PLATTSBURGH — Riding his bike across the United States this summer, the Rev. Bruce Overstreet will center his thoughts and prayers on the West African nation of Mali.

Every mile he covers will bring in dollars to improve the Hospital for Women and Children there, where 150 babies are born every month, but there are just 17-or-so beds.

“The Republic of Mali is considered the very worst or second worst (country in the world) for mothers and babies,” said Overstreet. “It’s a terrible place to be.

“We’re trying to change that.”

BIKING FOR MALI

Pastor of North Country Alliance Church in Plattsburgh for 14 years, Overstreet will be taking his first sabbatical ever to bike from Clam Beach, Calif., to Old Orchard Beach, Maine, just under 4,000 miles. On a ride he calls Coast to Coast for Christ and Kids, he’ll set out June 2 with plans to complete the route in about eight weeks. Then, in October, the pastor will fly to Mali to pedal a final 240-mile leg along the roadways of the people he so wants to aid.

Hospital Director Craig Hanscomb encouraged Overstreet to be a physical presence there.

“He calls me just about every week or two,” Overstreet said. “He’s just jumping up and down” about the fundraiser.

The Hospital for Women and Children in Koutiala opened in May 2006, a project of the Alliance Church through its Orchard Foundation.

“The hospital really belongs to Mali,” Overstreet said.

Training Malian doctors, nurses and other staff is an objective of the hospital, which is the only facility within 250 miles equipped to deal with serious gynecological, obstetrical and pediatric conditions.

Anyone, regardless of faith, is welcome there, Overstreet said.

“They come in, they get treated — they don’t have to pay anything if they don’t have any money.”