A piggy back ride

Good news on the home front. I found out today that we are going to be able to piggy back supplies on a container this summer! Gayle Davidson, Torch team leader and awesome friend, will be shipping a container to Honduras sometime near the end of April / first of May and will be in Tegucigalpa in time for our trip this summer. The container will be loaded in Melbourne, Florida, which is even better news for the Tampa, Sarasota, and Islamorada teams. Those of us north of Florida will have to figure out a way to truck our stuff down to Melbourne in time for the loading. This is great news because now we can send stuff down and will not have to pay for an entire container, but chip in our fair share for Gayle's.

Right now our major focus for supply collection is hygiene products (tooth brushes, tooth paste, soap, etc), toys, stuffed animals, children's shoes and clothes, and over the counter meds like Tylenol, Advil, chewable vitamins, etc. Let me know if you come across anything interesting that you are offered, sometimes my motto, "If its free its for me!" can bring in some very interesting items. As you collect shoes and clothes, pay close attention to the condition of the donations and sort out things that are too worn, stained, or inappropriate. One of Torch's slogans is "NO JUNK FOR JESUS." We want to be able to give quality goods to the people of Honduras.

Airline tickets are definitely on the rise. If you have not bought your ticket yet I hope you are in the process of getting it done. I bought Margaret's ticket this week and the price went up $50 in 24 hours. With the situation in the Middle East right now there is no telling how expensive the tickets will get. As a reminder, please send me your flight information once you have bought your ticket(s), especially if you are going on the Honduras trip. Scheduling buses to be at the airport at the correct times will be important as flights arrive. It looks like we have people flying on all the carriers mentioned in the last blog so finding out how many are on each flight is the puzzle piece we are trying to find now.

Plans for the Costa Rica trip is getting more and more specific as the days advance. We have been in communication with Daniel Chavez, the preacher in Buenos Aires, several times. He now has Skype and we can talk to him on a more consistent basis now. You can't help but get excited listening to him as we discus the plans for the campaign there! Daniel is planning on doing radio and television advertisements for a month leading up to the mission team's arrival. Today we decided to add an additional day to the gospel meeting. We will now be doing a 5 day meeting to take advantage of the time that the Torch team, along with several of the ministers from other congregations throughout Costa Rica, are there working. Our goal is to try to canvas the entire city (about 45,000-60,000) while we are there. Besides the evening tent meeting, we will be doing a 4 day training seminar with a class on church growth for the men taught by Dr. Joe Roberts, a ladies class taught by Keffie Morrow, and a children's class. We will also be doing a 4 day VBS class too along with several service projects.

The Honduras plans are still a work in progress. We are still getting information in about potential work sites for this summer. Mark Connell, Tim Hines, and Marc Tindall have been discussing various work areas and researching needs and ways in which we night be able to help. Tim has found some new places to visit and of course places like Mololoa, Dadakso, the blind school, the special needs orphanage, and others are in the plans. We are gearing up for at least 1 major medical clinic this year, possibly 2. We do know that we will be working in Tegucigalpa and the surrounding area the entire trip this summer. Nathan's team is planning on working their entire trip in Choluteca at Agua Agria installing a hydro-electric system there along with other projects. They will take care of the clothing and shoe distribution there this year so we will be able to focus our energy in the capital city.

Stay tuned, I will be posting again soon. As February comes to a close we find ourselves that much closer to the summer months and our mission trips. For the Costa Rica team we are just barely 100 days away from the trip! Hasta luego, recuerde que servimos a Dios de la fuerza! Reinados de Dios!

TR

Flight information for this summer

Spring is in the air (unless you live above the Mason - Dixon Line... in that case I am not sure when you know when spring starts up there!) and the natives are growing restless. Here at F-HU, students have taken a liking to being outside, wearing flip flops, washing cars, and enjoying the sunshine. The countdown has begun for spring break and mid-term exams. Yep, its official, this year is clipping along at a pretty fast speed. We are a week away from March and it is time to start moving on to the next phase of our mission trip(s).

March is the deadline to officially withdraw from the trip. Anyone who has signed up to go on one of the mission trips can withdraw in March and still get a full refund of money that has been paid in for the trip. After March 31st down payments and deposits are made that are non-refundable. After March refunds are given based on what is left after deposits and down payments have been made. The closer we get to the trip the more money will have been paid for specifics such as lodging, insurance, etc. We certainly understand that things come up that are unexpected that might cause someone to miss the trip, but once money has been paid out we simply cannot get it back.

