We arrived to find over 60 riders and 4 trucks bustling about to get everything prepared for that day’s long, 160km ride.  This methodic procedure had been the daily routine for the riders for 2 months since they started their journey in Cairo, Egypt to finish in Cape Town, South Africa by the middle of May.

Last year, the riders on tour joined the Zambikes team for a day in Lusaka. In support of the work of Zambikes, they purchased over 50 bicycles to be distributed to local NGO’s (non-governmental organizations).The subsequent impact of those bikes has multiplied throughout the last year.

The Tour d’Afrique continued their generosity this year by purchasing an additional 54 Zambikes and 2 Zambulance trailers to be distributed. Hands At Work, an organization based in Kabwe (north of Lusaka) that supports volunteer caregivers, received 26 of the Zambikes. Chitemalesa, an organization in Chongwe (east of Lusaka), that supports home based caregivers, received the other 28 bikes and 2 Zambulance trailers.

Following the distributions, I had the opportunity to connect with the group on a more personal level as I rode four days with them from Lusaka down to Livingstone on a Zambikes bamboo bike.

In the midst of such extreme generosity and unparalleled opportunities, this is a tough time financially for both Akerfa and Zambikes.

At Zambikes, the struggle is in collecting the payment for products that have been distributed. As the “harvest” time of year is now on the horizon, the prayer is that sales will increase and Zambikes will become even more financially independent.

At Akerfa, a portion of our donor base has become unable to continue their support due to a financial crisis this year.We are praying for new donors and supporters to come through to support the development of a new project in Uganda later in the year, and to support our Akerfa staff that makes all of this happen. If you are in a position to help give or raise these funds, please prayerfully consider partnering with Akerfa.

On behalf of the entire Akerfa team we recognize and thank each of you that shared your prayers, finances, and support to help this project continue to transform lives across the globe.

Looking forward to partnering with you,

Dustin McBride

Co-founder

Thank you for reading, and for your continued role in

turning Africa around, one bike at a time.

Until next time,

Dustin, Vaughn, Daryl, Jessica and Adrienne

This year we are focusing on being extremely smart and organized. I can tell you right now exactly how many bicycle or trailer parts we have in the Production Facility or at our distribution points.

We have been working really hard on making the bamboo bikes perfect. It is really exciting because we are becoming experts in bamboo. I think you should all get a bamboo bike.

This year is going to be a little different than last year. Last year we made mostly Zambulance trailers, but this year we are going to distribute more Zamcart trailers. Not that there is not a need for Zambulances but Zamcarts are gaining a lot of momentum.

This is because it has been a great year for farming in Zambia. Many of the farmers need our Zamcarts to get their products to the market. CARE international just received an entire truckload of our Zamcarts. CARE is a great organization that is helping the community by getting our Zamcarts to rural farmers. The farmers then distribute their farmed goods along routes where cars cannot go.

I am also excited for our new long bikes (the Njovu) to be here. I have seen people use both the long bikes and the Zambulance trailers as school buses. Seeing children transported to school on Zambikes products always makes me smile.

This month has been one of the best of my life too because my wife just delivered my first born, named MacD, Jr.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the update. I want to thank you for supporting Akerfa and ultimately Zambikes, even if you have not been over here to physically see it. You are all amazing. I pray to God that He will be on your side to support you just like you are supporting us.

Your man,

By: Jessica Congelliere

For those of you tracking the latest whereabouts of the incredible, David Sacher (@davidthebrave), you know that he has not only covered most of South America in record time…but more importantly that HE HAS FINISHED!

“I have done it” was the simple twitter message posted at 3:47pm on Tuesday, March 3^rd. His proof: a picture of downtown Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

His posting was simple and to the point. But, entirely understated.

