Why ride for THIS Hospital?

Why ride--and raise funds--for this particular hospital? Umri Christian Hospital is the primary medical facility within in a 300-mile radius in central rural India. It serves residents who would be otherwise not be served medically. And the facility, built in the 1920's, is crumbling. After 54 years of 24/7 use, this 100-bed hospital needs to be rebuilt. We envision a cooperative international awareness and fundraising effort.

A RANGE OF CHARITABLE SERVICES. UCH provides services in primary medicine, obstetrics, surgery, pharmacy, radiology, and laboratory. Areas of special attention include tuberculosis, AIDS, and malaria prevention and intervention. Other services developed around the hospital's core include:

• Community health service...reaching many small villages
• A nursing school...focused on assisting young women from poor families to acquire certification
• An on-campus school
• Jehoveh Jireh Home...a boarding home for underprivileged children

WHY RIDE?

Certainly there must be easier--and perhaps more sane--ways to raise support for rebuilding a hospital than riding a bicycle 2,000 miles. Our interest, however, is not only to raise funds but also to raise awareness of Umri Christian Hospital's unique and enobling mission, to gather support for its opportunities, and to bring North American and Indian participants together in a shared concern.

ADVENTURE & SERVICE. Why ride a bike to accomplish this? If you were an avid cyclist, you would understand what an energizing adventure this represents. It's a once-in-a-lifetime challenge for most cyclists. Our dream is to combine this personal challenge with an international, humanitarian service mission.

ENGAGE THE CHALLENGE. We invite you to engage our ride with the spirit of adventure and outreaching service that has captured our imaginations.

UMRI'S REACH

Umri Christian Hospital offers service to individuals and households as the primary medical care provider within a 300-mile rural area in central India. Operated under the auspices of Free Methodist World Missions with an international Board of Directors, UCH has faithfully served the neediest residents for over 50 years. Time has taken its toll on the main structure and nothing short of rebuilding will preserve Umri's reach to the people of this area. We invite you to join us in contributing to this rebuilding effort.

UMRI CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL - TODAY

This is a recent photo of Umri Christian Hospital in central rural India. Over 50 years of daily service to thousands of rural residents has taken its toll on this facility. The physical structure of the hospital has deteriorated to the point that major reconstruction is necessary. Through individual, group, and organizational gifts, we hope to raise $600,000 to rebuild this primary healthcare facility.

In addition to providing medical care for central India's rural residents, Umri Christian Hospital is also a primary support for other initiatives: Helen Rose School of Nursing, Jehoveh Jireh hostel for tribal boys, the Marathi school and hostel, and English elementary school, and TB and community health programs.

BICYCLE INDIA 2007 -- ONE YEAR AWAY

OUR GOAL. Approximately one year and one week from now, a small group of cyclists from Canada, USA, and India will begin a 2,000 mile bicycle ride from the southern tip of India to New Delhi in an effort to raise awareness and funds for Umri Christian Hospital. Our goal is to raise enough funds (approximately $600,000) to rebuild this small but vital hospital in rural India. It is a primary healthcare center for several hundred thousand people. We hope you will join us with your attention, your prayers, your gifts--and by information and appeal that you can share with your associates.

OUR TEAM. I am proud to be part of this effort that is the heart and brain child of Bob Yardy of Champaign, Illinois. We are both avid cyclists, riding in cross-country events, with local ride groups, and solo trips for years. Bob grew up in India. I am from Indianapolis, Indiana. I have never been to Iowa, much less India! We will be joined on this ride by Joe James, a native of Canada. We are all avid cyclists. We will be joined in India by riders as we pass through various regions of the country.

YOUR PARTICIPATION. Please tune in to this blog for frequent updates throughout out 2006. This is the official "journal" of our effort. We hope to upload daily updates and photos during our six-week ride that begins the last week of December 2006 and concludes early in February 2007. We also hope there will be a variety of ways you can participate and have input with us. Your comments are one way you can share your ideas, insights, contacts, etc. as we plan and prepare in 2006.

-- John Hay, Jr.