Four members of Riding High Ministries, a group of professional bull riders dedicated to spreading the Gospel through their sport, are visiting Samaritan's Purse projects in Bolivia. Todd Pierce, one of the cowboys, is blogging about the trip.

Cowboy Up! Bolivian style! We just had our first bull riding event in Trinidad, Bolivia! About 2,000 people attended the three-hour event hosted by Samaritan’s Purse International Relief. Riding were Professional Bull Riders world champion Mike Lee, PBR world finalist Jody Newberry, and PRCA world finalist DJ Domangue.


Todd Pierce gives a shoe box to a young girl.Now, imagine planning a bull riding demonstration in a Spanish-style bull fighting ring. No chutes, no stalls, just a large round pen and stands. A local crew worked all week to install what we needed and even constructed a small round pen to allow me to demonstrate breaking a horse. All out of wood. All by hand!

The stands were mostly filled two hours before the event started, and by start time the arena was packed. More people lined the fence and were stacked on top of each other for this free event. Local media had their cameras rolling, and a live band cranked up to start things off.

Mike, Jody, and DJ took several turns on local bulls we selected earlier in the week. They had great rides and the crowd loved it. Even my friend Jonathan Lemus (a Samaritan’s Purse staffer here in Bolivia) rode his very first bull and lived to tell about it! After four seconds Jonathan hit the ground hard. I ran to him as he lay motionless. Finally he looked at me and said “I’m alive! I’m so happy!”

My horse-breaking demonstration held the attention of the crowd as I began to train a very nervous animal. As things progressed he settled down and began to trust me. I told the crowd he had learned that running from me lead to frustration and exhaustion, but trusting me lead to peace and rest.

I finished the illustration within 45 minutes and presented a saddled horse that had yielded to my loving hand. He became an entirely new creation ready for his purpose—to live in a relationship with me and to grow in the knowledge of my love for him.

I pointed out that in many ways our lives parallel this demonstration. Only frustration and exhaustion happens when we run from God. But, as we turn to Him, He will give us direction, peace and rest. The Good News is we can enter into a relationship with God our Father through Jesus Christ. Only our creator can give us true purpose.

A surprise ending happened for the children who attended the event. We were able to distribute 1,000 Operation Christmas Child shoe box gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and clothing.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, and participants look for any opportunity during the year to give these boxes away to those who need it. It was my first time to pass out these gifts and it gave me a new joy for giving. I remember when one little girl took her box, she looked at me and then kissed me on the cheek. I think it may have been the greatest gift she had ever received, possibly the only gift. Mike, Jody, and DJ also had the pleasure of giving these shoe box gifts out as well.

In the poorest country in South America, it’s great to see Samaritan’s Purse at work. Over our 10 days here, we helped them distribute cattle to needy ranchers hurt by a recent flood, built water filters that provide drinkable water to those who do not have it, and picked up hammers to assist in rebuilding a church in the Amazon basin. Samaritan’s Purse also works in 100 other countries, bringing hope and relief to many people in need.

Thanks for being on this adventure with us. I look forward to a great partnership with the PBR riders, Samaritan’s Purse, and Riding High Ministries. God bless and thank you for praying and giving to this ministry.

Todd

June 26

If you’re a rancher or a farmer, or if you just like a good steak or hamburger, you will appreciate the value of cattle. The cattle industry is one of the most important businesses in Bolivia. Since we landed we have had beef at mostly every meal. With me are bull riders Mike Lee, Jody Newberry, and DJ Domangue, and we are on a humanitarian effort with Samaritan’s Purse International Relief.


The bull riders participate in a cattle distribution.In 2007 and 2008 this part of the Amazon basin was hit hard with devastating floods, wiping out much of the vital livestock in the area. The cattle raisers were hit hard in a country that already struggles with deep poverty. Our hosts for this trip, Samaritan’s Purse, have recognized this need and are helping restock the cattle that were lost in the floods.

