Races

bikes, originally uploaded by staarkidd.

I spent the weekend at the CCS street-racing championships. It was a high energy, testosterone-filled, scare the crap out me they are so dang fast weekend. Josh and i were able to get media passes that let us film right up alongside the track. Although it is a controlled, relatively safe environment to feed the speed, we saw a few spills that left me a little uncomfortable. One guy we had slated to interview broke his back before we could meet with him. We did however, get to meet the top racer, Nate Kern. A super guy who really makes riding look like a lot of fun and a science. I have to admit though, i really felt like a yankee all weekend. I'm afraid what's next for me. Nascar??

bikes and boys

bike-boys, originally uploaded by staarkidd.

This is the team. Art (the chaplain) is on the far right. He is a state trooper who got hooked on sports bikes after clocking a guy in his town going 120. He gave the guy a warning which led to a friendship with the guy and soon, his own bike. Not long after he started riding, he reported to an accident scene where Brian (far left) took a hard spill on his bike. Art, who also took a spill earlier that week, took Brian under his wing. The next day, he reclaimed the footpeg from Brian's bike and took it to him in the hospital along with a bible. This really freaked Brian out because their paths had crossed a few years before. Brian had been a drug dealer and was on the run from the law, and Art in particular. The day Art brought him the bible, the two began a friendship that has led to weekends at the track, sharing their stories with other rough and tumble men who are looking for hope. It's quite a team. It was quite a weekend.

Sporty deb

bike_deb, originally uploaded by staarkidd.

After a weekend of watching the guys reach speeds close to 200 mph, I finally got my turn.

More my style

bike_deb2, originally uploaded by staarkidd.

Considering my toes barely touched the ground on the sportsbike, the boys taught me how to ride the little pit dirt bike. I went REALLY fast. a whole 12 miles per hour! zoom zoom!

fay

fay_house, originally uploaded by staarkidd.

A few weeks ago, we went to detroit to cover a story about this lady. Fay is a widow and was really struggling with her situation. She was living in this dilapidated house. It has a hole in the roof (you can see the sky through the bedroom) and didn't have a kitchen sink. Every day, Fay would have to carry all of her dirty dishes upstairs and wash them in the bath tub. Everyday, she knelt for hours on her knees scrubbing the dishes and then doing the family laundry by hand in that tub.

Then one day, she met the folks down at Acts 29. When they heard about her situation, they agreed to pray. Very soon after they all began to pray, a businessman decided to donate a sink to the organisation. When he delivered the sink, he also threw in $80 K worth of cabinets and other brand new kitchen items. Kay was given a complete kitchen makeover. This act of kindness gave her the boost she needed in her personal and spiritual life. She and her son have been impacted by the message of Christ through the actions of faithful folks at Acts 29. He is now in training down at Acts 29 to become a carpenter, something that city desperately needs.

The story of Fay is only one glimpse into the amazing things happening in Hamtramck. The city is donating homes that the team will train young men to rebuild. They plan to put "shepherds" in those homes, throw block parties and work to rebuild the community, one relationship and home at a time. It was a cool thing to go and see.

fay2

fay2, originally uploaded by staarkidd.