Rolling away stones

Every day for 40 days, Russell York woke up and wondered why he was here.

Then, he packed up his gear, got back on his bike and rode 100 more miles, one pedal stroke at a time.

York, a 21-year-old senior at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Va., biked over 3,200 miles in 40 days across the United States to raise awareness and funds for Young Life's ministry to Ukrainian orphans. He arrived at the Pacific Ocean in his home state of California on June 27. After a week off, York crossed the ocean Sunday on his way to visit the orphans in Ukraine he's cared so much about.

During the journey, he found his purpose in Matthew 28:2, where the angel at Christ's tomb rolls away the stone and reveals the risen Christ to the world. "I saw an angel who had done his job and he sat on the stone because he was proud of his work," York said. "We're all empowered to roll the stones away in the hearts of people that haven't seen the risen Christ.... We too often ignore that."

That stone weighed heavy for York, who endured almost constant physical pain, long hills, triple-digit desert temperatures, continual flat tires, a collision with a car and a couple unwelcome rattlesnake guests during his solo trip. Before he left, York had never biked long distances consistently-- and he'd only completed one 90-mile training ride.

The first day, he biked 45 miles from Washington, D.C., to Purcellville, Va., and he was already hurting. To reach the California coast in 40 days, he'd have to ride more than twice that far every day, and he found himself facing "a crisis of confidence." "I was like, 'Oh, no, this is going to be a problem,'" he said. "I honestly didn't know what I was doing."

York chronicled the highs and lows of his journey on his blog, 3,000 Miles for Ukraine (http://3000milesforukraine.com/). He slept in a tiny, cocoon-like tent by the side of the road for only a few hours each day and realized that he was "technically homeless."

"You don't realize how much air conditioning, a warm bed, clean clothes, showers and food matter until you don't have them," York said.

On June 7 in Arkansas, he was hit by a car traveling 55 miles per hour down the highway. His bike absorbed most of the impact, and York credits God's providence for allowing him to walk away with minor scrapes and bruises.

"If there was a moment of clarity for me, it was when I walked out of the hospital on my own two legs," York wrote. "I could have died....I guess what I learned is that death is the kind of thing that blindsides you on an idle Tuesday."

The best part of his trip was meeting people, telling his story and hearing theirs. His favorite story is when he came across a man named Tim changing a flat tire by the side of a New Mexico road at 1 a.m. Tim told York about his 21-year-old son, who had joined the military against his dad's wishes and was returning from Afghanistan in a month.

York lent the man his flashlight and offered some advice. At the end of the encounter, Tim said, "I need to tell my son about you. I think you may have changed my life. I love my baby boy, you know? And I just want him to come home."

York told the people he met about the reason he kept riding: over 100,000 orphans half a world away. Ukrainian orphans, especially those with mental disabilities, don't receive simple signs of love such as human touch and many die from neglect. When they age out of the system as young as 15, most orphans don't have anywhere to go. Instead, 60 to 70 percent turn to crime and prostitution, and many more are at risk for human trafficking.

"It was the anonymity of it that made it important to talk about," York said. "There's such lack of love for 100,000 kids in a country halfway across the world that people never hear about."

York's trip raised money and awareness for Young Life, a non-profit Christian group that supports faith-based orphanages in the country. He was surprised to learn that orphans and staff in Ukraine were following his blog.

A team from the United States volunteers there every summer. While Russell was riding across the country, one of the team members in his mid-20s was killed in a car accident.

His trip served to inspire the orphans that they were not forgotten. "My bike trip turned into a shining light of hope for them, and I didn't even realize it," York said.

York plans to spend a week at a camp for orphans from around Ukraine who have been waiting to meet him. For the next three weeks of his trip, he'll be volunteering with a T-shirt printing company set up by Young Life to raise money for orphanages and provide orphans somewhere to work once they aren't able to live in state orphanages.

He's considering writing a book to share "the rest of the story" about his incredible journey. And on his way to Ukraine, he's making a pit-stop vacation in Spain to run with the bulls in Pamplona, despite still facing injuries from the bike ride. "I haven't tried running yet," he said, laughing. "I guess I'll find out when I get there."

"A long time ago this trip became bigger than me pedaling," York blogged. "The real story has been about lots of things-- the generosity of strangers, the depth of common people, the power of being friendly, the awesomeness of God."

"You can get anywhere one step, pedal stroke or word at a time. It's all about putting your head down, setting a goal and gritting your teeth until you accomplish what no one said you could."

For more information on Russell's trip, to find out how to donate to Young Life and to read about his upcoming ministry to Ukrainian orphans, visit 3,000 Miles for Ukraine. (http://3000milesforukraine.com/)

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