Greetings Team –

We have been meeting and praying about the two ministries which lead trips from Mariners to the Miracle Ranch. Global Outreach has sponsored the 3rd-Saturday trips, which have gone down every month; Women’s Ministry sponsored a trip every-other month.

This represents 18 trips/year, and each Suburban costs a little over $100 for Gas, Insurance and prep. It also represents a cost for “planning” to plan 18 separate trips, plan for food, communicate with the wonderful volunteers.

We are going to consolidate the trips to produce a single trip each month, and we are going to pour the resources into better PLANNING (for those who want to DO something when you volunteer) and into support for the Ranch (money).

Starting October, we will be going down on the FIRST Saturday. For 2007 this will mean trips on:

Saturday, October 6

Saturday, November 3

Saturday, December 1

We are also adopting the Women’s Ministry Schedule. By purchasing the food and preparing before hand, we will be able to meet at 6:30 up by Port Mariners…be down at the Ranch around 10:00 and returning for an approximate 12-hour day (they have reported shorter waits at the border by crossing in early afternoon). The Miracle Ranch trips will operate under Global Outreach and the Leadership team.

One additional benefit is that this creates a larger pool of leaders (drivers, project coordinators, caravan drivers) and will (hopefully) allow more people to share in the “connection” and planning for the needs of the ranch without it becoming a burden to be there every time.

Grace & Peace,

Barry Whitesides

 

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