I was 12 and Darrell was 10. We grew up 2 houses apart and were the best of friends. Our summers were spent outside playing make-believe games, dreaming of girls and just doing boy stuff. Every childhood memory I have includes Darrell, but no memory is more vivid than the summer that everyone carried a slingshots. Everyone on the block carried a slingshot that summer, including big Curtis Smith, the neighborhood bully who lived two blocks away.

It was a simpler time and life was good in the neighborhood. Our biggest worries in life were that our moms would make us come in early and do chores, or that big Curtis would show up just to bully us around.

Curtis was older than us. He was also bigger, faster and stronger than everyone else on the block. As all bullies would, Curtis loved picking on Darrell because he was the smallest kid in our group of friends. Thankfully Curtis wasn’t a regular visitor to our neighborhood. But when he did show up, he’d reek havoc on our Summer day of fun.

I’ll never forget that one summer day when Curtis showed up for another afternoon of bullying with his slingshot around his neck. In those days if you didn’t have a pocket to carry your slingshot, you simply wore it around your neck like a necklace. Then when when you needed it, you had it close by. When Curtis showed up that day he immediately ended our game and started trying to pick a fight. Curtis got up in Darrell’s face, their noses two inches apart, and said, “Come on squirt, I double dog dare you to start something with me.” It was like Goliath challenging little David, and the rest of us stood around watching like the scared Israelites.

I never expected Darrell to do anything, because he never had before … no one ever had. Big Curtis had spent many a day bullying us without one person ever standing up to him. But today was different. That day would be celebrated from this day forward as VOC Day … “Victory Over Curtis Day!”

What happened next will forever be ingrained in my memory. Some who saw it think it was because of the “double dog dare” that Big Curtis thrown down to Darrell. As you know, double-dog-dares are impossible to turn down when you’re that age, but I think it was something else. I think it was that Darrell had spotted a weakness in Big Curtis that no one had ever seen before. It was the slingshot Big Curtis wore around his neck like a necklace.

The sling shot dangled from Big Curtis’s neck as their noses were two inches apart. Just about the time Big Curtis’s challenge rolled from his lips, Darrell quickly reached up, grabbed the wooden handle of Curtis’s slingshot, pulled it down as far as he could stretch the rubber band and let it fly back towards Curtis’s head. It was the shot heard around the neighborhood. The wooden handle of the slingshot smacked Big Curtis HARD right under the chin. I remember Curtis’s eyes immediately turned solid white just before he took two steps and fell face first to the ground with a large crash. Goliath was out cold.

I’m not sure what shocked me more. The fact that someone had just stood up to Curtis or that it was possible that he lay unconscious there in the dirt. As we stood over Big Curtis’s body, our hearts beating a million times a minute, my brother Bruce asked, “Is he dead?” Seconds later we did the only thing we knew to do … we ran away as fast as we could. I have no idea how long Curtis lay there in the dirt because we were blocks away within minutes.

From that day forward Big Curtis wasn’t all that “Big” anymore. The Goliath in our lives had been defeated by the littlest David on the block. Darrell walked a little taller that summer knowing he had done what everyone thought was impossible. Big Curtis didn’t come around much after that. Oh, occasionally he’d wander through our neighborhood, but when he did, he never bothered any of us anymore. I know he was humiliated because it got out at school that a kid two years younger than him had knocked him out. While Big Curtis never wore his slingshot around his neck again, what he did wear from that day on was a big scar on his chin where the slingshot hit him.

I miss those simple times as a kid, but more than that I miss my friend Darrell that passed way 8 years ago. I think about him, our friendship and the good old days every May 16th … today he would have been 44 years old.  He will forever be a champion in my eyes!

I’m a fan of several things. I’m a fan of the Texas Rangers, I’m a fan of running, and I’m even a fan of bacon.

Everyone is a fan of something. You may be a NASCAR fan, a college football fan or a fan of golf. Maybe you’re a book fan and love to read, or a music fan and love to go to concerts. Whatever you’re a fan of … just don’t forget if you’re married, to be a fan of your spouse.

