Arvid Loewen, 59, sets out to break his own Guinness World Record in an effort to help children in Kenya

With nine tinygrandsons cheering him on, 59-year-old Arvid Loewen is working to breakaGuinness World Record his own.

In 2011, Loewen set the record for the fastest bicycle ride across Canada. He covered6,040 kilometres in13 days, six hours and 13 minutes. But, Loewen said, makingtimeis not what countsnow.

"The record or riding across Canada really isn't important at all," he saidwhile pedalingclose toWhiteshell, Man.

The real goal, Loewensaid, is to raise money and awareness about MullyChildren's Family (MCF),a street children's rescue mission in Kenya, Africa.

In 2005, Loewen brought three teenagers from Kenyato Canada through MCF. One by one, they took turns riding on the back of his modified tandem bicycle as he pedaled across the country.

"[After that], Ino longer seea picture of a destitute child," he said, referring to pictures of African children in need he's received from MCF.

"I see the real child."

His desire to help children only grew, he said, with the birth of his nine grandsons, who are between the ages two and six.

"Sometimes I sit back and I imagine what would it be like if their life was on the streets? How thankful would I be for somebody like me who's willing to do something about it?"

Those thoughts encouraged him to leave his career behind and commit to full-time volunteer work withMullyChildren's Family. To date, he's raised $4 million for a home where 2,500 children now live none of which are up for adoption.

"[They are equipped] with life skills. Once they've reached the age of being independent and capable, then they go out and spread the message of hope that has been modelled through them," he said.

"So, riding across the country is simply a tool, simply a platform, but it doesn't really mean very much to me."