meetings, meetings, and more meetings

Sunday morning we had an early morning meeting with the mayor of Buenos Aires and his wife at their house. We met over coffee and sweetbread. We met for nearly 2 hours and talked about a wide variety of subjects and listening to the different needs of the city and the people. Even though Buenos Aires is a small town the mayor oversees over 60,000 people in his area. The needs in the area are many and I forsee work for several years here, not to mention other areas of the country.

After our meeting we were able to go to church services at the church of Christ in Buenos Aires. Daniel preached an excellent lesson on having a clear vision of God's will in our lives and to act upon it. Minor led the singing and did an awesome job. Tim and I both led prayers and we had a great visit with church members we met last year. We were able to get lots of photos of the new church building and also had time to show Tim around town and introduced him to the reposteria (bakery) that we found last summer! Yep, it's still good!

After worship we went to the local TV station and met with the station director and got a copy of the footage they shot Saturday during the President's visit. The station also is need of a lot of equipment and training and I am hopeful to be able to find help back at Freed-Hardeman when I return. Our TV station at school has a lot to offer and I am hopeful to recruit some staff to go with us this summer to do a training class on editing and camera work, along with tech information to make their news broadcasts more fluid and professional. After that meeting we took the western route along the coast to Jaco, which is on the Pacific Coast. We spent the night there at a local hotel that is actually run and owned by people from the States.

Today we spent the day looking at several different hotels that might serve as a retreat at the end of our future trips. The coastal area is really beautiful and there is a lot to do here. We looked at a couple of hotels that are right on the beach and we also looked at some that were up in the mountains. Zip line canopy tours, horseback riding, waterfalls, and beaches are just of the few things to do here. from Joco it normally is about an hour drive to San Jose and we left about 4:00. We arrived in San Jose around 7:00 tonight (we would have been here a lot sooner if it had not been for a fender bender on the main highway coming into town). We are staying the rest of the week at the Best Western Hotel which is near the hotel.

Tonight we got a letter via email from the President's office. Our offical meeting is set up for Tuesday at 3:00. The President is not going to be able to attend due to several things that have come up since our first meeting on Saturday, but the Vice-President will head up our meeting. We are so excited that we have already scheduled the meeting and we are very hopeful that the meeting will be very productive. We are also meeting with members of the San Jose city government in the morning along with lawyers to discuss some of the legal requirements we will need to know before going into the main meeting in the afternoon. Wednesday we will be meeting with a local preacher who is going to take us to the Bible camp owned by the church to see the layout and discuss ways to use the camp as a staging area for our containers and supplies that will be eventually coming into the country.

I will keep you updated as the week progresses. Things have fallen into place very well and we are getting a lot of things done. God is good!

TR

The photo is Daniel Chaves, Tim Hines, Minor Perez and myself with President Laura Chinchilla this past Saturday in Buenos Aires

Amazing start to our trip!

God is good. He is so good. He is down right amazing. The first 2 days of the trip have been a whirlwind and there are lots of things to report!

The first amazing thing took place Friday morning. Our (Minor and I) flight from Memphis to Houston left a tad bit late (about 10 minutes) which normally is no big deal. BUT, when you have a 49 minute connection time 10 minutes is HUGE. Especially when you arrive in terminal B and you depart from terimal D. However, we were able to get to our gate as the last group was boarding! More shocking was to find our suitcases in San Jose when we arrived. That was totally amazing.

The second amazing thing was going to rent a SUV. We did't reserve one ahead of time... not knowing what a popular destination Costa Rica is during spring break. However, we were able to get one with little problem (just kidding) and we left the airport to go to Buenos Aires, normally a 4 hour drive... unless the road going up Cerro de la Muerte is under construction. We had a dinner meeting with Daniel Chaves and Carlos Mora Vargas, the mayor, at 7:30. At 5:00 we were still on the north side of the mountain and it did not look like we were going to make it. However, Tim "Jimmy Johnson" Hines manuvered the mountain like a cruise missle and we got to the restaurant 5 minutes before The Chaves and Vargas families! We ate at Giovanni's Italian Restaurant and had a wonderful meal of new York style pizza, cheese bread and cheese sticks!

Our meeting with the mayor was amazing. We were able to cover a lot of stuff and had a long Q&A session. Tim and I answered questions and brought up additional points on issues we are working through for this summer's trips and more. And, amazingly enough, we scheduled another meeting with the mayor today (Saturday). Costa Rica is in dry season and Buenos Aires is battling many wild fires out on the reservations. It is so bad that Colombia is sending in firefighters and equipment to help. However, the reason we were invited to meet again with the mayor had nothing to do with that, but was because the President of Costa Rica was arriving to see the fire fighting efforts first hand. The mayor knows we are trying to schedule an appointment to meet with her and he was going to help us meet her. (what are the chances?)

The preident arrived at 10:00 am by private plane and was scheduled to take a helicopter ride to view the fires. We arrived about 9:45 and was admitted into the airport by use of our handy dandy IRC badges! Gringos in shirts and ties with official looking badges has its privilidges. When President Laura Chinchilla arrived the mayor came to our car (we stayed in the SUV to enjoy the airconditioning!) to tell us that they were going to another location for a press interview and he asked us to follow them. However, we did not attend the press conference (refer to the AC reference mentioned earlier). After the conference the group went back to the airport for the helicopter ride. We were motioned to follow again and we went back to the airport. During the helicopter ride the mayor, who stayed behind, came and told us that he has arranged a meeting when she returned from the flight!

20 minutes later President Chinchilla returned and was swarmed by reporters and photographers. The mayor already had us in place to talk with her, right in the middle of the media frenzy. Questions swirled in the crowd who the grigos with the shirts and ties were and what we were doing in Buenos Aires! We were able to talk with the president for about 10 minutes to introduce ourselves and to schedule a meeting with her in San Jose next week. She was quite impressed with what she heard and we will hear within 48 hours from her office for details. She is going to schedule additional people to be at the meeting including the Vice President and several members of her staff including the Secretaries of different agencies. "Like I mentioned earlier, God is awesome!

Tonight we were watching the local news and there was a huge story on the events today. Several photos of us meeting with the president made the news along with some live video. It even made the national news channel later tonight! So, in less that 48 hours in Costa Rica, we have met the mayor of Buenos Aires for a meeting, met the President of the country, scheduled a meeting with her next week, and made the news. We still have 6 more days to go, at this point there is no telling what might happen. This afternoon we went to 2 Indian Reservations to take photos of the places where the medical clinics will take place. BTW, the roads are still as bumpy and rocky as ever. Even Tim said that Costa Rica would give honduras a run for the money as to which country hs more rocks!

We have another appointment to meet the mayor at 8:00 before going to worship services with Daniel at the local congregation here. After services we will start back to San Jose for several days of meetings. It is going to be a very busy week! More to come, stay tuned!

Puttin' my travelin' shoes on

Spring break is upon us. And none to soon if you ask me. We have all experienced a mild winter and are now witnessing the blooming of Bartlet pear trees, dogwoods, redbuds, and other beautiful flowers and the urge to get out and enjoy it is evident everywhere. Taking a break from studies, doing spring cleaning, or just getting some R&R are just some of the things going through people's minds.

Freed-Hardeman students are gearing up for mission trips both stateside and abroad. Mission trips are planned for Alabama, West Virginia, New York, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Paraguay, and other places I can't even remember right now. Our sister schools are doing the same thing too. it is exciting to think that so many of our college students are using their spring break time to go on a mission trip instead of so many other things out there. If you ask me this is one of the biggest reasons why attending a Christian University is such a good decision.

