MAD cyclists stop and pray for police

A group of cyclists, called MAD (Make A Difference), reached Louis Trichardt on April 29 and prayed for the police at the SAPS Makhado station.

Station Commander Colonel Francois Ramovha said that he was honoured by their visit.

"It is such an encouragement to me that they recognised me as station commander of Louis Trichardt and prayed for me," Col Ramovha said.

The following day, the cycling team prayed for local police officers and heads of departments.

The MAD tour started on March 11 in Kimberley, when about a dozen cyclists started on their journey of 6 800km through the country to spread the message that "South Africa needs us to be the Christians we say we are, and that we are the people who must make the difference." They planted a cross in Alexander Bay, the most western point of the country, at Cape Agulhas in the south, at Mafadi on the Lesotho border, the highest point, at the farm of Angus Buchan in Greytown, at Kosi Bay in the east and Musina in the north. They intend to plant the seventh cross on May 12 in Kimberley, their hometown.

"We endeavour to pray at most of the police stations in the places that we pass through. We get an unbelievable reaction. Policemen are under severe pressure. We need to pray for them, encourage them and make them aware of God's calling on their lives to impact people," said organiser Dawid de la Querra, who has been to many countries in Africa.

One of the aims of the MAD cycling team is to provide marketing opportunities for Home 6:5, a non-profit organisation which aims to enrich the lives of the less-privileged and destitute. They also mobilise churches and individuals to pray for Africa and South Africa, in conjunction with the Global Day of Prayer on May 23.

In Louis Trichardt, the MAD team spoke to the F.R.O.G. (Fully Reliant On God) youth group of the Louis Trichardt Dutch Reformed Church on Thursday evening. The next day, they left for Musina and the border.