Faraway country.

Poverty stricken area with hard-working citizens, who don’t have much chance to see things change for the better.

My hero rides his Honda into their part of his world every day, to deliver help and hope. To teach them that their God truly loves them. That He isn’t mad at them, no matter how badly they have disappointed their Creator. That He wants them to turn to Him in faith and trust. That He will help them live life, even in the midst of their difficult circumstances. And that He will take them home to live with Him forever, when this pain-filled life on earth is over.

My Honda Man is my kind of hero. Selflessly giving his time and energy to go to others, strangers whom he has never met.  No matter the weather, daily he climbs on board that motorcycle and rides hours away, leaving behind those he holds dear to his heart. Paid good money to do this? Not a chance. Building his resume in order to leapfrog to the top of his field? That’s not his motivation in any way. Fulfilling his hobby, a love of riding just for the fun of it? Never would that cross anyone’s mind if you could know his circumstances.

Do I personally know Honda Man? Will I ever meet him and see where he rides? Meet the people he tries to help? Will I ever know what he looks like? Meet his friends and family? No, to all those questions. That will most likely never happen. Not on this side of eternity, anyway. But do I admire and hold him up as a hero among heroes? That is an absolute YES.

To me, in my vivid imagination that can run rampant when left to its own devices, Honda Man stands about twenty-five feet tall and can leap tall mountains in a single bound. Oh yeah, I know that last sentence isn’t true, but please leave me to my beliefs that truly good and honorable people still exist in this world. And a twenty-five-foot tall, mountain-leaping dude represents all of them.

I am personally acquainted with a lot of wonderful men and women, who genuinely love the lonely and hurting among us, and try to help them in so many ways. But although I respect them and would tell anyone they are the salt of the earth, not one of them holds my admiration like Honda Man.  

I have no doubt that I will have the chance to look Honda Man in the eyes, and I will instantly and instinctively recognize that man – on the other side of eternity. And I will have the opportunity to hug his neck and tell him what an inspiration he was to me – back on this side of eternity.