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TechnoratiPlatinum-selling Christian solo artist Mark Schultz is continuing on his Across America Bike Tour and recently made a stop in a town in his home state of Kansas that was devastated by an F5 Tornado.
Mark Schultz (center) tours Greensburg, Kan., with (l -r) Delvin Kinser, KJIL Radio’s news director; Christian Easterling, tour manager; and Tim Atkinson, Greensburg assistant city manager. The town was hit by an F5 tornado on May 4.
While visiting Greensburg, Kan., Schultz threw a benefit concert on May 31 at the Dodge City Civic Center, giving 100 percent of the proceeds to help rebuild the town where the destructive storm swept through on May 4.
“This morning we went to Greensburg and one thing I’m reminded of is that we’re here for one reason, and that is to lift up those folks who went through that,” said Schultz at his concert on May 31. “It reminded me of the gospel as I walked through there because God is about redemption and He’s about bringing about newness. I saw something in my own heart, and thought, ‘this town looks like the way my heart feels sometimes.’”
Besides the concert, Schultz also walked around with the residents of Greensburg to witness what kind of damage the city had received. The worship singer then offered his services to pick up and clean up the wreckage that had amassed.
“God is going to do something powerful and new over there,” he said, “the same way He does powerful and new things in our hearts.”
Schultz grew up in nearby Colby, Kan., and attended Kansas State University. He was grateful for the chance to aid the state that helped raise and support him as he became an adult.
On Friday, Schultz planned to visit his childhood adoption agency, The Kansas Children’s Service League, to bring awareness to the 900 children who need parents around the state. The event, Klicks for Kids Exhibit, was to be held in Pittsburg, Kan., and feature 67 photos of youth in need of adoption.
“This was something that I immediately knew I needed to do,” expressed Schultz in a past statement. “If it wasn’t for the caring people at this amazing organization, I don’t know where I would be today.”
During last month’s National Foster Care Month, Schultz said he wanted to encourage families to consider making “a lifetime of difference for the most vulnerable in our communities, the young lives of children.”
Schultz started his cross-country bike tour as a way to raise money for orphans and struggling widows who were in need. He thought of the idea following a missions trip with his wife Kate to Mexico. After witnessing the hardships at the orphanages in the country, he decided to try to make a difference for children in areas such as those.
His coast-to-coast bike trek will cover 3,500 miles, starting from the California’s Pacific Ocean and ending in New Hampshire. Since starting on May 6, he still has about 2,000 miles to go and has raised about $80,000 for the cause.
Schultz is currently recording daily 60-second updates for radio stations to play as he continues throughout his bike tour. 100 stations have already signed up, and the artist is looking for more to broadcast on.
The Midwest singer is also making stops along his tour to hold performances from his best selling album Broken & Beautiful as well as to raise money.