Being a fan of your spouse is something Lea and I talk a lot about in our Stronger Marriage workshops.  We personally think you should be a HUGE fan of your spouse.  In fact, I like to say … if your spouse had a fan club, you should fight to be the president of that club. If you’re a parent, I know you praise and build-up your kids … do it for your spouse as well.

I love seeing couples who have figured this out. Like my friend Amanda, who has listed as her middle name on Facebook , ”LovesErik.” Erik is her husband, and every time he logs on to Facebook he’s reminded how much his wife loves him.  Or, my friend Haley who every couple of weeks proclaims her love to her spouse on Facebook … making her husband’s day.

Here’s a few ways you can show you’re a fan of your spouse…

• Encourage your spouse every day by building them up with your words.
• Compliment them everyday.
• Remind them why you love them.
• Leave them a note, send them a text or email.
• Praise them both privately and publicly.
• NEVER bad-mouth your spouse in public or to your friends.

Remember, it’s not good enough just to not be critical … you need to be proactive in being positive and looking for ways to build up.  Be your spouse’s biggest fan … and not a fair-weathered fan.

I was just trying to book a hotel room, and the cost was a bit more than I was expecting. So I asked the nice lady …

ME:  “Is that your best rate?” 

HER: “Sorry, it really is … unless you qualify for a discount.”

ME: “Really … how do I qualify for a discount?” 

HER: “Well, are you a AAA card holder?”

ME: “No.”

HER: “How about military? Are you active military?”

ME:  “No.” 

HER: “Are you a member of our rewards program?” 

ME: (I’m sure I was sounding depressed by now) “No ma’am, sorry.”

HER: “So, if you’re not a AAA member, a military member or rewards program member … do you have anyhing at all to offer?”

ME: “Well, I’m really a super nice guy?” I said, just kinda kidding around.

HER: “There you go” she said excitedly, “that’s worth 20% right there!” 

ME: “Really?” I said.

HER: “Absolutely … we need more super nice guys in our world.” 

Who says … “Nice guys finish last.”

Two beautiful girls from the dump.

Many have asked about totals for Dump Day. It’s become increasingly hard every year to get an exact total until about a month or so has passed and everything has come in. We try hard to keep up with it on this blog, but not everybody posts what they gave, which is fine.

Here’s what we do know … right at $40k was pledged on this blog on Dump Day 2012 for the Dump Ministry. We also know that Bobby Moore and the wonderful people at Bread for a Hungry World, added $25k in matching funds, making our total right now around $65k; which is incredible, awesome and amazing. We totally give God every ounce of credit.

What we’ve learned in the past Dump Days is that many times more comes in than was pledged. So, if that happens there’s a chance that $65k will be more. Marc Tindall, missionary in Honduras, said that with the number over $50k, there will be funds for a couple of our “wish list” projects at the dump.

A big thank you to everyone that has fasted, prayed, and given to this ministry. Thank you for honoring and helping the poor on Dump Day 2012.

Today I celebrate life as a father and a husband. It was 9 years ago today I was told I had cancer .  Recovering from two surgeries made the summer of 2003 an extremely tough summer I’ll never forget.

I’m not looking for sympathy today or even high-fives, but I am simply reminding myself of some things that I learned from that hard summer. Simple things that I try and remind myself of every year on this date.  Things I learned things like…

1. I learned I’m not indestructible. I’m not guaranteed 30 more years …  3 more years or 3 more minutes. Each and every day is a gift so make the most of every day.
2. I learned it’s impossible to have any sort of self-dignity in a hospital gown.
3. I learned that it was okay to be scared and even ask God, “Why?”
4. I learned that I’m blessed to have friends and family that surround me with support and love.
5. I learned I have an amazing care-giver in my wife, and that the care-givers of cancer patients don’t get near the credit they deserve. I remember asking Lea as I lay in the hospital, “Aren’t you heading back to Childress today to take care of the boys?” and I still remember her response, “No sir, the boys are taken care of. You are my husband, and I’m not going anywhere!”
6. I learned about real love, not the stuff you see in the movies or on soap operas. Real love is my wife telling me I looked “great” to her, even when I was pale, skinny, sick, throwing up and too weak to do anything.
7. I learned that I hate cancer. I hate everything about it … what it does to families, how it steals loved ones from our lives and how it is no respecter of persons.
8. I learned my God is bigger than cancer.

