Friday, January 23, 2015

Standing for Life / Honoring Death

Standing for Life / Honoring Death

January 22, 2015, a date to be remembered by Mission:M25 for years to come. 

STANDING FOR LIFE

The IPHC Pre-Rally

Fourteen Mission:M25 riders left Falcon, NC on January 21, after a short meeting and send off by the Royal Home and Falcon Children's Home staff. There was a chase vehicle carrying the banner promoting "50 For Life" with church's and individuals giving to support the Royal Home (an alternative to abortion home owned and operated by the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, IPHC). The Chase Vehicle drivers needed our customary 'road names', without a lot of thought we identified our drivers as Papa Bear (John Wheeler); Pot Hole (Jonathan Hill) and SuperGlue (Jessica Dunning), names they will not SOON forget! 

We rode to Prince George, VA, where the Redemption Ministries Conference hosted a meal for the riders. After hot soup, chicken sandwiches and HOT coffee, the riders put on their foul weather gear and headed to Washington DC for the March for Life. We were watching radars and the skies, preparing to run into a snow storm, however, just North of Richmond, VA, the sun broke through and beautiful but cold weather welcomed us to our warm rooms near the Pentagon. During the meal and fellowship, Rev. John Wheeler delivered an inspirational devotion and Rev. Jonathan Hill led an uplifting and challenging prayer before we ate.

The next morning we rallied in the motel parking lot with a bus of riders arriving from Falcon, NC. The rally was hosted by Royal Home director, John Wheeler, Joey Leggett, and Jessica Dunning under the warm skies of the January sun. When Mr. Wheeler introduced several girls living in the home that chose life, the crowd enthusiastically applauded in support. As Mission:M25 director it was my privilege to speak and introduce Bishop Tommy McGhee, Discipleship Ministries Division of the IPHC. His inspirational speech and prayer was followed by our presiding Bishop Doug Beacham.

A small view of a large crowd

We mounted our 'iron horses' to join approximately a million people on our National Mall to "Stand for Life". We listened to inspirational speeches but the last one, Rev. Samuel Rodriquez deliver was the way to end a list of speeches. He captured my heart in his final proclamation, 'Uncle Sam may be our Uncle but NEVER our Father; for every Pharaoh THERE WILL BE A Moses; for every Giant THERE WILL BE A David; for every Jezebel THERE WILL BE AN Elijah; for every Nebuchadnezzar THERE WILL BE A Daniel; for every Herod  THERE WILL BE A Jesus and for every demon the devil sends THERE WILL BE the Power of the Living, all consuming power of God Almighty to take it down!' On this high note, we began our march.

Honoring Death


Eleven of us once again mounted our 'iron horses' headed toward Arlington Cemetery, carrying the remains of Lois Rhodes Boyd Jr., Retired USAF and his wife, Maria. As we entered the sacred grounds of the final resting place of so many of our TRUE NATIONAL HEROES, you could feel the seriousness, the quiet, the honor and respect come upon all of us on the bikes. Rolling through the gate, we heard the silence of our cb radios broken with only a reminder, 'Men, keep the bikes as quiet as possible', assuming all knew we were on 'sacred grounds'. 


We dismounted our iron horses, took a few pictures and headed toward the main building. We were met with the seriousness we approached with. There is no foolishness to be found in this setting, we are handling the remains of a hero and his wife. The papers were signed and the remains were delivered and we all mounted up and rode off. 


As we lay our heads upon the pillows that night, some after a long, cold hard night's ride, we knew we had completed yet another mission under the banner of M25's MO, BALNAM (Be A Light Not A Mouth). We were able to find sweet rest knowing we had stood for people who could not stand for themselves and stood for men who did the greatest thing anyone can do, 'lay down his life for another'. 



 
M25 thanks the IPHC; Falcon's Children's Home; Royal Home and Taylor's Funeral Home for allowing us this huge honor of riding to "Stand for Life and Honor Death" all in one day, one mission!
L-R - Bishop Tommy McGhee, Gary Burd and Bishop Doug Beacham

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!