Tim Hines, Minor Perez, and myself are going on another kind of trip. it is certainly related to missions, but we are not leading a team and we will not be doing the typical things a mission team would do. We are going to Costa Rica for spring break. We have very specific plans and an agenda to accomplish. Part of the week will be used to finalize the plans for the trip this summer when our team goes and works with Daniel Chavez in Buenos Aires. Hotel rooms will be reserved, tents and chairs will be rented, TV and radio advertisement time secured, supplies purchased, and all of the pre-trip deposits will be paid. Daniel will have a chance to finalize his plans with us and it will be left to us to figure out how we are going to do them.

However, the bigger part of the week will be spent in San Jose. We have plans to meet with several key political figures to discuss a wide range of things that pertain to this summer's trip but also for future trips and plans we have in Costa Rica. A couple of weeks ago we mailed a 3 page letter with a 24 page document to the President of Costa Rica to introduce Torch and IRC to her and to ask for a meeting. We also intend to meet with the Secretary of Health, Secretary of Commerce, and the College of Medicine to discuss all of the requirements we need to meet to bring medical teams and medicines into Costa Rica. We also will be meeting with lawyers and shipping specialists and pharmaceutical representatives. Tim figures to play a key role in the discussions since he has been through all of this in Honduras and has an unbelievable wealth of experience in this area. I am bringing the specifics of this summer's plans and Minor brings knowledge of Costa Rica along with tons of contacts and resourcing information.

So, instead of a full suitcase full of shorts, t-shirts, and sandals, we are packing suits, dress shirts, ties, and dress shoes (very foreign to me I must say....). Don't get me wrong, we will have shorts, t-shirts, and sandals, but I do not expect to use them nearly as much as I would like! We are hopeful that these meetings will be very productive and that we will be able to begin building a working relationship with the government similar to that in which we have in Honduras. The meetings next week hopefully will open up doors for projects in the future that our only dreams right now. Dreams do not become reality until acted upon... so here we go! The future begins today!

Keep us in your prayers. When I get back the pace will quicken and plans for the summer will be in place and we will begin the count down to the mission trips!!!! Take care and I will post again soon. Dios te bendiga mi amigos!

TR

Top 10 reasons NOT to go

Most of the time you hear all of the reasons why you should go on a mission trip... but how about the top 10 reasons why you should NOT go on one? Here they are:

10. It will change the way you look at the world! Seeing the world through the eyes of the good ol' USA is good enough. It might be totally distorted and inaccurate, but it is normal for you. Don't mess yourself up and go and see how the rest of the world really lives...keep thinking everyone is just like us.

9. You will be harder to deal with! Your likes and dislikes will change. Friends and family will not understand nor appreciate your sudden change in attitude towards things. Stay home and blend in.

8. Your priorities will change! You might start thinking of others WAY too much and even decide to do "church stuff" more and more. Making yourself happy needs to be your top priority... remember, it is all about you.

7. You will feel uncomfortable with the things you hear and see! Certain jokes, TV shows, movies, music lyrics, will suddenly seem inappropriate. Don't mess up a good thing!

6. You will experience suffering like you never have before. After seeing how people really suffer, you will see how shallow complaining here at home can be and how good we really have it. You might even feel a bit guilty about all of the stuff we have. Why subject yourself to that?

5. you could get robbed! It is dangerous over there. Some countries have crime rates nearly as high as some of our inner cities. Don't take any unnecessary chances going somewhere unsafe.

4. You could get sick! Don't take any risky chances, stay home where you never get sick.

3. Your faith might get stronger! This might lead to all kinds of life changing decisions that might cause you to become like a Christian radical or something....

2. You might convert someone to the Lord! I know this is a noble goal and all, but it might cause excitement and joy that might create further interest in Christian service... you might feel obligated to do it more and more. Where and when would it ever stop?

1. You probably will go again! Once you go you will be sucked into thinking about doing this again... and again. You will probably sacrifice time off from work, not to mention money it would cost to go on these trips. Come on, what is valuable to you anyways?

Want my advise? Stay home and stay comfortable. It is too late for me, save yourself! Focus on numero uno and you will be just fine. Otherwise you might end up looking like.... well.... you know..................

March 1st is rapidly approaching!

Before I forget it, Happy Valentine's Day! Unofficially, the Hallmark Card Company in conjunction with the Global Flower Growers Guild and the Union of the Chocolate Makers of the World got together and created Valentine's Day a long time ago... at least that is what I heard....

OK, seriously, we have a lot to cover in this blog. Minor Perez and I have been working hours and hours emailing various people in Costa Rica getting information about the requirements for the medical team that will be working this summer, finding out importation requirements for the medicines, required paper work and documentation for the medical personnel, etc. It has been CRAZY trying to get all of this information and we are learning a thing or two about governmental run a rounds... it reminds me so much of Honduras! We have also been working with Daniel Chaves getting plans ready for the team this summer. Daniel, the king of organization, will not allow me to shoot from the hip at all.... he is already got this trip planned out to the minute... just like last year! The good news is we already have hotel reservations in Buenos Aires, buses rented, the house rented for the cooks and guests, the hotel reserved for La Fortuna and the thermo resort at the Arenal Volcano, and radio and TV air time to promote the gospel meeting, VBS, counseling, and seminar classes. Yep, welcome to my world! And I am trying to work and take classes too!

It looks like Time Hines and I will be taking a group of us to Costa Rica the 3rd week of March to continue setting things up for the trip this summer. The spring break trip is going to focus on meeting various local governmental leaders of Buenos Aires to high ranking government leaders such as the Secretary of Health and hopefully even the president. This is such an important trip this summer with our medical team going into Costa Rica we want to make sure we have done everything correctly and that we make connections in the government so that we will be able to expand our efforts in Costa Rica in the near future. We would like to think we will be able to do in Costa Rica what we have been doing in Honduras. Hopefully the things we have learned in Honduras will go along way to establishing our work in Costa Rica.

March 1st is only 18 days away. March 1st is the deadline for applications and deposits for anyone going on any of the trips this summer. nearly 100 met the early bird deadline and was able to save $50.00 on the cost of the trip. Anyone who did not make the early bird deadline must get applications and deposits to me by March 1st. The 2nd and final payment for the trip is May 1st ($550.00 for the early bird registrations and $600.00 for all others). Additional paper work (rules sheet, Spanish release form for anyone under 18 years of age, and photocopy of your passport) is not due yet and I will be sending out information about when all of that is due later on. Please let me know if you have any questions about the applications or 1st payments. Hopefully by March 1st we will have a fairly accurate roster of who is on each team.

I hope you are shopping for airline tickets. Please send me your flight information as soon as you book your flight. See my previous post about flight information for details. Prices have stayed pretty constant so far so I am not sure if we are going to see much of a change in prices. I personally am holding on and waiting in hopes of getting a good deal. So far I have only received a handful of flight confirmations. We still have plenty of time so don't feel rushed. Again, please let me know if you have any questions.

If you are collecting supplies for the container, it looks like our target date to ship this year will be the 1st week of May. I will give you more details as soon as I have them. I feel pretty sure the container will be shipped out of Florida at this point, just don't know where the loading will take place. It is possible we might piggy back again, especially if I can share a container being shipped out of Nashville from Healing Hands International. I hope to know something soon.

I am still trying to recruit a few more for the medical teams this summer. I am still looking for 1 more doctor and 2 nurses for the Costa Rica trip and 1 doctor and 2 nurses for the 2nd Honduras trip (July 7-16). If you know anyone please let me know or have them get in contact with me. We have teams in place but I am trying to get additional personnel to make each medical team stronger. We are in the process of getting medicines secured for both trips and that should be completed soon. Right now we are really stressing hygiene supplies from all groups. We have additional needs this summer since we are going to have a medical team in Costa Rica and Honduras. We literally need to try to double our collections from last year.

