What a ride. It feels like the last two months have been a crazy backcountry trip into the wilderness. In many ways feeling removed from society, while also feeling the draw of the world and it’s pressures trying to take us captive and govern the direction. Fear and doubt knock at the door and launch attacks at us daily but we choose faith over that fear. It’s all part of the journey, and wouldn’t expect anything less. I will do my best to keep this concise, and to provide links to more detail if you would like to dig in. (Email me with any thoughts or questions!)
The Letter
First off, I want to express my gratitude for those that read/responded to the letter sent in early June. It took me 6 months to get that out, over 50 drafts…and then what I sent was just simple. The worry of what people thought of us, our situation, and whether I communicated this story in a way that gave it justice…was pretty difficult for me. To somehow show the conflict between the trial and disease, and the beauty and life that has come from it is still hard to take in personally. I gave it to God and I wrote what He said to write. And you responded. The encouragement, the friendship, the prayers and support, and the financial contributions have all been what has been sustaining us.
I pray that your gifts are multiplied (Luke 6:38)
This Season
Summer means 110+ degrees and not as much working with horses. We shift to evenings and nights under the lights, kayak trips on the river and retreats up to the mountains if possible. We look back, look within, and prepare for the fall season. There has been a lot of reflection in the past couple of months. Some big resets and some big strategy changes in terms of projects and our approach. But first…
What we have accomplished
Some highlights from this past couple months:
- New strategy being developed to establish OUTPOSTS
- Partnership with Blue Bell Behavioral Health to reach the community of Casa Grande (veterans, first responders, schools, tribes, and more)
- Grant submittals (partnership with non-profit grant writing team to submit to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and more)
- Some good retreats for our leaders (Kayak trips on the Salt River)
- Wednesday “Outlaw” Nights with a rescue horsed named Outlaw. Round pen experience offered to public (text me if you want to come hang out…) Getting back to basics and just being around horses.
- A fellow Wrangler who attended sessions chose to do his final research project on these concepts and equine therapy as part of his program at GCU. Maybe we can post his work with the next letter?
- Construction and build out of Horse Camps for Christ continues (Charlie & Debbie Hill). Excited as the program is being designed and close to being released for people to attend.
- Connections with churches for outreach programs beginning to take root
- New outposts coming on board (Sixth Day, Equine Connections)
- Directory growth: We have a lot of experiences to be added, and the pages to be cleaned up on the webpage…need some funding/help to get this done but we are gearing up for it.
- A few buck offs, some limping and some good lessons learned
- Business leaders experiencing healing and spreading the word
- Creation of a corporate experience for individuals dealing with immense stress
- Continued collaboration with Chandler schools
- Donations of properties we can use for retreats
- Continued growth of our volunteer force – focusing on disabled veterans that have the skill set and leadership to manage and run the team
- Grants awarded – congratulations Kaleigh with Shine His Light!!
- Awards given – Mike Mossteller (First Annual Hero Award)
We started with this and we come back to this, over and over:
If we can create experiences that rebuild relationships, create an environment of safety where our brokenness can be shared without judgment, we can bond together in community under a common story to transform culture.
We continue to see the power of the spiritual relationship between human and horse to give people an experience of hope.
We continue to test this, prove it and improve it
We continually recognize that the gateway in (John 10:9), the path through (John 14:6), and the community that is created (Eph 4, Luke 17:23) are the main components that sustain impact in people’s lives and restore a culture of freedom.
We can now look back on the design and the business functions wrapped around it and see the successes and the failures. We are making realistic decisions on how to step into the future with more discernment and clarity. Yes, we have reached over 1000 people, we now have over 10 Outposts, 20+ programs and many more lined up at the door.
All amazing accomplishments, but what matters most is each individual life that is changed. It’s not about numbers – and if it was, it’s about leaving the 99 to go after the one (like Jesus did for each of us). Somehow He works the rest out and it grows in the way it should.
All comes down to this. More life, more love and more freedom.
We couldn’t do this without all of you supporting us through this build and ramp. Huge thank you to sponsors like Mike Bernard with Connect Realty. Mike is a neighbor of mine and he was quick to step in to support when he heard about who we are serving and the impact we are making. If you or someone you know is looking to buy or sell a home, please refer Mike and he will take care of you!
We will showcase our sponsors in letters and our business directory that we are building out. We are connecting with local businesses, sharing these lists and names in their email lists and working to help each other in every way we can.
(More to come with our local business directory)
Here are just a few pics
and an amazing video that Barrett Sanders put together for us:
Big Strategy Shifts
We’re learning.
Instead of big marketing campaigns to draw customers, hours on end of pursuing social media asks, and constant asking for funds (all of which can be good, but very consuming for those that are delivering the services on top of this) – we are building out specific projects, in designated communities. We engage with the local community leaders, gain their support to build that community framework at the onset, then look to them to help us attain the local grants to serve their community with our services and grow from there. We hold events and train / empower the Wranglers that go through their journeys to be the leaders in establishing the Outposts and the events that carry this forward. This is how we are transforming culture and even impacting local economy as well.
So what are we asking for now?
Be a Broken Arrow Wrangler. Be honest, be transparent, “create the environment”
If you see this story, you see what we are doing, you see the impact…and you want to be part of it, then come on this RIDE WITH US and tell others that need it.
If it’s needing some relief from life, some hangin with a horse or a burro or just getting around some real people, email me.
If you know people and organizations that can fund us – tell us. All the resources we need are out there, we need the people to connect us so we can share the story.
We are seeking out 12 corporate sponsors annually to fund the operation.
Email me at Sean@azbrokenarrow.com
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