Today I celebrate 9 years … and I’m reminded once again just how blessed I am.

BREAKING NEWS: The awesome people at Bread For a Hungry World have just announced that for every $6.50 donated on their site (link is below), they will add an additional $50 to your $6.50 donation. That will make your $6.50 donation to the Dump Fund actually a $56.50 donation. Awesome. Surely everyone can give $6.50. Bread for a Hungry World will do this up to 25k.

“Why $6.50?” I asked. Because everyone can give $6.50 and to remind everyone that it only takes $6.50 to buy 10 meals in Honduras.

** Here are the rules: this is good for today and tomorrow only, AND you can only give up to 3 times per household.

SPREAD THE WORD … Please let ALL your friends know. We need 500 people to give $6.50 … we need that $25k they are offering.

Thank you Bread.

https://givebread.org/gbx/donate.aspx

——————————————–

This is a day that we stop to consider how blessed we are materially. A day we stop to be the “Good Samaritan” in the story Jesus told, choosing NOT to pass by on the other side of the road. We choose to help today. We choose to make a difference.

THIS is the day will WILL make a difference in the people who live, work and eat at the Tegucigalpa dump. They are the people of the dump. Dirty people. People who have names, lives, needs.

So what are we going to do today?

Let’s give a little. Any amount would be great. Here are two ways to give. You can give via snail mail by sending your check to:

Honduras Hope

PO BOX 9222

Columbus MS, 39705 (attn: Dump Fund).

(This is a tax deductible donation)

Also give ONLINE,

You can give safely and securely online by going to Bread For A Hungry World’s website, and on the top right there’s a “Give to the Dump” donation button. Bread for a Hungry World is helping partner in our work at the dump.  (This is also a tax deductible donation.)

I’ll also remind you that my Paypal button is always on this page, and while you’re welcome to use it, please understand that my Paypal is NOT going to be a tax deductible donation.

If you donate today, we’d love to keep a running total of donations. So if you don’t mind, leave a comment on this blog saying something like, “The Morgan family gives $100″, or your comment can be totally anonymous by not adding a name.  That’ll give us the ability to say, “We’re currently at … “

We have 3 give aways this year…

• If you make a donation of $25 or more, I’ll send you a “Honduras Dump Ministry” 1 inch neoprene band (See Picture Below). These aren’t the little silicone bands; these are the nice ones. You can show off your support of the Dump Ministry with one of these bracelets. I’ve been wearing mine for about a month now, and I love it.  There is only a limited amount of these, so it’ll be first come first serve.
• Also, the awesome people at Bread for a Hungry World are going to give away Dump Day t-shirts to anyone who makes a donation of $50 or more (picture below). I want one of these so I’ll be making my donation through them early this morning and leaving the amount I pledged below.
• Also we have several prints of this picture (16×24) left over from last year. If you’d like one that is signed and numbered by the artist, we’d like to give you one. We’re asking for a $150 donation for a print and it’ll be mailed to your home. It is essential that if you want one or all of the giveaways that you include somewhere with your donation, what you want (a shirt, bracelet and/or print) ALONG with your name and address.

Print of the Little Boy at the Dump

Here is a picture of the "Honduras Dump Ministry" bracelet

The very cool Dump T-Shirt that Bread for a Hungry World is offering.

PLEASE help spread the word today. Let everyone know (via Facebook, Twitter, blog, email, etc) what’s going one. Encourage everyone to give.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink… I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” ~ Jesus

Thank you VERY much!

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR DUMP DAY 2012, PLEASE CLICK HERE!

I’ve been getting lots of Dump Day questions, and I’m going to try and answer some …

QUESTION: What can I do to REALLY make a BIG difference on Dump Day tomorrow? (3 Things…)

1. Pray and ask God to bless our day.
2. Make a donation.
3. One of the most important things is tell everyone you know. Tomorrow use your Facebook, Twitter, blog, email, etc to spread the word. That is the key to making this work. Post on your Facebook about Dump Day and tell people to come over here and pledge.

