Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom (II Timothy 4:1):

I am uncertain as to when we will find another library to email out the next update, so I have decided to keep a running tab of things as they happen.

MONDAY (10/6)

After penning the last report, we crossed the border at International Falls, Minnesota, and I pedaled approximately 30 miles to Barwick, a very small Canadian farm town (I was still worn out from the previous day’s 70-mile ride, so Monday was purposed to be an easy outing). There, we camped alone for the night in what was basically a large field. Monday’s weather was absolutely incredible. Temperatures climbed into the 70’s, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The night sky was also amazing with the moon approaching its full glory. The day’s route allowed for several good opportunities to publicly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In addition to the three men I shared Christ with enroute to the library, the Lord allowed us to share with a truck driver at the Canadian border, 2 ladies in the Fort Frances, Ontario Tourist Information Center, 5-6 Native American teenagers walking down the King’s Highway 11, and an elderly gentleman out for a late afternoon stroll. The latter had been saved for years, so the experience was mutually edifying. In all these encounters, may the Word of the Lord work effectually unto everlasting life. One final experience involved a young lady named Heather. She was working at the small convenience store that managed the campground where we ended up crashing. While Jamie was waiting for me to pedal up, she engaged in a healthy conversation that led into the Gospel as I walked inside. Some local Mennonite believers had placed a rack of Gospel tracts there in the store for people to take freely, so this provided an excellent bridge. Heather was very open and had obviously heard the Gospel before. Apparently, the store owner is a believer. Please pray that she gives her heart to Jesus Christ. Once again, Jamie was very bold, and I was thankful to have her as a partner.

On a geography note, I am amazed by the amount of lakes in this region. At the border, we laid hands on a good map of Ontario (the typical Wal-Mart road atlases never do a good job with the Canadian provinces). If Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, then Western Ontario is the land of 10,000,000 lakes. I must admit that we were tempted to put the bicycle ride on hold for a few days so as to drive 600 miles north to road’s end—right in the middle of lake-infested tundra and very near to a large polar bear habitat. But, the high price of Canadian gas (approximately $2.50 per gallon) quickly squashed such longings. Besides, we must not lose focus. Perhaps the wilds of Canada and its unreached peoples can be the focus of a future missionary journey.

TUESDAY (10/7)

Tuesday dawned bright and clear. Because the mornings are chilly, we like to stay bundled up in the truck until the sun actually peeks over the horizon. We look forward to the time change, because such will allow us to get started earlier. This morning, the sun did not show itself until about 7:45 am. After a hearty “camping-stove breakfast,” we packed up and headed for Rainy River, our doorway back into the United States. Once again, the weather was perfect. For the first time in a long while, I found myself pedaling in shorts and a short-sleeved jersey. We were thankful to God for this unexpected treat. After 30 pleasant miles, we arrived back home. I must say that our little stint into Canada once again made us thankful for the land of the free and the home of the brave. What a blessing it is to be an American. The moment we left her soil, it was obvious we had left her soil. And, after talking to several Canadians about how hard it is for them to even visit our country (Yet, illegals can pour into our borders from Mexico with ease, and some FOOLS in California even support giving such illegals legal drivers licenses—if there is even an ounce of sense to such nonsense, I am missing it), I praised the Lord in my heart for His grace, something I do not deserve. At the crossing, the United States border official was a born-again Christian. His encouragement was spiritually edifying. At the “Welcome to Minnesota” sign, I kissed the pavement.

Shortly thereafter, we decided to grab a bite to eat at a local café. Two solid days of camp food had us yearning for greasy red meat. Anyway, while I was locking up my bicycle outside the Ranch House Café, a couple rode up behind me on a motorcycle. I said hello, and Jamie began asking them about where they were from. Eventually, this conversation led into the Gospel. They took a couple of tracts, and that was that. After the meal, we waited and waited for the waitress to bring us our bill. When we finally inquired about it, she informed us that someone else had paid for our meal. It was the couple on the motorcycle; they had left the restaurant about ten minutes earlier. What an unexpected blessing from the Lord! Needless to say, this experience was a source of encouragement that lasted throughout the day.

From the Ranch House in Baudette, MN, the route continued an additional 36 miles to the small town of Warroad where we hoped to find a cheap motel. Three straight nights of camping and 48 hours without a shower (especially difficult for my pregnant wife) invited a more stable lodging environment at least for a night. So, I sent Jamie on ahead to take care of things while I labored to catch up in a nagging headwind. Enroute, I was able to share the Gospel with a convenience store cashier and a mother sitting in her truck. May God’s Word not return void. Two roadside naps were invigorating, and by 6:00pm, I finally pedaled into Warroad. Jamie was waiting for me in a cheap but quaint room where we are now quietly relaxing.

This evening, we drove six miles north to the Canadian border so that we could simply say we had been in Manitoba, another Canadian Province. We crossed the border after some ridiculous interrogation, took a picture, and drove back into the United States. After more ridiculous interrogation at the U.S. border that made us feel like criminals, I was at least able to give out two Gospel tracts to the INS officials. From there, since we did not have to pay for our lunch, we decided to grab some dinner at this cheap local joint right along the shores of the immense Lake of the Woods. This allowed us to share the Gospel with two young ladies. The conversation with Anna, our waitress, was especially positive. Please pray that she places her faith in Jesus Christ. The other young lady had seen me out biking earlier today, so her excitement over this also created a firm bridge for the Gospel. After dinner, I walked up and down the waterfront where some teenagers had been hanging out. By God’s grace, I was able to hand out several Gospel tracts. May the Word of the Lord do its work.

Well, the hour is late, and slumber calls. It looks like the next several days will involve some rigorous pedaling as we attempt to make it to Carrington, North Dakota and then south to Platte, South Dakota. More details on these developments later. As always, we covet your prayers. May the Word of the Lord go forth, may we be ever-vigilant for opportunities to proclaim it, and may Almighty God be glorified.

WEDNESDAY (10/8)

Well, I found a library in Warroad this morning. I awoke to extremely sore legs, and Jamie felt a little under the weather, so we decided to crash at a motel for another night. This allowed for us to catch up on some administrative duties this morning. Around lunchtime, we got outisde during another bout of pleasant weather and walked about 1.5 miles down to this library. By the grace of God, we were able to distribute several Gospel tracts to people walking up and down the street. One man saddened me with his obstinate "no thanks" reply. I sure hope God does not say "No Thanks" to him when he wants to get into heaven one day. Another young man seemed opened but then became hostile almost immediately. After Jamie pled with him to reconsider, he responded with an adamant "No, thanks!" The Lord then gave me a follow-up reply that I am sure left him thinking: "That's ok, we will not beg. The Lord God is not a beggar; he is a King." Alas, this is the way of things when one takes the Gospel to a lost and dying world. In all such situations, though involving rejection, please pray that the Word of the Lord continues to work effectuallly—that a seed was planted and that the Evil One is prevented from stealing such seeds. We plan to mill around the rest of the afternoon. Tomorrow will be a long ride. If the weather holds, I will shoot for 100 miles.

Please pray for our physical well-being and renewed determination. It is lonely out here. There may be some respite in Carrington, North Dakota. Please pray that this works out, at least for a day or two. Then, it is on to Platte.

Godspeed in all your endeavors for the King of Kings,

Jesse & Jamie Boyd
Full Proof Gospel Ministries
Proverbs 30:5

a little stint into Canada