Well, we are already half way through February and spring break is less than a month away. I don't know about you but it just seems like time is flying by faster everyday. I hope you are getting excited about the trips. I met with the Honduras team from Collegside Church of Christ in Cookville, Tennessee (Tim O'Dell's group) this weekend and they are pumped and ready to go! I will be meeting next weekend with Mark Adam's group from the Old Hickory Church of Christ in Nashville and I will be meeting with the team from Western Hills soon after that... my weekends are pretty much booked all the way into May. No wonder time seems to be going by so fast!

Take care my friends and keep in touch. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you as you get ready for the trip. It is going to be an awesome summer and I can't wait to see and work with you all. Dios te bendiga mi amigos! TTYL

TR

Courageous

This past weekend Freed-Hardeman showed the movie "Courageous" at the campus theater. The movie packed both theaters during the 2 showings and it caused quite a buzz in my dorm afterwards. Just about everyone I saw last weekend were talking about it. And I am here to tell you it was one of the best movies I have ever seen. Not because of the acting, lighting, camera angles, special effects, stars, or computer graphics. Quite the opposite. I loved it without all of the things I just mentioned.

This film was produced by Sherwood Pictures, a ministry of the Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. This is their 4th film to be released. The other 3 are Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof. Those following these movies will quickly point out that each movie gets progressively better in film quality, acting, writing, and story line and Courageous is the best so far. Over half of the actors are members of the congregation and all actors are volunteers. In an era were movie film budgets can well exceed $500 million in production costs it is a breath of fresh air to see a movie with such a wholesome message being shot and produced under a reported $2 million. The movie opened in over 1.000 theaters nationwide and grossed nearly $10 mission dollars. To date the movie has grossed nearly $35 million with the DVD release just now taking place.

There is great humor throughout the movie, good action scenes, and many a Kleenex moments in the movie. Focusing on the lives of 4 police officers and their families, the movie hammers home the theme of the movie which is fathers taking up the responsibility of being a Christian father and doing everything it takes to be the man God wants us to be. It is such a powerful movie and it approaches life from so many different angles that nearly anyone can relate to it in some way. The predominately student body crowd at the theater was totally into the movie with roars of laughter and audible crying during several scenes. The movie certainly took everyone on an emotional roller coaster ride.

My favorite character by far was Javier Martinez. Anyone who saw the movie knows who he is and are probably laughing right now at just the mention of his name. My favorite funny scene was Javier riding in the back of the police car as the leader of the infamous "Snake Kings." My favorite "tear jerker" scene was when Adam Mitchell returned to the place where he completed a dance that he did not do with his daughter prior to her sudden death in a car accident. My most inspirational scene was when Nathan Hayes took his daughter out to a fancy dinner and challenged her by giving her a purity ring. Best action scene was the shootout and arrest of the drug dealers and the best line was during Adam's sermon, "I will!"

If you have not yet seen this movie you need to get a copy and pick a movie night to watch it. Be ready to laugh, cry, hold your breath, and applaud. Be ready to be challenged because this movie hits home in many different ways. You will not be disappointed and you will probably do just like me and feel the need to spread the word.

TR

Up, up and away!

Even though it is only mid-January many are already searching for airline flights to Costa Rica and Honduras. Some have already bought tickets and have sent me their flight itineraries! So this blog will cover flight information for all 3 mission teams going with me this summer.

Costa Rica

The Costa Rica trip is Saturday, May 26th - Monday, June 4th. Each person or group is responsible for booking their tickets and may use a variety of carriers. The main stipulation is that everyone MUST fly into San Jose and they must arrive no later than 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 26th. There are several choices on airlines and arrival times. Since team members will be leaving from different cities around the country I cannot give you specific flight information. However, I can give you a list of carriers that do fly to San Jose and have flights that arrive before / around 2:00.

American Airlines: typically connects in Miami. From Miami AA has 2 flights, #971 and #937 that arrive before 12:30 pm.
Delta Airlines: typically connect in Atlanta. From Atlanta DA has 1 flight, #415, that arrives at 11:55 am.
Continental Airlines: typically connects in Houston. From Houston CA has 2 flights, #1096 and #1055 that arrive before 2:15 pm.
US Air: typically connects in Charlotte. From Charlotte USA has 1 flight, #1707, that arrives at 11:05 am.
Spirit Air: typically connects in Ft. Lauderdale. From Ft. Lauderdale SA has 1 flight, #755, that arrives at 11:40 am.
Copa Airlines: Departs from Miami. From Miami there is 1 flight, #491 / 795 that arrives at 11:31 am after 1 connection.
LACSA: Departs from Miami. From Miami there is 1 flight, #691, that arrives at 9:44 am
AeroMexico: typically connects in Miami. From Miami there is 1 flight, #429 / 656 that arrives at 11:20 am after 1 connection.
United Airlines: United has multiple connection points so flight information varies. from Miami there is 1 flight, #7484, that arrives at 9:44 am.

Research your flights thoroughly! Most likely you will have connections, make sure you have enough time to make the connection between flights! Also check checked bag policies... they all vary. Some allow 1 bag free, others charge for every bag. Some might even charge for carry on bags. Once you have selected a flight it is very important to let me know your flight information so that we can be prepared in San Jose. Everyone will wait at the airport until everyone arrives. Once everyone is on the ground we will load the buses, eat lunch, and drive to Beunos Aires!

Return flights work in a similar manner. Everyone will need to fly back from San Jose on Monday, June 4th (morning flights if at all possible). We will be spending the night in San Jose at a hotel near the airport. Once we have everyone's flight information we will figure out transportation to the airport. The later your flight the longer you will probably sit at the airport. The system works well and it allows our team members to shop around to find the best deals. Good luck!

Honduras trip #1

The 1st Honduras trip is Thursday, June 28th - Saturday, July 7th. It is very important that everyone arrive on the 28th because we will be loading up our buses and heading straight to Choluteca for 4 days of work there (Thursday - Sunday). We will return to Tegucigalpa Sunday evening and will work there until our departure on Saturday the 7th. It is important that your flight arrives before 2:00 pm. You have several flight options:

TACA: Departs from Miami. From Miami TACA has 1 flight that arrives before 2:00 pm. It is flight #314 / 254 that arrives at 9:25 am after 1 connection. (the other TACA flight lands in the late afternoon and cannot be used)
COPA Airlines: Departs from Miami. COPA has 1 flight, #491 / 426 that arrives at 11:55 am after 1 connection.
American Airlines: Typically connects in Miami. From Miami AA flight # 953 that arrives at 11:15 am.
Delta Airlines: Typically connects in Atlanta. from Atlanta DA flight #849 that arrives at 11:45 am.
Continental Airlines: Typically connects in Houston. From Houston CA flight #1540 which arrives at 11:10 am.

Return flight will be on Saturday, July 7th. Check flight information concerning additional charges for checked bags. Once your ticket is booked please send me your flight information so that we can be ready for your arrival in Tegucigalpa!

Honduras trip #2

The 2nd team will arrive in Tegucigalpa the same day that team #1 is leaving (this is going to be a busy and exciting day for the interns!). So as we are saying goodbye to one team we will be welcoming the 2nd team. Like the 1st team, it is very important that everyone on team #2 arrive on Saturday, July 7th. We will also be loading up the buses and heading to Choluteca to work for 4 1/2 days (Saturday - Wednesday morning). Flight information is the same as team #1. Team # 2 returns to Tegucigalpa on Wednesday afternoon and will work in Tegucigalpa until the return flight on Monday, July 16th.

