Bruce Judkins' Story-2018
I was blessed to be asked to be a "founding member" of the original Ride Extreme Team. This included Brian Weed (missionary in Nicaragua), Bruce Walker from Texas, and myself. We all worked together beginning in 2016 to do "something extreme" on motorcycles to raise money to build youth complexes in Nicaragua where Brian had already planted churches. This led to a group of men riding motorcycles from Texas to Nicaragua in April of 2017.
You can scroll to the bottom of the page to find a variety of links detailing my personal story leading up to last year's ride as well as links to the actual ride. It was unbelievably awesome and successful!!
You can scroll to the bottom of the page to find a variety of links detailing my personal story leading up to last year's ride as well as links to the actual ride. It was unbelievably awesome and successful!!
t Last year we ended up with riders from 3 different states that went on the ride to Nicaragua from Texas. There were 5 guys from Texas, 4 from Missouri, and as it turned out, just me from Wisconsin. Along with donating the bikes that we rode down, each "state" committed to raising $70,000 each to build a youth sports complex for a church in Nicaragua. I am thankful and proud to announce that the Texas and Missouri ride teams had raised their funds by the end of the ride. One of their complexes is actually completed and the other about 80% complete!!!
But my journey continues. To be honest, I am totally amazed what God has already accomplished in my journey. In the past 18 months I have been able to raise about $60,000 of $80,000 I committed to (this larger total included buying the bike, fees, administration, etc.). This means that we still need to raise about another $20,000 to get Wisconsin Youth Complex in Pocochuape, Nicaragua built. Why Pocochuape you might ask? See "the rest of the story" below.
I have to tell you, I was starting to get concerned on how I was going to raise the rest of the money. The original ride finished more than a year ago. I was still knocking on doors and seeking donations at every opportunity but some of the excitement was gone. That is until I was awakened from a dead sleep in April 2018 with a new thought - kind of like a vision actually.
YOU NEED TO DO ANOTHER EXTREME RIDE - DO AN IRON BUTT 1000 MILE RIDE IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS!!
That is the impetus for this year's ride. I immediately reached out to people that I knew who had at least one of the following traits:
WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS JOB DONE!!!
But my journey continues. To be honest, I am totally amazed what God has already accomplished in my journey. In the past 18 months I have been able to raise about $60,000 of $80,000 I committed to (this larger total included buying the bike, fees, administration, etc.). This means that we still need to raise about another $20,000 to get Wisconsin Youth Complex in Pocochuape, Nicaragua built. Why Pocochuape you might ask? See "the rest of the story" below.
I have to tell you, I was starting to get concerned on how I was going to raise the rest of the money. The original ride finished more than a year ago. I was still knocking on doors and seeking donations at every opportunity but some of the excitement was gone. That is until I was awakened from a dead sleep in April 2018 with a new thought - kind of like a vision actually.
YOU NEED TO DO ANOTHER EXTREME RIDE - DO AN IRON BUTT 1000 MILE RIDE IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS!!
That is the impetus for this year's ride. I immediately reached out to people that I knew who had at least one of the following traits:
- They were motorcycle nuts
- They had a passion for God
- They had done things in their lives that other people would have thought were crazy
- They loved children
- They loved sports
WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS JOB DONE!!!
Now, for "the rest of the story". In January of 2016 the company I work for hired a new employee for one of the maintenance departments that I oversee. It just so happened that he is from Managua, Nicaragua. What a coincidence hey? Well, as a God follower, I don't believe in coincidence. I ended up doing a considerable amount of training with Marcelo. In a matter of days we became "hermanos" - brothers.
I shared with him what was going on in my life. I was very interested in this new church that Brian had planted in Pocochuape so I asked Marcelo if he knew anything about Pocochuape. His eyes lit up as he told me he could walk there in about 20 minutes (through fields) from his home in Managua. He said it is a very rough area though. Lots of crime and gangs. It was then that I knew God's plan. He laid it on my heart to raise $70,000 to build Wisconsin Youth Complex in Pocochuape!
I shared with him what was going on in my life. I was very interested in this new church that Brian had planted in Pocochuape so I asked Marcelo if he knew anything about Pocochuape. His eyes lit up as he told me he could walk there in about 20 minutes (through fields) from his home in Managua. He said it is a very rough area though. Lots of crime and gangs. It was then that I knew God's plan. He laid it on my heart to raise $70,000 to build Wisconsin Youth Complex in Pocochuape!
I can't thank you enough if you read long enough to read this line. You are a blessing to me and now have an opportunity to bless others. I can assure you that any contribution that you make WILL change the lives of some of the youth in Nicaragua. God bless you!!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS GIFT!!
HERE ARE A VARIETY OF LINKS TO LAST YEAR'S RIDE.