Trike History 2006

January 2006

North Africa

“As 2006 began,…Dawn Clark … informed me that her son Jeremy was interested in partnering with HWI to explore a trike-building project. Our next step was for Kevin to send Jeremy a list of materials required for building the trikes. That way Jeremy could find out what was available in the local communities. Part of our goal for setting up small factories was to rely on supplies available in that country. We wanted to be careful not to create dependency by using supplies that had to be sent from the United States.”*

*Excerpt from, Teisan, Alice Riding on Faith: Keeping Your Balance When the Wheels Fall OFF, (2012), 106.

May 2006

Kenya, Africa

A new partnership was formed with Habil Omungu in Kenya, Africa. Bikes and trikes will help in spreading the gospel to areas where roads hardly exist. “It is the best thing that ever happened in effective enhancement of the spread of the Gospel,” stated a recipient from the Marsabit area. “We will be able to reach as many as possible now that we have the tolls,” a leader from Masai Land remarked.

In Decmeber 2004 I met Habil Omungu, then Anglican pastor from Nairobi Kenya. He graciously listened, encouraged and prayed for the idea of HWI. Nine months later he returned to finish his master’s from Wheaton College. He couldn’t believe how God had blessed the ministry in such a short period of time.

Habil was appointed Archdeacon and conferred upon him the highest honors in the Anglican Church of a Canon this summer.

We have the privilege of partnering with Habil in spreading the gospel as he trains lay church leaders in church planting. We will buy 11 bicycles and 1 hand-pedaled three-wheeler that is built in Kenya to better equip these new leaders. “The bikes will do much more than what any one can ever imagine,” wrote Habil.

Prototype 2

July 2006

North Africa

“In July 2006, when Jeremy returned to Wheaton, he and Kevin met. They first discussed the specifications needed for a trike that would go to North Africa. Then they customized the design for that part of the world.

Kevin teaching Jeremy to build a trike

4th prototype bound for North Africa

Jeremy learning to build a trike

Jeremy learning the building process

Alice Building

 

One change from the original was to use wheelbarrow wheels, since they were available in that region of Africa. Also, since Jeremy would need to show the North African Department of Health the trike before beginning such a project, he suggested building a break-down model. If it fit into two boxes, it could go as extra luggage on an overseas flight.

October 2006

North Africa

Three months later Jeremy had learned how to weld and build a trike. By then he was ready to return to North Africa, and he took the prototype with him. In addition, we sent some welding helmets to replace the piece of sunglasses material the welders there used for protection. We also sent small tools and three sets of hard-to-find parts. And God even intervened so that the airlines allowed it to fly free.

Ministry Update 2006

Our first 20 months of ministry (May 2005-December 2006) was done on a budget of $17,200 (With a positive bank balance and no debt).
Here are the results, our first five prototypes.

Second Prototype

4th Prototype -North Africa Bound

Neighbors trying trike

Third Prototype

Kim trying 3rd trike prototype

5th Prototype

First 4 trike successes (Excluding the 3rd trike)

First four trike prototypes

First four trike successes (excluding the 3rd trike)