A few days after Mr. Stephen Lee returned from his 4,000 mile Motorcycle Bike-a-Thon, he sent out an update email to all of the people who had pledged and given their email addresses. The translated English version is below, pictures are slightly different. Enjoy - it's an amazing story!
Dear 2009 Bike-a-Thon Supporters,By God's grace, I've returned safe and sound from the Bike-a-Thon fundraiser to raise support for Pastor Peter Oh's Japan Missions. Over 8 days I led our group of bikers 4,034 miles through Yellowstone and Sturgis, South Dakota, and back [to San Jose, CA].
Due to the extreme differences in climate, we experienced sudden showers, thunderstorms, strong winds beyond 60 miles per hour, and hail almost every day. On one occasion, my motorcycle boots were so full of rain, I had to take them off to pour out all the water! When the hailstorms were pounding down on us, I tried to block the hail stones as big as my thumb with my left hand, and my face was in so much pain I felt like I'd been beaten up. While riding through the Nevada desert, we were greeted by temperatures of over 100ºF that made breathing difficult, and we had to force ourselves to sleep as our bodies shivered in our tents at Yellowstone with night temperatures close to 0ºF.
When we arrived in Sturgis, South Dakota, the 69th annual Sturgis Rally was in full swing with 600,000 – 1,000,000 motorcyclists from all over the world. It was a truly magnificent sight and we could not help but be amazed.
http://www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/
The sight of so many women enjoying motorcycles was, even to me, very attractive. As you can see from the pictures [not included in blog posting], the motorcycle outfits of the women there were very unique and diverse. As a FYI, in South Dakota, a helmet is not required when riding a motorcycle.
The people next to us in the camp site were from Little Rock, Arkansas, and the leader was a HS drama teacher. He said that he attended Sturgis every year with his friends and spent a week there.
Once again, I would like to thank everyone who supported the 2009 Bike-a-Thon so wholeheartedly, and would especially like to thank our Heavenly Father who blessed us more than we’d dreamed in terms of finances and all of the logistics for the Bike-a-Thon and for leading us and keeping us during our travels. It was also a very important opportunity for us to communicate to the wider New Vision Church congregation about the current preparations that Pastor Peter is going through, and in this respect, was invaluable.
We currently have $14,270 in pledges and many have already given at the Bike-a-Thon tables or by giving directly to church. During the next 1-2 weeks, we ask that those that have not yet given in the pledged amount do so by writing a check to NVC or PBF with “Bike-a-Thon” in the notes. We will ensure that 100% of the offerings that come in will be used for Pastor Peter’s Japan Missions Departure Fund.Hallelujah!
Thank you again for helping to make the 2009 Bike-a-Thon a huge success,
Stephen Lee
*******
2009년도 Bike-A-Thon 후원자 여러분들께,
Peter Oh 목사님 일본으로 파송선교 후원을 위한 Bike-A-Thon 을 예정대로 8월첮주에 잘마치고 돌아왔습니다 Yellowstone 과 Sturgis South Dakota 을 7박8일동안 총 4034 miles을 주행했습니다.
대륙의 날씨변화가 심한지라 소낙비, 천둥번개, 60마일이 넘는 강풍, 우박등을 오토바이을 주행하면서 거의 매일 경험했었고 오토바이 구두가 비에 곽차서 신을벋고 빗물을 쏟아 부어내는 적도 있었습니다.
우박이 한때에는 심한지라 엄지 손가락 만한 우박이 얼굴을 내리 칠때는 왼손을 펴서 우박을 막아 볼려고도 했고 얼굴은 매맞은 기분으로 얼얼한 적도 있었습니다.
Nevada 사막을 지날때는 화씨100 도가 넘는 온도가 숨이 막힐정도로 열풍을 맞이했고
Yellowstone 에서 밤온도는 거의 영도의 온도가 Tent 안에서 떨면서 잠을 재촉했습니다.
Sturgis, South Dakota 도착했을 때는 이미 69년째의 Sturgis Rally가 진행하고 있었고
대략 60만대 에서 100만대의 오토바이들이 전세계에서 모여들었다고 합니다.
정말로 장관이고 놀라지 않을수가 없었습니다.
특히 많은 여성들이 오토바이 즐기는 모습은 저에게도 좀 이색적으로 보였습니다.
그리고 사진에서 보는것 같이 참으로 다양한 여성들의 오토바이 복장을 볼수가 있었습니다.
참고로 South Dakota는 오토바이을 탈때 Helmet 을 안하고 주행할 수 있습니다.
저희가 머물던 Camp-Site에 옆사람들은 Little Rock, Arkansas 에서 왔고 그는 고등학교 드라마 선생님이었습니다. 매년 이곳을 친구들과 와서 일주일간을 보내고 간다고...
다시한번 2009년도 Bike-A-Thon 을 적극적으로 후원해 주신 여러분들께 감사을 드리고
특별히 하나님께 모든 모금운동과 목표액수 이상으로 축복해주시고 안전한 여정이 될수있도록 인도하심에 감사을 드립니다.
특히 Peter Oh 목사님의 현제 파송선교을 준비과정을 범교회적으로 알릴수 있었던 귀한 시간들이었습니다.
현재까지 총모금액은 $14,270가 Pledge 되었고 많은 분들이 이미 교회로 또는 만남의 광장에서 후원금을 지불해 주셨습니다.
앞으로 일-이주일내에 아직 미납하신분들은 교회로 지정헌금 "Bike-A-Thon" 기립하여 헌금해 주시면 100% 모금된 금액을 Peter Oh 목사님 일본 선교 파송되는대 귀하게 쓰여질수 있도록 하겠습니다.
할렐루야!
그리고 2009년도 Bike-A-Thon 을 성공적으로 이끌어 주셔서 다시한번 감사드립니다.
--
Stephen Lee
이원세
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