Where does it all go?

[Klaz]

I'm curious as to where all the money from the donations goes to. I'm sure it goes towards the kits you send us members and the upkeep of this website. Is there any profit made? What is the money used for?

[RogerChristie]

Klaz wrote, "I'm curious as to where all the money from the donations goes to. I'm sure it goes towards the kits you send us members and the upkeep of this website. Is there any profit made? What is the money used for?"

Hello Klaz and friends and visitors,

Aloha. A good question. Thanks for asking.

The THC Ministry is not, yet, financially "sustainable". It doesn't meet its expenses or its needs from donations so it borrows time and money from the people who run it, mostly me and Ferre. We are a non-profit organization who has zero financial profit from our work. We work for the love of it and because the need for this service is so great. It's an honor and a privilege to help the Cannabis culture.

I am sincerely grateful for all the help that I/we DO receive. Some people are very kind to me and to this cause. Thank you!

One indicator of my personal finances is that this past week was my wonderful Mom's 80th birthday party in Denver and a family reunion. I couldn't afford the money to go, quite a sad occurance for the both of us. Fortunatley we love each other a lot and we have a strong relationship. My Mom understands most of my desire to build this ministry, but doesn't want me to sacrifice myself anymore to it. I could mention a few other necessities of life that I'm doing without lately, but I won't. I live partly on faith in God/life, in love and in Cannabis.

Hopefully some day soon the members of this ministry will donate in a real, responsible and measurable way. With 45,000 people registered online it's easy to think that if all of you gave us just $1. per month we would be really well-funded and able to do so much more good. Sad to say that, up until now, most members never donate anything at all. What's up with that? I'm open to suggestions. Mahalo.

The THC Ministry is a REAL ministry based here in Hawai'i. We have a beautiful, functional office in downtown Hilo, Hawai'i right on the oceanfront. It has room for up to a dozen or so visitors at one time for 'services', but mostly I host one to four people at a time for education, counseling, or a session of enjoying Cannabis sacrament together. I ordain ministers and anoint people with authentic holy anointing oil there. Sometimes I host visitors and other guests here overnight, or take-in a homeless person or two like I'm doing again tonight.

On a typical day I give away small quantities of food, clothing, cash, holy anointing oil, Cannabis tincture drops, printed materials and lots of my t-i-m-e. This happens every single day here because the prohibition of Cannabis has turned many people into criminals, hard drug abusers, homeless, hungry, sick, mad/sad or something else. It's overwhelming the damage Cannabis prohibition does to otherwise lovely individuals and to society as a whole.

Ferre is located in Amsterdam and will have another story of what he does and how he spends his ministry time. He's a very hands-on website person, that I know for sure!

I receive about 20 emails per day (not including this forum and the one in Hawai'i) plus about the same number of phone calls, plus about 5 - 10 visitors each and every day. I would prefer to receive $100. per hour for counseling, but for now I simply ask for a donation. Maybe I should have a 1-900 telephone number that charges $2. per minute to the caller?

Our ministry is a 'street ministry', too. We get drop-ins and drop-outs. Many who contact us are in trouble with the law or with life and who need help immediately. I give-away much to this community; much time and attention and care. For instance, when I went to set-up our ministry canopy and table at the Burning-Man event here this weekend I realized that I gave-away the tarp a few months back to a homeless woman and her children to live under. I'm glad that I was able to help her, and now I need a new tarp for $100.

All the money? How much have YOU donated?

With love, respect and gratitude for exactly the way it is,

Roger


###

[IntrepidEZJ]

Roger, how about setting up a Paypal account if you don't have one already?

You can get a "virtual terminal" for $20 per month.

It may be a bit tough, but for those wanting membership, they need to donate a $5 tithe per month, instead of a $200 donation.

Most people have a Credit or Debit Card, and if they don't, you can buy the pre-loaded ones at the Gas Station.

Put everyone on "Auto-Pay", and maybe include small gifts with higher level of memberships, and for those who pay a larger amount up front.

It is much easier and quicker than sending cash or a check.

You may also want to set up a forum, of things you need, ie tarp, so those of us have items handy you need can simply ship them to you when needed.

It is the least we could do with all of the hard work you put in.

Thoughts? We all need to get behind this guy and we know it!

We cannot move forward without proper financing. You people must realize that we can be struck down divided on any single day. "Laws" are simply another word for "money racquet" in the current scheme of things. Just because our "rights" are stated, does not "guarantee" us any sort of protection of any sort.

We MUST raise awareness or the chances are high that we could fail.

Just my 2 cents.

PS. Do you have a Newsletter set up to the Membership? We need to reach the 45,000!

[IntrepidEZJ]

Another suggestion would be that if they do not pay the $5 per month, then the membership becomes invalid.

I don't know if that is possible, but I would suggest getting tough on this.

People can afford $20 for a small one every month, but not $5 for the man busting his ass for us all?

