OCTOBER 3, 2007

Dear Friends,

The truth is, most of the time I lack the courage or strength to take risks motivated by love, to challenge prevailing cultural prejudices, to erase obstacles that so often clutter the path of hope or health for our REACH children and their families.

Usually, I can be found mucking my way through, stuck in the mud of caution, grasping and tightly holding on to the fear of rejection or the possibility of failing. Then, I’ll take the face someone I love or a child affected by HIV/AIDS and look deep into their eyes, and draw from their soul’s strength and renewed fortitude.

More than often and especially of late, I feel like the skin horse from the book "The Velveteen Rabbit", doing what I think I should, being real with our REACH families and supporters but beaten up, baldly bruised by life's harsh handling.

"Does it hurt?" asked the rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the skin horse for he was always truthful. "When you are real you don't mind being hurt, that is why it doesn't happen to those who break easily or have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are real most of your hair has been loved off. Your eyes drop out; you get loose in the joints; you look very shabby. These things don't matter at all because once you are real you can never be ugly except to people who don't understand."

Today I thank those of you who understand the wear and tear that makes REACH real. A very significant part of our work is to be willing to have an untouched, unruffled look "loved off" us. REACH struggles, gets "loose in the joints" because we are daily available to children and families that find comfort and love by our presence in their lives. Thank you for making that presence possible by your support and offerings. Together we can continue to bless the lives of children affected by HIV/AIDS through our various programs, mentoring, and education; above all through real love.

Your Servant,

Susan K. Slonaker

P.S. Autumn is United Way's big fund drive. Please designate REACH Ministries as the organization that you would like to support. Remember to write in REACH Ministries including our address. If you contribute through United Way's workplace giving in Pierce County please also include our United Way #113026. Our address is 309 South G St, Ste 3, Tacoma, WA 98405. Thank you for your support.