homeless, hungry and those needing medical care. She runs several different programs; one for the homeless, one for veterans, one for low income housing and another for people with addictions and mental health issues. When something needs to be done, it’s best not to stand in her way. We met Robert at the Samaritan House in Denver. It was a pleasure to meet him and heart warming to see the good things that are being done by Catholic Charities in Denver. The Marian House in Colorado Springs was a fantastic operation. Run by Catholic Charities but the meals are cooked by a different church every day. A wonderful example of different faiths working together to feed the poor. Not only do they feed 650 people every day, but they also offer ongoing services to help people pull themselves out of poverty. St. Louis had the St. Patrick center. The crown jewel of the places we visited. They had the perfect “can do” and “don’t say no” approach to reaching out with programs. A sprawling center that offers any program we have seen and some that we hadn’t seen. There were many more, but Centro Hispano Catolico in Miami was far and away my favorite. They offer pre-school to young children from families living at or below the poverty level. Just a bunch of happy fresh-faced children with nothing to worry about and everything to look forward to. There success rate is fantastic. Ninety-two percent of the children “enrolled” in the program graduate from high-school. There is no cost to the families who qualify for the program and with a 2 year waiting list, young mothers put their children on the waiting list when they become pregnant. Happy children being taught for by caring staff Young people who are getting a leg up on the road out of poverty because of the efforts of people who cannot sit back and tolerate nothing being done. The End Well – this is the end of the big ride. No more 4:45 AM wake ups, no more packing and unpacking every day. No more diving onto the van for something that we try to call a meal. No more riding in the van – climbing in and out of the “way back” seats. No more surprises at pot-luck meals at the church. No more riding in the rain, sunburns, saddle sores, monkey butts or sore and strained everything. No more trucks playing chicken with us and no more “interesting” motels. No more endless laughing and bad jokes, no more hugging and kind words from my fellow riders. No more bike instructions from Pete and no more terrible puns from Matt. No more nicknames, kidding around and needling from the fellow riders. No more late night slushies and philosophical conversations. No more hanging out with Jason and talking about movies. No more medical advice from Tom and no more checking out the best deserts with John. No more laughs and smiles from Karl. No more bike riding tips from Deb and no more Bingo courtesy of Bethany and Sara. No more Chris being there right when you need her and no more talking baseball with Tom. No more of that quiet fun and humor from Jeremy and no more bringing up the rear with Lissa. Oh how I miss being on the road with my friends. John Mocella

The Ones Who Make a Brighter Day

 Melting Hearts in Miami

I’ve heard some people describe Miami as ”being in another country.”  Rich in culture and Carribean heritage.  Classic deco architecture.  Gorgeous beaches and weather.  It’s undoubtably exotic. 

But not all is cosmopolitan.

As we cycled west from Miami Beach and crossed the Venetian Causeway, Miami begins to resemble most American urban centers.  Our destination was the Centro Hispanio Catilico Child Care Center located in a neighborhood mixed of chic art studios, pawn shops and police impounds.

The Centro provides pre-school/child care for some 250+ neighborhood children.  The waiting list is long.  And it’s not because people are seeking low-cost child care and schooling.  This place simply does it right.

It was a mercilessly hot and humid morning.  Traffic was tight and the ride was downright treacherous.  Our nerves were frayed and we were exhausted.  But nothing could have lifted our spirits more than the two dozen bright-eyed children who brought us water and then proceeded to dance and serenade us with ”We Are The World.”

A program of Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Miami, Centro Hispanio is giving young children who would otherwise be on the margins of society a chance to make it.  Believe me, having been feted by such talented youngsters and sharing lunch with them, these kids are flourishing. 

….And will continue to do so.

According to Deacon Richard Turcotte, CEO for Catholic Charities of Miami, the high school graduation rate of their students is 92%.  Considering the national graduation rate is 75%, the folks at Centro Hispanio are doing one helluva job in the foundational aspect of each child’s development.

Here’s why it’s so amazing:  Every child at Centro Hispanio lives substantially below the federal poverty guidelines.  According to Turcotte, most families’ income is around $17,000 – $19,000 a year.  Federal guidelines state that a family of four earning $22,030 is at the poverty level.  Most social service agencies and government sponsored programs allow for their consumer to be at 150-200% of the poverty level.

