Daily Prayer for Tour de CROSS

May the Lord Jesus Christ be with You.
That He may Defend You.
Within you, that He may Sustain You.
Before You that He may Lead You.
Behind You that He may Protect You.
Above You that He may Bless You.
In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
(St. Augustine)

This is where we are going!


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Saturday, June 20, 2009

Ride On

The guys journey North continues. After a wonderful stay in Ouray and many blessings including a local escort around Ouray and jeep tour to the summit of nearby mountain at 12,800 ft., the guys have mounted their bikes and are pressing deeper into the Rockies. While soaking in the hot springs on their last night in Ouray, David and Daniel met a couple from Montrose who invited them to stay at their house. Montrose is only about 35 miles North of Ouray and right along the guys route. Bob and Joelynn welcomed them in, treated them to a nice BBQ, and made the guys feel like family.

The guys arose this morning to a big breakfast before heading out for a big day. As they left their host family's house, a few neighbors stopped bye to pray with the guys and gave them a donation. Just out of Montrose, the guys hit a steep 15 mile climb, then another steeper 10 mile climb, and the into the Blue Mesa Reservoir and Curecanti National Recreation Area, a gorgeous stretch in the heart of the Rockies. Athough it was a beautiful area, Daniel said they battled a stiff head wind and it rained on them. They each took turns "drafting" each other as they pressed on through multiple small climbs on their way to Gunnison. Daniel said they rode 78 miles today and thinks it may have been their hardest day so far. They wanted to make Gunnison for the Saturday night vigil mass at St. Peter's which they thought started at 5:30p. They made it to the church at 5:20p, but mass didn't start until 6:30p so they had plenty of time to spare. The priest at St. Peter's welcomed them to spend the night. Tomorrow, they go over the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass, 11,300ft.

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The Load Down:

Welcome! We are David Edwards and Daniel Tansill. In Tour de CROSS (Christians Riding Over Several States), we will be riding from Tempe, AZ to St. Paul, MN, covering nearly 3,000 miles over a span of 60 days. Our mission for the trip is threefold: to be an example of God’s love, to promote Saint Paul’s Outreach (SPO), and to raise money for the continued growth of SPO at Arizona State University. We hope to gain your support for the mission that SPO has on college campuses across the country and especially here at ASU.

Saint Paul’s Outreach is an organization founded in St. Paul, MN in 1985, with the mission of “engaging young adults in a life of Christian discipleship.” SPO has grown in size and has spread to many other parts of the country, the newest location being here in Tempe, where it is supported by Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church. SPO focuses on bringing people to Christ through Christian community and discipleship formation.

Within our first year we have established a men’s and women’s household near campus as well as instituted weekly outreach nights, praise and worship, formation groups, “Fan Into Flame” retreats, and other events to promote community. We can see the power of the Holy Spirit working through SPO and changing the lives of many students. As we ride across the country, we will be staying at approximately 40 different Catholic churches, where we will promote SPO and be an example of God’s love to all we encounter. Working together as a community, we can make an impact in the lives of countless college students.

There is a faith crisis in college as students’ morals are challenged and bombarded with negative influences, and the evidence is clear as thousands of students are losing their faith in God. We believe that the college years are the most important time of formation in a young adult’s life and that now is a crucial time to reach them. Our fundraising goal is to cover the expenses of the trip and raise $30,000 to establish more households, outreach events, retreats, and to support the continued growth of SPO.

To make a financial donation to support our trip and further the growth of SPO please click the DONATE button at the top right-hand corner of this blog. All donations are tax deductible and you can receive a tax receipt within 2 weeks, upon request. If you would prefer to write a check, you can see the details for that in the corner beneath the donate button. Along with the financial support, we also need your prayers as we strive to follow God's calling in our lives.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to learn more about the trip or Saint Paul’s Outreach, offer us any advice, or just let us know that you'll be praying for us. If you have a Twitter, jump on and follow us at http://twitter.com/tourdecross. Thank you so much for your love and support. God bless you!