March is also the month most people begin buying their airline tickets. I know there is a large number of you that have already purchased airline tickets, which is great. For the rest of us, the time has come to start shopping in earnest for our tickets. I have been watching the websites closely and ticket prices have been going up and down (mostly up) and with the crisis in the Middle East right now, I do not expect ticket prices to come down any time soon. One thing is certain, there will be a limited number of seats available on the dates we will be traveling, and once those tickets have been purchased there will not be any more. Since we are not the only group traveling this summer, tickets are selling and selling pretty fast. Delaying your purchase increases the likelihood of losing out on a seat on the flight. Hopefully most, if not all, of you are ready to purchase tickets.

Airline carriers:
American Airlines: http://www.aa.com/
Continental Airlines: http://www.continental.com/
Delta airlines: http://www.delta.com/
Spirit airlines: http://www.spirit.com/
TACA: http://www.taca.com/

Some departure / arrival city abbreviations:
Atlanta: ATL
Memphis: MEM
Nashville: BNA
Houston: IAH
Tampa: TPA
Miami: MIA
Orlando: ORL
Pittsburgh: PIT
San Jose, Costa Rica: SJO
Tegucigalpa: TGU
San Pedro Sula: SAP

If you are going on the Costa Rica trip, June 9th - June 19th, you have several flight options. Depending on your departure city, you will make a connection before you go down to San Jose. It is important that you arrive in San Jose before or around 12:00pm on the 9th. The following flights arrive during that time frame:
TACA flight #319 departs Miami at 6:45 am to San Salvador. You connect on TACA #321 which arrives in San Jose at 9:45 am.
Continental flight 1528 departs Houston at 9:10 am and arrives in San Jose at 11:50 am.
American flight #971 departs Miami at 10:10 am and arrives in San Jose at 10:55 am.
Spirit flight #755 departs Ft. Lauderdale at 10:48 am and arrives in San Jose at 11:40 am.
Delta flight #415 departs Atlanta at 9:50 am and arrives is San Jose at 11:55 am. Return flights vary so check the websites for choices leaving on June 19th.

If you are going on the trip to Honduras June 24th through July 4th, here are your flight options:
TACA flight #190 departs Miami at 5:10 am to San Salvador. Flight continues to Tegucigalpa and arrives at 9:32 am.
Continental flight #756 departs Houston at 9:05 am and arrives in Tegucigalpa at 11:10 am.
American Airlines flight #953 departs Miami at 11:15 am and arrives in Tegucigalpa at 11:35 am.
Delta flight #551 departs Atlanta 10:10 am and arrives in Tegucigalpa at 11:45 am. Return flights vary so check the websites for choices leaving on July 4th.

If you are staying in Honduras until July 11th, you will be flying home from San Pedro Sula. When you book your ticket you need to select the multi-city option on the website. You will fly into Tegucigalpa on one of the flights listed above, and then you will select a return flight from one of the following choices:
TACA flight #575 departing San Pedro Sula at 7:05 am to San Salvador. Connect on TACA #310 departing at 8:55 am arriving in Miami at 1:30 pm.
Continental flight #763 departing San Pedro Sula at 11:45 am arriving in Houston 3:30 pm.
American Airlines flight #944 departing San Pedro Sula at 7:10 am arriving in Miami at 11:35 am.
Delta flight #504 departing San Pedro Sula at 12:05 pm arriving in Atlanta at 5:20 pm.
Spirit flight#826 departing San Pedro Sula at 1:15 AM arriving in Ft. Lauderdale 5:39 am. Check connections to your final destination for flight options.

Check with airline websites and read checked baggage information closely. Also check to see about carry on bags. Every carrier has different policies and charges. Make sure you read information pertaining to international flights. Weight restrictions vary too so make sure you know all of the "fine print" details before you book. Once you have booked your flight please send me a copy of your flight information. I will need it to make arrangements for transportation once you arrive! Eso es muy importante!

