Sunday, August 31, 2014

Never Again - Day 3


 
Wytheville, VA - a warm, loving and caring welcome from the police as we rolled through the city and as Mayor Trent Crewe presented Howard Galganov a golden Key to the City.

To open the event the Appalachian Conference of the IPHC sent their Royal Rangers to post the colors for us, all led by Steve Allen.



There were speeches by the Mayor, Pastor / M25 Pointman Gary Cope, Howard, and myself. As we played the Jewish songs of memory, the national anthem of three countries, Israel, Canada and the USA there were tears being wiped.



The highlight of the event was our Andy Retti speaking to us as an Holocaust Survivor and then leading us in the pledge, NEVER AGAIN will we allow there to be a genocide such as the Holocaust.

As we rode, the words of Joshua and Caleb ran through my thoughts. They assured the Jewish people that even though they were outnumbered, outsized and out equipped, God would bring them the victory. There may be only 40 or so of us riding thus far, but we believe God is going to be with us to help us make the statement.


Just before I prayed a Christian Prayer, the words from Parliament Hill rolled through my mind, 'I don't stand before you as a Christian or an American but a human being! As a human we cannot allow such an atrocity like the Holocaust happen.'

My prayer was followed by the Hebrew prayer and one more song in honor of one of the organizers in Atlanta that passed away, Michael Thomas.

Then off to Smokey's for some great food and a lot of giggles!

Thanks for all who are praying for us.

Gary Burd aka Shepherd
Mission:M25 National Director

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Never Again - Day 2




A beautiful day to ride in beautiful country. Our God certainly did a masterful job of dressing these mountains. The air is crisp and a little damp. We all arrived in Harrisburg, VA safe and sound.

During our dinner tonight Andy Retti shared more of his story. See the ring, if you look real close (enlarge the picture), you will see a little ring inside of a showcase ring. Briefly let me share, that is his mother's ring. She was a Holocaust survivor, his Dad did not survive. The enemy was taking all of the jewelry away from the Jewish people, so, she hid the ring in her baby's diaper, Andy's. Years later she wore it on a necklace and when he found it, he made a showcase ring to show her ring off. It is a ring only worn at special events like, Never Again.

You say that was a long time ago and they ought to be over it....

Well, first of all, those memories do not go away.

Secondly, less than six weeks ago, he and some other Jewish men in their 70's, rode their motorcycles to peacefully protest a Palestinian residence in Canada. They had done it for several years. When they arrived, approximately 30 policemen were there, approximately 200 Palestinians in their 20 - 40's, also awaited their arrival. Now, the odds are severe, the age was quite lopsided and the young men were armed, while the Jewish men were just holding some placards and flags. The young men attacked the Jewish men and were beating them. The police stood and watched as the elderly men were beaten to a place they were bleeding. The only person arrested that day, a Jewish doctor. What was he doing wrong? He was bandaging one of the elderly Jewish men who had a head wound and did not move his motorcycle soon enough.

This type of behavior seems to happen way to often and when you have the honor, the presence to listen to stories like this, you become more determined to make a ride from Scranton, PA to Boca Raton, FL -

Thanks for your prayers.

Friday, August 29, 2014

War? Which one?


The dinner table was spread at Ruby Tuesday's on August 27th in Scranton, PA. Seated around the table Greg Terry and Larry Mininger, Missionaries, Sgt Rock and Carolyn and I from Texas, but then it gets really interesting, Vladimir Krutchkov from Russia; Ivan Prokopenko from the Ukraine and Igor Enstein from Israel. 

The war? Not the war on terror; nor the political war; nor the war of our countries in any way. No our conversation was built around being Warriors in the Kingdom of God. Ivan spoke with a sparkle in his eyes of the song they sing about being a "Soldier for Jesus". 

Our conversation was about the Jewish people in Brooklyn NY, Scranton, Russia, the Ukraine and Israel, hopelessly addicted to drugs. Then the conversation went to our similar pains in Amarillo, TX. 

We spoke of our methods of identification and ministry to those hurting and hopelessly living on the streets as homeless. 

We spoke of the hope that is in Jesus and our willingness to take the Gospel to them. There is hope in Jesus, there is a path but just doing church is not going to get it done. 

I left overwhelmed by the opportunity for a man like me, messed up but redeemed, to sit at the table with such great men of God. Carolyn and I will not soon forget this encounter that took place. 

Thanks to Bishop Doug Beacham for making this happen! Thanks to Greg and Larry for driving 600 plus miles to make this a meaningful meeting. Greg's ability to speak Russian really broke down some walls quickly. 

It proves one more time, living for God is one of the most exciting lives one can live. 

