Bicyclists pedal from Maine to Pennsylvania to raise awareness about the value of human life
As the sun was rising on Monday, July 13, five bicyclists headed out from St. Anne Church in Gorham, beginning a journey aimed at raising awareness about the value of human life, while helping young adults grow in holiness.
The cyclists, accompanied by a four-person support team, are participating in the Biking for Babies’ National Ride. They are one of seven teams taking part, each starting from a different state and then concluding in either Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as is the case with the Maine team, or St. Louis, Missouri.
“It really helps bring awareness of the message of life and the Gospel of life,” explained Mary Anderson of Granby, Connecticut, who is on the Maine team. “Our jerseys that we have on say Biking for Babies on them, and people will commonly ask, ‘What’s Biking for Babies?’ And really, just overall making an appearance and using this as prayer, too, really praying and offering up all our intentions.”
While the ride can be arduous, it is intended to unite the young adult cyclists with the sacrifices made by mothers, fathers, and families facing difficult circumstances. Every mile pedaled becomes an offering and a witness to the dignity of human life.
“Every life is valuable, and we have to be able to speak for the most vulnerable,” said Trey Rodriguez of Honolulu, Hawaii, who is participating in his second national ride. “I know that is what God calls us to do.”
"Doing this is a witness to really help people understand that life is the answer," said Mary.
Along the way, the teams will connect with church communities and other supporters. At St. Anne Church, for instance, the Knights of Columbus prepared a dinner for them. Then, following Sunday morning Mass on July 12, there was a meet-and-greet session, during which the cyclists shared information about Biking for Babies and promoting a culture of life.
It is a cause that Maddie Rowley, a cyclist from Cleveland, Ohio, said she has become passionate about.
“Four of my best friends, who I’ve been friends with for a long time, are all moms now and just being part of their lives and watching all their sacrifices and watching a lot of my friends become dads and growing up with these babies has made me realize how delicate and precious their lives are,” said Maddie Rowley, a cyclist from Cleveland, Ohio. "I'm also adopted, so it makes sense for me to be pro-life."
Maddie, Mary, and Trey all said they learned about Biking for Babies while attending SEEK conferences. This is Maddie's and Mary's first ride, while Trey participated last year as well.
“It was just a wonderful experience last year. The national ride changed my life. It changed the way that I live and live out the Gospel," he said.
The national ride will take place over six days, with the teams covering an average of 100 miles per day. They start around dawn each day to avoid the height of the summer heat.
Prior to the ride itself, the participants committed to training and fundraising. In addition to raising awareness, Biking for Babies raises money for pregnancy support centers. Since Biking for Babies was founded by two college students in 2009, $2.5 million has been donated to centers, with nearly 300 of them receiving some financial support.