David Sacher, 22 years old and on a mission, finished a 15,000-mile journey on his bicycle. He launched the trip at the top of Alaska and passed through Canada, North America and Central America in his ultimate pursuit of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

In typical David fashion, the final leg was a stretch lasting 29 hours straight. In a follow up message Dave shared: “Exhausted. Biked over 29 hrs straight and more than 500k through insane terrain to do it! 1st night indoors in weeks.”

Through eloquent writing in his blog entries, messages over twitter and breathtaking pictures, David shared his grueling journey with each of us. He showed us courage and commitment while pouring out his heart and soul into words that both warmed and seared us.

David is man of passion, bravery and perseverance. He is a hero to us all.

On behalf of the entire team at Akerfa, we would like to congratulate and thank David for his unwavering dedication to this epic journey. The lives impacted in Africa, through the money raised as a product of his trip, are numerous. Thank you David for this ride and for allowing us to share in this story with you. We hope that you have been as blessed through the process as we have been.

By: Mwewa Chikamba, Zambian Director and Logistics Manager

By: Jessica Congelliere

Botswana Exhibit

Where:

Denver Museum of Nature & Science

Common Goal:

Empowering Others Continents Away Through Bikes

1. a.ker.fa is easier to pronounce, explain and share
2. More mobility. It allows us to think beyond Africa in the future. ACIRFA says only Africa. a.ker.fa allows us the ability to expand beyond the borders of a continent.
3. It fits better into the culture of philanthropy these days.
4. It does not offend people when they cannot catch its meaning. It can have as much meaning, or as little as you want it to.
5. It does not completely change the name, but rather takes the old name and makes it more current.

1. JOIN TEAM AKERFA

2. BUY A BIKE

3. SPONSOR DAVID SACHER

4. ADD THE AKERFA FAN PAGE ON FACEBOOK

5. . FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! (@akerfa)

Check out the Akerfa website for Zambikes videos, pictures, and more frequent updates

On January 30^th in Lusaka, Zambia, Rev. Carl Moyer (popularly known as Babu), went to be with the Lord.  After walking this earth for 75 years, and dedicating over 50 of those years to the mission field in Africa, Babu finally passed on from his old earthly body into a refreshing, new spiritual body.

Babu and the entire Moyer family were highly influential in our decision to originally travel to Zambia in 2007. Since then, Babu has been a continual encouragement to us by partnering with both Acirfa (a.ker.fa) and Zambikes. We miss him already.

During the memorial service in Kabwe, Zambia on February 3^rd, I felt compelled to share the story of his life with you.  It is an incredible story characterized by adventures, trials, and victories. I may not be the most eloquent individual in my storytelling, but I will try to shed light and give you a glimpse into Babu’s extraordinary life…

Babu was born November 4, 1934 in Pennsylvania to his father, a butcher, his mother, a seamstress, and two brothers and one sister.  He attended revival meetings with his parents from an early age to hear about God and the bible.  It was during that time that Babu knew he would ultimately be called into the mission field – and that it would be a life long calling. Two of his other siblings also heeded the call into the mission field.

He recognized early on that missions would demand more than just an academic education. So, in high school he began taking welding, workshop, carpentry, and mechanics classes to acquire skills that would enable him to fix nearly anything with any available tools (those that knew him know he did exactly that!).

Learning to fly a plane was another skill he saw suitable for the mission field. When he was not in the air, he was off trapping, hunting or getting in to mischief.

At the age of 17, Babu traveled to Texas for seminary school. Outside of class he joined the cowboys in the area by learning to ride horses and herd cattle. Wherever he was, Babu would be found with his toolbox just in case he needed to fix something.

Babu was ready to move to Belgium after seminary in order to learn French for missions work in Congo (French Speaking African Country).  He traveled the country by scooter, trying his best to learn the language. His love for guns and hunting compelled him to smuggle a gun into Belgium with him. However, he soon found out how much trouble he could get into with it, so he proceeded to piece it out and drop it by individual piece into rivers that he crossed!

