White Cloud, KS

We started in Brownville Nebraska on the day of their annual street fair, and enjoyed a little street music & bought some honey.  Leah & I walked through the crowds, and it took us half an hour to go the first few blocks!  About 10 miles down the road, we passed by the turn to Indian Cave state park, about 4 or 5 miles off the route.  I remained silent, not speaking a word of my desire to make the detour to my partners.  There was no time to check it out.  Tyranny of the clock.  My plan had been to camp there, but we were behind schedule.  I had to make it to St Louis by Oct 10, and if we didn't keep pushing ahead, I wouldn't make it.  As I pedaled by the intersection, it set me to pondering the costs of choices we make.   I was completely thrilled to attend my nephew's wedding.  Now my legs felt the price of leaving the trail for a week, pushing through longer mileage days to make up that time; my emotions had the work of letting go of plans passed by.  I had to remind myself, I'm not doing this as a tourist, I'm doing this for God. Obedience is what matters, not what I want.  Is this what Jesus meant by taking up our cross daily?  Dying those little deaths to what I desire and instead pushing on toward loving others, taking responsibility, reaching the goal God set before me?

We had dramatic cloudy skies, the wind was favorable for a change, and we enjoyed a fast downhill pace into Falls City.  After a brief stop to pray in front of the Richardson County Courthouse, it was down to the river at Rulo where Leah & Dan traded places.  The riverfront ride onto the Iowa Indian Reservation and across into state of Kansas was gorgeous.  Idyllic really.  Wow Toto, I didn't know Kansas looked like this!  Late afternoon lighting, serene water, flat ground of the flood plain, very little traffic, lush, green vegetation along the old river terrace.  Ah, He leads me beside still waters.  As we passed, I counted five hawks that took flight over the water.  After pedaling past such beauty, I anticipated a nice quiet campsite at White Cloud Marina. Once again, expectations dashed.  What we got was the constant whine of this grain elevator all night long that was right across the street.  Only thing at the campsite was a pit toilet, fish cleaning station and boat ramp.  The scene was lovely, and we were right on the water, yet my spirit couldn't settle and body had difficulty sleeping with the mechanical whine that earplugs failed to dampen.  Leah too got stretched by the conditions of our roadside camp.  I puzzled, why God, was it so important for us to come here? I wanted Leah & Dan to have a good camping experience.  Yet not my desires, but yours God...

Dan creatively formed a kitchen on the hood of the car.

In the morning, Leah went on ahead to find the night's lodging, and Dan & I attended church.


God's purposes are not for our own comfort, but we are meant to comfort others.


And at church we met the Simmons family, and all became clear.  I DID hear correctly.  The price of a little lost sleep was well worth it.  God sent us here to encourage.  This servant family has a vision to go to South Africa to minister to children, sharing Jesus through reading, soccer, and other projects.  Dan & Dina and their two sons Josiah and Micah, who were adopted from the Ukraine.  All desire to go and work for the restoration of hurting children's lives, but lack enough financial partnership to leave.  It's a difficult thing to be filled with vision and passion for what is to come, yet be in the season of waiting... So we had a chance to chat and encourage them and pray.

 Join us in prayer for the Simmons, and visit their website http://simmons4africa.org . 

 After church, Pastor Crawley invited us home and we had an awesome chicken dinner with his wife, daughter, grandson, and a coworker. Pastor took us to the overlook, standing in Kansas, looking back toward Nebraska, and across to Iowa and Missouri.   We sure enjoyed our time with you!!!