Sailing Over The Grapevine

Six hours north of me and straight up the old 99 is the town of Madera. Forty minutes above Fresno (which still might not help you find it), is an outpost of the central California farming community. The Cornfields and the Cotton were ready for harvest. It’s mostly a boring run on a motorcycle especially when the ride is solo. California farming is not what you visualize when you think of the state. But there are miles of almond groves and orchards. Its the other kind of fruits and nuts that are cultivated in California. Add to that Vineyards, and Cattle for milk and Cheese, Asparagus, Beets, and Garlic, and you have the makings of nothing to take a picture of.

Madera is an old original whistle stop with the remnants of the wild west still standing between 7-11’s. The wooden water tower next to the rails looks like Knott”s Berry Farm. Quaint deco style gas stations have been converted to grease monkey hang outs and the place to get those cool rims for your low rider.

Roger Leach has been a frontier pastor here for 22 years. “my church is mostly third generation hispanic families. The grandchildren of migrant farm workers” the pastor shares at dinner saturday night. “Roger never made me feel like an outsider” says ex gang member and cholo Sam Cortez. “I hated white people” he says but I always loved Sam Cooke music and somebody gave me one of your records back in the day” he told me after the service.”Jesus spoke to me through this soul music from a white guy” he smiles. “Got me through some hard prison time too” he added tearfully. “don’t ever stop what yer doin man”.

Valley West Christian Center was a fresh spring on sunday morning. I read Oswald Chambers before riding through the little town to the church on the other end. “God will give us communion with people we have no natural affinity for” I read. The timeliness of the insight in devotions has always made me realize there are no coincidences.

I took Hogwash books with me too. Though I thought “no farmers are gonna buy this book”. But there were at least thirty bikers who rolled up in the parking lot. Again, God plans ahead and doesn’t tell me about it. I rode to the Black Bear Diner with em after church, all members of “CMA” Christian Motorcycle association. It felt like family.

In the scope of “Great things to do for God”, from an earthly perspective, Madera would not stand out on the poster of impressive places to play music. But God taps me on the shoulder as I’m riding home over “the grapevine” and says, “have you considered my servant Roger Leach?, there is no finer example of faithfulness”.

His church looks like so many others you might pass along the roadside. The usual clam shell at first glance. But here I found an absolute pearl inside!.