Centro Hispanio is taking the poorest of the poor…and they’re succeeding.

How are they able to to do that? Primarily, parents are highly involved.  Secondly, it’s about people who care.  The staff exudes both care and professionalism.  And the kids respond to it.  Lunching with some highly energetic 4-6 year olds could lead to chaos.  Not here.  While the children laughed and celebrated, they also knew when to listen how to follow instruction.

 So many of our inner-city schools are languishing for a multitude of reasons.  It’s mostly due to inadequate funding and facilities.  Part of it is also the “soft-bigotry” as described by former President George W. Bush, where it became acceptable to just write off the poorer neighborhood schools and the students of color.

The fact is, every child in this nation should have access to a quality education and should not suffer from mediocre schools because he or she is black, brown, poor or otherwise.  This sin of ommission needs to stop.

I applaud the efforts of Catholic Charities of Miami, Centro Hispanio, and ALL of those who have not given up on our inner-city children and their families.  If we are to ever break the cycle of multi-generational poverty, we should look at the example here in Miami.

 

“There’s a choice we’re making. We’re saving our own lives. It’s true we’ll make a brighter day, just you and me….”

From the road,

Jason C.

Oceanfront Property and the Problem With Class Warfare

 

 

Cycling along the mansions and mangroves….Not a bad ride.

A Road Less Traveled

It’s pretty difficult to “experience poverty” while cycling from West Palm Beach to Boca Raton to Miami on Florida State Road A1A.  Let’s face it:  Ferraris on this stretch were about as common as the combines we saw in Kansas.  Pretty amazing considering  we rolled through Kansas during wheat harvest. 

Here’s what I can say:  When you’re on a bike, you’ve got time to think. 

I’m certainly not complaining about our ride over those three days.  Florida State Road A1A was a beautiful stretch of road we were able to cycle.  Gated mansions with well-manicured lawns and spectacular ocean views.  It’s an area so few are able to experience.  I say that not as a criticism of the residents; God bless them for their success.  I’m just stating a fact that very few will ever achieve that kind of wealth in their lifetime.  And that’s OK. 

But here is what’s not OK:  40 million Americans living in poverty.  One out of every four children born in the U.S.A. is born into poverty….That’s correct:  25% of all kids right here in America.

Our goal should be to build community wealth.  Yes, it would be great to live in a nation where anyone can be successful and have the opportunity to earn the kind of living to have that oceanfront property.  But I also want to live in a nation that does not forget its less fortunate. So can we do both?  The answer is “OF COURSE WE CAN!”  But first, we need to change some of our tactics if we want to move forward together.

Class warfare is a shameful exercise.  And yet candidates, elected officials, and so-called social commentators on both sides inject it into our public discourse that further divides us as a nation.  Singer/songwriter Amos Lee offers these simple lyrics:  “Don’t wanna blame the rich for what they’ve got….Don’t point a finger at the poor for what they have not….“

We do not help the poor by tearing down or cursing the wealthy and successful.  That solves nothing.  Neither does the forced redistribution of wealth.  Additionally, our nation’s economy does not grow when we saddle the entrepreneurial spirit with unnecessary and/or burdensome taxation and regulation.  President Lincoln once opined, “You cannot help the employee if you’re hurting the employer.”   Makes sense to me.

It must be said that we do not grow as a nation — we are not ”wealthy” – when we forget the vulnerable.  To leave the poor to “fend for themselves” is a poverty in and of itself.

With mid-term elections on the horizon and so much at stake, keep a watchful eye and an open ear to what is being said and done.  Don’t accept ”soak-the-rich” rhetoric as a meaningful solution.  But also demand accountability.  What are we going to do to help our unemployed and uninsured? Can we have free-market solutions to helping the poor?  Certainly.  Do we need government facilitation?  Probably.  Are faith-based organizations necessary to help those on the margins of our economy?  Without a doubt.

You see what happens when you’ve got a little bit of time on your bike?

– JC