Catholic Motorcycle Group Brings Clean Water to Drought-Hit Communities in Central Java

A Catholic motorcycle community based at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Cawas, in Indonesia’s Central Java province, has been delivering clean water to communities struggling with a prolonged drought.

Rider CawaS Touring (RiC@T), a motorcycle touring community in the Archdiocese of Semarang, distributed clean water to people affected by the drought regardless of their religious or social background.

On October 4, RiC@T delivered six water tankers to Candi Weru, about 15 kilometers from St. Mary of the Assumption Parish.

“We delivered six water tankers, each carrying 5,000 liters of clean water,” said Fr. Simon Atas Wahyudi, parish priest of Cawas Parish, in an interview with Radio Veritas Asia.

Fr. Atas Wahyudi said the water shortage was not limited to remote hilly communities. Residents living near the parish were also experiencing similar difficulties as water levels in their wells dropped sharply.

The initiative grew from RiC@T’s spirit of sharing, inspired by the Gospel account of Jesus feeding a multitude with five loaves and two fish.

“Amid this widespread hardship, when many parishioners and people living around Cawas were experiencing drought and struggling to find clean water, we were inspired by Jesus’ teaching through the Gospel story of the five loaves and two fish,” Fr. Atas Wahyudi said.

“We responded by sending water tankers filled with clean water to those in need, without discrimination, especially people severely affected by the drought,” he added.

The priest said he hoped the initiative would strengthen fellowship among Catholics in Cawas while also making the presence of the Church visible in society.

RiC@T, which stands for Rider CawaS Touring, was established on Jan. 25, 2025, at the initiative of Fr. Atas Wahyudi, who has a passion for motorcycles, including classic and vintage models.

The community has 48 registered members and about 28 motorcycles of different types. The group meets on the 25th of every month and organizes a motorcycle tour once a month. Its meetings also follow the “five loaves and two fish” theme, with members divided into groups of four or five to provide snacks and drinks.

For Fr. Atas Wahyudi, motorcycle touring is more than recreation. The journeys offer opportunities to meet people and serve others.

In 2026, its social activities included regular visits to an orphanage in Berbah, Kalasan Sub-District, Sleman Regency, in the neighboring Special Region of Yogyakarta. RiC@T also worked with TitDaR Cawas, an emergency response unit, to distribute rice and financial assistance supporting the social ministry of the Alma Sisters at the Berbah Social Institution.

“Our activities are not simply about riding motorcycles and touring. We feel joyful because we can distribute social assistance, both from our members and from the wider community,” said Tono Natamahendra, chairman of RiC@T.

RiC@T has also assisted communities affected by disasters in Cawas.

“It is like having a hobby of riding motorcycles while doing good. Just as Jesus traveled from place to place while teaching people, we also enjoy traveling from one place to another while doing good,” said Tono.

Fr. Atas Wahyudi, originally from Temanggung Parish in the Archdiocese of Semarang, was ordained a priest in 1990. Before becoming pastor of Cawas Parish, he served in several remote parishes, including Sambiroto and Weleri.

Through RiC@T, he has continued to turn a shared passion for motorcycles into a way of bringing solidarity and practical help to people in need.