Man’s faith inspires action
Lynchburg resident Shane Reside repairs bikes for locals in need of transportation
From having no faith to being filled with faith in God, local Lynchburg resident Shane Reside has gone from being an atheist to sharing God’s grace with those around him, all within a matter of months.
Donation — Shane Reside, a homeless man, desires to help others by providing transportation. Photo credit: Courtney Russo
A staple for humanitarian work in Lynchburg, Virginia, The Lighthouse Community Center of Lynchburg has branched out once again to reach the people around them in a new
way — with bicycles.
Reside has taken it upon himself to collect and repair bikes as he gets them in order to gift them to those who need a way to
get around.
With a knack for fixing things and having experienced the difficulties of having no transportation himself, Reside had a deep, personal motivation to start the “Acts of Random Kindness” (ARK) ministry.
“Well, I have personal experience, (knowing what it is like) not having any form of transportation,” Reside said. “ … I’m technically homeless myself. So, from personal experience, having to walk everywhere … takes forever. … If you have a bicycle, it’s easy to get there in half the time or less, you know, and it helps you become more productive if you’re trying to get your life together.”
The opportunity and the passion were already there. Reside just needed bikes.
Liberty University was able to be one of the providers for that need. According to the Liberty University News Service, several bicycles had been left on Liberty’s campus, remaining unclaimed by students, so the university’s police department decided to donate them to Reside’s cause.
“Lynchburg Daily Bread was so blessed by this unexpected gift,” Tracey Dixon, director of the Daily Bread, a ministry of Lighthouse Community Fellowship, told the Liberty University News Service. “Our guests were so grateful for this remarkably kind gesture. … The recipients have told us this gift is life-changing.”
Dixon said those that received the bikes — restored to mint condition by Reside — are using them to cut down on travel time to and from job interviews, doctors’ visits and several other programs. The bikes have also proven to be a great form of exercise.
Reside said he has always been mechanically inclined, explaining that he has been working on cars “since I was 17, and I’m 34 now.” He already had the know-how, so this ministry gave him a purpose for his passion.
Supply — Liberty gave Shane Reside bikes to help his ministry. Photo credit: Courtney Russo
“I was attending a Bible study group … and the last thing we talked about was the book of James,” Reside said. “ … It says in (James 2:14) that faith without works is dead, and I realized that all this time, I hadn’t been doing anything. … I was just doing what I thought I should do to get by, day-to-day. Then I realized that there are some things that are bigger than me, and I should be a part of the world and contributing (to it).”
However, Reside was not always sure what his contribution to society should be. After studying the book of James, he said he prayed to God, asking, “What is it you would have me do?” It was while he was repairing a bike for himself that he remembered repairing a bike for a friend nearly a year earlier.
“I reminded myself of something I did for this guy named Milford, who’s a homeless fella here downtown,” Reside said. “I’d given him a bike. … So that’s pretty much where it started — God putting it on my heart to do it.”
Coupled with the motivation from his faith and his mechanical talent, Reside has been able to give others what he has been given — the gift of transportation.
“Reside is refurbishing old bicycles to give away to the homeless. … (He) will also be raffling off bikes throughout the year to help fund his ministry,” according to the ministry’s website.
For the bike mechanic, the best part of giving someone a bicycle for the first time is seeing “the love of God” in a real and
tangible way.
“Basically, I’m giving (people) a bicycle so they’ll have the means to get around, to get what they need to get done, with the hope that they can get their lives back on track,” Reside said of his hopes for the ministry.
More than just meeting the day-to-day practical needs of local Lynchburg residents, the ARK ministry has given Reside the opportunity to share his faith and the love of God with people outside of the four walls of the church.
“Considering how big the homeless problem is in this town, with unemployment being as it is, … any small, little hand up is a blessing for anybody,” Reside said.
So far, Reside says the initiative has been “a success,” and he dreams of one day expanding the ministry to include “bicycle campers.” These small campers, attached to the back of a bike, could provide homeless people with a bed to call their own, a trend that he says is growing in popularity around the country.
“As of today, I have given away seven bicycles, and I’ve got one ready to give away, but I haven’t had anybody come (by) in a bit,” Reside said.
When Reside was a kid, he said he would tear apart his bicycle and put it back together, just for something to keep him busy. Little did he know that years later, his childhood pastime would grow into an opportunity to lend a helping hand to those in need.
“(I’m) looking for people who are down on their luck and are trying to get their lives back together,” Reside said. “ … I offer those people the opportunity to do so.”
To donate a bike or get more information about the ARK ministry, call 434-847-5050 or visit lighthouse.farrrfoundation.org.
Goins-Phillips is the opinion editor.