On July 26th, 2013, 28 children from the Virginia District joined with David Argabright to ride 25 laps around the Family Camp Tabernacle to reach a milestone in Compassion 575’s history — raising over $575,000 for child development centers (CDC’s) in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

The district family camp has held the children’s bike-a-thon for four years now, ever since Argabright visited the camp in 2009 and shared the needs of the children in South Asia with the children in Virginia.

“The children understand that this is not a race,” said Sue Brown, former NMI District President and organizer of the children’s bike-a-thon. “They realize that they are raising money for children in a different country and they enjoy helping and blessing the children in Asia.”

The bike-a-thon is held at 9 a.m. on the Friday of family camp each year.  There is a gravel and partially paved loop around the tabernacle that the children ride on that is lined with spectators cheering on the children as they complete their 25 laps.

“This year we had a 40 Lap club that four children made up on their own and completed,” said Brown.

Nicholas Edelman, a 9-year-old participant, said that this was his third time participating in the district ride.  He received sponsors at his home church before camp started by setting up a booth in the church lobby, which included his bike and his helmet. When asked why he participates in the event each year, Edelman said, “So they could help the kids in Asia and make sure to meet their needs.” He is going to try and do it again next year and said that he “would like for people to sponsor me and to pray to God for the children there.”

This year the children raised $3,055 to help put Compassion 575 over the $575,00 mark.

Brown said that “we will do the bike-a-thon next year and hope to do it as long as the ministry continues.”

David and his wife Sharon founded Compassion 575 in 2009. They had been leading Work & Witness teams as volunteers since 1982. They had done many projects as volunteers, but when they went on their first Work & Witness trip to Bangladesh in 2008, the vision to do something greater began.  They saw the need for faith-based schools for the children — a place where the children could learn, get a hot meal and come to know God. In 2008 David’s brother, Glen, did an elliptical marathon raising $105,000 for their cause. Then, while mountain biking with his son one day, David felt led to ride for the children.

After accepting this call from God in 2009, David announced his first major bike ride. It would entail a mountainous 575-mile bike ride through the Shenandoah National Forest and Blue Ridge Parkway. This distance is what birthed Compassion 575.

“It has always been focused on the children and not the ride,” said Argabright. “I am totally amazed at what God has done.”

Since 2009, Compassion 575 has been able to fund 33 new CDC’s with 100 percent of the funds raised going directly to Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) to sponsor children in CDCs. They have logged over 16,000 miles so far for the campaign with the longest ride being 3,100 miles from San Diego, California, to St. Augustine, Florida, in the U.S., which took 33 ½ days to complete. The organization holds one major ride in the spring of each year to help raise funds and awareness for the children in South Asia. 

Sharon is actively involved in the ministry as well, driving the support vehicle, keeping him on course, giving him the right nutrition and constantly keeping him in her prayers during the bike rides.

“God’s protection over the 16,000 plus miles over the years is nothing short of a miracle,” said Argabright.

“A lot of people have sacrificed over the years a great deal to reach the $575,000 milestone to reach these children. Pastors, retired missionaries and laymen are all a part of what God is doing,” Argabright said, “[but] the children of South Asia are truly worth the sacrifice.”

Compassion 575 is an approved fundraiser for NCM-South Asia. To find out more about this ministry or if you would like to make a financial donation visit their website at www.compassion575.com