Christian bikers to help bring motorbikes to rural Congo

Road maintenance may not always be up to scratch in Britain but it's a dream in comparison to rural parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

After years of conflict that left people too scared to keep the jungle at bay, overgrown tracks deprive small towns and villages of much-needed supplies.

Now a group of Scottish bikers is doing something to help: the Christian Motorcyclists' Association (CMA) is holding a sponsored ride in aid of the Scottish Bible Society to help provide motorcycles and pedal bikes so that remote communities can receive the Bibles that growing churches are calling for.

The bikers will set off on Saturday 6 September and travel to Alford, Aberdeenshire, by way of Bridge of Allan, Perth, Blairgowrie, Braemar, Ballater and Banchory. During the course of the event, the riders will pass through some 72 towns and small villages.

On the following Sunday, the CMA will attend their stand at the Grampian Motorcycle Convention in Alford, with some bikers planning to attend the morning and evening worship services at Alford Parish Church.

The run re-commences on Monday 8 September, when the bikers return south via Aberdeen, Stonehaven, Inverbervie, Montrose, Dundee, Cupar, Auchtermuchty, and then from Kinross to either Kincardine or Inverkeithing.

In the absence of normal transport and deliveries, some Congolese church leaders have been forced to walk to the next town to copy out part of the Bible to read at services.

"A donation of £12 will help buy a motorcycle or bicycle, or provide copies of the Bible or New Testament in local languages," explained Colin Hay of the Scottish Bible Society.

"We hope that this effort by our biker friends will generate a lot of support for the struggling folk in Congo."