Brainstorming with UIC Students

Today 7 University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) students came to HWI office to gather information for the US trike feasibility study they are doing for us as a class project. I (Alice) thought they were Masters level students but today I learned they are all undergraduates completing their degree in kinesiology, the same degree I got from UIC back in 1990.

Our trike team spent 3 hours answering their questions, telling how our trike division evolved and when their brains were spinning from all the technical information I got to share my personal story and give God the glory. The energy, enthusiasm, excitement, and interest they had for the project was electrifying. 

 

Watching them try the trikes, hearing why they chose the project, sharing some good laughs and exchanging great ideas was all a plus.One student was a marathon runner. He said he would love to use one of our trikes to train for marathons, getting his upper body in shape. He took it for the longest ride. Kevin our engineer said, “I haven’t seen anyone burn rubber on the trike yet.” So this guy took it as a personal challenge and gave it his best effort. Afterwards Kevin said, “I saw rubber burning.”  My eyesight wasn’t quite that clear!

How is your eyesight?

When I left the joy in my heart bubbled over and out. Today God gave me much more than I could have ever imagined. My dream was to teach physical education and pursue my PhD in exercise physiology but my disability made that an impossibility.  

Long Time No Post

I (Alice) enjoyed a much needed time off in early September. But His Wheels kept marching on in my absents thanks to our volunteers and our bike and trike coordinators.


Today there were 7 of us. We were from 6 different area churches. On our Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday morning workdays we take time for updates and then we pause to pray. Here are some of the updates I shared today.

• Kevin our engineer brought our new US trike by so volunteers could take it for a spin and give input.
• Yesterday I got to try the trike and Kevin and I had a long discussion about the pros and cons and maneuverability of the trike.
• A Boy Scout from a neighboring suburb heard me on the radio in August. He contacted us about doing his Eagle Scout project with us. The project has been submitted for approval and then he hopes to begin with us.
• A friend of the ministry referred one of his friends to begin helping with HWI. The man just lost his wife to death and is looking for a place to volunteer. He is an avid cyclists and does his own wrenching (bike mechanics) and has a dream to build his own bike. He came by today to check us out, he talked with our trike design engineer about his ideas and he plans to join our team.
• On Friday a missionary is coming by to discuss ways he can reach out to an immigrant apartment community using bicycles as his curriculum to draw the adolescent boys in the complex together. We are going to brainstorm with him. He has the missionary heart and some bicycle knowledge but his dream is part of our dream.
• On Saturday 10 Master's students from University of Illinois are coming to the headquarters to learn more from us as they venture out to do a U.S. trike feasibility study for us.

We stand in awe of how the Lord is growing His Wheels and using bikes and trikes as a tool for expanding His Kingdom. Pray with us about these up and coming opportunities.

Open House August 27, 2011

We had an awesome open house. About 30 people attended. What we lacked in numbers we exceeded in sharing, encouraging, and passing the torch of God's goodness on to each other through recalling stories of God's faithfulness. We brought in 15 bikes. This AM we had 10 people help us. Thanks to all who came, encouraged us through notes and prayer. We serve an awesome God who wants to astound us by His miracles.

Mark Your Calendar

Thursday Work Evenings: August 11 and 25 from 6:30P-9:30P. You are welcome to come and learn how to repair bikes

Saturday August 13, 2011 tune in to 91.9, Family radio in the Chicagoland area, WJCH on . The show is aired at 6:30AM, 12P and  5 PM.

Bike Sale  on Thurs, Aug, 18th, Friday Aug. 19th, Sat. Aug 20th, and Tues Aug. 22 from 3-5PM at 812 N. President St., Wheaton, IL 60187

Join us for His Wheels International's Open House: Saturday, August 27th 

9-1PM: Workday to prepare for open house. 1-8PM: Open House & Refreshments. Between 2-3PM we will have an hour of sharing and prayer. Bring a friend and come join us at 21W161 Hill Ave. Glen Ellyn, IL 60187. Find map and directions on our website home page at www.hiswheels.org

Our team is growing!

At Thurs. night's work time 6 people attended. Grant taught basic tire changing skills. He explain presto and shrader valves. He explained that a Schwinn 26x 1-3/8th tire only fits on a Schwinn rim. Non Schwinn 27x1-3/8th rims require a different tire. He then demonstrated how to use tire irons instead of flat end screwdrivers to change the tire. Lots of opportunities for practice.


Today 8 people worked at the shop ranging in age from 16 to 81 representing 4 churches. What fun we had fixing bikes together, praying and thanking the Lord that we can serve Him, and joking with each other. "Hey, why do you have 2 different shoes on?" You can hear it next. Come share in the fun. Also a couple networking sessions around the pool table!


