Happy Mother's Day.  This past Thursday I met John at the food pantry at the Third Presbyterian Church.  Many of the pantry clients use bicycles to get there.  John mentioned that the R Community Bikes program saved his life.  R Community Bikes is a nonprofit that provides people who can't afford bikes, with free bicycles and service.  Both the pantry and R Community Bikes are outstanding organizations, first because of how they treat their clients with kindness and respect, and second, because of the organizational systems thinking and efficiency.  Anyway, as I've said before, the three thrusts of this journey across the country are the three As: awareness, advocacy, and assistance.  Part of the awareness piece will include gathering and sharing stories from people who are struggling--  amplifying the voices of those who too often are voiceless.  The first narrative I'm going to share is John's, in part because our meeting began with John identifying how bicycles can greatly impact the lives of those suffering from poverty.  For many of us, a few dollars for a bus, or a bit more for an Uber, is no problem.  But for those who don't own a car and can't afford food, money for transportation becomes an obstacle.  Enough of my voice, let's hear it from John.