By BRAD Staton

12

September HeartBeat

MINISTRY IN MOTION: TRANS-

FORMING LIVES TOGETHER state of the transportation and motorcy-

cle ministry is STRONG, thanks to the partnership between Missionary Ventures International and CMA. In the last 38 years, through Run for the Son, together we’ ve awarded over 17,000 forms of transportation to ministry leaders and pastors who desperately need it, changing the lives of countless more across the world.

And this year, we will give out the 10,000th motorcycle. The number is impressive, but not as impressive as the lives changed through the transportation ministry.

We are moving people( as Paul said in Ephesians 2) who are“ dead in their transgressions and sins” to be made“ alive in Christ,”“ through no work of their own, so that no one can boast.” That’ s why we do what we do at MVI. And that’ s why you work so hard to raise money through Run for the Son.

Each motorcycle transforms a pastor’ s ministry. As one pastor put it, his bike“ has been more than just transportation— it has been a vessel for God’ s work. It has allowed us to reach those in need, to pray for the sick, and to witness miracles unfold.”

One of those miracles unfolded in a village in the Amazon. In Peru, MVI missionaries Josh and Jennifer Hire, along with their three children, are working to reach an indigenous people group called the Shawi through our Bible School and discipleship training curriculum. They also teach the Shawi people how to farm cocoa plants, which produce fruit that they use to make chocolate, so the Shawi can support their family and church through sustainable farming.

Josh was mentoring a young Shawi pastor, who asked Josh if he would come and share the Gospel in a remote village. After driving his truck for hours into the jungle, they came to the end of the road. The

young pastor told Josh,“ We must hide your truck and walk from here.”“ Why do I need to hide my truck?” Josh asked. The pastor simply replied,“ This is a red zone where they grow and process cocaine. Outsiders are not allowed. If they see your truck, they will vandalize it and slash the tires.”

Upon reaching the village, they were met coldly and questionably by the village’ s leaders and left shortly after. Although Josh now knew it was unsafe for him to enter the area, the young pastor had a passion to continue visiting his people group and sharing the Good News. As a Shawi, he could travel safely in and out of the area.

There was only one problem— his friend didn’ t have any transportation to get around and make the trip. And that’ s where CMA comes in. Run for the Son dollars were sent down immediately, and this Shawi pastor was equipped with a motorcycle so that, in many ways, he could ride it right into the lion’ s den.