QUESTION: How do we give this year? There are several ways to give this year …

• You can send a check via snail mail to: Honduras Hope, PO BOX 9222, Columbus MS, 39705 (attn: Dump Fund). This is a tax deductible donation. You can also give to the Childress Church of Christ, PO Box 239, Childress TX 79201 (attn: Dump Fund).
• You can give online by going to Bread For A Hungry World’s, website and on the top right there’s a “Give to the Dump” donation button. Bread for a Hungry World continues to partner in the work at the dump.  This is also a tax deductible donation.
• I’m trying to encourage everyone to use one of these two forms of giving I just mentioned. I’ll also remind you that my Paypal button is always on this page, and while you’re welcome to use it, please understand that my Paypal is NOT going to be a tax deductible donation.

QUESTION: Why and How do I make a pledge?

• We try hard to keep up with how much has been donated throughout Dump Day (tomorrow), so we always ask you to make a comment on my blog saying that you just pledged (or will give) a donation of “$100″ (or whatever the amount). You can do it anonymously or just make the comment. This is not so we can say, “Look what we’ve given,” or “Look what we’ve done,” but so we can keep up with a close estimate on the total … and give God the glory.

QUESTION: How do I fast?

• I’m encouraging a food fast for 30 hours. I’ll start mine at bedtime tonight and end it Thursday morning when I get up. No food on Dump Day. If you want to do yours for 24 hours, that’s okay. If you want to start and end at a different time than mine, that’s okay. But consider a fast of some kind tomorrow. I will fast from food but will drink liquids. If you can’t fast from food (because of health reasons), fast from something else like television, eating out, driving (walk tomorrow), etc. Use tomorrow to remind yourself how blessed you are materially and how some are NOT so blessed as you and I.

QUESTION: How do I get a Dump T-Shirt and or a Dump Bracelet? 

• All the details are HERE, but if you make a $50 donation Bread for a Hungry World will send you a Dump T-shirt. Or…a $25 donation will get you a Dump Bracelet. Make sure you specify that you want the t-shirt or bracelet, and include your address. There is a limited amount of these so pledge early in the day tomorrow.

One more quick Dump Day story …

This is Gloria.  She is Marc Tindall’s friend who works at the dump to support her 4 kids.  Three years ago she fell in front of a bulldozer and it really brutalized her arm. She will be having another surgery on her arm Thursday. She is really worried about how her family will eat while she is out of work, but today Marc promised her that food will not be an issue. Dump Day 2012 will make this happen. Thank you for making it happen.

Have I missed any questions?  See you tomorrow at 8 a.m. when Dump Day 2011 kicks off. I’m SO excited. See you in the morning.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR DUMP DAY 2012, PLEASE CLICK HERE!

Our 4th annual Dump Day and 30-Hour-Fast is one week away. Many have started giving early, and that is totally okay. If you do give early, please make sure you stop back by this blog next Wednesday and let us know what you gave so we can kind of keep a running total. We’re hoping to use this blog as a place to make pledges and point you to ways to make donations.  Here’s several things I want to let you know … first and foremost … understand that everything you and I give goes to the ministry at the dump. That’s important to know.

We have 2 give-aways this year …

• If you make a donation of $25 or more, I’ll send you a “Honduras Dump Ministry” 1 inch neoprene band (See Picture Below). These aren’t the little silicone bands; these are the nice ones. You can show off your support of the Dump Ministry with one of these bracelets. I’ve been wearing mine for about a month now, and I love it.  There is only a limited amount of these, so it’ll be first come first serve.
• Also, the awesome people at Bread for a Hungry World are going to give away Dump Day t-shirts to anyone who makes a donation of $50 or more.  I’ll be putting a picture of it up soon. This is important … when you donate, you need to tell us “I want a bracelet” or “I want the t-shirt” and include your address, so we’ll know to send you one.

