Paul Leamon's Story - Texas Rider

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​My Request
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Please see my story and the mission details after this request.  The ride and donation of the motorcycle is easy on my part.  We are blessed to have the funds to be able to purchase the bike and pay all my travel expenses. 

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I am asking friends and family to help support this ministry in a significant way by doing the following:

1. Pray
  • Pray that churches, individuals and organizations will want to donate the needed funds to build the Youth Sports Complexes.
  • Pray that the Ride Extreme for Youth Extreme social media and website will go viral (https://www.facebook.com/rideextreme4youthextreme ).
  • Pray that everyone going on Ride Extreme will seek to glorify God.
  • Pray that Ride Extreme will be a blessing to others, as well as motivate others to actions of significance.
  • Pray for smooth border crossings.
  • Pray for safety for the riders.
  • Pray us through the ride and mission and track our progress as we will have updates given online daily (more to come on this).

2. Donate​ to fund a Youth Complex in Nicaragua
  • Donate any amount you feel led to donate, no donation is too small
  • If you donate, please let me know so I can thank you, I don’t need to know the amount, but I want to know that you are a partner in this mission!
  • All of your contributions will go directly to funding a Youth Complex in Nicaragua
  • See the instructions for donating online or via mail below.  The website is secure and all contributions are tax deductible!
  • Thank you for your donations!!!

Click on the button below to donate online. This is Midway Church's secure giving site. You will need to create a profile and password. Designate your gift to the Ride Extreme Fund.
     Or, if you prefer to mail a check, then make your check out to Midway Church and mail it to: Midway Church, 9540 Hwy 377 South, Pilot Point, TX 76258 and designate your gift to Ride Extreme Nicaragua. ​
PictureYamaha DT 100
My Motorcycle Background


In high school, before we were old enough to drive cars, my friends started getting dirt bikes to ride in the empty lot behind our houses.  I had fun taking turns on their bikes, but wanted one of my own, so I got 2 paper routes and worked all summer to earn about $400 to buy a used Yamaha DT 100 dual sport bike (1976-78, similar to the one in the photo).  I had so much fun riding in the dirt, mud and trails with my friends.   In many ways, there is nothing better in my mind than trail riding, seeing nature, exploring the outdoors and making it through some tough and fun trails.
PicturePaul on a Yamaha YZ 250


​I sold that bike before going to college, but in college borrowed my roommate’s Suzuki Katana 550 to get my motorcycle driver’s license.  However, I have never owned a street bike after getting my license – until now.  I owned a Yamaha YZ250 and a TT 125 for a few years for dirt riding with my oldest son, Nick. ​
PictureAlison, Nick, Linda, Paul, Andrea, and Mark
My Family and Church​

​My wife, Linda and I have 3 adult children, Nick, Andrea and Mark.  Nick is married to Alison and we are blessed to have her as our daughter-in-law. 

​​I was saved at 9 years old.  Linda and I have been active in our churches throughout the years.  We met and were married at Plymouth Park Baptist Church in Irving, Texas where we grew up.  After college we moved to Plano, Texas and were involved at First Baptist Church of Plano.  We moved to McKinney, Texas to raise our children and joined First Baptist Church McKinney.  In July 2016, we moved to Pilot Point, Texas and joined Midway Church.  I have taught adult Bible study, been a deacon and been on a building committee that built a 50,000 sq. ft. children’s building, but I have never been on a mission trip.  My wife and kids have been on many mission trips in the U.S. and internationally. 
Picture2008 Honda XR650L that I will be riding from Pilot Point, Texas to Managua, Nicaragua and then donating to the mission
The Invitation

​I soon met Bruce Walker after visiting Midway Church as we attended his Sunday school class.  Bruce Walker told me about doing the Trans America Trail (a 5,000 mile trip from Tennessee to the Pacific Ocean in Oregon, mostly on dirt trails http://www.transamtrail.com/ ) with his son Cooper.  That sounded so fun, I wished my youngest son and I would have known him then and joined them on that adventure. 

A few weeks later, he told me about the Ride Extreme mission trip, where he was going to ride a motorcycle from Texas through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to get to Managua, Nicaragua, donate the bike to the mission, tour the churches and the missions work Brian Weed and team is doing there and then fly home.  I told him it sounded crazy!   And awesome!  I told him I would think about it.  When I talked to my wife and family about it, they told me that if there was ever a mission trip for me, then this had to be it!  That sealed the deal for me.  I think it was about a week later that Bruce found a used bike nearby and a day later it was sitting in my garage.  Bruce and I have been having fun adding crucial upgrades to the bike to get it ready for this epic ride.
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The Ride

Three of us from Pilot Point along with Brian Weed will be leaving in April 2017 and riding one day to San Antonio.  The Wisconsin team is shipping their bikes to San Antonio and join us there.  Then we ride for 9 more days through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.  The trip will take us through 6 countries and about 2,300 miles in 10 days!
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But Wait, There’s More!

The mission has grown from just donating the motorcycles to provide transportation to the local pastors to also include fund raising to build Youth Sports complexes.  Think of these as covered outdoor basketball courts.  Each of the complexes will cost $70,000 each. They are big enough to have youth rallies, volleyball, indoor soccer, basketball and much more!      These complexes will help the local pastors be able to reach even more Youth! 

Planned Youth Sports Complex Locations

The Texas riders are working to raise $70,000 in funds to build a complex for the Jalapa location.

The Wisconsin riders are working to raise $70,000 in funds to build a complex for the Pochocuape location.

These are our goals and any extra funds will go toward building complexes at these additional 10 locations:
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  • Sandino
  • Leon
  • Managua
  • Las Nubes
  • Los Hatillos
  • Pueblo Nuevo
  • La Esmeralda
  • Condega
  • Masaya
  • El Rama
​These spaces will be a big improvement over some of the existing church meeting spaces as you can see in the photo below.
​Joining a Successful Team

It is a joy to join the work God is doing through Brian Weed and his team!  They have been doing impressive work in Nicaragua for almost 15 years.  Presently, Familia Avance Nicaragua has twelve churches, Children's Feeding Centers, and a Medical Center that cares for over 1,000 patients every month!
Here are a few photos to see them in action.
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Pochocuape Church
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Soccer in Nueva Segovia
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La Esmeralda Clinic
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La Esmeralda Clinic
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​Avance Sport / FCA is a proven organization that is already plugged into the lives of 2,000 youth. 
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Soccer Training
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Avance Sport Touching Hearts Too

​Thanks for reading about my story and the mission.  

Please help us with your prayers and donations to reach even more youth!