Join me on the Ride for Hope 2014

RideforHope

Looking for a cycling challenge that will help a great cause?

In 2009, seven Perth cyclists pedalled on a fund raising journey from Perth to Albany in Western Australia, a distance of over 500 kilometres.

After the success of the event, plans were made for a ride from Albany to Perth in 2010. That year eleven cyclists took to the roads.

So far five rides have taken place with the 2013 ride involving 21 cyclists and a support crew of 8.

In 2014 the Ride for Hope is on again, running from the 18th to the 25th of October. This year participants will be able to choose to support either SIMaid’s Girls off the Streets or Compassion Australia.

I’ll be riding for Compassion as I seek to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name.

We’re currently looking for cyclists and support crew. If you’re interested just head to the website for more details. Registrations close soon so …. get to it.

Saturday 18th October 2014: Perth to Albany – Bus
Sunday 19th October 2014: Rest Day
Monday 20th October 2014: Albany to Cranbrook 91 km
Tuesday 21st October 2014: Cranbrook to Katanning 80 km
Wednesday 22nd October 2014: Katanning to Wagin 55 km
Thursday 23rd October 2014: Wagin to Pingelly 100 km
Friday 24th October 2014: Pingelly to York 87 km
Saturday 25th October 2014: York to Perth 97 km
TOTAL: 510 km



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What will you be doing next week?

I’ll be cycling over 500 kilometres next week so that young girls can escape the horror of an abusive past. I’m hoping that you think that that’s something important and that maybe you’ll be able to support some of those girls by sponsoring my ride.

Childhood should be a time of innocence, yet for millions around the world it’s a time of abuse, exploitation and despair. It’s impossible to imagine the horror a young girl experiences when she’s stolen from her home then raped a dozen times a day by different men to make money for someone else.

Human trafficking enslaves about 27 million people around the world. That is more than the population of Australia. Of these modern day slaves the UN estimates 79% of them are caught up in sexual trafficking. According to “Save the Children” at any one time across the world, around 1.8 million children are being abused through prostitution, child pornography and sex tourism.

I took a trip in December last year to Bangladesh and India to see the excellent work being done through SIMaid’s Girls off the Streets. I was so amazed at the work that is being done to bring hope and healing to young women who have been rescued from sex trafficking that I wanted to do more to help shine some light into some very dark corners of our world.

What I saw on my trip was young women, some very young, who had been sexually exploited and sold into prostitution but who are now growing in confidence as they learn to trust again and develop life skills that will give them a strong foundation for life ahead. Girls off the Streets is giving them a future and importantly, letting them know that they are truly loved.

Morning Cafe Ride for Hope

So next week I’ll be leading 98five’s Morning Cafe Ride for Hope. The ride will involve more than 20 cyclists riding over 500 kilometres from Albany to Perth. As part of the event I’m raising money for SIMaid’s Girls off the Streets. My personal fund raising target is $1500. Thanks to some very generous and caring people I’m heading towards that goal. Can you please consider helping me get across the line by making a donation?

Please consider giving whatever you can. What can you give? Five dollars? Ten dollars? Fifty dollars? The need is desperate and any donation of $2 or more is tax deductible (in Australia).

If you’d like to make a difference in the lives of young girls who desperately need your support, simply visit our fundraising page and choose my name from the drop down menu as the participant you’d like to support.

Let me thank you in anticipation of your support.



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Stories of Hope and Healing

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Can I tell you a story? Do you have a few minutes to hear about some amazing things that are happening to release girls from abuse and exploitation?

While in Bangladesh and India last month I had opportunity to see the work of SIMaid’s Girls off the Streets project.

I’m amazed at what’s being done to bring hope and healing to young women who have been rescued from human trafficking. Young women who have been sexually exploited and sold into prostitution are now growing in confidence as they learn to trust again and develop life skills that will give them a strong foundation for life ahead. Girls off the Streets is giving them a future and importantly, letting them know that they are truly loved.

