Biking to End the Cycle of PovertyThis summer RCA Global Mission will partner with the Christian Reformed Church and its mission agencies to take a bite out of poverty, one pedal stroke at a time.  One hundred and thirty-five riders have already signed up for the coast-to-coast ride, which begins June 28 in Seattle, Washington, and culminates on August 31 in Jersey City, New Jersey. Participants can ride one leg of the Sea to Sea 2008 Bike Tour (Seattle to Denver/Denver to Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids to Jersey City) or all three. Riders who ride one leg commit to raise $4,000; those who ride the entire 4,000-mile route will raise $10,000 each. Corporate sponsors are being enlisted to cover the costs of the ride. Ride organizers project that over a million dollars will be raised by the riders and their supporters. The money raised will be directed toward ending poverty around the world through economic development, community development, and leadership development projects sponsored by the four participating ministries: Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, RCA Global Mission, Christian Reformed World Missions, and Partners Worldwide. David Dethmers, of the RCA Global Mission staff, is planning to ride and camp his way from Grand Rapids to Jersey City. And he's hoping scores of fellow RCA-ers will join him on the journey. "It's just a great opportunity," says Dethmers, though he's not completely thrilled about camping along the way. "My idea of camping is when room service ends at midnight," he laughs. "But in the face of the kind of poverty we confront today, it's a small sacrifice to make." For more information about the Sea to Sea 2008 Bike Tour or to register, check out the website www.seatosea.org. For RCA specific information, contact David Dethmers at (800) 968-3943 or ddethmers@rca.org.
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