Along with booking flights, March is when rule sheets, Spanish release forms (for anyone under the age of 18), photos (everyone needs to send me a passport type photo to attach to your application), and a photocopy of your passport is due. Email me if you need a copy of any of the forms mentioned. Once this is done all of the paper work that you are to turn in is completed. Your final due date is May 31st when the final payment of your balance is due.

This is a lot of information. I hope you will copy and paste this to make your flight search a bit easier. Please make sure anyone you know that is going on the trip is checking this blog and reading the information that is being posted. I know people are reading the blog everyday, unfortunately, I don't know who those people are and more importantly, the ones who are not reading it. Let me know if you have any questions, comments, deep thoughts, jokes, etc., I would love hearing from you! take care and I will be posting again soon. Reinados de Dios!

TR

VBS information and more

This past weekend we braved the chills of west Tennessee for the intern retreat at Mid-South Youth Camp here in Henderson, Tennessee. It was cold Friday night but by Saturday it started warming up and the past couple of days has been magnificent! It was a good weekend and it was the first time that the entire group of interns met each other. As you can tell from my last blog, we have quite a group that will be with me this summer for the entire trip. They are talented, enthusiastic, and a lot of fun to be around. Although they are all very much different from each other in certain ways, they all have similar traits as well. And to set the record straight, I sort of exaggerated their bios... which I know many of you will find hard to believe. All of the rock comments were made up along with some of their hobbies, although Joe Jones insists that he does indeed like needlepoint and grape snow cones.

The things we talked about apply to everyone going on the trip so I want to share some of them with you.

One of the things I emphasized during the retreat was the need to be flexible. Ashley Stewart explained how important it is to stretch before workouts and to keep our muscles flexible, but I told her that was the wrong kind of flexible. (Just kidding, although we did have a discussion about stretching every morning during the trip) Schedules are going to change, plans are going to change, and work projects are going to change. That is just part of life on the mission field, especially in Central America. Weather, transportation, equipment problems, and other things go awry and sometimes we have to go to a plan B, or plan C, or even a plan D on a moment's notice. And sometimes we don't have plans B,C, or D! This drives most Americans crazy, especially if this is your first trip to Central America. As Dorothy would say, "We are not in Kansas anymore." Things are different in Central America and we need to be flexible and roll with it!

We also discussed staying focused during the trip. One of the things that can happen, especially on an extended trip, is losing focus. Everyday each person on the trip has 24 hours to use in whatever way they choose to use them. Whether it is 10 days or 32, all of us have a very finite number of days and hours to use during the trip. We will all spend a great deal of time, energy, and money to prepare for this trip. For some of us we will have spent months getting ready for this trip. Once we arrive, the clock starts ticking and the time goes by VERY quickly. Losing focus and wasting valuable time is one of the worst things you can do. Whether it be personality conflicts, dislike of the food we are eating for our meals, or the person on the bunk next to you that snores, or singing songs that you are not overly fond of, stay focused. Don't let anything steal away your time that you have dedicated to God for the work you are there to do.

One of our longest sessions this weekend had to do with our vacation Bible school lessons. Kim Fussell, from Memphis, Tennessee, will be in charge of writing the VBS lessons again this year. Since we will be using the VBS lessons in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras, we are putting even more work and emphasis on the VBS lessons. Each lesson will be capable of being taught by itself, or together as a series. The VBS theme this year is based off of the life of Paul. Kim will be writing 4 lessons for our teams to use this summer. The lessons will cover different aspects of Paul's life and will include:

* Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus

* Paul and Silas in jail / conversion of the Philippian jailer

* The shipwreck on the way to Rome

* Paul's sermon to King Agrippa ("Almost thou persuaded me to become a Christian")

Anyone that is interested in working with the VBS this year needs to bring props, costumes, etc, that can be used for these lessons. Many churches have a wealth of stuff that we might be able to use. Remember that props have to pack in suitecases so a 8' Roman spear probably is not going to pack very well!

We are going to be designing coloring book pages to go along with the Bible lessons. We will be in need of a LOT of crayons for VBS. If you have a chance, check with local restaurants in your area. Many times they have pre-packaged crayons that they give children. Last year Steve Kemp went to a Shoneys near his house and had 2 cases of crayons donated. We will also be giving out coloring pages and crayons at hospitals, schools, and orphanages, so the more the better! We have a terrific 50 page coloring book with Spanish Bible verses that was written and illustrated by a student at Freed-Hardeman University last year that we will be using again. We will have the coloring book printed up and we will assemble it and staple it once we are on the mission trip.

