Hello Friends and Family,

   I am about to embark on a long journey - 300 miles to be exact!! You may think: What's the big deal ? People travel 300 miles all the time.  My plan, however, is not to drive, but rather to PEDAL!!  During the last of March and first of April, I plan on joining dozens of other believers for the Key West Bike Ride & Run: to the Ends of the Earth 2015!

   This ride/run is being put on by Ends of the Earth Cycling, a ministry of New Mission Systems International (NMSI).  NMSI is celebrating its twenty-fifth year of ministry and has 160 + missionaries in 24 countries.

   As many of you know, I love to ride.  I have been cycling for more than a decade and usually ride to enjoy myself and be with like minded cyclist. But now I have found a new reason to ride!  I am not riding for myself, I am riding to transform the lives of youth in INDIA.

   Did you know that India has a population of over 1 billion people ? That's 1/7 of the world's population.  The state of Andhra Pradesh, in particular, has the highest rate of sex trafficking of teen girls.  I am not OK with this.  In a program called, "Save the Girl," Youth HOPE youth workers are working in preventing girls from being sold into the sex trade.  For just $50/year, girls get a school uniform, books, and their tuition paid for.  Currently, 1000 girls are enrolled in the "Save the Girl" program, and we hope to enroll 500 more in Jesus' Name.  This is just one of three projects we are riding and running to support.

   I would like to invite you to pray for me.  Please pray for me as I train, and for my wife, Dana (support staff) , as we are in this together. Please pray March 27-April 3 as I ride and please pray about giving your support to my cause.  Perhaps you would consider a gift of 10 cents per mile ($30), send 1 girl ($50) to "Save the Girl" program  or 1 dollar per mile ($300).  My personal goal is to raise $1,000 to transform the lives of youth in India.  I am investing $375 myself to cover the cost of participating for Dana and I. This is to make as much monies as possible to go directly to the Youth of India.

   To support this mission please go to www.endscycling.com/donate  Scroll down to "Ministry" and select my name. All proceeds donated will go directly to changing  the lives of Youth in India.

   Thank You for taking this step with me and may God richly bless your generosity.

   Sincerely,

   shane powers