Monday, July 16, 2007

12 Days and Counting

It's been an interesting morning. Here's the story ....


Back in January I reserved a 24 foot truck like we always do for the trip. That was to take all of our supplies, the backpacks, and our own sleeping gear and luggage. We also reserved a 12 passenger van which we would take along with the two church vans.

Then, sometime in May (I think) John had the excellent idea of contacting Matthew 25 Ministries to see if we could get pallets of product to take to the reservation. We had worked with them before on the Hurricane Katrina relief trip. We found out that it was going to cost $170.00 per pallet so we held the auction to raise money for the pallets. We were able to raise all that we needed for this project BUT we needed a truck. Again, thanks to a VERY generous man in the church, we were offered his business truck to take. And then yet another VERY generous man offered his 16 foot trailer to pull behind the truck. So the transportation was solved.

Last week we received confirmation that we were indeed getting 8 pallets of product. I contacted the place where we had reserved the 24 foot truck to see if we could drop it off out there as we would now have the second truck and trailer and there was no point in driving back an empty truck. I thought this would save us both rental money as gas money. BUT, they do not rent one-way.


SO, I got on the Internet and began searching for another 24 foot truck. The problem was that all of the truck rental places were charging more for one-way than Ryder was for 2-way.


SO, I got on the phone and began haggling. After several phone calls and many recordings I found a real person and going through that person's supervisor was able to talk them down to the same price as the Ryder truck. So we're good - a good rental rate plus we won't have to buy gas to drive an empty truck back home.


So after going from having a truck but no pallets, to having pallets but no truck, we now have both!


Now as far as backpacks for 2008 - we are really in need of MONEY.


I've purchased all of the school supplies for the village of Allen for next year. But our account is now almost empty and I still have to purchase 124 backpacks. Walmart has raised their prices over last year too. BUT I did find a place online where I can buy backpacks cheaper. Right now we need about $800.00 to purchase those backpacks.


That will take care of the village of Allen. I was really hoping to be able to purchase backpacks/school supplies for the village of Wounded Knee as well but at this point, that is not looking like it will happen very soon. A number of people have promised checks but I've yet to see any of them. We can always wait and purchase school supplies later - the only reason I had wanted to buy them now is that now is when Walmart has the REALLY CHEAP school supplies available. After August or so, they will be gone and we will have to pay a higher price for the same school supplies.


But hey, I've see God do bigger things before and I'm sure that if it's His will, He will provide for it. And if it's not His will, we have no business doing it.