Continue your supply collections. Although I still do not know about shipping details, we are collecting the following items:

Tooth brushes

Tooth paste

Floss

Advil

Tylenol

Q-Tips

Cotton balls

Band aides (all sizes)

Shampoo (especially baby shampoo)

Bar soap

Disposable razors

Children's vitamins (chewable)

Adult vitamins

Crayons

Pencils, pens, and markers

Toys

Stuffed animals

Infant and children's shoes

Infant and childrn's clothes

As we have reached the midway point of February, we are now 114 days from the Costa Rica mission trip and 129 days from the Honduras mission trip. That might seem like a long time, but trust me when I say it is going to pass quickly and there is a lot to do before it is time to leave! Hasta luego mi amigos, Dios te bendiga! Reinados de Dios!

TR

rock on

A lot of us would love to do full time mission work, especially in Honduras. Many have asked why I have not done it yet... and to be honest there are several reasons. Probably the most obvious would be health reasons, since I am still not considered in remission yet from cancer. Being close to the proper medical centers needs to stay on my priority list in case I have to deal with any more treatments. Fortunately, my health has held and I have a great job that allows me to continue doing short term trips. And I love recruiting people to go on trips so it seems to be working out really well right now.

Working at Freed-Hardeman University has put me in a situation where I have more time than ever to go on short term trips. I plan to take advantage of that and this summer begins the adventure. This summer I will get the opportunity to go to Central America to spend 33 days doing mission work. It will start off in Costa Rica and will end in Honduras. Along with me I will have 14 people that will join me on the adventure. 11 are college students that will be serving as interns this summer. The other 3 are my "special" friends! All will have challenge of working for 33 days straight and putting up with me! Ask Margaret, she will tell you...

Brandy Barnett, a F-HU graduate in 2008 and a veteran of 10 Torch trips, will be our communication czar this summer. She is currently in grad school and has an awesome job at Region IV Mental health Commission that will allow her to have the time off this summer. Kennedy Cheatham is a high school junior and is from Hendersonville, TN. This will be her 2nd year to go to Central America. Along with Brandy and Kennedy Pat Guthrie, from Kittanning, Pennsylvania, will be with me. Pat, who goes by various nicknames, is a long term veteran of Torch and is retired. Pat is a construction guru and will be the tool czar this summer.

My college interns will have a variety of jobs and tasks this summer. If you are going on the Costa Rica or Honduras trip, you will get to know these interns very well. Paige Atkinson is a sophomore at Freed-Hardeman. She is from Centerville, TN, and is a nursing major with a minor in missions. This will be her first trip with Torch Missions. She has worked 2 summers in El Salvador with Latin American missions and has also done Stateside work in Arkansas with her social club, Phi Kappa Alpha. She loves to sing in the rain and has an awesome rock collection. Macy England is a sophomore social work major at Freed-Hardeman University. She is from Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Macy has done several Stateside mission trips to Georgia, Missouri, Arkansas, and West Virginia. This will be Macy's first trip with Torch Missions as well. Macy loves sports and being outdoors. She also enjoys admiring her roommate's awesome rock collection.

Tyler Gist is a sophomore non-traditional student at Lipscomb University. He told me he does not know what non-traditional means so I thought I would use it in his bio. He is from Lexington, SC. Tyler is majoring in Bible at Lipscomb with an emphasis in youth ministry with a minor in missions. Tyler has been on 8 Torch Missions trips. Tyler loves sports and plays baseball and softball, but his favorite is Ultimate Frisbee. He loves snow and being in the cold. Other hobbies include building Lincoln Log cabins and starting a rock collection like Paige. Leah Wright is from Gallatin, TN, and is a freshman at Freed-Hardeman. Leah is really smart and is in the honor college at F-HU with a double major in mathematics and secondary education. According to Leah, she wants to be a high school math teacher (go figure). She has been to Honduras on 2 Torch trips. She loves eating ice cream, talking, identifying and classifying rocks, and making things with duct tape. She also likes playing soccer and running over flags.