You can buy your airline tickets any time you want. Prices are going to go up and down like a roller coaster so check the websites and be ready when that great deal comes. If you get a great deal let me know so I can pass the information on to other Torch team members! Flights will fill up, some very quickly, especially to Honduras. there are a lot of mission teams that work in Honduras and tickets will go quickly. Depending where you are flying from will determine cost to a large degree. Ticket prices might range from the high $400s to high $700s or even more. With fuel prices jumping around and with rumors of price hikes expect airline tickets to follow.

I hope this information is helpful and that you have good results in buying your tickets. Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck and happy shopping!

TR

Calculating the cost before laying the foundation

2012 is not messing around. It seems to be pedal to the metal because the new year is off and running at full throttle and leaving those who are shuffling along on the sidelines. 9 days into the new year and I am just now posting the first blog of 2012. As I merge onto the 2012 speedway lanes I will try to get quickly up to speed so that I can keep up.

Most already know, but during Christmas break I had surgery to remove a tumor that was found on a scan about 6 months ago that was growing on my neck near the saliva gland. Dr. Netherville, the top ranked surgeon in the southeast and a member of the church at Harpeth Hills, did the surgery. Dr. Netherville is a long time medical missionary to Honduras with Steve Davidson's group and Lipscomb graduate. he did a great job and my stay at Vanderbilt was a good as you could expect (Sleep just didn't happen because it seemed like every hour the nurses needed something!). After an allergic reaction to some of the bandaging they used on me, I am finally on the mend and back to "normal." During break I didn't do much since I was on pain meds and was very limited on what I could do. Thankfully I am healing well and the pathology came back negative! Now I am off to the races, so to speak, and will be putting in a lot of hours this week and next getting the 3 missions trips in order and really getting them going.

The first item of business is the upcoming January 20th "Early Bird Registration." Anyone that can get their applications, paper work, and deposits in to me by this date will save $50.00 on their trip. The cost is $800 per person plus airfare, but early bird registrations get a discount because the early registration money will help me get deposits in earlier at some hotels which will allow us to get a better rate for this summer. Last year's teams depleted the Torch account to the point that we just didn't have any "jump start" money for the 2012 trips. So, whether you are going to Costa Rica or Honduras, let me encourage you to get your stuff tome in the next 10 days to get the discount.

Second. For those who just can't make the January 20th date, deposits and applications are due no later than March 1st. All of the trips are near maximum capacity so anyone who contacts me at this point will more than likely go on a waiting list. After March 1st anyone on the waiting list will be able to get on the trip if any spots are open so make sure you get your stuff in by this deadline so that you do not lose your spot! Final payment for the Costa Rica trip will be May 1st and the deadline for the Honduras trips will be June 1st. Everyone needs to book airline tickets as quickly as you can, try to have them booked by the end of March if possible. I will be posting airline flight information in my next blog that will come later this week.

Third. I have been gathering photos from past trips to help me get ready for some writing I will be doing this fall. A few years ago I wrote a book called "The Mountaintop Experience" looking through the history of Torch Missions from my 20+ years of trips. I want to totally rewrite the book and update the material. I am looking for photos from the different trips that will help in this undertaking. If you have any I would love to get copies of them sent to me. So far I have received over 400 photos and they have been great! However, I am wanting a lot more than that and I hope to get many more.

Fourth. Also, along with the photos I am receiving, I am wanting to get current photos of all the trips this summer. I would also like to get video as well, so if anyone has a video camera I would love for you to bring it. Since working at Freed-Hardeman I have learned that I have a wealth of talent and resources right here. From professional photo editing software to TV studio production facilities, proof readers to professional voice makeover personnel, I have a lot of resources here to use. This summer, once we get back, I am going to work on several PR type projects for Torch Missions. Pamphlets, brochures, booklets, and DVDs are just a few of the things on the agenda. I hope to produce a full line of promotional materials for booths at youth rallies and Bible lectureships. The materials will be designed to be used at schools, churches, youth groups, or even professional organizations to help promote who we are, what we do, and how people can join up or help. I am really excited about this and believe we will be able to produce some really high quality, professionally make materials that all teams will be able to use.

Finally. Plans are being put into place. Research is going on right now to see what needs to be done and where we will be working during our trips. This time of the year reminds me of a story Jesus told in Luke 14: 28-30 - "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to finish it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, 'This person began to build and wasn't able to finish." Now is the time we estimate the cost of the trips and the projects that we want to do and accomplish. We want to make sure the things we plan can be paid for by the money we are paying to go on the trip along with the additional money that is raised for the work fund. Our planning right now along with the fund raising we do, will determine how many houses we will build, how many bags of food we will give away, and how much supplies we will have to distribute. We don't want to make plans that we will not be able to do. But we want to think big and dream big. Somehow during the next couple of months the 2 will merge together to form our plans.

In the end we put it all in God's hands and we will do what He wants us to do and we will go where He wants us to go. God constantly puts things into our lives to challenge us and to move us to do good works. Every year is different (ask any of the Torch veterans, they will tell you!) and I personally can't wait to see what this summer has in store for us! Arise!

TR

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As we say farewell to 2011 and welcome to 2012, may your hopes, dreams, inspirations, and goals be realized as God directs you and guides you along your life's journey. Happy new year to all of you that are part of the TORCH MISSIONS family!

Feliz Navidad

Whether you are sitting on a white sandy beach sipping fresh squeezed orange juice, drinking hot chocolate while admiring the fresh winter snow, or sitting at home with compression bandages after recent surgery, may the true meaning of Christmas be upon you and your loved ones. Over 2,000 years ago Jesus came and changed the world. He is still doing it today. He will be doing it tomorrow. May the joy that comes with the season fill your hearts and warms your souls. The greatest gift of all was given with the greatest love ever shown. Rejoice!

2012 Torch interns selected

During my years as a youth minister I was fortunate to have many different interns serve during the summer months to learn the ropes of youth ministry and missions. It was always exciting to work with them and to help train and show them the "behind the scenes" stuff that took place, especially when planning calendars, events, and trips. They would certainly understand the analogy of the duck swimming on a pond. When you see a duck swimming on a pond, the duck appears to glide accross the water effortlessly. What you don't see is the duck's webbed feet under the water working continuously to keep the duck stable and moving the duck in the right direction. When people go on a mission trip, a youth trip, etc., they typically see a well run trip and enjoy it accordingly. However, most do not see all of the work that goes on behind the scenes to make sure the trip runs smoothly. The interns that have worked with me have seen what takes place "under the water" that makes what takes place "above the water" run smoothly (or at least as smoothly as it can!). Most of my interns were amazed and unaware of all of the work that went in to make a trip work before the internship and appreciate the trips even more since they were shown the ropes.

A few years ago I started selecting interns to work with me during the mission trips. It was one of the best things I have done. Having a group that works behind the scenes to help plan and implement the activities and ministries of the day has helped me in a lot of ways. "Taking things off of my plate" was not just an option, but a necesssity for me to continue doing the trips. Over the past few years I have learned to delegate responsibilities to various team leaders (or segundos as we say while in Honduras) and to interns. This was hard for me to do at first but I have come to enjoy the trips so much more knowing that things are being done by others which allows me time to participate more and even get some rest every now and then!

Selection for the mission interns is a fairly lengthy process. Once emails go out and posters are put up around campus, word gets out about the internship. A detailed discription of the expectations, requirements, and cost is shared to those who express interest. This year about 2 dozen began the process. The process included filling out an application, securing 3 letters of recommendation, and writing a 1 page essay on why they wanted to do the internship. Some went the extra mile and also wrote a biography of themselves to give me even more information to consider. 1 on 1 conversations (interviews) were also done. Once all of this was completed I selected 9 interns that will be working with my Torch teams this summer in Honduras.