Babu left for the Congo in 1957 after learning how to print the French language.  His belief was that if he only shared the word of God verbally with the people of Congo, they would only hear a bit and then forget. But, if he could print God’s word in their own language, God would be able to continue to speak to their souls long after any of his sermons.  Babu was 22 years old at the time.  When he was asked how long he planned to be in Congo, he would say: “I’m not sure how long. I made a lifelong commitment to missions so I have no plans of returning permanently to the states.”  In subsequent years there was so much conflict and trouble in Congo that Babu was forced to return to the States.  Despite his location, his time was spent preparing for his return to the mission field.

Babu fulfilled 2 big accomplishments in preparing for his return: he learned linguistics at the Wycliff Linguistics School and found his lifelong partner and wife, Joanne (known as Bibi).  Nice move for Babu!  Bibi came from a missions based family and also knew her call was to the mission field. When she met Babu she was studying to be a nurse. Very early in their relationship they both knew that God had plans for them to serve together. Bibi’s family had lived in Tanzania (near Congo), so the two of them decided to marry, put their belongings on a ship and move to Tanzania with no expectation of returning anytime soon.

It was 1961 when Bibi and Babu sailed to Tanzania and landed in Tatanda (North east area of Tanzania completely undeveloped and deep in the bush at that time).  They stayed in Tanzania from 1962 until 2002 – a total of 40 years.  During that time, they lived in Tatanda and later moved to Mumba (where there was a Grace Bible College).

In Tatanda, they lived with the people in the village. They built up churches, a school, a hospital and even an airstrip. I had the privilege of traveling to these areas in Tanzania in 2008 and was able to witness the impact they continue to have on the communities there.  Babu was widely known to jump on his street motorbike (all dirt roads of course) and ride to nearby villages to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to people who had never heard it before.

In order to reach the more untouched villages, Babu redesigned his bicycle to be able to bolt together so he could fit it into his small airplane.  He would fold up the bike, pack it in the plane, fly to a remote area and then get on his bike to reach villages and share about Christ through the Word of God. Babu learned to pull teeth and perform eye surgery without any medical background.  Villagers would come from near and far with toothaches and eye problems. Babu would treat them and give God all the glory.

In 1996, Bibi and Babu moved to Mumba (a few hours traveling on a dirt road from Tatanda).  There, Babu taught under Steve Shirman, head teacher of the college. The ironic thing was that Steve went to college with Babu’s sons Dan and David and saw Babu more as a father figure. Babu supported the school and taught there up until 2002, training young Zambians and other Africans in planting churches and discipling God’s people.  Babu’s humility and obedience to God’s call continued to shine through his works.

Finally, from 2002 until January of 2010,  Babu spent his time next to his son Dan and his family working with Grace Church in Kabwe, Zambia.  Babu preached and taught in the Bible school in Kabwe and helped plant a church there that now has over 150 members.  Babu never retired.

Babu’s life left a legacy for those that knew him and for those that now hear his story.  He shared his heart and love with anyone he was in contact with: the shop owners in Kabwe, the widows and orphans, the local Pastors, visiting foreigners (like me), Americans, African white farmers, and anyone else that crossed paths with him.  He showed no favoritism and loved those around him with pure Godly love.  He left a legacy of trust.  He trusted his wife, his kids, and those he worked with.  Showing that trust gave confidence and passion to those around him.  He inspired others, usually over a cup of coffee. Anyone that knew Babu had a cup of coffee with him and shared a few stories of the exciting adventures that have gone on.

Babu would say there are 3 important things in following God: 1. Commitment 2. Commitment and 3. Commitment.  He firmly believed that you must put God first, family second, and ministry third.  Babu took time for people, for church and for family.

My challenge is this: What are you taking time for? Who are you putting first?

Let Babu’s legacy continue to challenge those of us that are still walking this earth. Let us, like Babu, live well and finish well.

Thank you Babu, Bibi and the entire Moyer family for who you are to me and for how you have changed my life.

Dustin McBride

President – A.ker.fa and Zambikes Company