Here are your options for giving next Wednesday …

* Send a check to … Honduras Hope, PO Box 9222, Columbus MS, 39705 (attn: Dump Fund)   (This is a tax-deductible donation)

Also give ONLINE,

You can give online by going to Bread For A Hungry World’s website, and on the top right there’s a “Give to the Dump” donation button. Bobby Moore and Bread for a Hungry World is helping partner in the work at the dump. We love and appreciate very much what Bread for a Hungry World does throughout the world.  (This is also a tax-deductible donation.)

I’m trying to encourage everyone to use one of these two forms of giving I just mentioned. I suggest the above link of Bread for a Hungry World because it’s the easiest.  I’ll also remind you that my Paypal button is always on this page; and while you’re welcome to use it, please understand that my Paypal is NOT going to be a tax deductible donation.

The following is a post from my friend Marc Tindall who works in Honduras and does ministry in the dump.

This is little Marco, he is now almost 2 years old.  We took him to the doctor today because his mom, my friend Johana, has tried for about a month to get him feeling better and nothing was working. We found out that little Marco has parasites and without treatment, which cost about $20, he would have died. Since the parasites knocked his whole system out of whack, he also needed about $30 more in meds to help him out. The annual dump fund saved this little guy from dying. Dump Day 2012 will be on May 2, we need to replenish the bank. Please help. Please!

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR DUMP DAY 2012, PLEASE CLICK HERE!

Every year on the first Wednesday in May, we meet here on this blog to raise money to bless the ministry that takes place at the Tegucigalpa dump in Honduras. That money provides for things like food, milk for newborns, medical emergencies, and on and on. This year’s Dump Day is May 2nd, and here are 10 good reasons you should give this year…

1. GIVE because they really needed. The people at the dump are the poorest of the poor in this 3rd world country, and if we don’t give … no one will.
2. GIVE because God wants you too. “If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?” James 2:15-16
3. GIVE because God will bless you. Proverbs 19:17 says, “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord, and he will repay you!”
4. GIVE because it’s fun. Seriously … giving is a blast … unless you’re a Scrooge.
5. GIVE because “our stuff” really isn’t “our stuff” in the first place. Everything we have belongs to God, we are just the managers of the stuff He’s given to us. So share a little of the things God has given you.
6. GIVE because you can. “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.” Luke 3:11
7. GIVE because you’ve been blessed abundantly. If you own a car, you are in the top 10% of the wealthiest people in the world. God has blessed you abundantly … share a little of what you’ve been given.
8. GIVE because you want to, not because you feel guilty. “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 2 Corinthian 9:7
9. GIVE because people are hungry. The ministry at the dump gives them not only physical food, but spiritual food. The people at the dump see God’s love through words, actions and smiles. They know they are loved.
10. GIVE because God has given to us.“For God SO loved the world that He GAVE His one and only son …” John 3:16. God is a great giver.

Please help us spread the word about Dump Day 2012 by sharing this post on Facebook and Twitter.

See you on May 2nd for Dump Day 2012…

Yesterday Marc Tindall, myself and a few others went to the Tegucigalpa dump to spend part of the day working in the dump. We were hoping to get a small glimpse of what the life of the dump person would be like.

We spent our part of the day helping a young 22-year-old single mom named Lourdes. She works in the dump to support her baby, her handicapped sister and mother.

When a trash truck would come into the dump, we would position ourselves at the back of the truck. The idea was to be some of the first to get to rip through the “new” garbage to seek anything that could be recycled. We dug for bottles, cans, cardboard, plastics, etc. Once our bag of recyclable trash was full, we’d take it back to Lourdes’ little area of the dump and sort what we had collected and wait for the next truck to come.

By the time we worked just the second truck, we were covered in such slime and filth that it was hard to pick things up without them slipping from our hands.

I had such a big swing of emotions yesterday. I was excited to get there and go to work, but that quickly changed to disgust when digging through the trash. The hardest emotion to hit was pure, old-fashioned sadness and despair. It was impossible to hold back the tears thinking that no 22-year-old single mother should ever have to work in a dump to earn a few dollars a day to support her family. It was a glimpse into her world I didn’t like one bit.

