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, July 11, 2009

Jackson Wyoming & the Grand Tetons

After two long, hard riding days in southern Wyoming, the guys arrived yesterday (Friday) in Jackson, WY, and are staying at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church. The guys rode 103 miles from Rock Springs to Pinedale, WY, with some mountains, and then, 80 miles from Pinedale to Jackson with more mountains but also a nice overall decline in elevation. They rode both these days with the Bike and Build group mentioned in previous blogs. The Bike and Build group has been very hospitable to the guys and shared meals with them.

In Jackson, Fr. Joe has been showing the guys around town, treating them to pizza, a re-enactment of a gun fight, and even a whitewater, rafting trip down the Snake River. It has been a a fun day off the bikes and a much needed rest after riding 7 consecutive days.

However, they won't be resting too long. Just for kicks, the guys plan to ride over Teton Pass tomorrow morning (without gear) at sunrise. When I asked why, Daniel said because he heard it was a tough climb with 10-12% grade and they wanted to take in the challenge. He said the grade is so steep that they closed this road to cars and built a new pass; now the old route is just used by bicyclists. I guess the guys are missing the Colorado high mountain passes already.

After their sunrise ride, Daniel said they hoped to speak after the morning Masses to promote SPO. They will then bid farewell to Fr. Joe and the Bike and Build group and head North to camp at the Grand Tetons National Park, then on to Yellowstone National Park for more camping.

PS. Say a prayer that Daniel's wallet is found and returned (lost in Denver) and David's camera (lost somewhere around Vernal and the Flaming Gorge). Also, please continue to pray for their safety daily. The National Parks ahead are very busy and motorists are easily distracted by the beautiful scenery and wildlife. Thanks.

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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!