Jorden Camp (yes, that is the way she spells her name) is from Lebanon, Tennessee, but is originally from Texas. Jorden is a freshman at Freed-Hademan University and is majoring in nursing. Jorden has done Stateside mission work and has gone on 1 Torch trip to Recife, Brazil, and 1 trip to Honduras during spring break with Friendship Christian School. Jorden loves animals, especially horses and dogs. She is also loves playing soccer, spending money, and geo-caching. Andrew Allgood is a sophomore Bible major at Freed-Hademan. He is also studying physiology. Andrew is from Joelton, Tennessee. Andrew has participated in Stateside mission trips to Kentucky and Florida and has also been on Torch trips to Honduras. Playing sports and hanging out with friends are his favorite things to do, along with talking and reading books about rocks.

Kathryn Bettis is also a sophomore at Freed-Hardeman. She is a Child and Family Studies major and hopes to teach pre-K through 3rd grade. She is also minoring in Spanish and missions. She is from Clarksville, TN. She loves sports and has been on 1 Torch trip to Honduras in 2009. Besides the trip this summer she plans on going to the City of Children in Mexico this spring break with her social club Xi Chi Delta. Kathryn's hobbies include weaving fishing nets, yodeling, and star gazing. Another sophomore on the trip is Minor Perez. Minor is from Costa Rica and is working on a double major in Bible and Communications at Freed-Hardeman.. Minor has done extensive work with Latin American Missions and has been to Honduras once with Torch. He studied aviation and computer engineering in Costa Rica. He enjoys swimming, playing soccer, and getting up early to watch the sun rise. He doesn't like rocks.

Ashley Stewart is from Columbia, TN. She is a Harding University student but is currently going to school part time at Columbia State and working full time at the YMCA until she goes back to Searcy. She is majoring in Sports Therapy. She is the assistant coach for the YMCA swim team and works with about 50 children. She has done mission work in Arkansas and has been on 3 Torch trips to Honduras. She enjoys running and is training for a 5K this spring, drawing, and is a scrapbook junkie. Her favorite scrapbook was the one she did for Paige and her rock collection. Brandon Mann is a freshman at Freed-Hademan. He plays for the Lions soccer team and is an Exercise Science major. He was born in Florida and currently lives in Joelton, Tennessee. Brandon has been on 3 Honduras mission trips with Torch Missions and worked with the youth group at his mome congregation this past summer. Brandon enjoys hangin' with his boys and texting Brandy Barnett. He got to see Ashley's scrapbook of Paige's rock collection and in contemplating starting his own collection, however, he is not sure if he wants to dedicate the amount of time needed to have one as complete as her's.

Joe Jones, AKA Little Joe, finishes the list of interns. Joe is from Corinth, Mississippi, and is a junior at Freed-Hademan University. Joe recently changed majors from Graphic Design to Bible with an emphasis in youth ministry. Joe has served as the youth intern at the Foote Street congregation last year and is serving as the intern again this year. Joe has been on 1 trip to Honduras with Torch Missions and has also participated in Mission Mississippi on spring breaks. Joe likes long walks on the beach, gardening, and needlepoint. He also has a pet rock collection and likes to eat grape snow cones.

As you can see, I have quite a group of interns this summer. This weekend we will be at the Mid-South Youth Camp, here in Henderson, for a 2 day retreat. We will be discussing several different aspects of the 33 day trip, look at a lot of photos, and discuss the tentative schedule of each trip and details concerning the Vacation bible School. It is going to be a great weekend, especially if it wams up and the snow melts! With 8 snow storms this year, I have decided that I am offially done with snow. There are many reasons to live in the South, and I can assure you that smow is not one of them!

2011 marches on, spring break for F-HU is just a month away! And summer will be here before you know it and so will our trips. Stay tuned, more to come! Reinados de Dios!

Terry

PAID IN FULL

He was an only child of a wealthy CEO of a multi-million dollar company. He was a bit of an over achiever, focused, and driven. He was graduating from college after only 3 years with honors. For months he had his eyes on a nifty sports car that was in the show room of a local car dealership a few miles from campus. Although a bit pricey, he knew his father could afford it and it was the only thing he asked for when graduation day came. After all, he had breezed through college on scholarship and was graduating school without any school loans.

As graduation approached the son filled out his exit paper work, picked up his cap and gown, and sent out invitations. He had a great job lined up after he graduated and had already found an apartment. Living 8 hours away from home didn't seem like much and it was close to the mountains where he loved to go snow skiing.

