Motorcycle club face heartbreaking suffering head-on

The lessons in the rear-view mirror are the fuels used to help those along the road ahead.

Fallen Warriors Motorcycle Club, a tight-knit group of two-wheeled petrol heads delivering the message of Christ, donated 25 stationery hampers to Cancer Association of South Africa, 30 March. The gift packs contained a Christian colouring book, pack of colouring pencils, sharpener, eraser, a little knitted cross with a message in it, a motivational card, and ‘What would Jesus Do?’ wristband.

Club president, Ian Koegelenberg, whose wild pink hair has given way to a more conservative blonde tinge, rubbishes the notion of the steely biker identity. “We can live hard and play hard, but we can cry hard as well. Last year we donated gift packs to 23 kids, and we felt heartbroken when we received news that only 13 of them are still alive. We do cry for those who passed away, and we keep on praying that the suffering will end. No child deserves to go through this hell,” he said.

In addition to their charity work, Fallen Warriors are doubling their mentorship efforts by enrolling three boys with The Character Company. Absent father figures are a leading cause of societal ills and The Character Company helps to fill that void, fighting issues at their root cause. “This is also not a quick fix for boys, and we commit ourselves to walking a long road with them,” said Ian.

The coming winter brings its own unique opportunities, giving Ian and his crew a chance to serve soup to the homeless too. As an inspirational youth pastor, Ian is an encyclopaedia of wisdom, preaching, “There is no good enough reason to ever feel we are a failure. No matter how hard we fall, God is there to restore our spirit and forgive our past. They are wise who depend on God.”