We have 4 who have served as interns for me before and 5 new interns. 7 have been on at least one Torch trip. All have impressed me in various ways and I am very confident that they will do an excellent job this summer working with the 2 teams working in Honduras. Here is a quick introduction of the 2012 interns:

1. Kathryn Bettis. Kathryn is a junior at Freed-Hardeman University and is from Clarksville, Tennessee. This will be Kathryn's 2nd internship with Torch and her 3rd trip to Honduras.
2. Kennedy Cheatham. Kennedy is from Hendersonville, Tennessee, and will be a senior next year at Beech High School. This is Kennedy's 2nd internship and her 3rd trip to Honduras.
3. Tyler Gist. Tyler is from Columbia, South Carolina. He is a junior and will be transferring to the University of South Carolina next fall. This is Tyler's 2nd internship and his 7th trip to Honduras.
4. Luke Larson. Luke is from Lithia, Florida, and is a freshman at Harding University. This is Luke's 1st internship with Torch and his 2nd trip to Honduras.
5. Julia Morgan. Julia is a freshman at Freed-Hardeman University and is from Moore, Oklahoma. This will be Julia's first trip with Torch Missions and her 2nd trip to Honduras.
6. Ashley Stewart. Ashley is a junior at Freed-Hardeman University. She is from Columbia, Tennessee. This is Ashley's 2nd internship with Torch and her 5th trip to Honduras.
7. Leah sutter. Leah is from Tavernier (Florida Keys), Florida. Leah is a freshman at Florida Keys Community College. This is Leah's first internship with Torch and her 3nd trip to Honduras.
8. Rachel Timmerman. Rachel is a senior at FLVS Home School and is also from Tavernier, Florida. This is Rachel's 1st internship with Torch and her 3rd trip to Honduras.
9. Erika Wenger. Erika is a freshman at Freed-Hardeman University. She is from Richmond, Virginia. This is her 1st internship with Torch and her 1st trip to Honduras.

I could say a lot more about all of the interns but I will be brief this time. More will be shared at another time. As you can see, the interns come from all over the U.S. and each will bring their unique talents to the mix as we form the 2012 team. I am very excited about the choices and I believe they will do an excellent job this summer.

As far as the trips go, things are shaping up very well. Here are the tentative numbers for each team as of today:
Costa Rica: 65. This trip is full but a few reserved spots might open up soon.
Honduras trip #1: 75. 5 spots remaining.
Honduras trip #2: 77. 3 spots remaining.
We already have 2/3 of a container of supplies collected already! Mt. Dora Bible School (Florida) donated lots of stackable chairs that were used in their auditorium. Ken Haab has secured a lot of school furniture (desks, chairs, cafeteria tables, etc.) from the Florida Keys. Singer Sewing Machines has donated 3 HUGE boxes of sewing supplies that will go to the Mi Esperanza program this summer. In addition, I already have had to rent another storage unit here in Henderson to store supplies that are coming in. Once we get a container scheduled I will give all of you more information about shipping date, loading location, etc.

As the year comes to an end and Christmas break gets closer, I hope all of us will take time to enjoy what is really important. God has belssed us all in a very special way. He has placed many people in our lives and opportunities to reach out and serve to those who are less fortunate. As we continue to focus our efforts on Costa Rica and Honduras, remember that your ministry starts by reaching out to those who are all around you. By helping and ministering to those close to you, a ripple affect is created. By ministering to those far away, you bless not only them but you create new ripples that will work their way from the center out. The greatest gift you receive might very well be the one that you gave away. Peace.

TR

Who wins?

Every Tuesday night we have a devo in the dorm. Sometimes we bring guest speakers or have a faculty member speak, and sometimes one of the guys in the dorm takes a turn. Unlike some of the other dorms, we do not have a theme this year so the lessons cover a wide spectrum of topics. Some are 3 point sermonettes (as any good preacher would deliver), some are long, some are short. Some guys are polished speakers and others are a bit timid. For some, it might even be the first time they have ever given a lesson in front of a crowd. All are good, but every now and then one is given that really catches my attention. This week's devo was one of them.

The lesson was given by one of our freshmen, a Bible major, from Mississippi. His opening statement got everyone's attention, "This lesson is going to be short, sweet, and to the point." Now, I use that phrase all the time around the dorm, especially when I call meetings. (That is my way of saying to listen up because I am going to cover the items quickly and will not repeat myself. Most of my all dorm meetings last 10 minutes or less) They guys in devo grinned and shook their heads in approval. I even heard a few "Amens" from where I was sitting.

He told us that was proud of his heritage, Irish and Chickasaw (interesting combination I must say). He heard a Chickasaw parable when he was growing up that he shared with us. There was once an elderly warrior who sat with his grandson one evening by the fire. The warrior told his grandson that there lived within each person 2 wolves that fight with each other. One wolf was evil and was filled with hatred, anger, malice, jealousy, and pride. The other wolf was good, filled with love, peace, happiness, and kindness. the grandson looked at his grandfather and said, "Which one wins?" The old warrior replied, "The one that you feed, it is the one that will win."

A 5 minute talk that was short, sweet, and to the point. Who wins? Good question.

TR

The meeting of the minds

This past week Tim Hines and I attended the "Marching Toward Independence Of The Honduran People" conference in Atlanta. Hosted by the Consulate General of Honduras, the 2 day conference was attended by dozens of NGOs (Non-government Organizations) that work in Honduras. Tim represented IRC and I reperesented TORCH Missions. Nearly all of the groups there were faith based groups that work all over Honduras. It was really impressive to meet the representatives of the groups and hear what they are doing. Some were small church groups that work only a couple of weeks per year in Honduras while others were large organizations that work year round. Many were medical groups operating clinics and health care centers while others specialized in argriculture and well digging and water purification systems.

The General Consulate of Honduras, Emelisa Callejas, comes from a very powerful and politically influential family in Honduras and now works as Consulate in Atlanta. Her passion is NGOs and she is dedicating her efforts in helping groups like us have a better and more productive work in Honduras. She invited several Honduran government officals to the meeting to do presentations and to have question / answer sessions. Representatives from the Secretaries of Argriculture, Defense, Interior, Education, and Finance were presesent.

The focus of all the presentations was to share the new 30 year vision Honduras has in place to help develop the country and assist the people of Honduras. The presentations were quite impressive and were the exact presentations that were used when the current president, Porfirio Lobo Sosa, met with the United States. Sharing this vision to NGOs is one of the top priorities of the government because they realize that literally millions of dollars in aid and supplies are donated to the country every year through non-profits and that thousands of volunteers come to work in Honduras. Through coordinated efforts between the Honduran government, NGOs, and other international agencies and countries, Honduras is trying to put a plan into place that will get them off the road of poverty and onto a road to prosperity.

Although IRC / TORCH Missions is just 2 of many players on the field, it became obvious that we were major players in this meeting of the minds. Compared to the other NGOs, we were in the top tier of organizations as far as the number of workers we brought into the country, the amount of goods we shipped in for donation, and the impact we were making in the areas in which we work. Senora Emelisa Callejas, the General Consulate, was very much aware of who were are and what we do. She specifically asked for a private meeting with Tim and I the morning before the conference began.

Even though the morning was a buzz at the Latin American Association building getting ready for the conference (which started at 2:00) Tim and I arrived at the building at 9:30 for a 10:00 appointment with Senora Callejas. She is a warm and charming lady and spoke excellent English (which was good for me!). We met for about 45 minutes in her office and was able to discuss in detail some of the problems and frustrations that we have experienced shipping containers, red tape in paperwork, fees and delays that we have experienced, and other issues that have dampened and slowed down our work in Honduras. She was very concerned that Tim was able to name specific Congressmen and Sentators in the Honduran government, all that she knew personally, that had promised help in various ways, that never fully materialized. She was quite aware of the frustatations found within government and showed great compassion towards the things NGOs were going through. Although she could not promise specifc results, she did promise to do all she could within her ralm of influence (which we believe is immense) in helping us in our work. BTW, we were the only ones that received a private meeting during the conference.

