There is nothing more magical than taking a child to the store and telling them they can pick out whatever bike they want. The P.E.D.A.L. bike giveaways continue to amaze me and truly speak to the power and impact a bike provides a child. This is another one of those great stories…
Sam, his wife, and three children arrived in Colorado Springs over two years ago as refugees from Burundi and were originally under the umbrella of Lutheran Family Services. The family is now on their own and both parents have found jobs. The three children are all in school and adjusting well. I met Sam and his two oldest children, Bernadette age 9 and Claude age 8, at the store to pick out their bikes. The excitement on their faces filled the store as they walked through the rows of bikes. It was Bernadette’s birhtday two days later, and a bike was her wish for her birthday. A wish she didn’t think would come true.
Sam talked about living and Burundi and the best thing about America was he finally had peace. Sam was in shock that we were buying the bikes for his children, and it was hard for him to express in his limited English what these bikes meant to the family. What couldn’t be expressed in words was made up with tearful hugs from Sam and his kids.
“Thank you for the bike. I like my new bike. It is cool. God bless you,” Claude.
“Thank you so much for the bikes you gave us. That was going to be my wish for my birthday. You really helped us and we love our bikes,” Bernadette.
Thank you for your donations and making dreams like this come true!