We left the dump long before Lourdes did. We went to a little village, washed up and ditched our nasty, ruined clothes. We was officially done with our day at the dump, but not Lourdes. Sometime later that day she would walk 2 miles back to her home and change her clothes … but she’s not done. In the morning she’ll put those same nasty, stinking, filthy clothes back on and go do it all again. THAT breaks my heart.

One of the high points of the day was at lunchtime; the Dump Day food truck came and fed the workers at the dump … and brought them fresh water to drink. I enjoyed getting to climb in the back of the truck and help fill bowls of beans and rice. Thank you for your continued support of Honduras Hope and the ministry at the dump.

Dump Day 2012 is coming up in three short weeks on May 2nd. For this ministry to continue, we must raise the funds for the year on May 2nd. I hope you’ll consider making a donation then.

A big thanks to Marc for setting it all up. Also thanks to Erik, Melissa, Christina and James for their part.

More later …

Next week I’m starting a new job. Okay, so it’s only for 1 day, but it is a new job. My friend Marc Tindall has invited me to Honduras  next week to spend a full day working in the Tegucigalpa dump. Oh I’ve worked handing out food there many times, but this is going to be a little different. Marc wants to spend an entire day working in the dump … just like we were Honduran. The plan is to spend the day digging through garbage to find things we can recycle and sell … just like those who go to the dump to work. Usually a full day of chasing garbage trucks and digging through garbage brings them in about 1-2 dollars a day … they then use that to try and support their entire family.

When the food comes that Wednesday, like it does every Wednesday (due to Dump Day), Marc and I will go stand in line with the other workers and take our turn to get food. We’ll stand there and wonder … like the others … will there be enough this time for me to get to eat?

Why would we want to do such a thing? I think it will give us a better understanding of the life of the very poor … like … what they have to go through everyday just to support their family.

At the end of our time next Wednesday we’ll give the things we’ve collected to a poor family who live just outside the dump. They’ve just had a baby who was born with his intestines on the outside of his little body.

I’m excited about my trip to Honduras next week. As for my new dump job that starts next Wednesday … I know I’ll be very thankful at the end of the day that it is not my regular job. I’ll be thankful I don’t have to come back the next day, and I’ll be thankful that I don’t have to figure out a way to support my whole family on $1-$2 each day.

Dump Day 2012 is May 2nd, I hope you’ll be able to help financially that day to keep this ministry going.

(This blog generates a lot of traffic for those interested in short-term missions in Honduras and I want to share with you today a new ministry called Disciple Trips. If you are a teenager, or know a teenager interested in a mission trip, I suggest you point them towards Disciple Trips. I’ve asked my friend, Jeff Smith to tell you more about the program …. )

“Tim… Tebow or Hero!”  by Jeff Smith

Tim Tebow is everywhere!  Football fan or not, you’ve probably heard of him. He’s known as a determined athlete and an unashamed believer in Christ.

For a moment, I’d like to put the spotlight on another Tim.  I don’t know his last name, but I dare say he’s a believer who’s better known than Tebow.  His actual name is Timothy.  We first meet him as a young disciple raised by a godly mother. His first “media day” began in Acts 16, when a tireless missionary came to town.  Paul meets Timothy and is impressed. In fact, he’s so impressed, he wants to “take him along on the journey.”  Isn’t that interesting?  It makes me ask a lot of questions.  Why would Paul bother to invite a student on his trip? Why would Timothy be willing to leave home and travel with a complete stranger? Would his parents really let him go? Were they scared or reluctant? What value would Timothy bring to the mission team?

In the end, we get some really good answers!  He goes.  He grows and so does the Kingdom!  In spite of his age, health concerns and insecurities, Paul mentors this young man into a preacher and we continue to be blessed by his work as we read the two letters addressed to him and preserved in our New Testament.

I have a few more questions…

PARENTS, are you willing to send your child onto the mission field?  Why or why not?

STUDENTS, are you ready to put your faith to the test?  To see your faith take flight?

CHURCH LEADERS, are you willing to invest in the future of the Kingdom?

