Hopefully may you have read the story I wrote about the "big ride" yet to come.
Well, this has been my big ride, the Amstel Gold Race. You may have noticed already due to the foto that I've been able to accomplish it. However, the story behind it, is a story worthy to recall.
After waking up at 4am and eating what I could, did I head to the departure place 10kmts further. At 6:01 did my bike's front wheel cross the startline. The beginning went amazingly good and the first 100 kilometers had been barely noticed. It wasn't until the second round that problems came along the way. At a given moment I got a flat tire. Not once, but twice. That has been the deepest point of the ride. Having to repair my tires with senseless and dirty hands due to the low and wet temperature (8ºC) was no fun. At that moment, did I see everything what I had worked for, break down into pieces. I had no food to keep on and had no other extra tires. I had to repair it there and do all the work on my own.
Praise be to God that I could find the piercing at bare sight and paste it right away while praying that I had done it right. When I realized that it had worked out and could go further, had hope slowly returned into my guts. At the next 'unregistered' supply and rest point, could I buy enough food to keep on. I praise God for that point for otherwise, would I have never being able to make it over the hills to the next official check-point that awaited me further in the course.
With new strength, motivation, and hope were my thoughts and muscles directed to one objective: finishing the race. I could hardly believe myself when at the last climb, I realized I had made it. Almost with tears in my eyes and a deep feeling of fulfillment had the mission being accomplished.
May all glory be to God and his mercy on me. He gave me one slight bit of hope when He let me find the piercing in the tire and eventually didn't let any other mishappenings come along my way. Thus, with the 2nd-hand bike of mine, and the amateur muscles on my legs, have we reached out to the goal after 11 hours and 5 minutes of exhaustive machine, human, and power of will effort.
As a result, did I for the 1st time after almost two years of residence in Holland finally earned my first medal of honor in this land. May all be done to the glory of God who gave me the possibilities to do so. After all, had all the efforts paid their toll.
Whether this be the very beginnning of a prominent carreer full of new experiences and adventures all the way through to the Tour the France, or the very end of it due to my limited and fragile situation, it all rests in God's hands. The opportunities, possibilities, but above all, God's grace will let me know of it in due time.
"Until the answer comes along my way, do I want to rest on You, Jehovah Jireh, my provider and lover of my soul. You have led me so far, I've given it all for you, and know I have nothing but my hope in you. It is now thou call the which I wait upon, in the name of your son Jesus Christ, do I pray, Amen."
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