We also had a Wheaton Bible Church family come and pick up a bike for an Iraqi refugee they are helping out through the church. The one who came was a career missionary in the Central Republic of Africa. Now he is retired but still goes back and forth. In July when one of their team members returns to the area he wants to discuss the possibility of a trike project there. 

Cycles for Six Countries in a Day

Today was an exceptional day in my cycling career. Keep in mind my goal by the age of 30 was to bicycle on all 7 continents and through all 50 States. By then I’d biked on 4 continents and through 30 states. My day began by driving 3 miles to His Wheels International’s headquarters, arriving at 9AM. There I met up with Richard and Tom C, two of our volunteers who were fixing bikes. By noon I had visited and distributed nine bicycles to pastor’s, Bible school professors, youth minister’s, and other Christian leaders from Romania, Belarus, Russia, Macedonia and Moldova. When I dreamed of visiting all those countries by bike I never dreamed of hearing, “Thanks, you are such a neat lady,” and receiving hugs, and thanks as I watched them ride off on bikes. There are 13 Christian Workers here for a six-week study program affiliated with Wheaton College. They will have bicycles to tour my hometown and will return home and tell others about “the bike lady.”

Well, I don’t know about you, but by the time I visited all the representatives from those different countries I thought I’d kick back and relax. Instead I got home and made some HWI calls and “pastored” one of our team members who were facing some tough challenges in life.

Around 4PM I just about caught my breath and I was off to deliver 4 bikes to a refugee family from Nepal. When I arrived I was flocked by children and then mom, dad, grandma, and neighbors came to see what was going on. It reminded me of when I landed on a village airstrip in Zimbabwe as a short-term missionary, a passenger in a small Mission Aviation Plane. I fitted the four children with bikes and since I was unsure which bike would fit one of the children I took a 5^th bike with me.

After fitting the children, the mother straddled the 5th bikes. I began to show her how to ride. In sweltering heat of about 96-degree we had a parade of bikes swirling around the parking lot in this apartment complex. The father too got on one of the bikes. After about ½ an hour I was getting ready to leave. In broken English the mother said, “I love you.” I asked if I could give her a hug and she agreed so we embraced. We couldn’t share a language but we could share a thank you through a hug. The father shook my hand and put his finger up indicting for me to wait a minute. He ran inside and got me a can of pop and made a thank you head gesture. Here was an example of wanting to give back to me as a way of saying thank you for giving to us. The grandma told me her name and I tried to pronounce it. Oh they did so much better at my name than I did of theirs.

After a couple sips of pop they invited me in. I went in. Before I sat down they had turned the fan my direction making sure I was comfortable. The father ran into the kitchen and prepared a plate of fruit for me: an apple and grapes. Before long there were many small hands coming over to share in the fruit platter, which the parents wanted to give just to me. However, I welcomed all the children to eat and enjoy my feast with me. As we shared one of the girls asked if we sell bikes. I said “Yes, we sell some and we pray for God to provide the money for others so we can give them to you. Isn’t that neat to get a bike?” Before I left I told them the bikes came from the Wheaton E. Free Church where their school does their special Christmas program. I also was able to ask if they wanted information about our summer program for children. After an hour with the family I left blessed by how they had treated me as the guest of honor sharing a feast with me overflowing out of their poverty. How true that for all of us the verse is applicable: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

At the age of 30 I would have laughed if someone told me I’d get a hug and an “I love you from a person from Nepal,” on the same day a pastor from Russia would give me a hug and say, “You are a special lady.” Indeed God has allowed His Wheels to use bicycles as a tool for expanding Christ's Kingdom.

Today's Activities

On Wed. night after helping a HWI volunteer pick shop for bike gear we went out for dinner. While eating his wife mentioned they were getting rid of a pool table. My eyes lit up. It's been on my office wish list. I'm going over today to begin disassembling it. I'm looking for 2 strong college men or young grads to help us move 3 pieces of 3/4 in. slate sometime in the next week. Let me know if you can help.


We are gearing up to give away 13 bicycles next week to a group of Christian workers from the Eastern European block who will be here on a study program at Wheaton College for 6 weeks.


Today we had 6 people working on bikes. There were 5 area churches represented. One of our new workers I met during CareFest. I remember meeting his wife and asking, "What do you like to do as a hobby?" Not knowing my bent towards bikes she said, "take day long bicycle trips." We were off (sort to speak). With time I learned her husband likes to tinker with bikes. So he has joined us.

