What does cycling have to do with MDS?

So, at the beginning of this academic year, I knew that on May 21st, 2010, I was going to be leaving my job as a Resident Director at Hesston College (Kansas) and thus also leaving my residence of the last 3 years. I got my BA in Bible/Religion/Philosophy from Goshen College (Indiana) just before coming to Hesston, and as I thought about leaving this position, my mind ran in several different directions when I would think about where my future may take me. As I pondered the next few years of my life, I thought back to two summers ago when I rode my bicycle with a friend (who was mid-way through the Trans American cycling route) from Hesston, KS, to Boise, ID. We did a fair amount of camping along the way and visited friends where we found them. The length of my ride was determined by how much time I had available at that point. In planning for my next transition, I knew I wanted to go on a big ride, I just didn't know how to set a goal for this trip. Then I spoke with one of my students at Hesston, Rudy Litwiller, who told me about his brother (and my former classmate at Goshen) Nathan “Chuck” Litwiller's adventure in his Volkswagen Bug. He and a friend got in his car in Illinois and ventured out to touch all of the contiguous 48 states in 8 days. When I saw a map of their route, I knew what I was going to do with my bicycle trip. Chuck, you have inspired me.

Now that I knew the “what”, “when”, and had a rough idea of the “where” for my first 6 months after leaving Hesston, I needed to answer another big question: Why? I'm walking away from what has been a pretty good job. I'm relatively financially stable, I have a matching couch/loveseat/armchair set, and a well furnished kitchen with table service for 8. I'm selling almost all of it, stashing the remnants with my parents, and disappearing on my bicycle for 6 months or so. Was there any greater purpose than just my own selfish ambitions of taking a 6 month vacation while I was unemployed? I didn't know if there was, but I knew there should be. After seeking council from various friends, and a bit of deliberation of my own, I decided that I wanted to do something for Mennonite Disaster Service. I'm a fan of Mennonites. They've got a pretty well established network of congregations and conferences, and I'm pretty well connected in the Mennonite world already, having grown up in Henderson, NE, gone to college at Goshen College, and worked at Hesston College. MDS became my focus because I like the way they do things.

I have spoken with and seen individuals from a wide range of theological/political/ideological philosophies that have worked with MDS in some form. Their ministry is practical. They don't go into an area that has been decimated by a disaster to beat people over the head with their Bible until they “convert”, rewarding the conversion with a new house. Their ministry IS building that house. Jesus says we're supposed to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the prisoner. MDS meets the needs of people caught in awful situations and empowers them to take further steps to increase their standard of living, all while not being shy or quiet about why.

Helping to meet the needs of individuals that have no other options after a natural disaster is something that I believe anyone of any faith background can get behind. I'm not saying that MDS is perfect or that they're the only ones doing things “right”, but they are definitely doing some great things for a lot of people.