ULTRA-ENDURANCE CHRISTIAN

“I do what’s called ultra-endurance bike packing races,” Chris Bennett, civil engineer, explains. “These are races typically of several thousand kilometers long. I’ve done a race of seven and a half thousand kilometers from Norway to Spain, a four and a half thousand kilometers race from London to Istanbul, a race the length of New Zealand, another across Australia, and several others. Cycling is a key part of my Christian walk; it’s my real happy place where I can meditate and just zone out.”

Chris prays to God during these races, and often the LORD comes through very clearly. “I’m very happy just spending the hours and hours peddling, listening to the Bible, to music, and to podcasts; but today, I cycled for seven hours with nothing on because I enjoy the peace of riding my bike through beautiful scenery and meeting people.”

Many people ask Chris why he participates in races that last for weeks and even months. “God gives me opportunities to share my faith.

In this world of ultra-endurance bike packing races, I interact with a totally different crowd of people from different nationalities all over the world.”

On one occasion, when Chris was racing from London to Istanbul, he was having breakfast with a group of three other racers, and one lady gasped, “Oh, there’s riots in Kosovo! I can’t go that route, and I don’t know what to do.”

Chris quickly handed her a set of directions he had mapped out, saying: “Here’s a route through Albania and Greece. That will get you to the finish line.”

She looked at him suspiciously and asked, “Why are you giving me this?”

“Because you’re in trouble, and this is what people do,” Chris responded.

“We ended up riding together, and about two days later, she said to me: ‘You know I’m a lesbian?’ And I said, ‘I worked that out the first day.’ So, she said, ‘But, you’re a Christian, and you’re being so nice to me!?’ I realized that her only interaction with Christians had come from a negative, critical side, and so I said, ‘Who you are and what you do is not my business. My business is to help you and just be nice to you.’ And since that time, she has become like a foster daughter to my wife and I. She has visited us twice in New Zealand, and we helped her get established in the UK. It just shows how God will bring people into your life, who you would never normally interact with, and you will have an opportunity as a Christian to show God’s love to them, and that’s just what we’re supposed to do.”

A Canadian by birth, Chris took on the challenge of the hardest and longest self-supported ultra-endurance bike race in the world, and he won. The TransCanada Ultra crosses Canada from the North to the South, and the West to the East: a distance of 12,500 km from Whitehorse to Newfoundland.

It Is Written Canada’s film crew met up with Chris while he was peddling through Oshawa, Ontario, and he graciously stopped to share some stories of his incredible faith-building adventures.

To hear Chris’s captivating stories, simply watch It Is Written Canada this month on CTV or the dozens of networks where It Is Written Canada is aired across Canada and around the world. Or go to iiw.ca or It Is Written Canada’s YouTube videos and click on the program entitled: “Ultra-endurance Christian: Chris Bennett.”

Thanks to your generous contributions, It Is Written Canada’s film crew was able to film Chris and capture his story when he briefly stopped in Oshawa, Ontario.

– Mike Lemon

Upcoming Episodes

APRIL 6

A New Hope in Salvacion:
In a remote mountainous region of the Philippines lies a village called Salvacion. The people here live a simple life, making a living as best they can from the jungle. Life is difficult, often complicated by superstition and
traditions that can be harmful. Join Mike and René as they meet some of the people of Salvacion and hear how ADRA has given them new hope for a better life!

APRIL 13

Ultra-endurance Christian:
Chris Bennett is a Civil Engineer and an avid cyclist. In fact, Chris enjoys cycling so intensely that he has taken on some of the world’s most beautiful,
most demanding, and longest cycling trails, tracks, paths, and lanes connected by enjoyable
wilderness roads. Chris excitedly shares how cycling is a key part of his Christian walk.

APRIL 20

Are you Healthy?:
“Are you healthy?” Might seem like an odd question to ask. Surely, it would be easy to know if you’re healthy or not, right? Dr. George Cho helps us see how in many ways, yes, it is easy to know if you are healthy, but in many ways, it is also not.

APRIL 27

Zero Alcohol:
According to thole World Health Organization, Canadians drink more alcohol than the global
average. According to Statistics Canada, during the pandemic, many Canadians consumed even more alcohol. The common
perception is that too much alcohol is bad for you, but in moderation, it’s healthy. Dr. George Cho helps us explore this critical topic.

It Is Written Canada Celebrates 50 Years!

It has been 50 years since Henry Feyerabend launched his first TV broadcast in Canada. To celebrate It Is Written Canada’s 50th anniversary, we decided to stage several rallies at various churches across the country during the months of September and October, and we will soon let you know where these rallies will be. To enjoy our classic programs with Pastor Henry Feyerabend, please visit us at iiw.ca and click on IIWC Classics.

Upcoming In-Person Events

April 6:

Preaching at
Bancroft SDA Company, Bancroft, ON

April 12 – 13:

Prescription for Love
Duncan SDA Church , Duncan, BC

April 20:

Preaching at
Hagersville SDA Church, Hagersville, ON

April 24 – 27:

Youth & Young Adult Retreat: Finding Faith in
a World of Unfaithfulness
Henderson HWY SDA Church, Winnipeg, MB

THIS MONTH’S FREE OFFER – More Seeing is Believing by Mark Finley & Steven Mosley

This booklet shares dramatic evidence of a Creator-God whom not only made us but also died to save us

Free Offer

Cinnamon Baked Pears with Walnuts

ripe-pears-caramel-sauce-festive-spice_643825-596

Ingredients:

4 ripe pears
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1–2 tablespoons of chopped walnut

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C)
Cut your pears in half and remove the core using a melon baller or a small spoon. Keep each pear half with the skin side
down and place them in a 9×13 baking dish or large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Dust the pear halves evenly with the cinnamon.
Mix the maple syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla together and evenly top the pears.
Flip the pears, cut side down, and bake for 20-25 minutes until the pears are fork tender. Once the initial cooking time has
expired, carefully remove the pears from the oven, flip cut-side up, sprinkle with the walnuts, and bake for 5-6 minutes.
These warm, fragrant pears are fantastic on their own, but they’re even better with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or
a dollop of coconut cream. Date caramel sauce (see recipe below) can also be drizzled for an extra touch of decadence.

Date Caramel Sauce