A brass band and a large banner welcomed five Americans and 12 Ukrainians pedaling into the town of Dubne, Ukraine. In the middle of the crowd of people awaiting our arrival were two girls in traditional dresses holding a large round loaf of bread on a long embroidered cloth. It was my responsibility, as leader of the American team, to accept their show of hospitality. I smiled a lot, took the bread, broke off a chunk to eat, and kept looking pleased while passing the rest around for others to enjoy.

After this ceremonial welcome, we were informed that in the center of town the mayor and a press corp were waiting to greet us to ask questions about our trip. I remember thinking, "Wow! How did I end up here—in this town in western Ukraine—receiving this reception?"

The ride resulted from a project associated with the Niles (Michigan) Westside Seventh-day Adventist Church. Church members were impressed to provide bicycles for Ukrainian pastors after learning they often live on a salary of less than a $100 a month and most do not have private transportation. Members were also surprised to discover Ukrainian pastors typically minister to three churches in a 30 to 50 kilometer radius. Their members who need pastoral care frequently require a personal visit because many homes don’t have telephones. Of course, there is public transportation but it doesn’t go everywhere and isn't available every time it is needed. Niles members decided a bicycle would be a great tool for a pastor because it is three to four times faster than walking and promotes health and a clean environment at the same time.

At a meeting in the summer of 2002, where Ukrainian pastors met to organize the acceptance of their new bicycles, the ride idea came about. Two hundred bicycles had just been purchased from an old factory in Kharkov, Ukraine, and we traveled to various churches throughout the country to distribute them. The pastors needed instruction on how to set up their bicycles to fit properly, as well as some explanation on how to do basic repair and maintenance. In the basement of one of these churches in Rivne, long tables were set up with huge amounts of delicious vegetarian food. As I looked around, I could see that these churches had all the ingredients to support a nice bicycle trip.

Four years later, we have completed five bicycle trips throughout different regions in the Ukraine. Each Adventist church we visit receives a monetary gift from the bikers to support their various ministries, while additional money is donated to buy new bicycles. One benefit we didn’t anticipate was the favorable publicity for the church that is generated when we come into a town.

Alex Topal, a pastor in Svederlovsk, summed up how his new bicycle benefited him saying, “I am now able to visit members and spread the gospel in places I could never reach before I got the bicycle.”

This year’s twelve-day trip (six days riding) is scheduled for July. For more detailed information about the trip, or to learn how to help with the bicycle project, contact Doug Fattic at (269) 684-6761 or send e-mail to: dougfattic@qtm.net. See also http://www.neocm.com/Ukraine_bike_tours/

Doug Fattic is the Ukraine bicycle project coordinator for the Niles Westside Church.