Bicycles Destined To Give Asia's Poor An Easier Ride

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday July 21, 2004

By STEPHEN JOHNSON

KINDNESS in the form of two wheels made its way to Asia yesterday.

A batch of 90 restored bicycles were packed on to trucks to help the needy in Thailand and the Philippines.

For more than six months, Raymond Terrace Hope Christian Outreach Centre parishioners and about 30 work for the dole participants have rebuilt the old bikes.

Fifty bicycles will go to children in the northern Thai town of Chiang Mai, and 40 adult bikes will help the poor in the Philippine city of San Jose.

Volunteers worked four days a week to respray donated bikes that will be shipped from Brisbane.

Outreach minister Lois Jenkins said the new owners of the bikes could build sidecars to enable them to transport goods.

"They'll actually be able to make a living to provide for their families," Pastor Jenkins said.

"Bikes that look crappy to us are gold to them."

Pastor Jenkins said that due to poverty in the Philippines, bikes at rubbish dumps were sought after items.

Hunter parishioners from other Outreach churches came up with the charity idea after they had seen poverty in Asia.

The Raymond Terrace Outreach centre has reconditioned old bikes for the past two years to help Aboriginal communities at Morisset and Karuah.

The church also works alongside the Salvation Army to supply bikes to disadvantaged Hunter families.

© 2004 Newcastle Herald

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