I close with a questions, 
"Which war will you spend your time studying the most?" 
"Which war and to what degree will you fight the fight?"

For the Overlooked and Ignored, 

Gary Burd, National M25 Director 

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Riding under the Son


No, that is not a mis-typed word, SON is what was meant. Carolyn and I have spoken much the past few days of His blessings on our life.

We have raised a family of three to the best of our ability and we are proud of the adults they are and the mates they have chosen. We truly enjoy our time with our seven grandkids and miss them very much.

We have served the IPHC for over 47 years in ministry (not always faithful but we were there), served the same church for approximately 40 years, 28 as lead pastor, served the Great Plains Conference for over 20 years as Bishop. We have no regrets for our service.

Now we are on a new journey, riding our bike, serving people where we can and speaking in churches as they come open (at which time we are fully booked for which we are humbled and thankful). Our biggest cry from my choice of a family creed as a Knight of Refuge is to 'right wrongs'. We will be in many settings throughout the year to 'right wrongs'. Do we believe we are the answer? No, however, we must live out a core value though, 'it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness'. We will do something.

This year we have been allowed to stand for:
1. Pro-life
2. Bringing our nation into accountability for POW/MIA (Prisoners of War and Missing In Action)
3. Unjust division in the rich and poor through Free Camp.
4. The unjust & continued treatment of the Native Americans.

Our current 8,000 plus mile trip will include many opportunities to share and serve. However, we are extremely blessed by the following facts:
1. We are together. This is huge to us. We have been married almost 45 years and are still deeply in love and enjoy being together.
2. We are seeing and experiencing things that we never thought would be possible to do. We are making new friends and deepening relationships with friends we have had for years.
3. We have our health to enjoy numbers 1 & 2, which at our age we do not take for granted.
4. The weather (after the first night) has been remarkable. Not too hot or cold, we missed rain and have had a joyful ride.

As we rode yesterday to the Harley Davidson Museum and ended our time there setting by the river eating an 'all you can eat' fish special, we were reminded of 2 Cor 4:1 - it is by His mercy that we have been given this ministry. We, neither one, feel we deserve this opportunity. It can only be defined by his Mercy and Grace, Mercy - He does not give us what we deserve and Grace - He gives us what we don't deserve!

May God bless you on your journey. Hold fast where you are with joy. Never look for greener pasture and spend more time thanking God than complaining to God. You never know what the journey will bring you if you keep a pure and undefiled (no unforgiveness) heart. No roots of bitterness. Let Him handle your adversaries and only defend those who cannot defend themselves, never defend yourself. That is His job.

Gary and Carolyn on the road in Howard, MI

Monday, August 18, 2014

Honor - PFC Gordon

The leader of our trip to Eastend Canada, Les Williams sent this to us today. It caused me to think of Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge and the four virtues of the hoop of life, the first being honor. Carolyn is laying her 'challenge coin' on the coffin as did all of the Run For The Wall riders as a sign of honor. 

Honor is something that is not earned or merited by behavior. It is something you give due to an individual's place in the community. Honor for PFC Lawrence Gordon was based upon the fact he was a KIA (Killed In Action) and a MIA (Missing In Action) fighting against an aggressive and evil regime. For almost seventy years he lay in a foreign land with his family wondering where he was. 

Why do we honor a man who will never know that we made that ride? There was plenty of time to reflect on this during the 1400 plus mile ride on a motorcycle, one way. Here is what surfaced:

We honored him for his family sake. We wanted to bring healing to his family. 

We honored him for the community's sake. As we rode through towns like Turner, Havre and Eastend, people standing and waving and holding flags brought the tears. The old farmers, not standing so erect but saluting as we passed with great pride. There was no doubt healing was being happening by honoring this war hero. 

We honored him for the nations sake. It just kept surfacing during the ride inside my soul. Lord bring healing to our nation of men and women who feel forgotten due to the political and social environment of days gone by. Lord bring healing to a nation of men and women who grieve because they feel their loved one that was killed or wounded or is MIA and has been forgotten. 

Then it rose up inside of me: Lord what if we honored you as you deserve? Seeing we live in a religious system that allows people to 'yell' at God; curse His holy name; mix Him up with 'strange gods'; give Him part of our life rather than fully commit to Him; etc. In my journey over the past twenty years there has been so much come from within due to a simple move, "I HONOR GOD". I honor God because He is God, creator, redeemer, sustainer, and life giver. God was a partner in my creation, Jeremiah states that while I was being formed in my mothers womb, He was putting my inward parts together. What more does He need to do for me? He has done it all! 

If we truly honored Him rather than giving Him 'lip service', 

Could we bring healing to families that are confused and feel 'overlooked and ignored', Mt 25:38-40 MSG? 

