EXCITING UPDATE: We just received words from a donor (who wishes to remain anonymous) who is willing to match donations dollar for dollar up to $2500 to see our goal reached! This will help us reach our goal in half the time.  Let keep it going!

For the last eight years, since founding our ministry here in Winnipeg’s inner city, Kim & I have been very personally invested in everything we do.  Our ministry could not afford a vehicle, but one was clearly necessary for the work.  To that end, we donated our small car to another missionary and bought a minivan, allowing the ministry to use it as needed, donating even the gas money as part of our personal support.

Sadly, within two week the van was stolen and totaled by some local kids.  As is usually the case, the insurance company gave us only a fraction of it’s value, hardly enough to replace the small car we had donated.  Then, to our joy and surprise, some family members gave us their van as a gift to us.  It had a lot of kms on it and had seen better days, but they had taken very good car of the engine and it served us well for longer than expected.

Again, sadly, this week the transmission on the van died, the repair cost too high to be worth investing into the ol’ beast.  And so we are retiring it.  This leaves us in a very difficult situation.  Both the ministry and us personally need a vehicle.  With Little Flowers Community, The Dusty Cover and our YWAM ministry (not to mention the pending arrival of our adopted child from Ethiopia), it is critical to replace it very soon.  However, we simply do not have the means.

We hesitated asking for help, as so many people give so much to us already- supporting our ministry, our adoption and us in general.  However, others encouraged us to get the word out.  As the fund raising thermometer shows, we need to raise $5000 to see the van replaced.  Generally this would not be enough for a decent van, but a local dealer has offered us a significantly reduced rate in support of what we do, so that we don’t end up with a money-guzzler.

fundraisers

$2500 given PLUS the donation matching = TOTAL so far $5000

This vehicle will help us in many ways.  To name a few it will serve to transport staff & volunteers around the city for service projects; pick up donated books for The Dusty Cover; pick up church members/kids who are not able to drive themselves/injured/etc.; food pick ups & drop offs for outreaches; emergency transport & intervention; and much more.

If you are willing and able to help us in this way, we would be very blessed.  You can give directly through PayPal here (see Make a Donation button on the sidebar of my other blog or use PayPal id jamie@arpin-ricci.com) or read about supporting us through YWAM Project Funding here (if you go through the funding office, please let us know, as we are trying to determine amount ASAP). Another HUGE way to help us would be to help us get the word out.  Above all, pray with us that God will continue to provide.  This process has already humbled us with respect to His love and the love of all of you.

Thanks!

Jamie & Kim Arpin-Ricci