Celebrate!

We began today as a "Faith based ministry" defined by mentor(30 years) and co-founder of Pioneer Girls. "Faith based begins when the economic resources end." We needed $1,700 to cover April's rent to complete our first year in our new building debt free. By 12:00PM we received rent and more. Thanks to all for your prayers, encouragement and help!

I began the day clinging to the cross and listening to a sermon by Denis Lyle on Abraham sacrificing Isaac. He said, "A tried faith is a trusted faith." My prayer is that the same can be said of the ministry of HWI.

What is new

"The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." (Ps. 19:1)

An interview at 7:30AM with Joy in the Morning on WETN

WETN's radio control board

Speaking Engagements this past week have included:

Thursday June 3rd-St. Luke's Healthcare Foundation Board Dinner

Friday, June 4th-St. Luke's Healthcare Foundations full board

Saturday, June 5th-WJCH-Family Radio. This broadcast can be heard at our open house

Sunday, June 6th-Wheaton Evangelical Free Church-Kupples Klass

Monday, June 7th-WETN radio interview

Dr. Duane Anderson trying our trike on June 5th at the St. Luke's Healthcare Foundation Board Meeting.

The 16 trikes HWI just sent to Ethiopia will go to Dr. Duane Anderson who is an orthopedic surgeon at Soddo Christian Hospital in Ethiopia.

Left to right: Ken Amstutz, Zach Brumbach, Kevin Nikolich, Alice Teisan, and Dr. Duane Anderson. Kevin Nikolich and Ken Black had the opportunity to show Dr. Anderson and two of their board members the manufacturing fixtures, and tube bender.

Ken Black is doing contracting work for HWI. Our hope is to bring Ken on as our first full-time employee to oversea the trike program. Ken grew up in Sierra Leone as a missionary kid. Then he spent a few weeks in Brazil on a short-term mission project while in High School with Don Matteson, HWI's newly elected board member. Ken, and his family served in Russia, and Guinea W. Africa for over 14 years. We are glad to have Ken on our team.

Kevin showing Dr. Anderson how to use the tube notcher, part of the trike building process.

Alice and her brain in white

Meet Kate Nyenhuis, administrative assistant par excellent. Kate has taken our last 5 years of stats and put them in a working order. Hopefully soon I will compile the data. What HWI has done in the last five years is beyond what I could have ever hoped or imagines.

We are finally back to fixing bikes and the waiting list for bikes keeps growing. We could sure use some volunteers to help repair bikes. Please pray toward this end.

Our shop is coming together. We have a piece of Kevin's workmanship in wood and organization holding our wrenches and socket parts. Come visit us on Saturday or any other time and see what God has done for HWI.

Work in Progress

Celebrate our progress with us

Our sign is up

2nd desk has the overhead compartment up now

Kevin hung the peg board and arranged some of the tools. The counter still needs some organizing. A second board to follow. This one is a combination of Kevin's engineering ideas and his woodworking projects.

The organized peg board is soothing to my eyes

Some mechanics have begun. Good times began even earlier. Richard has been with us since 2006 faithfully coming twice a week. Thanks Richard

Today was Tom's first day to see the new digs. He did some sorting of the counter top and finished off a bike. Tom knocked at my door in July of 2005 when I was home praying for a secretary. God knew a mechanic was a more urgent need. Tom has worked faithfully since 2005.

The bike shop is coming together nicely

Thanks Tom for organizing the counter top today.

Below you will see there are still some areas needing work!

I'm glad we have Kevin for figuring out how to layout our workspace.

Hopefully we will have our things sorted out for the open house. This is hopefully going to be our trike area for starters.

HWI Headquarters Progressing

Today Ken & Todd began doing some bike mechanics. We still have some sorting and organizing. The white board against the brick is peg board we plan to have silhouettes of where specific tools will hang.
We only have Todd with us for a few more years and he is off to France. Todd has been working with us to learn about bikes and potentially do something like HWI in France as he does church planting.
Updates are happening in every room. We didn't have a utility sink so one was put into a bathroom that was without a sink. Also, thanks to the trash we got the rack above the toilet, the toilet seat and the towel.
Here is our parts room. We now have shelving on both sides of the room. Seats will hang off of chain along the side of the shelving. All the steel shelving came from our landlord.
The other side of the room. We bought the bricks. The wood again came from the landlord. Many of our spare parts are in trash bins as you can see on the floor. The brick is just the right size for our trash bins-found in the trash when we first began.
Here is the 2nd desk in the office. Everything in the picture was supplied through the trash, including the pillow that goes perfectly with the walls. The paper shredder came to us broke and a neighbor resurrected it.
This is the other side of the office. The only pieces in the picture that weren't from the trash are the guitar in the corner and the carpet. God indeed knew how we would furnish our headquarters. I couldn't ask for a nicer office even if I went out and bought everything in it.