If so, then I’d like to invite you check out DiscipleTrips (www.discipletrips.com). It’s a new and exciting Short Term Student Mission organization built to give students (16 – 18 years old) the opportunity to see the world through the eyes of Christ. We organize the work, prepare students and take them on life-changing mission trips.

Yes, I like Tebow and appreciate his bold faith, but I’m praying that God will raise up a generation of “Heroes!” Young people who are ready to “go into all the world and preach the gospel” along with their families and churches who are willing to send them.

About the author:

Jeff Smith is the campus minister at the Sunset Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas. He’s taken numerous groups on mission trips for the past two decades. Feel free to contact him.  E-mail: jeffsmith@sunset.cc or call 806-790-4654.

I had a reality check this week when a “young” minister called me wanting some ministry advise from an “older minister.” What exactly did he mean by “older preacher?”  Come to think of it, maybe he was wanting Patrick Mead’s number … he’s much older and much wiser than I am.

Funny thing was, I’m usually the one calling the “older preachers” asking them for advice. I’m NOT the older preacher! Who knows, maybe that means I’m getting … old?

I’m no ministry expert, but I got to thinking about his question … so here’s a few things I’d tell any young minister just starting into ministry…

1. Don’t be afraid to dream big or try things that might not work. It’s better to make mistakes or sometimes fail then never try at all.
2. It’s okay to preach sermons on hell because it is a biblical topic. But if you’re wanting to motivate people to follow Jesus, do it by preaching God’s love, not by scaring the hell out of them.
3. If you’ll smother those who gripe and complain with love, grace and patience, they’re more likely to become your friend instead of your enemy.
4. Ministry is about people. When you’re no longer involved in people’s lives, you’re no longer involved in ministry.
5. Nothing will kill a ministry quicker than the three G’s – gold, glory and girls. Avoid them.
6. There’s a fine line between faith and stupidity. Knowing the difference can make all the difference.
7. Remember who you’re serving and working for … it’s God you’re striving to please.
8. You won’t please everyone all the time, so don’t try. Some people just won’t like you, and that’s okay.
9. Keep a level head … you’re not nearly as great as some people think you are.
10. Be patient … it takes a while for people and churches to change.
11. When people in the church hurt you, love them anyway.
12. Never stop learning and never stop trying to improve.
13. Get out among the people. You’ll never save the world sitting in your office designing a cool bulletin heading or blog design.
14. Delegate. You can’t do everything, so don’t try.
15. Get out of your comfort zone. Take a risk.
16. See lost people as … people that God loves deeply, not as mission projects or prospects.
17. Take as much time nurturing your own spiritual life as you do others.
18. Family is more important than your ministry. Put your family first.
19. Ministry is not a job. When you begin to see it as just a job, you need to get out of ministry and do something else.
20. It’s okay to rest, relax and sometimes go hide. Jesus did.
21. Seek wisdom from others. There’s some smart people out there … just don’t call them wanting advice from an “old minister.”

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR DUMP DAY 2012, PLEASE CLICK HERE!

Are you up for a 30 hour fast?

How long could you go without food? Could you last 30 hours without food? There are some of us who can’t go a few hours without hollering, “I’m hungry.” As most of you know, on May 2nd, we’re having our 4th annual “Dump Day” to raise money to feed the hungry people who live and eat at the Tegucigalpa, Honduras dump.

This year I want to do more than just give to feed the hungry… I want to understand (to a very small degree) what it’s like to go hungry. I want to fast 30 hours during the “Dump Day” marathon, BUT I don’t want to do it alone. I want to challenge some of you to do it with me.

This year I’m challenging you to a Dump Day fast. A 30 hour fast that will coincide with Dump Day. It will remind us two things…

• It will remind us that there are hungry people in this world, and we can’t ignore them or overlook them. I’m not sure there’s ever been a day in the Tegucigalpa dump when the people have actually had more to eat than me … but on May 2nd they will. I will be fasting and on that day (Dump Day, May 2nd), my friend Marc Tindall will be feeding rice, beans, tortillas, bananas and water to the people at the dump. They will eat more that day than I do.
• It will also remind us that we are VERY blessed and we need to share what we have. Today 25,000 children under the age of 5 will die from a lack of food and from poverty. Sadly, that shouldn’t be.  “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” 1 John 3:17

So I challenge you to fast from Tuesday night bedtime (May 1st) until Thursday morning (May 3rd). Then you can take the money you would have spent on meals and give that money to hungry people. What better way to spend the money you saved on meals?

