INSPIRATION RIDERS

The Inspiration Riders (Knoxville chapter of the CMA) has started a praise band called simply, “The Inspiration Riders.” We have Dick Anderson on guitar and backup vocals, Bob Winter on drums, “Spider Tom” Case on bass and backup vocals, and I sing.

We’ll be playing before the CMA’s Sunday morning service at the Devils Triangle Motorcycle Rally at Grey Wolf Campground on April 27. The service starts at 9:00AM. Our speakers will be Lonnie Greg and Sandi Fatow.

Please pray that many will come to know the Lord during this evangelistic outreach.

To learn more about the rally go to greywolfcampground.com.

STEAM SHOVEL

Start with a little Lynyrd Skynyrd, throw in some ZZ Top, add some Fabulous Thunderbirds and a healthy dollop of Muddy Waters, sprinkle in some Eagles, mix well, and what do you get? Steam Shovel.

“HUH?!”

That’s right. Steam Shovel is an old school R&B band that I recently joined. We’ve been practicing for a few months now and have our first gig this weekend at the Devils Triangle Motorcycle Rally at Grey Wolf Campground. We’ll perform Friday and Saturday sometime after 2:00PM each day.

“What’s a nice Christian boy doing in that kind of band” you may ask? Well, as the late great Larry Norman said, “I know that Jesus saved my soul, but I still like to listen to the radio.” He also said, “There’s nothing wrong with playing blues licks.” This kind of music is just plain fun. It’s music about the human condition. Besides, to reach a lost and dying world we need to show them that we can identify with them. Hardcore bikers don’t identify with starched white shirts and hymn music.

The band is Chuck “Guitar” McCrosky on electric guitar, the “Great and Powerful Tony” on drums, “Spider Tom” Case on bass and backup vocals, and yours truly on vocals.

“Spider Tom” and I are both CMA members and will be wearing our colors on stage. If the crowd likes our music maybe they’ll be more willing to hear what we have to say about spiritual matters after the show.

The CMA will be well represented at this rally. Pray for witnessing opportunities.

To learn more about the rally go to greywolfcampground.com.

GOOD NEWS FROM GUATEMALA

The container of medical supplies that we shipped on Friday, March 28, has cleared customs and arrived at our “bodega” in Guatemala on Friday, April 11. Two weeks door to door is better than we had hoped for. My thanks to everyone who prayed for a swift passage.

This forty foot container contained medicine and nutritional supplies that our medical team will need when they arrive on May 1. Our team will be working along side a Joni and Friends wheelchair distribution team for about a week. Please pray for the teams as they prepare to minister in the name of Jesus to some of the most impoverished people of Guatemala.

Bodega Bruce

P.S. I will remain at home to continue working on the next container, which is scheduled to ship in mid June.

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your prayers. The container left for Guatemala on time Friday and should be at sea sometime today (Monday). This load includes supplies for our medical team which will be in Guatemala the first week in May, a dozen medical exam tables, 58 wheelchairs for Bethel Ministries International, supplies for Hospital Shalom Peten, and hundreds of other items for distribution to anyone in need from our "bodega" in Guatemala.

Now it's time for me to start working on the next load, which should be ready to sail sometime in May.

THANKS for your prayers and support.
Bodega Bruce

Check out the Links (below right) to visit our Vine Guatemala blog site, Hospital Shalom, and Bethel.

Vine International: Ministry Prayer Request

I just found out that our shipping date for the next container of medical supplies to Guatemala is March 28. This caught me a little off guard, as I was hoping to have another week. (I’m glade I went to Daytona, but part of me wishes I could have that time back.) Vine has a medical team going on May 1, and we have medicines in our “bodega” (warehouse) that they will need. It can take 3-4 weeks to clear customs, so shipping on the 28th is our only option.

Recently I saw “WWJWD?” That stands for “What Would John Wayne Do?” The “Duke” would hunker down and get the job done no matter what, and that’s what I’ll do. I’ll be working long hours over the next 9 days, including Easter. Please pray for my stamina.

Bodega Bruce

Shipping News

So far this year Vine has imported 3 containers into Guatemala. One came from our “bodega” in Tennessee, one from Samaritan’s Purse, and one from MAP International. We hope to have another one ready to ship from our “bodega” in a few weeks, and Joni and Friends of Knoxville is working on a container of wheelchairs. Vine has partnered with Joni and Friends since the day they opened their Knoxville office, and has handled the importation of all their wheelchairs into Guatemala. 2008 is off to a great start, thanks to all our great supporters! You can click on the Vine International link (below right) to visit our home page.

Daytona Bike Week

Ministering at Daytona
By Bruce White

This year a few Inspiration Riders went to Daytona Bike Week. Bike Week can be a lot of fun, but the main reason you’ll see us there is for ministry. We long to share the Gospel of Jesus with others, to lend a hand at biker events, or just be a friend when we see someone in need.

One evening a few of us met a waitress who I’ll call Angie, (not her real name). Angie is a single mother of two, and has known some hard times for someone so young. She told us that her oldest son asked her recently, “Who is Jesus?” Her son’s question touched her heart. She felt like he needed to know who Jesus was and she enrolled him in Sunday School at a local Church.

We were able to share the Gospel with Angie and offer her some encouragement. She was eager to listen and promised to teach what we had shared to her children. We left her a tract to help her on her journey of knowing Christ, and I pray that Angie will take to heart what she heard from us.

Opportunities like this one are what the CMA member lives for. What a joy it was to share the love of God with Angie. That’s why we ware the patch, and that’s why we go to events like Daytona Bike Week.

When you see us wearing the CMA patch, ask us why we wear it. We won’t preach at you, we’ll just tell you that Jesus loves us, and He wants you to know that He loves you, too.”

THE RIDE HOME
By Bruce White

All good things must come to an end, so on Saturday, March 8, I began my ride home from Daytona. The Interstate system is a great way to get where you’re going fast, but let’s face it, it’s BORING! For my ride home I decided to take the US Highways and see a little of our great country. Here’s a few of the things that I saw that I would have missed if I had taken the Interstate.

One thing you’ll not find off the next exit is Gram’s Kitchen. The food was fantastic, and the walls were covered with motorcycle memorabilia and painted saw blades.

In south Georgia I discovered the roadside grave of one of our southern heroes, 1st LT Elias Whiddon, CSA, 1838-1865. As I continued north I passed Texas Longhorn cattle ranches, Bison ranches, pecan groves, and peach orchards. I saw Canadian geese on ponds covered with lilies, and American flags flying from front porches. I rode through small town squares with red brick courthouses and monuments to Confederate soldiers, and passed many a cotton field.

Riding the back roads takes longer, but if you love to ride there’s nothing like slowing down to smell the chicken ranch.

Happy riding, and I’ll see you on the back roads.