God's Bountiful Provisions

When I signed the lease for HWI's new headquarters on April 20th, I never concerned myself with how it would be outfitted. I knew April 23-25 Glen Ellyn, Illinois had their every 2 year trash days where residents can throw out everything without cost. Here's a picture of what I found two years ago from Glen Ellyn's curbside shopping Days

So I went out with confidence. Also what I didn't find in Glen Ellyn I was bound to find in the dumpsters at Wheaton College when students moved out between May 6-9th. Here's the list of what I found for the office between these 2 locations with about 5 items coming from other free sources.

Accessories: Throw couch pillow, Umbrella, Love seat cover, Small cleaning brush, 4 small trash cans, 10 hangers, milk crate

Bathroom: 2-Plungers, 2-Mops, Over the toilet rack, Bathroom rug, 4 shower caddys, 10 Bathroom towels, Toilet bowl brush, 3 rolls toilet paper, 2 toilet seats, 2 beveled mirrors,

Bike Needs: 3 Bike Racks, 8 Bike display channels, 1 Wheeled Shelve Unit Workstation counter

Building: Steel Shelving Racks, Table Top 8', Shelf Top Birch 3’, Assorted steel & wood & pipe, 6 bricks for shelving

Chemicals: Cleaning supplies: bathroom, kitchen, all purpose, Hand wipes, 5- Air Freshener’s

Drawers/Storage Units: 6 desk drawer sorters, 6 shelf units-plastic, 2 desktop file holders, 6 Plastic Bins/drawers

Educational stuff: 3 backpacks, Webster’s

Electronics: X-Box, DVD portable player

Food: Pop, Condiments, Canned goods, Cereals, Fruit & vegetables, Cheeses, Coffee and tea, Disposable plates, P. butter and jelly,

Furniture: 3 small - Tables, Plug outlet tabletop, 1 end table, Oak Dining Room, table Round table, 4 chairs, 2-book shelve, Leather love seat, Steel kitchen cabinet, Mission coffee table, 2 shelf metal cart

Kitchen: 8 Dish Towels/clothes, Silverware, Dish ware, Glasses & mugs, Salt & Pepper shaker, 2 dish racks, can opener, large waste basket, blender, Pot Holder Set, Storage containers

Lights: Assorted light bulbs, 1 desk lamp, 4 standing lamps, 2 new IKEA lights

Office supplies: Stationary office chair, 3 swivel office chairs, Writing tools & paper, 3- rolls tape, scissors, stapler & staples, 3- hole punchers, 7- loose leafs, 2-Calculators, Portable DVD player, 1 Bookend, 1 – clipboard, HP Printer, 2 drawer file cabinet, 2 desks/overhead bin/self lighted units, Work Space partitions, 2 fans, Corner computer workspace/desk

Small Appliances: Turkish Coffee Maker, Mr. Coffee Maker, Expresso Maker, Hot pot,Popcorn Maker-air, 2 dorm refrigerators, Microwave

Sports equipment/Rec: Prof. foosball table, Small pingpong table

When you come into our new office just know one persons trash has been set up in a way that it is now being used by HWI's Headquarters and put to good use.

Open House

Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 12, 2010. We will have an open house at our new headquarters from 12PM-9PM. Come join us at 21W161 Hill Ave. Glen Ellyn, IL 60137. More details to come

Bike Workspace Shaping Up

Today with Kevin's help we made great progress. Not only did the office get finished, but the bike mechanic workspace is well on its way to being finished. Again all the structures in this section were rescued from the trash over the years.

The night we signed the lease

Prepping the walls for a fresh coat of paint

Will order ever come out of this chaos?

The work area is taking shape

My garage sure held a ton of inventory

We are ready to return to bicycle mechanics on Friday just in time for the summer demands!

The New Office

Thanks to the Glen Ellyn Trash days that happen once every two years, our new office was fully furnished. The only things we bought for the office was paint for the walls and the vinyl floor that looks like oak. Over the weekend we had 11 people helping us paint and prep the building.

Here's pictures of the office from start to finish.

First Appearance

Richard & Todd hard at work

Ken laying the floor

The Lord answered all my prayers for office needs as you can see

All the essentials for an office including a leather couch (allergy free) and a fan

2nd desk