CMA HeartBeat May 2026 | Page 21

RFS TIP

By KELLY & DENISE Newsome

IN

January 2004, we joined the Augusta, Georgia CMA chapter, Resurrected Riders # 592. Not long after, we started hearing about Run for the Son( RFS). I don’ t remember what was said, but I do remember hearing that if I raised $ 75, I would get an RFS t-shirt. Like others, I began getting people to sponsor me. It never crossed my mind to contribute myself, as I had no idea what RFS was about. It was just something my chapter was doing.
In June, my president and I rode the 800 + miles to the National Rally on Iron Mountain. On the day the RFS ministry partners presented, I was there. Each partner spoke of the tremendous work being accomplished because of RFS. Their stories were personal and full of emotion, and I could almost see the things they were describing. I can still remember where I was sitting. I was overcome
with feelings of guilt and selfishness as I had only been interested in receiving a t-shirt. I came home with a renewed interest in doing more for RFS, including personally sowing into the ministry.
My first CMA / MVI mission trip was in 2009 to Nicaragua. We equipped five pastors with motorcycles. It was a life-changing experience for me. Tearfully, each pastor shared his testimony and spoke of how much this motorcycle would expand his ministry. We prayed over each pastor and blessed their bikes. I love doing Bike Blessings at home, always have, always will, but this was different. As we prayed over these pastors, we knew we were equipping them and that many would come to the Lord. There wasn’ t a dry eye anywhere.
In 2010, we went to Peru with CMA / MVI, and there our team
presented three motorcycles, two outboard motors, and 10 bicycles. The outboard motors went to two pastors who used long poles to push their dugout canoes up and down the river. They already had the JESUS film, but could only travel so far. Some nights, they would sleep on the riverbank and travel again the next day. The outboard motor would now make their journey safer and allow them to travel farther, reaching more people.
By now, we had seen RFS transportation reach end users in Nicaragua and Peru. And we had witnessed our ministry partners working together by equipping pastors in Peru with outboards that were already using the JESUS film. It was obvious that RFS was bigger than we ever imagined. After multiple mission trips over the next fifteen years, we have continued to see God’ s hand at work through CMA and RFS.
21
cmausa. org
( continue on page 28)