Elise Van Pelt, 8, earned $50 doing chores and wanted to put it to God’s use. Could she buy Bibles for the homeless? Her mom got on the internet and did some research.
In the end, they settled on a program called “Push the Pedal,” a ministry through Gospel for Asia that buys bicycles for indigenous missionaries.
Elise asked her pastor, Rev. Richard Ebbers of The Journey Christian Reformed Church in Longmont, Colo., if she could share her desire to raise money for “Push the Pedal” with the congregation. She was allowed to ride her bike to the front of the church and tell the congregation about the program.
The church’s children spent five weeks learning more about “Push the Pedal” and about what God is doing in Asia. They learned that in one day, a missionary with a bike can reach many villages with the gospel, but without a bike might reach only one.
They had a penny competition between the boys and girls to raise money, and Elise’s bike sat in the church lobby so the adults could place donations in the bicycle basket. Altogether they collected $880—enough for eight bicycles.
