Oh, yes, I love this route I ride each week;

     No other place on earth I wish to seek;

The miles, the time, (the money), the faces;

     Michigan City’s one of my favorite places.

I love, in summer, the hot July morn –

     Starting the engine and beeping the horn.

I, too, love the cold mornings of winter,

     Checking the lights, (checking the heater!).

Every Saturday morning it starts,

     Meetings and meetings to encourage our hearts.

There, Travis and I, in that leader thing,

     Details and rules – I’d rather sing;

And there’s Saturday assembly time,

     (For the Bible Clubs I woul’n’t give you a dime!)

But scattered throughout that weary drove

     There’s another crew that I’ve come to love.

They’re known as the “green beret” of ministries,

     But as for you – you can call us the “E”s!

Steve Cox, Joel Wellard, and many more;

     Scott Wiedemann, Don Tinsley, and Craig St. Amour!

There’re ladies and men – some asleep, some awake;

     They’ve worked long and hard so give’em a break.

Then Dr. Owens challenges our soul;

     With story and sermon he achieves his goal;

And then we break and go up those stairs

     To 346 to sit in those chairs;

And we meet once again just to make sure

     We don’t miss the “how to stay warm” lecture!

Workers’ reports and posters and smiles;

     Our ministry is run by Dr. Jack Hyles.

And then from “E” meeting we finally break

     To meet downstairs and some more time to take,

To iron out details of the coming two days;

     If we do it right, though, in the end it pays.

Our room is filled with talking and yapping,

     And once in a while someone resorts to napping.

We discuss the job that before us lies,

     (Tho’ with Jerm there, most of my words turn to sighs!)

Fin’lly last meeting of morn we’ve got through,

     And now we’ve got a lot of work to do.

“See you at four” is a common heard phrase,

     As everyone goes in their separate ways;

It’s visiting time for E-110 workers,

     And sleeping time for E-110 shirkers!

The day is filled with excitement and laughter,

     Only surpassed by day following after.

There’s Russel and Chris and Jacob Goodloe,

     Angela, Stephanie, Jon and Joe;

“Can I go visiting?  Can I see the snake?”

     We’ll take Russell, and Rob’ll take Jake.

Finally at 4 from our ways we descend

     Upon McD’s where for food we will fend.

“We saw four saved” and “we had three more.”

     “Bethann said she’s coming, this time for sure.”

And so after eating the girls go home,

     Tom goes to buy lunches, Jerm for decor.

Kasprzyk still has a move to show Nick –

     To the courts they go – I know who I’d pick!

Hathaway’s riding in circles, what? – again!

     That Grenada’s been by here at least half a dozen.

And so one by one they come back from the City,

     Sometimes 8, sometimes 9, sometimes 10:30;

But they all have one goal as they kneel to pray –

     “God, use us and bless us on tomorrow, Sunday.”

(PAUSE)

“Shut if off!” – I just can’t believe it’s that time;

     Ok, here we go, 20 hours of prime.

She’s got enough coolant, got enough oil,

     Firing the engine makes Satan’s blood boil;

‘Cause someone’s going to learn of Jesus today;

     Someone will change and follow His way;

Someone into the baptistry will go.

     Someone, of Jesus, another will show.

And so at 7 the bus pulls around –

     “Get on board” – E-110’s about to leave ground!

It’s usually quiet as we head for the border –

     Of Michigan, that is, but our first stop’s in Porter;

Dan “Madman” Smith meets us at Steel City,

     And quiet will end in minutes – oh, what a pity!

For – yes – there’s his house, Mr. R. Lyda,

     And then Jon and Joe (together they’re loud-a).

Fin’lly Jerm stands, master of ceremonies,

     To make his introduction of phylacteries.

Then Tom “Big Donkey” makes his way midst the cheers

     To the front of the bus (where Bro. Nick jeers),

So Josh and Dan, as subs, try to quell fears,

     But this only beckons to Nick’s eyes tears.

And then comes the preaching – “Maddog” Downey;

     Jacob “Baked-over”, “Big Daddy” Mc’key;

And others who preach about our Lord,

     On December 17th it’s “Coolcat” Crawford!

And then there it is – the old church downtown,

     A vision of this puts on Satan a frown;

If you’re looking for th’best, I’ll end your search –

     There’s nothing on earth quite like “E” junior church!

And comes Sunday school next, and only then

     Can you attend Bro. Andy’s “high school men”.

And then again, we get on the bus,

     It’s laughing and yelling and sometimes a fuss.

It’s time to eat lunch – get out the food;

     What’s this – for five seconds – Jon and Joe be good!

After all kids are off, we have a few minutes

     To play basketball, go soulwinning or have a snow fight.

(I’m sorry those last two lines didn’t rhyme,

     I thought for a while, but ’twas a waste of time.)

And then it’s off to find some more grub,

     And pick up night riders to join our “E” club.

And then away we start off to church;

     The joy down inside ends our heart’s search.

And then Bro. Hyles and choir and song –

     At Sunday night church is where I belong!

I love to be there with those thousands of people;

     My soul is brought higher than the highest church’s steeple.

And then invitation, and then the fourth floor;

     If I’m lucky, I’m insulted 8 times and no more!

And then it’s out to old bus 22;

     My wife by my side, what a happy to-do;

For now comes the time my heart yearns for most –

     The old “E” night bus, and the dear Holy Ghost.

It’s like a little country church on the road,

     God suddenly lifts life’s heavy load.

We have singing and praises and prayer requests too;

     God meets us each week on old 22.

Josh “The Crank”, “Leadfoot”, “Hack-it-up” and more;

     At night we’re all “E” – there is no more score.

And I love to see Katie and Jerm sitting there,

     For those two above all others I care;

And old Bro. Travis driving away –

     It’s E-110 and E-190 together to stay.

And then about midnight or a little thereafter

     We get back to the college – no song, no laughter;

We’re tired and worn with the cares of the day,

     The babies all bundled as we pull away.

We arrive at our house, it’s dark and forlorn;

     It’s missed us today – it’s been alone since morn.

Quickly into bed for some hours of sleep,

     Like everyone else, we’ve a schedule to keep.

I lie awake a minute to remember the day –

     The buses, the kids, the Lord – what a day!

But I feel like there’s a truth I want known,

     And that truth, I feel, I’ve not rightly shown;

I’ve loved the kids and students and buses and more,

     But at this moment my heart’s a little sore.

Did the people I work with know that time can ne’er sever

     My love for my workers – I will love them forever!