Warren Propst's Story-Missouri Rider
My name is Warren Propst and this is my story. I started riding motorcycles when I was about 10 years old on Indian Point in Branson, Missouri, after my family moved from Iowa to Indian Point in the 1970’s. I have ridden everything from dirt bikes to Goldwings and I can't believe that I have an opportunity to ride a dual sport bike through Mexico and Central America. What an incredible way to serve the Lord! And, this is how this journey started...
When I was 17 I was invited to a Young Life meeting where I accepted Christ as my Savior. Because of this, I know how important it is to reach out to our youth for Christ and how important it is that kids have an opportunity to hear the Gospel and to be discipled in the Word.
In 1988, I married Lisa (Thompson), the best wife and mother ever! Lisa and I have two children: Brianna, 20 and Garret, 15. Beside homeschooling our kids, Lisa enjoys serving in children’s ministries.
In 1996 we started attending High Street Baptist Church and after a few months I took an important step by following Christ’s example and was baptized. Over the past 20 years I have had the privilege to serve in our children’s ministry, as well as a member of our deacon board. I have been employed by ABF Freight System as a city driver for 22 years.
Brianna is a junior at Drury University and is employed with High Street as a receptionist. Recently, she coordinated High Street’s first “Night to Shine,” prom and has helped launch Shine, a ministry for special needs adults. In 2015, she spent a week in Guatemala with missionary, Karen Kolb and visited Eagle’s Nest in Solola’. She has made me promise to check on all of “her kids” and I can’t wait to meet some of them.
Garret is a freshman and is home schooled. On Tuesdays, he attends a co-op with over 100 other home-school families. He is an avid archery and firearms hunter, fisherman and, like me, he loves being outdoors. He serves on the audio/video team for High Street’s Young Adult service.
I first heard about Ride Extreme during our mission conference last fall. Brian and Rachel Weed were updating us on their work in Nicaragua. They shared their vision for Youth Extreme and their desire to see sports complexes built across Nicaragua. When Brian told us they were planning Ride Extreme to raise funds for the complexes, I looked at my wife and said, “This is my dream mission trip.”
I believe her response was something like, “Yeah, right!” And, I knew she was right; there was no way for me to make this possible. But God continued to lay it on my heart and after much thought and prayer, I said, “Yes!” So I am relying on Him to make this possible.
I have a little experience with situations that seem impossible for me, but are not impossible for Him. September 13, 2006, after months of having terrible pain in my right upper hip, I went to a doctor and an x-ray revealed that I had a very large malignant tumor in my upper right femur. He informed me that it could not be removed, but he didn't know how, or if, it could be treated. Later that night, we did some research and discovered that most primary bone tumors were not receptive to chemo or radiation. Pretty impossible.
After seeing an oncologist is Springfield, I was referred to an orthopedic oncologist in KC. A month later I was having surgery to remove the tumor and the femur from above my knee to the hip socket. They replaced my bone with titanium. Six months later I was back to work at full capacity! God is good! I happy to say I am 10 years cancer free! God did the impossible. I'm trusting Him to do the impossible again.