If you haven’t already, let me encourage you to check out Girls off the Streets and find out how you can be part of this project which is bringing hope to those who had lost hope.

Please take the time to click the play button on the audio player below to hear an interview where I explain some of the journey. The interview was recorded just before I returned to Australia and it’ll give you a much better idea of what can be done to create a brighter tomorrow for girls who have experienced a devastating past.



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Telling an Extraordinary Story

India

If you’ve dropped in here over the past couple of months I’m sure you know that I took a trip last month to Bangladesh and India to see the excellent work being done through SIMaid’s Girls off the Streets.

I’m amazed at the work that is being done to bring hope and healing to young women who have been rescued from human trafficking. Young women who have been sexually exploited and sold into prostitution are now growing in confidence as they learn to trust again and develop life skills that will give them a strong foundation for life ahead. Girls off the Streets is giving them a future and importantly, letting them know that they are truly loved.

If you haven’t already, let me encourage you to check out Girls off the Streets and find out how you can be part of this project which is bringing hope to those who had lost hope.

If you live in the Perth area I want to let you know that I’ll be talking about the trip and sharing some insights this Sunday morning at Southern River Church of Christ. We meet at Thornlie Christian College, Furley Road, Southern River at 10:30. It’d be great if you could make it and I’d love to share a coffee with you after the service.

If you can’t make it but you’re part of a church or other group around Perth, and you’d like to hear more, I’m looking for more places to speak up for young girls who can’t. Get in touch with me via my Contact Page so that we can arrange a time and date.



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The Beginnings of Reflection

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I love India. It’s unpredictable, mesmerising, beautiful and full of contrasts. You can see photos or video of India and get a little bit of an understanding for this country but you really have to visit India to even begin to see a true snapshot of what this nation is all about. This is my third visit to India and I still know so little about the country.

What a difference a day makes.

Yesterday I was walking across ancient, crafted marble at the Taj Mahal in Agra. Today I’m sitting in a guest room in Parliament Street in Delhi. Outside there are hundreds of unionists taking part in a protest. Leaders are chanting slogans though a P.A. system that’s been turned up to eleven and the assembled group is replying loudly. I have no idea what their cause is because it’s all in Hindi, but they certainly sound passionate. It’s now he middle of the day but the rally started early this morning.

Not far from here, at India Gate, a protest continues against six young men who raped and beat a 23 year old girl on a moving bus travelling through parts of Delhi. There has been a national outcry and there are demonstrations being held all over India calling for the perpetrators to be hanged. One of the rapists has already admitted his guilt and said that he should be hanged.

The events here are being reported around the world, including in Australia.

THE hours-long gang-rape and near-fatal beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi has triggered outrage and anger across the country as Indians demand action from authorities who have long ignored persistent violence and harassment against women.

In the streets and in parliament, calls rose for stringent and swift punishment against those attacking women, including a proposal to make rapists eligible for the death penalty. As the calls for action grew louder, two more gang-rapes were reported, including one in which the 10-year-old victim was killed.

“I feel it is sick what is happening across the country.It is totally sick, and it needs to stop,” said Smitha, a 32-year-old protester who goes by only one name. – News.com.au

It seems strange that against that backdrop I will be celebrating Christmas with a group of Indian friends later today. As I’ve said many times, India is a land of contrasts.

Girls off the Streets

While in India this time I’ve had opportunity to see the work of SIMaid’s Girls off the Streets project.

I’m amazed at the work that is being done to bring hope and healing to young women who have been rescued from human trafficking. Young women who have been sexually exploited and sold into prostitution are now growing in confidence as they learn to trust again and develop life skills that will give them a strong foundation for life ahead. Girls off the Streets is giving them a future and importantly, letting them know that they are truly loved.

If you haven’t already, let me encourage you to check out Girls off the Streets and find out how you can be part of this project which is bringing hope to those who had lost hope.



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