First Stop: Portugal
Landing in Lisbon, we embarked on our first-ever visit to Portugal, driving up the stunning coastline through Ericeira, Samora Correia, and Porto.
The architecture and scenery were breathtaking — but so was the realization of how spiritually dry the land has become. We learned that the Reformation never truly reached Portugal. Today, only a few percent of the population identify as evangelical Christians, and many who claim belief do so out of cultural tradition, not personal faith.
Yet among the surfers, skaters, and mountain bikers, we saw immense opportunity. As we prayed and sought God’s guidance, we left Portugal feeling deeply encouraged that this might be the right place to plant a Ride Nature Europe HQ — a place to invest, pioneer, and help bring the Gospel to a land where “the harvest is plentiful.”
France: A Gathering of Leaders
Over a decade ago, Ride Nature and several other ministries launched ACTS, a global network of action sports ministry leaders. Every two years, leaders from each region come together for prayer, encouragement, and shared learning.
This year’s European gathering brought us to Les Contamines, France, where we spent three incredible days with 40+ leaders at the base of the Alps. We prayed together, shared resources, and strengthened each other to keep pushing forward — yes, pun intended!
On our final day, we were surprised with the chance to snowboard on the last day of the French ski season. Riding spring conditions under a perfect bluebird sky, we celebrated God’s creation and the gift of community.
Yet beneath the fun and fellowship, we left France carrying a heavy burden: many regions across Europe still lack strong leaders, even though the potential for ministry is enormous.
Final Stop: Ireland
Ireland was another first for us. For nearly five years, we’ve been building a friendship with Ricky Ponce, but this was the first time we visited him in his hometown of Cork. While Ireland’s landscapes were stunning, the spiritual need felt heavy. Ricky is faithfully working to reach his community, but the cold, wet weather and limited resources make it challenging to build consistent, ongoing ministry.
We’re praying about how we can come alongside Ricky and others to create long-term opportunities and support.
From there, we traveled to Lahinch, a beautiful surf town, where we met Irish surf legend and pastor John McCarthy. John pioneered big wave surfing in Ireland, and while he didn’t come to faith until later in life, he now lives with radical obedience — still surfing massive waves at age 50, helping lead a local church, and running a YouTube channel called Cliffs of Hope, which points people to Jesus worldwide.
God’s timing was perfect: John was scheduled for heart surgery the very next day. We are so grateful we were able to connect and are eagerly praying for future opportunities to share both his and Ricky’s stories, possibly in an upcoming To the Ends episode.
Looking Ahead: A Pioneering Vision
Europe is chock-full of open doors — and as Scripture says, the harvest is plentiful. We left this trip with a deep burden to see leaders raised up and multiplied across the continent. Our prayer is that this pioneering journey will pave the way for many more trips and partnerships in the near future.
Thank You for Partnering With Us
We are incredibly grateful for each of you — your prayers, your encouragement, and your financial support. Because of you, we are able to plant seeds we believe will grow into mighty trees, bearing fruit and producing a harvest far beyond our lifetimes.
If you’d like to continue partnering with us as we bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth and equip disciple-makers to do the same, please visit:
Thank you for being part of this mission.