The conference allowed the NGOs a chance to voice concerns on many issues, all of which were common amoung all of our groups. Of the 3,500 NGO groups working in Honduras, only 150 are registered and officially recognized by the Honduran government at this time. Being part of a small number will certainly have its benefits in weeks and months to come. Tim and I are cautiously optimistic that the government is going to impliment rules, laws, and changes that will certainly help us. We are one step closer to having tax exempt status for all goods and services we purchase in Honduras. We also believe that containers will be passing though customs and ports much faster with less paper work and headaches. This is a good start for us and for all of the NGOs in general. Hopefully we will be having more meetings in the future and that our realm of connections will grow and become even more effective as we work in Honduras.

On another note, Tim and I will be traveling to Costa Rica soon, as early as March, to begin meetings with the government there. Last year's trip to Buenos Aires opened up doors of opportunity that are rarely given to Americans working there. If all goes as planned, we will be one of the first groups that will be allowed to bring in a medical brigade to work in Honduras from the States. Tim and I, along with Minor Perez and Daniel Chaves, will be meeting with local government leaders and possibly national leaders as well, to begin developing the protocols that will be needed for medical personnel to come and work in Costa Rica. I guess I will be going out and buying more dress clothes, since my typical shorts and t-shirt garb will not be exactly up to speed meeting with government officals! Oh if my high school teachers could see me now....

As we approach my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, I hope and pray that you will spend time in the next few days reflecting on all of the good things that God has done for you in your life. God continues to give us what we need, many times in abundance, and provides for us in ways we seldom even realize. We should be eternally grateful and thankful for the blessing we have, both physically and spiritually. We truly have been blessed and I consider all of you some of my greatest blessings of all. And the blessing of being able to work together in a great ministry like TORCH has blessed the lives of countless thousands with more to come. Do not allow the Christmas blitz to overlook a time we should pause and give thanks.

TR

Go!

November 1st! Today is the "official" launch date for the 2012 mission trips. Even though a LOT of people have been working on their trips for a while (recruiting, reserving spaces, promoting, and all of that good stuff), today is the day the applications, Spanish release forms, rules sheets, and packing list is ready to go. I have emailed the forms out to dozens of people this morning to get the ball rolling. If you did not get an email from me this morning please contact me so that I can get the information to you ASAP.

Although the early bird reservations are not set in stone and the numbers will change, here is where we are at as of November 1st:

Costa Rica trip - May 26 - June 4: 60 spots reserved with 5 spots still remaining.
Honduras #1: June 28 - July 7: 74 spots reserved with 11 spots still remaining.
Honduras #2: July 7 - July 16: 65 spots reserved with 20 spots still remaining.

I am now recruiting Spanish translators and medical personnel for all 3 teams. Once these are in place the teams will be set and ready to go. I am still taking applications for interns for this summer. This is the last week to get applications, essay, and 3 letters of recommendation in for consideration. Intern selections will be made on November 18th.

The cost for any of the 3 trips this year will be $800.00 per person plus the cost of the airline ticket. All paperwork and $200.00 deposit are due on March 20th. However, anyone who turns in all paperwork and deposit by January 20th will have $50 waived from their final payment. Final payment is due June 1st for the Honduras teams, May 1st for the Costa rica team. By paying early we can make early payments of reservations which will allow us to get better deals. As always, flight information will be given out soon so that you can begin shopping for the best deal.

It is not too early to begin collecting supplies for the trip. Hygiene items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, bar soap, shampoo, etc. will be needed and there is no way we can collect to much. Toys, stuffed animals, crayons, and infant clothing and shoes are needed as well. Additional items will be posted later as we begin collecting specifics for each trip. I already have a 10'x10' storage unit full of supplies that have come in so far! Remember our motto when collecting supplies, "No Junk For Jesus!" Make sure used items are clean and in good condition. You can find amazing deals at yard sales and thrift stores.

Let me know if you have any questions or if there is anything I can do to help. Remember to keep Tim and I in your prayers this week as we head to Atlanta. Hopefully many good things will come from our meetings and the conference. I will be writing again soon to let you know how it goes!

TR

A little get together in Atlanta

This past week I got a phone call from Tim Hines. When Tim calls I never know what we are going to talk about... it could be just about anything. Lots of times it is a recounting of his most recent fishing story and the size and or numbers of fish that met their match that day to the Fishslayer (don't laugh... Tim has photos to back up his stories... hundreds of photos). Other times it is just to chat or talk Honduras or even some football (he is a LSU fan, I am an Alabama fan... go figure....what could we possibly have to say to each other?). Conversations can last 10 minutes or 2 hours... depending on the battery charge on the cell phone.

This particular call was intriguing and exciting. We have been invited to go to Georgia next week to go to Atlanta for a conference being held by the Consulate General of Honduras to the United States for non-profits and relief organizations that work in Honduras. Those who know Tim know that this is not necessarily all that unusual for him. He does this kind of stuff a lot. Within Torch / IRC, he pretty much is our point person for this kind of stuff and specializes in meetings with governmental people. I don't even want to try to list the people Tim has met with and worked with over the years in Honduras... from the president of Honduras to congressmen to military leaders. I, on the other hand, do not do this very often.

Over 8 dozen groups will be represented next week at the "March Toward Independence Of The Honduran People" conference. The focus is the conference is to give the Consulate an overview of what each group is doing in Honduras and where they are working and to list the specifics of what each group's focus is on while working in Honduras. It will also be an opportunity to find out what ways the Honduran government might be able to help the groups in a specific way. During the sessions we will have opportunities to have small group talks to find out ideas and methods being used by other groups that might help help us. Key note speakers will present to the group and address things non-profits and relief groups need to know.

The most exciting part of the conference will take place on Thursday morning when Tim and I will get to have a 1 on 1 meeting with he Consulate. The government is very familiar with Torch/IRC and asked us to arrive early for the conference to talk. I am not sure what will come from the meeting, but hopefully we might be able to make some suggestions and offer some insight and opinions on things that would make our ministries more effective.

Needless to say I am pretty excited about all of this... hopefully I will learn a little bit more about diplomacy and "rubbing elbows" with people of authority, and I will get to spend a couple of days with Tim. Don't worry, we will not get ourselves into trouble... on purpose!

On another note, November 1st is coming up SOON and that means my Torch Missions applications and paperwork is about to go out. The applications, Spanish release forms, packing lists, etc., have all been updated and ready to go. Its time to turn the key and start the engine (imagine starting up a big block Chevy with duel exhaust) and to get ready to rumble. The 2012 mission trips are about to officially begin! Soldiers of Christ Arise!

TR

The parable of the seed

There was a farmer who lived in Nebraska and grew award winning corn. Year after year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won multiple blue ribbons for the best of the best.

A newspaper reporter picked up on the story and requested an interview. During his time with the farmer he learned something very interesting about how he went about growing his corn. He discovered that every year he distributed his corn seed to his surrounding neighbors.

Puzzled, the reporter asked, "How can you afford to share your best seed with your neighbors if they are entering the same competition as yours each year?" The blue ribbon farmer did not hesitate to give his answer, "Don't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors are growing inferior corn then cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I want to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn."

