September 14, 2010
By Aaron Cross

One of the most significant parts of the "American Dream" is taking the big cross-country road trip. Just hopping in the car and driving, seeing all this country has to offer, sleeping in the car, eating at roadside diners and building friendships evoke the romance of the open road.

That dream doesn't usually involve making the trip on bicycles. Or building houses, for that matter. Unless you belong to Bike & Build.

Bike & Build is a unique combination of service and adventure. The Philadelphia-based, nonprofit organization raises both money and awareness for the affordable housing crisis in America by empowering youth to a life of servitude. The organization has eight cross-country cycling routes that allow 32 riders per route to cycle across the country from east to west.

Brandt Ayoub, 21, his sister Stephanie, 24, and 30 other young adults from 17 states recently completed the 3,766-mile trip from Boston to Santa Barbara in 68 days. Along the way, they had 10 "Build Days," where they worked with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and YouthBuild.

In addition to riding approximately 75 miles per day, the group often gave presentations to churches and youth groups to educate people about the country's affordable housing crisis, using different statistics to illustrate their points. Prior to the trip, each participant was required to raise $4,000. Of the pool of money that the 32 riders in Brandt's group raised, they were able to give 88 percent to affordable housing through competitive grants and on-the-road donations.

So what made the siblings decide to take their act on the road?

The Rev. George Ayoub, a United Methodist chaplain and Brandt's and Stephanie's father, said, "Brandt is a man for adventure. He thought of riding cross-country with his sister for the summer. Although I agreed with the idea of an adventure, I suggested they find a group to go along with. Brandt did the research, and since we have always been service-oriented as a family, Brandt found Bike & Build and thought it was a worthy cause to support."

Of course, this massive trip would be much more difficult without a little help along the way. That's where The United Methodist Church comes in.

"Bike & Build could not possibly be as successful as it is without the generosity of churches across the nation, primarily United Methodist churches," Brandt said. "We relied heavily upon United Methodist churches for floors to sleep on across the country, and many of the congregations were overly generous in providing delicious meals." He estimates that the group stayed in United Methodist churches 80 percent of the time.

It's not only those helped by the building or the affordable home funds that benefited from the trip, however. Those who rode were just as blessed, according to Brandt.

"One of the greatest moments – other than arriving at the Pacific, of course – was watching meteor showers from the rim of the Grand Canyon. It was humbling to watch God's creations from such an awe-inspiring location; I've never felt so small in my life."

United Methodist News Service
Aaron Cross is a freelance writer in Nashville, Tenn.