Finally the big day arrived. The weather allowed for an outdoor graduation and his reception at his father's house was awesome. Finally after the guests left his father called him into his private study. His father told his son how incredibly proud he was of him and how much he loved him. He expressed his appreciation for his hard work and for his academic accomplishments. His father then gave him a gift box wrapped in very expensive wrapping paper. A perplexed and curious look fell upon the son's face as he took the box.

He carefully unwrapped the gift box to find a beautiful, leather-bound Bible with is name stamped on the cover in gold leaf print. The curious look on his face turned to disappointment and then to anger. "Are you kidding me? With all of your wealth this is what you give me for graduation? A BIBLE? This is not what I asked for and not what I expected!" The son tossed the Bible onto his father's desk and walked out of the room never to see his father again.

He moved to his new home, 8 hours away, and began his job. He did not write, email, or call his father. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months. 2 years later he received a phone call from his father's administrative assistant. His father had been in a terrible car accident and was in the hospital. He was in critical condition. With tears in his eyes he jumped into his 10 year old car and raced home. He arrived at the hospital too late, his father passed away 2 hours before he arrived.

Tears streamed from his face as he sat in the room... alone. His mind replayed the last time he had seen or talked to his father. Oh how he wished he could go back in time. How could he have been so insensitive... so immature.

The next day he went to his father's office at work to gather his dad's belongings and to sign papers. The lawyer was there to go over everything with him. His father had left him everything... the house, the checking account, savings account, everything. Sitting on the corner of his father's desk was the Bible he had given him 2 years ago. Tears swelled up as he picked up the Bible. It was really nice. There was little doubt his father had taken a great deal of time picking it out. He opened it up for the first time and read the inscription his father had written: To my most beloved son to whom I am so proud, May this book provide light for you in your darkest days and guidance when the pathway seems so unclear. May this book give you wisdom when you need it most and inspiration when you need it. May it give you strength when you are weak and companionship when you feel alone. And most importantly, may it guide you home when your journey is completed. Love, Dad

The son sat in the office in silence. He stared at the Bible that he held in his hands. He then flipped through the pages when suddenly something fell from it to the carpet below. He reached down and picked up a small brown envelope that had fallen out of the back of the Bible. He opened the envelope to find a key in it with a piece of paper. It was the title to the sports car he had wanted with the words "PAID IN FULL" stamped on it.

How many times in your life have you missed a blessing because it came packaged differently than the way you expected it? How many times did you react to something, or somebody, in such a way that you found that you were way off base once you figured everything out? How many times have you wished you could go back and change the words that you said to someone, or change the way you acted? How many times have you blown it?

How many times have you missed God's blessings for the exact same reasons? Maybe it is time for us to tune in to God and what He is doing in our lives. Life's journey is filled with twists and turns. Some are gentle curves and and rolling hills and sometimes it might be a harsh, drastic turn of events. Don't wait for a "better moment" or a more opportune time. Don't allow something that has happened to you weigh you down like an anchor or harbor ill will that poisons your soul. Remember what James 4:14 says, life is like a vapor, it appears for a short time and then vanishes away. There is no guarentees for tomorrow, so live each day as if it is your last. Otherwise, something that should have brought you great happiness and joy might come and bring sorrow instead.

TR

Be alert

As the month of January comes to an end (can you believe it?) I am staring out at a cold, rainy night wondering if the weather will indeed turn colder and bring yet another round of snow for west Tennessee. The snow doesn't bother me, actually, it is the possible 1,000+ snow ball hurlers that gets my attention. Life on campus is anything but boring!

However, I am quite excited about the fact that I will be in Florida this coming weekend. Margaret and I are flying into Tampa Saturday morning to meet with the new team members from the Bell Shoals church of Christ. This first time group is very excited and highly motivated. 38 strong, they sent applications, essays, letters of recommendations, and deposits to me before Thanksgiving. And they have already purchased airline tickets! I am excited to meet the team and to enjoy some warm weather and some Quaker Steak and Lube hot wings. We will be having a team meeting on Saturday night and I will be teaching the Sunday morning auditorium class and doing a question / answer period afterwards. It will be a quick trip but worth every second of it.