The question is asked over and over to me and others that do foreign mission work. "Why go to Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Brazil, etc., when people in our own backyard need help?" I like to use this story to convey my point. The United States is, and has always been, the "melting pot" of the world. People come here from all over the world, especially Latin American countries. If we want our country to be a strong Christian nation, a nation that not only believes in God but believes in the truth of the Bible and what it teaches, we must indeed cultivate and work the fields locally like the Nebraska farmer in the story. You know he tends his fields with utmost care. But, we must also reach the nations of the world, teach them the gospel, teach them the truth, give the the best of what we have so that their influences, once they arrive, will help, and not hurt, our communities. By reaching out to the world we in return help ourselves as well.

"Go unto all of the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. " Mark 16:15-16; "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:16-20. When you read these 2 passages of scripture, known as the Great Commission, it has a different ring to it, when you look at it through the eyes of a Nebraska corn grower.

We need workers. The fields are white unto harvest (and around here with the cotton ready to be picked this is a great analogy). Jesus wants workers in the local congregations. He wants workers in the neighborhoods, in the countryside, in the cities, and in the States. And Christ wants workers in the foreign mission fields. "Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." Matthew 9:37-38. It is not a request... it is a command.

The choice is not IF you will work, it is WHERE you will work.

TR

Filling up

As we settle into fall, the leaves are already bursting into vibrant colors and the temperatures are starting to cool down. In west Tennessee it is a welcome relief from the blazing hot temperatures we have had for the past couple of months. I love watching the seasons change and all the things that come with it. Take time to watch God paint the landscapes, He is quite good at it! While you are at it, take in the sunsets too (I have been told sun rises are stunning as well, but not all of us are early risers).

As we approach the midway point of October, plans for the mission trips are starting to be formed. My schedule has been quite a bit busier than normal this fall with work and grad classes (not to mention the new attitude I have towards taking classes... skipping is not even remotely considered an option and I spend 8-12 hours a week in the library STUDYING!!!) so dedicating time to write blogs and work on details for the mission trips is getting less time than before. Hopefully next week after I take mid-term exams I will have a little bit more time on my hands... (wishful thinking) Several have been emailing asking specific questions about the trip and I can tell that everyone is getting ready to gear up as well! Its time to get going.

Since the trip dates were set and emails went out to team leaders, just about everyone has picked their dates and have reserved their spots. I am very pleased with the way things are working out so far. All 3 teams are filling up and the numbers are fairly balanced! As of now the Costa Rica team has 50 spots reserved, leaving about 10 spaces (last year we took 42 on the trip so we have already met last year's numbers). Honduras trip #1 (June 28-July 7) has 80 spots reserved and is just about full. Honduras trip #2 (July 7-16) has 55 spots reserved and has about 20-25 spots left. We already have spaces reserved that exceeds last year's trip total so it looks like the plan is working... 2 smaller teams that allows for more people overall to go on a trip. Medical personnel and translators are two areas that I am recruiting for right now.

More than a dozen have applied for the internship so far. I have also had several more that have asked for information. I am very excited about the number of people that are interested in working as an intern and am sure I will have a great team again this summer. The interns will be selected by Thanksgiving break so that they will be able to begin their fundraising for their trip. Once the intern team is selected we will begin working on specific projects for this summer that will be used during the mission trips.

I have already received a great deal of donations to be sent down to Honduras this summer. I am not sure if we are going to try to piggy back with another Torch team on a container or if we are going to ship a full container for our teams, we will have to wait to see how much comes in first. We will have to make a final decision by the first of March to make sure our supplies have plenty of time to get to Tegucigalpa. Things we can begin focusing on for the trip will include: 1). Hygiene supplies - toothbrushes; toothpaste; combs and hairbrushes; bar soap; shampoo; razors; etc. 2). medical supplies - Bandaides; Pepto; Advil; Tylenol; cough syrup; children's chewable vitamins; adult vitamins; antibiotic cream; etc. 3). Clothing: infant clothing (boys and girls); children's clothing (boys and girls); shoes (all kinds - men, women, children, infants); new socks, belts; etc. 4). School supplies - crayons; markers; construction paper; scissors; rulers; pencils; pens; notebook paper; glue; etc.

Start watching airline prices. You never know when a good deal is going to come along. With fuel prices going up and down so much it is hard to tell when the prices will be low. Remember, you can fly on any carrier you want as long as you arrive and depart on the right date. Contact me if you have specific questions about flights, arrival points, times, etc. Make sure to check details about luggage charges... everyone is different. Make sure you know what the carrier's policy is before you buy... (unlike the commercials, you cannot throw a penalty flag at the counter worker!).

More information coming soon. Even though it is still early, excitement is growing and the clock is ticking. It won't be long until we will be well underway for the 2012 mission trips. Take care and keep in touch, I love hearing from you!

TR

Much to our display

This week something amazing happened. It was actually weird. We actually had a cloudy day when all of a sudden water droplets began falling from the sky! It has been so long since any of us had seen anything like this we had to call the old timers in to find out what this was called. They said it was rain. We kinda liked it! As a matter of fact this event caused the temperature to go down too! Some of us were talking and decided we wouldn't mind if something like this would happen again. It is odd to say the least, the northeast got so much rain that the rivers and streams are flooding and the gulf coast area from the Florida panhandle to the very eastern edge of Texas got lots and lots of rain. Here, and out west in places like Texas and Colorado, we have gone weeks without rain. It would be sure nice if we could spread all of this rain around so that everyone could benefit from it.

This past weekend, Labor Day weekend, was the annual SonQuest Youth Rally in Orlando, Florida. Unfortunately, I missed for the 3rd consecutive year. It is a great rally, normally averaging around 2,000+ from all over the state of Florida and other states as well, and this year was no different. Thanks to the brave efforts of Brandy Barnett Torch was able to once again have a booth at SonQuest. Last year Nathan ran the booth and this year Brandy was in charge. She was able to set up the Torch booth next to Mark and Lori Connell and the Mi Esperanza booth! According to Brandy the youth rally was awesome and several people came by the booth to talk and get information. Of course no trip is complete without flat tires, traffic jams, and detours. Brandy experienced all of that and more. Who else could take a 12 hour drive and turn it into 18? OK, several of us could, but Brandy actually did it. She even managed to run over a skunk. Oh yeah, she enjoyed that little event for a while! I am very thankful that she was able and willing to drive down from Corinth, Mississippi to run the booth. She was thankful for getting to go to Orlando and seeing the Bell Shoals group! I guess it worked out well for all of us.

This coming week is Missions Emphasis Week at Freed-Hardeman University. Torch will have a booth for this event which I feel quite confident will create a lot of interest for the 2012 trips. F-HU is a recruiting ground dream come true for me. Nearly 2,000 students on campus and a lot of them are starting to look for mission trips to go on this year. Of course several are offered here so I will be one of many to choose from. During school breaks, especially spring break, dozens of trips are offered to the students from social clubs to organizations like Torch. This is the first time Torch will have a booth and I am really excited. For those of you that are thinking about going on one of the trips this year, you might want to get with me very, very soon. Next week could generate a lot of names for the summer trips and the teams might fill up even faster than I projected. Drop me an email if you want to reserve spaces! Once I get in recruiting mode, it is hard to turn off the switch!

Plans are being made to have a Torch booth at Winterfest this year too. We did not have one last year (first time in a long time not having one) and I hope we can put a booth in once again. Many times our booth generates not only contacts and creates interest, the booth also provides us with a way to keep our name out in front of the people who attend the event. Our booths become a place for former Torch members to come by and visit and catch up with us and what we are doing. It gives us a chance to visit with other mission organizations to see what they are doing and "compare notes." Let me know if there are other places that you might know of where we might be able to display a booth and talk about our mission program. Maybe some of the other Christan colleges and universities have events similar to Freed-Hardeman's Mission Emphasis Week, or maybe there are other youth rallies or lectureships we can attend.