Come now!

[enriquez]

How's it going Roger! Nevermind, you just told us... I carry the mission in my thoughts if that means anything.

Being so new to this, it caught me by surprise that I was reading such a new post (Apr 03, 2006)...hmm that Today : ) Oh, the newest posts are at the top : )

Anyway, I hope this doesn't make me sound stupid, but have you thought of publishing your finacial data

Furthermore, I made digital copies of the ministry kit you sent me. They are in PDF files and I will not distribute them to anyone execpt you if you want the copies of course... I did this so that I have a personal archived copy. Yeah, I have house insurance too in case my the house burns down... crap happens and the prepared survive.


Friendly Respect,
-John

[Rev. Jack]

Namasta Rev. Roger and all

IntrepidEZJ makes many good suggestions that hope are acted upon.
I received a 1-2-3 kit from Rev. Roger at no charge because financial trouble. He does what he says.

Rev. Roger I will pledge $5 per month. I will mail it to you.

[IntrepidEZJ]

I want a reply from Roger.

Is it vanity to submit to reason?

Or is that the anti-thesis of Religion?

[IntrepidEZJ]

bump bump bump bump

[Shaman's Apprentice]

Perhaps you could open an on-line store with various ministerial tools, extra kit supplies (tags, ect), curriculum and all other sort of things....

it would probably be best to stay away from giving titles like ULC does. Selling titles and doctorates (though I, admititedly, bought one) does something to discredit the ministry as a whole. There must be a happy medium.

Also, thanks for the in depth break down of what it is you do. I was wondering that same thing. thanks for all your work and sacrifice.

I would very much like to start planning a trip to the ministry in hawaii within the next 6 months. I'd love to see Hawaii (never been) and also visit the office, it sounds very nice.

I greatly admire the work you both, Roger and Ferre, are doing. It takes courage to stand up and proclaim a truth that is so troublesome to an ignorant majority and I applaud your effort.

As far as your concerns about money, you'll find a new donation from me today on thc-ministry.org today. Have a great day and keep up the good work! You're doing a great thing.

-Rev. John

PS. hows that kit coming?

[Shaman's Apprentice]

ka-ching!

there ya go. have a great day.

[epsilon]

I like the idea of an on-line store.

Perhaps selling some nice hemp products, aswell.

Creating an affiliation with other online vendors who sell quality hemp or cannabis/religion related books also could bring in a little extra money for the ministry.

Although, from the sounds of it, Roger already has a pretty hefty schedule already, without maintaining an online store.

I'd definately volunteer some time to help out on such a project.

[Stokes]

We did have mugs and shirts and 'stuff' at one time ... I can't seem to find them now though.
_________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Where love is, there God is also.

-Mahatma Gandhi

[IntrepidEZJ]

What is wrong with $5 per month and paypal?

Still waiting on that one.

[Brother Daniel]

I have not yet been able to make a donation, as my funds have been otherwise engaged. I am working on getting things straightened out, and hope to be able to send something soon. I like the idea of sending a couple bucks a month, and will begin doing so as soon as possible.

Thank you Roger and Ferre.
Brother Daniel
_________________
For those who must stop Something...
Stop the Death and Disease of Alcohol and Tobacco

Let's all Just...
Live in Peace with Herb

Watch this video:
Disturbed: Land of Confusion

[IntrepidEZJ]

I am going to be a nag and further impose on this.

$5 is not impossible to come by.

I not confident if Roger will get ALL OF THE FUNDS through mail.

It has to go overseas to get to Roger, and it takes some time.

If there were interests out there, AGAINST Roger and this cause, it would be quite easy to intercept much of that money, and Roger may never see it.

ESPECIALLY, if you send cash, and not a check where you have a backup in written form.

I think Paypal is better.

With Paypal, Roger gets the funds within 2 days instead of weeks. You also have a record of the transaction if anything goes awry. It would be Roger's job to clean that account out consistently, because you don't want money hanging around electronically.

Everyone here can get a loaded Credit Card at the gas station that you could pre-load with $10-$20.

Roger could set up an AUTO-PAY option for each member of the ministry that will participate.

With options of:

$5 (lowest)
$10
$15
$20

on up.

With as many people as we have, we need to get a monthly NEWSLETTER going for all of us ministers.

In the weekly or monthly newsletter, there would be instructions on clicking on the link to donate to Roger.

If we got 1,000 people donating $5, that would be $5,000 a month to Roger!

Surely, that would help! Even 100 people at $5 would be $500, and I'm sure it would help!

We need to get this organized, unless there is something I am not taking into consideration.

I suggest Paypal because you can get set up with a "virtual terminal" for $20 per month, and you DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF PAYPAL, to use your credit or debit card at the prompt.

The key, the absolute key, is putting each person on AUTO-PAY.

And, AND, getting all members of the THC ministry on a weekly or monthly newsletter. We need better co-hesion.

Thoughts?