By Micaela AboodyMonday 12 Sep 2022Social JusticeReading Time: 2 minutes
Riding a bike from one side of the country to the other is not something everyone is prepared – or keen – to do.
However, Compassion Australia correspondent and participant in this year’s Compassion Ride from Perth to Newcastle Nellie Logan is training hard to do just that.
This will be her second year riding for a Compassion cause but her first coast-to-coast ride.
“Personally, it will be a challenge and adventure, I have not done anything like this before so it’s a challenge for myself,” Ms Logan said.
Taking on the 4200km feat over a one month period, Ms Logan will need to average 150km a day, which she has said will not only be her biggest challenge physically, but also mentally and spiritually.
“When I first signed up there was a lot of prayer involved because I had been having some health issues previously and I wasn’t sure I could do this,” she said.
“The Lord gave me the verse from Luke “For with God nothing will be impossible” and I thought it will be OK he’s giving me the thumbs up. So, it’s been a faith journey for me as well,” she said.
The ride will support the work of Compassion, which Ms Logan has been an advocate for since 2006, having written more than 900 letters to children in developing countries to date.
Ms Logan has sponsored children since 2006 and has written over 900 letters to children in developing countries. “I am so blessed by the letters I receive from them…”
“I believe in the cause and I believe that their programs work and are very effective in breaking children free from poverty,” she said.
In 2015, Ms Logan was asked by a local businessman, who sponsors a lot of children, to start letter writing.
Looking for something that had purpose at the time, Ms Logan thought it was the perfect job for her.
“I am so blessed by the letters I receive from them; they tell me how much they love me and how much they appreciate the sponsorship… it really is heart-warming and quite powerful I feel very blessed and honoured to be able to do this,” Ms Logan said.
She responds to the letters depending on the age of the child, adding encouragement to older children who are studying.
“[I let] them know that I’m praying for them and I’m proud of them and giving them bible verses to encourage them to let them know they are loved and valued… it’s a really important thing to champion the kids we are sponsoring,” she said.
“[I let] them know that I’m praying for them and I’m proud of them and giving them bible verses to encourage them to let them know they are loved and valued,” – Compassion Ride from Perth to Newcastle participant Nellie Logan
The ride starts on September 17, finishing on October 19.
Source: Supplied / Coast-to-Coast Ride 2018