I am actively recruiting medical personnel for the Costa Rica and Honduras trips. Doctors, nurses, physical therapists, Nurse practitioners, physical assistants, athletic trainers, and even people who are EMTs and first responders, are needed this year. I am also looking for interpreters. Last year we were very limited at times on what we could do because we didn't have enough translators. Please help me in searching for any of these people who you think would be able to go on one of the trips and would be willing to help.

Information about the 2012 internship will be ready next week. If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in the internship and spending 3 1/3 weeks in Honduras, contact me via email. I know I will have a lot of interest here at F-HU and I want to make sure others have the chance to apply. I haven't decided how many interns will be selected this year, but all of that will be decided by next week. I will decide and announce the interns by the end of October.

Adios for now, take care and God bless. May the Lord keep you in the hollow of His hand!

TR

What a rush

It has been less than 10 days since I posted the trip information for next summer's trips. The initial response has been amazing, if not overwhelming. Even though it is still only mid-August, many people are already setting up their schedules and requesting vacation time for next summer so that they will be able to participate on one of the trips. I constantly am amazed how God is using Torch Missions, an organization that began with 20 people back in 1988, today, and how many people it touches, both here and abroad. God truly does move in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.

Over the past week and a half, I have received dozens of emails and even a couple of phone calls to discuss next year's trips and to "reserve" places on the teams. I have met and talked with new youth groups, Christian schools, and congregations that are seeking information to get involved with Torch Missions next year. I am also well aware of the fact that it is still mid-August, and for many next summer's plans are not even on the horizon yet. The posting of the dates has started in motion plans that used to start after Thanksgiving or even Christmas break. I know it is hard for many to know what they can and will be doing next summer and may not be able to commit to any of the trips yet. However, I really am going to stand firm on capping the trips to bring the size of each team into a more realistic number that will make staging the trips easier for all involved. This does indeed put pressure on those who have gone on previous trips to commit earlier than usual to get your spot reserved.

The wear and tear of running mega teams is tough on me and those who have been faithfully helping with the trips over the years. Someone recently pointed out to me that I am not as young as I used to be! Can you believe that? In reality they said what I have been feeling the past couple of years... that statement is correct. In reality I have actually increased the number of days I am spending on mission trips over the past 5 years. Last year I was gone 34 days; this coming year I will be gone 41 days on 4 different trips. My current job at Freed-Hardeman has given me the freedom to do more trips and I am taking full advantage of it. However, being better organized and scheduling my time must be done well to compensate for the "getting older" thing. In other words, I am trying to replace the "shooting from the hips" and running with reckless abandon with organization, delegation, and planning. It is a tough transition (Some might even call it a maturing process... but I am not sure I would go that far!) but one that has to be made and one that will be for the better.

Why am I saying all of this? Well, it is pretty simple, really. I need those of you that are thinking about going on next year's trip to start planning, organizing, communicating, and moving towards getting signed up for a trip. I am excited to know that new faces and groups are going to be on this coming summer's trips, but I want the veterans and long time faithfuls to get signed up before the trips fill up. I am actively recruiting evangelists, translators, medical personnel, and other skilled workers for the trips. I predict that the 2012 trips will be full way before the end of the year. Once they are full waiting lists will begin like I did last summer. Last summer we had over 20 people that wanted to go on one of the trips but did not get to go because a spot did not open up for them. This year might be the same.

The Costa Rica trip has been expanded from 45 to 60 this year. The hotel we stayed at in Buenos Aires has a larger capacity that we thought so it gives us room to add more people. We currently have 20 spots already reserved, leaving 40 spaces. Although the 2 Honduras teams will be capped at 85 this summer, it gives me the ability to add 50 additional people (from 120 to 170 total). The 1st Honduras trip already has 40 spots reserved, leaving 45 spaces. The 2nd Honduras trip has 20 spaces reserved, leaving 65 spots. As you can see, in less than 10 days 80 spots have been reserved for 2012. I hope you are one of them or will be 1 of the 150 spots that are remaining.

I will be taking applications for interns for the Honduras trips this summer. Interns and extended trip team members will be in Honduras for approximately 24 days this summer. It will include arriving early (AKA the Advance Team) and will stay 2-3 days after the 2nd team leaves. The internship will be open for upper class high school students (11th and 12th graders), college students, young professionals and adults who can take off for the duration of the trip. More information about this in the next blog!

I am very excited about the opportunities that await for next year. I am excited about the theme and the different Bible lessons and VBS classes that can be planned around it. I even have the t-shirt design almost ready! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, ideas, suggestions, comments, etc., I would love to hear from you. Take care and get those day planners out and make your plans for 2012, we want you on the team!

TR
reeves.tl@gmail.com
treeves@fhu.edu

HERE WE GO!!!

Hello again! After taking a month off from the site and settling back into my job and daily routines, it is time to begin work for the 2012 mission trips to Central America. Even though it is only August and school is just beginning around the country, I have been receiving several emails and phone calls asking for information about next year's trips. I have already had my first meeting with a new congregation from the Memphis area that is on board for next summer! So, after having a couple of weeks to catch my breath and catch up on my sleep, here we go!

The Theme for this year's trips will be ARISE! It comes from Ephesians 6 where Paul writes and urges Christians to arise and take up their battle armor. The devil has launched his assault upon the world and we are called into battle wearing the full armor of God: the belt of truth buckled around our waist; the breastplate of righteousness in place; our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel; the shield of faith; the helmet of salvation; and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. In this battle you are either a soldier or a prisoner... for there is no middle ground or spectator stands in which to sit and watch. God has called us into battle and He has given us the things we need to be victorious!

The TENTATIVE dates and information for next year's trips look like this:

COSTA RICA: Plans are in the works for a return trip to Costa Rica and the town of Buenos Aires to work with Daniel Chaves again. Although Daniel and I have not been able to talk much in the past few weeks I believe we will go back to continue the work we started this summer. The trip will include a major evangelistic thrust into the community along with service projects and a medical brigade. THE TENTATIVE DATES FOR THE COSTA RICA TRIP WILL BE SATURDAY, MAY 26th - MONDAY, JUNE 4th. The 10 day trip will be $800.00 per person plus airfare. The $800 covers most meals, ground transportation, airport fees and taxes, travel insurance, Torch t-shirt, exit fee, lodging, retreat, Torch journal, and misc. expenses.

HONDURAS: Plans for Honduras will be similar to previous trips but the format will be different than what we have done the past few years. My team has reached its max level for the past 4 years (120+) and the need to create room for growth is needed. In order to do that I am going to post the dates of 2 trips (teams) with a maximum cap of 80-85 per trip (team). This will allow us to have two (somewhat) smaller teams which will be easier to manage and organize and also give us the ability to grow and expand. I will be recruiting interns and extended team personnel that will be involved with both teams.
THE TENTATIVE DATES FOR TRIP #1 IS THURSDAY, JUNE 28th - SATURDAY, JULY 7th
THE TENTATIVE DATES FOR TRIP #2 IS SATURDAY, JULY 7th - MONDAY, JULY 16th. Both 10 day trips will be $775.00 per person plus airfare. This will pay for lodging, transportation, Torch t-shirt, travel insurance, airport taxes and fees, most meals, Torch journal, admin fees, supplies, and exit fees.

A lot more information will be posted later concerning the trips. Dates are subject to change slightly in order to possibly adjust to other Torch team dates and schedules. Prices are also subject to change to adjust for price adjustments for expenses like fuel, cost of food, exit fees, etc. As always, we will strive to keep the trip cost as low as possible and to provide a top notch mission experience that will provide the most effective and meaningful projects and mission experiences!

I look forward to hearing from you soon! The trips will fill up and they will probably fill up very quickly. My email address is reeves.tl@gmail.com or treeves@fhu.edu Take care and God bless!

TR