We count everything at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. Almost.
We are a psychiatric medical facility, high-performing school, charity, retail thrift store operation, and outpatient clinic. There are lots of things to count. So, when we pull together metrics for reporting, accreditation, board meetings, licensing, and audits, we have many to choose from.
- We know how many classes children attended.
- We know how many people we served.
- We know how many meals we provided.
- We know how many chapel services we had.
- We know how many pairs of shoes were purchased at the Thrift Stores.
- We know how many miles we drove.
And on, and on…
But, we can’t count the very most important measurement of all.
We can’t count the number of prayers said. It is simply immeasurable. And so potent.
Every day, I ask people to pray for the children and staff of the Ranch. Every day, I hear from people who tell me they are praying for the children and staff of the Ranch. At the Ranch, we start meetings with prayers, and often end them the same way. Churches all over the country hold mission weeks or Honey Sundays for the Ranch. We have friends who ask us to pray for them and assure us they are praying for God’s hand in our work. Our boards of directors pray together at meetings. Many of us pray over decisions and choices that affect our work. We pray with the children.
We can’t count the prayers, but we certainly count on them. We know that the children who find help at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch are here because of His love and His compassion and His healing… manifested through so many prayers. We know that the people who work at the Ranch draw on His strength, His wisdom, and His love, buoyed by prayer.
Please keep praying for the children and staff of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. We are counting on you.
In His love,
Joy Ryan, President/CEO
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
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