Hello! Thank you for taking the time to look at my fundraising page. Currently, I teach 7th-grade English, literature, and religion at St. Francis Holy Ghost in Jerseyville, IL. I first got into cycling in middle school. Dad had thrifted a cycling bike in hopes that one of us 6 kids could join him on some rides. I stepped up to the plate to give it a whack!
My Dad and I trained in the neighborhood with cycling etiquette, techniques, and mechanics. We worked our way up to running 18-milers together in God’s beautiful countryside. We got a few years of riding together before his surgery, which caused him to stop cycling. I grew to love my time in the countryside, gliding down hills, pacing myself on the flats, grinding up those tough hills, and most importantly, enjoying time with God.
Why I wanted to be a missionary this year
After reading an article about Biking for Babies in my favorite magazine, The Catholic Times, I knew I wanted to be a missionary. Initially, what captured my attention was not just the missionaries' impressive cycling of 600 miles in a week, but also the joy they experienced during their training and on the ride. This joy, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, surely comes when we see the inherent, God-given dignity in another and promote the culture of life. As I read about these individuals in the article, determined to fight the culture of death, grow closer to Jesus, and advocate for women facing unplanned pregnancies, I made a goal to join them. As Christians, we believe that we can support these women going through a spiritual crisis, not just financially, but also through our sufferings and prayers. St. Pope John Paul II insisted, “prayer joined to sacrifice constitutes the greatest force in human history.” Therefore, I know my prayers and sacrifice in the mission can help the women, the elderly, my students, my family, you, myself, and all humans have a newfound love of the incredible gift of our own lives.
Biking for Babies proclaims the dignity of human life by uniting cycling with the formation of young adults into missionary disciples of Jesus Christ. We achieve this by forming young adults in the Gospel of life, raising awareness, and fundraising for pregnancy resource centers. I am thankful to partner with our local Vitality Women's Clinic here in Godfrey, IL. If you like to help support me in our mission, please consider praying for us, sharing the mission, or donating below.
Join me in Biking for Babies' mission by making a gift towards my fundraising campaign. Your gift supports our mission to renew the culture of life by forming young adult missionaries and raising awareness and funds for pregnancy resource centers that support pregnant women across the country.