Today we attended two cattle distributions for owners who lost some or all of their cattle. It was amazing to see 20 families receive two cows each. They welcomed us as we presented each family with two numbers that match the ear tags on their new cows. The communities celebrated with music while the children dressed up and performed “The Bull” dance.

Samaritan’s Purse also provides one bull per distribution with the condition that the new owners “pay it forward” with the first two calves to give to other families who lost their cattle. It’s a solid way to help someone in need and provides accountability from the families who receive the cattle.

We are also preparing for a rodeo-style event at the end of the week. I plan on breaking a horse and Mike, DJ and Jody have selected a few bulls to ride for the audience. I’ll also take this opportunity to share God’s love and the hope He has for all of us.

Todd

June 24

There’s nothing better than starting your day roping a water buffalo in the Amazon basin of Bolivia!


Bolivian livestock proved tough to tameWe managed to tie it to the nearest palm tree when Jody Newberry got on with no rope, no flank, and no water buffalo experience. But he did it and was quickly ejected to the nearest muck hole to the tune of laughter from fellow riders Mike Lee, DJ Domangue, and myself. It was a good start to a great day.

We hopped onto one of the Samaritan’s Purse trucks and headed to the small village of Loreto to help rebuild a church in desperate need of repair. The Samaritan’s Purse staff was already there hard at work, and we joined them by installing windows, shoveling dirt, and setting door frames.

The level of poverty increases as we get deeper into this country. While we worked we noticed kids bathing and their Moms washing clothes in a nearby, stagnated pond. We later learned that this was also a source of drinking water for some of the 103 families in this community.

Here’s the good news: Samaritan’s Purse has recently provided bio-sand water filters to 70 Loreto families. These filters purify the water from these surface sources and provide potable water to fight water-borne diseases that are all too common here.

Before a family can receive a water filter they are required to attend classes that instruct them on proper use. We also saw the staff make one of these four- foot tall, concrete filters right here on site. They had several ready to give to the rest of the families here, but need another mold to double production for the area.

As far as bull riding, a local news crew showed up to interview us about the upcoming rodeo-style event we will hold at the end of the week. I plan to break a horse and Mike, DJ, and Jody have already selected a few bulls (no water buffaloes please) to ride for the audience. I also take this opportunity to share God’s love and hope He has for all of us.

Todd

June 22

At 13,000 feet, we boarded the small commuter plane in La Paz, the highest capital in the world, while the morning air was cool and crisp. Bull riders Mike Lee, Jody Newberry and DJ Domangue are with me, along with our hosts from Samaritan’s Purse International Relief.


Jody Newberry, Todd Pierce, Mike Lee, and DJ DomangueThe one-hour flight took us just above the 20,000-foot peaks of the Andes and down into the hot, humid city of Trinidad, located in the Amazon basin.

The geographical difference between the two Bolivian cities is striking, but the people still have the same look of despair. Sixty-four percent of them live below the poverty line, and Bolivia holds the infamous title of being the poorest country in South America--a title they would love to discard.

The kids here play, yet most of them are unaware of the terrible cycle of poverty surrounding them. How do we stop the cycle? How can we ease the suffering? These questions are even bigger once you are actually here. But being here is a start.

As we drove through the city, I noticed the large banners advertising the rodeo-style event we will hold here on Saturday. I plan to break a horse, which I selected today from a local horse rancher, and Mike, DJ and Jody plan on riding a few local bulls for the audience. I also take this opportunity to share God’s love and hope He has for all of us.

I mentioned that just being here is a start. Well, Samaritan’s Purse has been here for a few years, helping bring aid and relief to many in this area. Along with holding this event, Samaritan’s Purse is letting us help redistribute cattle that were lost in a recent flood, and we are helping to rebuild a church that desperately needs fixing up. It’s a start!

We are all fans of something and Riding High Ministries is now a bigger fan of Samaritan’s Purse and all the work they do here and in over 100 countries.

I want to encourage you to get started and stay excited about helping your neighbor in need. Please look for more updates from us here in Bolivia and thanks to all the fans of PBR!

Todd

Samaritan's Purse , Bolivia , Evangelism , Riding for Christ