By HOLLY Ogden

20

October HeartBeat

WHAT WELCOME HOME MEANS AROUND THE WORLD

arrived, and with it one of the most anticipated moments in our ministry’ s history— the 50th Anniversary International Changing of the Colors Rally. It will be a time to extend a heartfelt“ welcome home” to CMA members from across the globe and to celebrate five decades of God’ s faithfulness in CMA.

What began in 1975 with one man on a motorcycle has grown into a movement touching lives in 34 nations, united under the vision of changing the world, one heart at a time. The phrase“ welcome home” holds special meaning for each member who travels to Iron Mountain— not just as a greeting, but as a reminder of belonging, family, and shared mission. I asked several of our international leaders,“ What does‘ welcome home’ mean for you as you prepare to come to Iron Mountain this October?” Here’ s what they had to say.

Philippines. Being welcomed home to Hatfield for the 50th Anniversary is a powerful and emotional experience for me. The first time I visited Iron Mountain in October 2021, I saw the“ welcome home” banner and was immediately filled with a mix of emotions. And now, for the 50th celebration, that feeling is even stronger. To be welcomed back to Hatfield feels like a profound homecoming that lifts me up both

emotionally and spiritually. This sense of profound connection directly ties into what I believe is the heart of CMA’ s international ministry.

To me, the heart is beautifully reflected in Christian fellowship, brotherhood, and a profound sense of belonging. It’ s about praising and worshipping God alongside fellow Christians, where diverse cultures and backgrounds become unified in our devotion. It’ s truly vital to reach out to different nations so they can see, feel, and believe the love of God through CMA. This feeling of being welcomed home perfectly encapsulates the inclusive and unifying spirit that drives CMA’ s mission worldwide.

Argentina. In October 2017, a young man( me) from one of the smallest provinces in Argentina found himself in a place he’ d never dreamed of being: a small town( Mena) with hundreds of motorcyclists with CMA patches on their backs and big bikes zooming around. I couldn’ t stay at the hotel I’ d been assigned to as I was so excited and anxious. In my broken English, I asked a CMA member I met on the street for a ride to Iron Mountain, and he agreed after giving me a hug and a“ WELCOME.” Iron Mountain took my breath away— tents, RVs, flags, thousands of patches— and suddenly, I found myself with glassy eyes and a tear rolling down my cheek as I said to

myself,“ God called all these people, just like me. What a blessing to be in this place.” I am looking forward to being in that place again and know that I’ ll be reunited with my great CMA family.

Australia. As we are now counting down the weeks and days left until we catch the“ Big Bird” across the pond to Iron Mountain to join the 50th Anniversary celebrations of CMA USA we reflect on our journey with CMA. Barry has been a CMA member in Australia since 1986( 39 years) and Margy since 1989( 36 years). Our first encounter with CMA USA was in November 1992 when Herbie Shreve visited Australia. He called us out of the crowd and prayed for us. We enjoyed our journey in CMA, traveling with our two daughters in a sidecar and then 2-up as they grew up.

As CMA in Australia grew it was decided to form a more formal association, so‘ CMA Australia’ became a united body in 2003, and Barry became the first national leader. Our first CMA International involvement came in 2005 via Missionary Ventures with Barry taking a journey to the Philippians to service CMA USA donated motorcycles. After a personal visit from John Ogden Sr in 2005, we travelled to the USA in 2006 for our first CMA USA International Rally and international leadership conference. During this visit we