We continue to plug away on the development of the retreat as we sit here in Austin. However, CJ and I will be taking a big step in the upcoming weeks as we head to the Salida region to make local connections and explore possible sites.
We already have an appointment with a county representative to hash out the development process and zoning requirements. We’re also really excited to be meeting with a local builder/realtor that is a relative of a Gateway pastor. He’s worked with the youth camp, YoungLife (that is located near Buena Vista), for many years. We’re looking forward to hearing his perspective on camp life, gaining insight about operational issues, discussing building ideas, and developing a new friendship with a local brother.
But this isn’t just a business trip…once we move to the Salida area, we want to plug into a community pretty quickly. We’ve been doing research on local churches and plan to visit River Valley Community Fellowship for Sunday service. We’ve already gotten great feedback, so pretty excited about checking out this faith community!! Also, in our property search, we would like to be located near Monarch Ski Resort to provide winter retreat opportunities. Having said that, only seems right to spend some time exploring that area….aka, spending a day on the board!
This journey has been one step in faith after another, some big…some small. But with each step taken, God has shown His direction without fail. It’s been such a wonderful experience for us to see up close God’s hand move in such amazing ways. We’ve been praying for people to come forth to walk with us in this journey. We are fully believing that “if we build it, they will come” ….the trickle has started, we await the flood!
Sonshine Wilderness Retreat 