Dennis and Rod Carlson
04/21/2016
For Pastor Dennis Carlson of Faith Covenant Church in Detroit, cycling is one of his favorite outdoor activities. His brother, Rod, also enjoys cycling even though they live miles apart and cannot see each other often. But this year, they decided to sign up together for the Registers Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI), an annual seven-day bicycle ride across the state. Heading into its 43rd year, RAGBRAI is the oldest, largest, and longest bicycle touring event in the world. From July 24-30, Dennis and Rod will ride 420 miles to support their deep passion for Congo.
“This summer, my brother and I are joining about 10,000 other cyclists in RAGBRAI, riding our bicycles 420 miles across the state of Iowa! I had done the entire ride back in 1987, just a couple of months before meeting my wife, Mary Lynn (who lived her high school years at Wasolo, Congo where her folks followed the ministry of Dr. Paul Carlson). This is one reason for our own passion for the Congo Clinic Initiative! Rod and I figured why not turn it into a fundraiser for CCI, specifically for our Detroit ECC cluster sponsorship,” said Dennis.
Dennis contacted us and asked if he could use the CCI artwork on a tshirt for himself, Rod, and a few family members. Of course we said yes! He hopes the shirts will be a conversation starter so he can share with others about Congo and how the Clinic Initiative supports healthcare initiatives through our partnership with the Covenant Church of Congo.
The ride itself is from the Missouri River to the Mississippi River. Cyclists will stay overnight in “host” communities along the RAGBRAI route until they reach Muscatine, Iowa. Please pray for Dennis and Rod as they prepare for their long bike ride!
We love hearing about the creative ways our clinic partners are learning about Congo and supporting the Clinic Initiative. If you have a story to share, please send it to pcpinfo@paulcarlson.org.
