Here we go again.
In just a couple of weeks, I’ll load up the bike and head out for another Ride for the Dominican.
This year the ride takes will take me across Indiana, starting at Lake Michigan and riding south through the heart of the state until I reach Louisville, Kentucky. The route will be right around 300 miles.
And this year there is one major change: I’ll be riding with a full SAG wagon. I'm thankful to have my friend Larry Anspach driving along the route to support me.
After hauling everything last year-- camping gear, clothes, food, tools, and everything else we need on the bikes, somebody else will be carrying the load. I’ll still have to pedal every mile, but I won’t have to drag all my worldly possessions along behind me.
I’m not complaining!
But as always, the bike ride is the part that gets attention. The reason we ride is in Santiago, Dominican Republic.
Why We Ride
Our relationship with the church in Santiago goes back to 2012.
What impressed us then continues to impress us today. These are men and women faithfully following the Word, discipling believers, serving their community, and doing the work God has put in front of them whether Americans are there to see it or not.
Over the years, the Ride for the Dominican has given our family a way to come alongside that work.
By God’s grace and through the generosity of a lot of friends and family, the Ride has helped support school teachers, construction projects, a church for deaf Christians, a church kitchen, theological education, and other ministry needs in Santiago.
This year we are focusing on two needs.
Helping Train the Next Generation of Church Leaders
Once again, the ride will help support the theological training class at Central Baptist Church in Santiago.
They are currently praying for 14–16 participants to join the next class beginning in October.
This isn’t simply a matter of opening a classroom and asking people to show up. Students need books and materials. Teachers travel from different areas to help teach the course. That means transportation costs, gas money, and other expenses that make the training possible.
Our goal is to help provide all of the books for the students and help support the teachers who are traveling to Santiago to teach.
We’ve supported this theological training for several years now because we believe it is an important investment in the local church. Training men and women to understand Scripture well, teach it faithfully, and serve their churches will have an impact long after our bicycle ride is forgotten.
There’s Also a Hill That Needs Some Attention
The second need this year is much more concrete.
And I mean that somewhat literally.
The church property in Santiago sits on top of pretty steep hill.
Because the area has been experiencing small earthquakes and ground movement recently, portions of the cement and stone covering along the hillside have developed cracks.
Cracks may not sound particularly dramatic, but on a steep hill they create a serious problem.
Water gets into those cracks.
Once water gets underneath the protective covering, it begins eroding the soil below it.
And when the church building is sitting on that hillside, erosion near the foundation is something you want to deal with before it becomes a much bigger problem.
So part of this year’s fundraising will help shore up and repair the side of the hill, sealing and strengthening those damaged areas before additional erosion occurs.
It’s not glamorous work.
It is necessary work.
The Goal: $4,500
Between supporting the October theological class and repairing the hillside, our fundraising goal for the 2026 Ride for the Dominican is $4,500.
That means this year’s numbers are pretty simple:
September 4-9, 2026.
About 300 miles.
Across Indiana.
Lake Michigan to Louisville.
$4,500 for Central Baptist Church.
The money will help put books into the hands of theology students, help teachers get to the classroom, and help protect the church property from continued erosion.
That seems like a pretty good reason to ride a bicycle across Indiana.
Where Does the Money Go?
A question we have answered over the years is whether donations help pay for our bicycles, food, hotels, transportation, or other ride expenses.
They do not.
We cover the expenses of the ride ourselves.
The money donated through Ride for the Dominican is for the ministry work in Santiago. That has been the pattern from the beginning, and it continues this year. In previous years we have also used Veritas Church’s giving system simply as a convenient and accountable way to collect and transfer the donations; Veritas does not receive a portion of those gifts.
https://www.veritaschurch.org/give/give-now
Under "Accounts" select Ride for the Dominican. Yes, you must have an account and we recognize it is a hassle, however, it protects you, it protects us. You WILL NOT BE ADDED TO ANY MAILING LIST.
If you would like to sponsor a few miles ($15 a mile), a day of riding ($900), or simply make a gift of any amount toward the $4,500 goal, we would be incredibly thankful.
You Can Help Without Giving Money
We would also appreciate your prayers.
Pray for the men and women considering the theological class this October.
Pray that God would provide the 14–16 students they are hoping to train.
Pray for the teachers who will give their time and travel to Santiago to teach.
Pray for the church as they deal with the repairs to the hillside.
And, if you think of us while we are riding, pray for safety, healthy bodies, cooperative bicycles, and maybe a little less Indiana headwind than we probably deserve.
You can also help simply by sharing our posts. Every year people hear about the Ride because somebody else passed the story along.
Lake Michigan to Louisville
So that is the plan.
In a little over two weeks, I’ll put a tire in Lake Michigan-- or at least get close enough to make the picture convincing-- and start heading south.
About 300 miles later, Lord willing, I’ll roll into Louisville.
Along the way I’ll post updates, pictures, mileage, stories from the road, and probably whatever goes wrong, because something always does.
But behind every one of those miles are friends in Santiago doing faithful ministry day after day.
That is why we ride.
Ride for the Dominican 2026 is officially underway.
Let’s ride.