Could we bring healing to communities that are being filled with strange gods and are living in a state of apostasy? 

Could we possibly be so bold to believe we could bring healing and hope to a nation that is like a ship without a rudder in the middle of an ocean during a storm? 

How about it, join me in the decision I made on Hoka Hey Motorcycle to "Honor" God to new levels? Let's see what God will do then! 

Oh, let us save our 'yelling' for the times we need to "YELL FOR GOD"! Remember Peter drowning in the lake, He yelled out and the Lord saved him. What about the blind man Bartimaeus? What about the lepers?  


Sunday, August 17, 2014

Ministry by His Mercy

2 Cor 4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy(A)we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. (NIV)

2 Cor 4:1-2 
Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we’re not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don’t maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don’t twist God’s Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God. (MSG)

This morning moments before I was allowed to speak the Gospel to a fantastic church in Helena, MT, Mountain Family Worship Center, this text came across my mind. 

It is because of His mercy that we have been given this opportunity to work for His Kingdom, His cause, etc. There is nothing we have done to deserve it, nothing we have done to earn it, nothing we have done to make it happen, no, it was His mercy! Mercy defined is getting what you don't deserve! Carolyn and I have spoken many times, we don't deserve this glorious opportunity. 

Keys learned from this mercy:

1. We cannot get discouraged, no room for that when you are so grateful and thankful for the opportunity. The picture of Carolyn and I riding, yes, we miss our home, yes we miss our kids and grandkids, yes we miss our church family of 40 years, CHC but HOW COULD WE GET DISCOURAGED? Do we get tired, absolutely, the body gets weary but the spirit rejoices. How could we fail Him and His mercy?

2. Passion is maintained when you realize what He has done for you by His mercy. The passion only wanes, from my experience, when I fall back into 'holding on' or producing something someone else has produced and not being obedient to the mandate on our life. 

3. Hard times are guaranteed on this side of Heaven, if you walk with the Lord or not.  Watching the sun come up as we rode into Canada on Wednesday morning, it had clouds around it and drops of rain fell on us. It was a reminder of the pain and tears that come, even in the midst of the beauty and joy of the sun rising. We cannot allow discouragement for it is by the mercy of God that we walk through the clouds and rain, problems and tears. 

4. Honesty, transparency are a must in our walk with God because of His mercy. Making promises 'for' God that He does 'not' promise to all only makes people question His mercy. 

Saturday, August 16, 2014

PFC Lawrence Gordon

MIA (Missing In Action), PFC Lawrence Gordon is finally laid to rest, seventy years after his death to the day. Fifty three men and women, almost all from Run For The Wall family mounted their iron horses before the sun came up, 5:30 am in Havre, MT and rode into the darkness to the Canadian border. After a lengthy delay to get into the country, rode to a hill just outside Eastend Canada awaiting the arrival of the hurst carrying the remains of a hero long forgotten.

PFC Gordon, born in Canada but fought for the USA during WWII, was killed and his body was lost in the confusion of war and a multitude of bodies so badly burned and/ or dismantled that identification was not properly done. The USA government had told the family he was identified and properly buried. However, when his namesake nephew went to view the grave, it could not be found. When the government of the USA would not make the proper effort to find what had happened to him, the nephew began the costly and grueling journey to find his uncle. With a lot of assistance from others, a willing French government and determined heart, DNA was done earlier this year to prove the remains of PFC Gordon were positively identified.

Mission:M25 had six riders present, Bo & Debbie Pearson, Alan Atkins, Jerry Plent, Gary and Carolyn Burd all joining in the ride to bring closure to this family. Bishop for the IPHC in Canada Gordon McDonald was present upon the arrival at the community center where the funeral service was held. 

People have asked, 'why is it so important to find the remains to a family?'. If you could have seen the relief and listened to the comments of the family, as they laid to rest their uncle, cousin, etc. you would understand. As Gary Burd was praying the final prayer before the dinner that night he thanked the Lord for allowing the riders to have a small part in bringing peace to the family. He noted the fact the Lord never lost sight of PFC Gordon because the Bible states a sparrow can fall and God notices, how much more would He do for a young soldier boy, however, now the family knows where the remains have fallen. 

The feelings cannot be expressed as you ride a motorcycle with that roaring engine beneath you and you hear on the CB Radio, 'folks, this is the parade PFC Lawrence Gordon never received, let's do it right'. You turn the throttle, take your position in the formation and begin to wave at the people standing on the side of the road. As the hurst pulls down the stretch, you know you have truly ridden for those that can't, brought honor to his sacrifice, healing to his family and an awareness of the sacrifice that was paid that people might be free and a wrong might be righted.