The second annual Ride for Water will kick off Nov. 13th, with registration from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and the ride commencing from the Resurrection Life Ministries parking lot.

The ride is sponsored by Stonewall’s BBQ, Discount Grocery, Resurrection Life, Real Estate Appraisals, Guy Stegall’s Super Soaker, Exchange Club of Picayune

Smoothie King will be present giving out samples and coupons, PJ’s Coffee House will provide coffee during registration time. Lunch will be provided by Stonewall’s.

Tony Smith and Melissa Bond are spearheading this project.

Tony Smith says, “Last year we had around 75 bikers and raised around $3000. This year’s goal is to have over 100 bikers and reach $4800 in donations to drill one well through the Life Outreach organization.”

“Unclean water leads to death by cholera, relentless diarrhea, fever, sickness, and other waterborne disease for thousands of others.”

He continues, “According to the organization’s website, The United Nations reports that unclean water results in almost 2 million children’s deaths each year. That’s more than 5,000 children everyday!”

“From a father’s point of view, the daughters have to walk anywhere from two to five miles one way, with a water urn on their head to bring back clean water for their family. Can you guess what happens to these young women as they venture out to obtain the safe water? Some of them never make it back and some do— but only after surviving terrible things. As a father, and one that knows the difference that I can make for other fathers in the world with just one well, I could not rest at night if I did not take action.  I think that it is the Christian thing to do.”

Melissa Bond is enthusiastic about the ride and the 50/50 raffle to help out local man and friend, Mike Hart.

“He is in need of a heart and lung transplant. He is due to under go the procedures soon and will be unable to ride with us this year as  he did last year. But he has faith and is in good spirits,” she says.

“The raffle will bless him and bless us for being able to help in such a small way. He is a good man and a good friend to all that know him.”

Both Smith and Bond want to reach out to the whole community to come and be part of this effort.

“We want to include the whole community in this vision, “ says Smith.

Bond says, “I know some may think that we have poor and needy right here; and we do. But the word says that we are not to just be concerned with our own backyard— that we are to go out into the world to spread His love and His word. We at least have clean water here. We have the luxury of taking it for granted. So many others in the world do not have that luxury.”

For more information on the Water for LIFE program, you can view online at www.lifetoday.org or you can call Tony Smith at 601-569-0691 or Melissa Bond at 601-916-6501.