We are in Kansas City now.  Last Sunday we left Chicago with Emmanuel from Ghana, Chris Waddell and Erin Egan from Park City, and Robert and Tamara - some friends we met in Chicago.  It was a really neat reminder of how much Free Wheelchair Mission is about “all of us – riding together”.  Our guests left, and Mike and I proceeded through Illinois and Missouri.  We made a side trip to accept a check for $500 from Galesburg High School.  Among the students was a girl from Peru who had recently been adopted

by an American family.  She began to cry as she let her memories drift back in time to share with her peers how bad conditions are for the poor in Peru.  “I can’t believe that anyone actually cares about the people in Peru.  I am really happy that guys like you are helping them.”

Zip forward a few days to the Ozarks, where the mountains are like waves on the ocean, all about the same height.  When you get to the top of any one of them, you can see all the rest.  In the morning you can see where you will be the next evening.  While riding up a long, steep grade I spotted a turtle in the middle of the opposite lane.  I quickly dismounted and waved down an on-coming pickup, as he would have clearly finished





off that poor turtle.  He put his emergency flashers on to stop anyone behind him, and I escorted the turtle to the grassy slope.  Then I heard a voice from the pickup:  “Son, didn’t I see you on TV a while back?  Man, you’ve come a long way!”  I agreed, told him how beautiful Missouri is, and asked if he would take some of our literature.  “I want to share this with my friends,” he said.

People we meet find our mission fascinating.  Our challenge is to melt the hearts of 20 million of them.  God, thank you for girls from Peru and turtles from the Ozarks!  It is through them that our job will be done.