Grad student to bike across America to raise awareness for trip to Africa
By: Brittany Logan
Issue date: 5/7/09 Section: News
Graduate student Brian Elliot will be covering 3,172 miles to raise funds and awareness for Blood: Water Mission, an organization that helps underdeveloped communities in Africa build clean-water wells, latrines and health clinics.
"I have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bicycle across America from Santa Monica, Calif., to Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware," Elliot said.
They will be stopping in communities and churches to talk about water and blood crises in Africa and enlist people in active support of Blood: Water Mission.
He rides as much as he can and often. Besides training rides, he rides his bike pretty much everywhere he goes and only drives when he has to, usually outside of Nacogdoches. He teaches indoor cyclying class at the Student Recreation. He will be increasing the frequency and duration of his rides for the next few weeks to prepare for the intensity of the trip.
"Would you please consider sacrificing financially as I sacrifice physically for this cause? In order to go I need to raise $4,895," Elliot said.
He started fundraising in February and raised about $3,000. His goal is $6,000, and he must raise at least $5,000 before the trip begins in June.
Elliot has a passion for overseas missions, and he loves people from other countries. "I love experiencing other cultures and have a growing love for Africa," he said. "I hope to someday go to Kenya and help fulfill the other part of this mission by building water wells and medical clinics and maybe even work in the medical clinic."
His goal for this tour is for God to use him to touch as many lives as possible. He said, "No doubt the people in Africa receiving the water and blood from the medical clinic and water wells will be touched and see the blessings given to them. The people who attend the conferences and gatherings we host along the route will also be directly impacted as they see our passion and love for God and people through pain, sweat, tears and joy."
"I have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bicycle across America from Santa Monica, Calif., to Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware," Elliot said.
They will be stopping in communities and churches to talk about water and blood crises in Africa and enlist people in active support of Blood: Water Mission.
He rides as much as he can and often. Besides training rides, he rides his bike pretty much everywhere he goes and only drives when he has to, usually outside of Nacogdoches. He teaches indoor cyclying class at the Student Recreation. He will be increasing the frequency and duration of his rides for the next few weeks to prepare for the intensity of the trip.
"Would you please consider sacrificing financially as I sacrifice physically for this cause? In order to go I need to raise $4,895," Elliot said.
He started fundraising in February and raised about $3,000. His goal is $6,000, and he must raise at least $5,000 before the trip begins in June.
Elliot has a passion for overseas missions, and he loves people from other countries. "I love experiencing other cultures and have a growing love for Africa," he said. "I hope to someday go to Kenya and help fulfill the other part of this mission by building water wells and medical clinics and maybe even work in the medical clinic."
His goal for this tour is for God to use him to touch as many lives as possible. He said, "No doubt the people in Africa receiving the water and blood from the medical clinic and water wells will be touched and see the blessings given to them. The people who attend the conferences and gatherings we host along the route will also be directly impacted as they see our passion and love for God and people through pain, sweat, tears and joy."
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Emma
posted 5/15/09 @ 11:15 AM CST
May God bless this student as he pursues his goal and dream. He is to be highly commended for his interest in others! With an attitude like this, he will be a wonderful influence in this world of selfishness--the "salt of the earth. (Continued…)
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