Who’s with me? Are you in? Leave me a comment and let me know.

If you were to visit the Tegucigalpa dump in Honduras, one of the first people you might see is Fanni.  She was one of the first people that Marc & Terri Tindall met in the dump. Fanni is now 18 and has a little boy named Marcos. Fanni lives in a very dangerous neighborhood and walks about 2 hours each way to get to the dump, where she works collecting plastic and boxes to sell so she can support her family.

A while back, Fani was beaten up, run over, stabbed and left for dead. Somehow Fanni didn’t die but was in bed and unable to work for many weeks. The money you gave to the dump fund last year was able to help Fani and her family survive while she recovered.

Thank you for your support of the dump ministry.

Just a reminder that every Wednesday I post a story about the dump. Dump Day 2012 and the 30 hour fast, will be Wednesday May 2nd. Continue to watch this blog and Bread for a Hungry World‘s website for more details.

By the way, have you seen this year’s video?

The Augment group and the community of Childress gave away another house yesterday. It’s our second house. We’ll be starting on our third project this week. Here are a few before/after pictures and of the yesterday’s open house.

The first picture of the house (BEFORE)

Yesterday's picture (AFTER)

The house gutted and ready to be rebuilt.

Lot's of sheetrock had to be put up.

The after shot of the living room and kitchen.

The finished kitchen.

One of the two bathrooms.

The Matt Halliday family who received the home, and the Augment team.

Workers at the Tegucigalpa dump. The second is carrying a big bag of plastic bottles that he has been digging through the trash to gather. He'll turn in for money at the recyclers.

My son Parker is in Honduras this week for Spring Break. His group went with Marc Tindall to the dump yesterday to feed the people there. He told me last night that he met a man named Juan at the dump who was carrying a big bag of plastic bottles that he’d been gathering all morning.  Juan’s job in this world is to work in the dump and dig through garbage to find plastic bottles to recycle so he can have a very small amount of money for his family.

When Juan came over to eat a bowl of beans and rice that was brought in for him, Parker and his friend, Melissa, asked Juan if they could take his bag while he ate and pick up some plastic bottles for him.  At first Juan was embarrassed to let them help but then changed his mind. Parker and Melissa took the dirty bag and went and dug through the garbage for Juan while he ate his lunch.

I asked Parker what it was like to do this. I believe his exact words were … “Dad, it was a good, crazy, gross and very humbling experience.”  

Thanks for giving on Dump Day each year … and thus making weekly feedings at the dump possible. Just a reminder that this year’s Dump Day is coming up on May 2nd. I hope you’ll consider helping with this so we can keep this ministry going.

1. You really can’t remember if it was Moses or Noah that took the animals on the ark.
2. You fall for the old preacher’s joke, “Turn in your bibles to the book of Hezekiah,” when there really is no book of Hezekiah.
3. You think the old saying “cleanliness is next to godliness” is actually a verse in the Bible.
4. The preacher announces the sermon is from Genesis and you have to check the table of contents.
5. You think Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego are 3 of the 31 ice cream flavors at Baskin Robins.
6. You’re just sure that “Do not dance” and “Do not gamble” are two of the ten commandments.
7. You notice that your bible that you’ve had for the past twenty years still feels and smells new.
8. You think Hercules was an Old Testament judge.
9. You believe absolutely everything that the newspaper and television says, but you question the truthfulness and reliability of the Bible.
10. You say, “So that’s where it’s been,” when your discover your bible in the same box as your old high school year books.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. ~ 2 Timothy 2:15

Can you think of others?

Everyone is invited to our Open House for our Augment Project #2. Here’s the news brief that was in the paper…