An estimated 45 Christian Motorcyclists Association members from the Glory Riders – Joplin Chapter converged on Neosho Powersports Saturday to be involved in a nation- and world-wide event: Run for the Son.

“This is our annual fundraiser,” said Roger Marney, the local CMA’s president. “It is the one time of the year that CMA goes outside of the chapter to ask for donations. And every dime that comes in on this goes to these missions. Nothing stays as administrative costs, it goes to Open Doors Ministries, it goes to Missionary Ventures International, 40 percent stays in the United States that goes to evangelism in the United States, and then to the Jesus Film project.”

The members met around 9 a.m. and handed in money they had raised for this event.

“On the first Saturday of May, we do a 100-mile ride,” said Marney. “We all get together throughout the United States. Everybody who is involved in CMA in the United States and internationally gets together and does this 100-mile ride. It is a chance for us to get out and show how Christians can have a good time and not go out in the bars and drink and party, and to fellowship and meet other people to spread the word. That is part of what we do. We do other things. We do rallies, and different ministries that we work in. This is one time that we raise funds just strictly for this.”

According to information provided by CMA, “our plan is to spread the light of Jesus around the world as a result of the work leading up to this day.”

Run for the Son has enabled CMA to equip people here in the United States to reach to the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the last 20 years, they have raised more than $27 million to help spread the Good News.

Prior to them taking off Saturday morning, they received a biker’s blessing from Jacob McFadden, the club’s chaplain.

One of the newest riders to ride in the annual event was Chrissy Hall. She rode her 2002 Honda Magna.

“I have been riding this one (bike) for about a year now,” said Hall. “But have been on them before.”

She received a biker’s blessing.

“When you are out on the road, you get people pulling out in front of you and all kinds of stuff all of the time, and everything that I do, I want God’s blessing on all of it,” Hall said.

As of ride time, the group was informed that they raised more than $15,400. Last year, the local chapter raised more than $20,000 and was number one in Missouri. But they have until May 30 to get money in for this year’s total. After May 30, the money raised will go into next year’s total.

After the riders took off, they headed to Siloam Springs, Ark. and then headed to Fayetteville, Ark., where they stopped for lunch. They then headed back to Neosho on a different route. The ride lasted about five hours.

On the riders’ jackets are CMA patches, which members said get a lot of attention everywhere they go.

“Some people will stop you and say ‘Hey that is a really good patch’ or they will stop you and say, ‘Do you have a minute, can you pray for me? I am going through a problem’,” said Marney. “The patch symbolizes to the world that we are Christians, and we are working for the Lord, we are not working for anybody else but him. It is an opportunity for us to witness and talk to them.”

Marney said he would like to see CMA and the Run for the Son event grow.

“The biggest thing that I would like see in CMA, and especially with Run for the Son, is 100 percent participation throughout the United States and the world,” Marney said. “If a 100 percent of the members of CMA gave one dollar, we are looking at figures of 200-$300,000, on everybody who is actually a member. In our chapter alone, my biggest thing is that I would like to see is that we have 100 percent participation. Last year, we had 95 percent participation which is awesome and to get a 100 percent participation would be just unreal, we would be happy.”

For more information, visit the CMA organization at www.cmausa.org.