February will be bring a trip to middle Tennessee and the Cumberland plateau to meet with a new team from the Collegeside church of Christ in Cookville. Tim O'dell is working at this congregation and has 10 signed up and ready to go. Mobile and the Keys have all reported in with names and applications and both groups are larger than last year. As of this writing our Honduras team stands at 138 which is smaller than last year but still very much a mega team. We currently have 42 signed up for the Costa Rica trip (leaving 3 spaces still available). I have 15 signed up to serve as interns this summer that will be working with me the entire 32 days this summer.

Now that names are in, I am waiting for applications and deposits from several to finish out round 1 of the administrative stage of the trip. Round 2 will be sending out and collecting rules sheets and Spanish release forms (for those under the age of 18) which have to be notarized. Also in round 2 is photocopies of passports. During round 2 hopefully everyone will also send me their flight itinerary so that we will have accurate records of who is flying on which flight so that we will have correct transportation waiting on the receiving end.

With the cost of oil and fuel right now, the rumor mill says that airline tickets are going to start off high and remain that way this year. I am not saying that patience will bring forth a good deal, but with the way things are looking right now I would not bank on it. Watch airfares on a regular basis, communicate to others if you find a good deal, and be ready to buy your ticket when the time is right. Most airlines are also finding all kind of clever ways to get more money out of travelers this year with luggage fees, carry on fees, and even charges for selective seating (aka extra leg room seats). As you are shopping for airline tickets, be alert (the world needs more lerts ya know) concerning the additional fees. You should budget extra money for check ins at the airport going down and coming back (otherwise your spending money will become airline fee money). Depending on your choice of departure city, airline choices will be American Airlines; Continental Airlines; Delta Airlines; and TACA. Remember, departure date is June 24 and the return date is July 4 if you are going to Honduras. June 9th departure and June 19th return for Costa Rica (same airlines plus the addition of Spirit Air).

Several have been asking whether or not our team will be shipping a container this year. As of right now the answer is no, unless we come across supply donations that would warrant a 40 foot container. Shipping a container is not in our budget this year but we are certainly going to be collecting supplies and I will be posting needs very soon. I am hopeful that we will be able to piggy back supplies onto a shared container with another team leader if I can find one going down at a time that will work with us. Our other option is to use the duffel bag method we used a couple of years ago. More information will come soon concerning all of this.

Plans for the Costa rica trip are also progressing well. Minor Perez, who is one of my interns from Costa Rica, has been very active communicating with the preacher at Buenos Aires coodinating ideas and plans. Minor and I go over budgets and costs every few days as we calcualte how much food, transportation, lodging, etc will cost in Costa Rica. Even though this will be our first team to go into Costa Rica to work, a lot of time has been spent on the computer and on the phones. Our scouting trip last spring was very successful and useful to get the perameters set for this year. Minor, Margaret and I will be going down again this March to make final preperations for the trip. I feel very confident that Ben Wright and I will have most things in place when we arrive. I am pretty sure we will have to make up a new phrase while there since "Welcome to Honduras" will not work there.

The interns will be having their retreat soon. February 11th and 12th the summer interns will be going to the Mid-South Youth Camp (here in Henderson) for a weekend of planning and sharing. Besides getting to know each other, we will be eating meals that will be very similar to what we will be eating in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. We will have some information sessions and some devotional time as well. I am looking forward to working with this select group and know that this summer will be a trip that very few ever get to experience. 32 days in 3 different countries working in a variety of seetings and places. It is going to be challenging for sure but will provide opportunities for them to stretch and grow and find their ministry passions along the way. Their biggest challenge will be dealing with me everyday!

I am in communication with a lot of people each week about the trips. I know the excitement is building every week and as we talk I can just feel the ethusiasm from everyone. I am not exactly sure what is making the plans this summer so exciting, much more that in time pasts, but it is what it is. From devo ideas, new work site suggestions, to menus and t-shirt designs, things are just jumping off of the page! Everyone is asking for ways to help and to pitch in and it is just a constant reminder to me of how great it is to be involved in ministry with such a great group of people. Torch Missions is so much more than a missions organization, it is a family of believers who are truly passionate about the work and the people that we are able to serve.

Time to go, I have a power point presentation to finish. And wouldn't you know it... snow is falling. Another blanket of snow is already covering the ground. The weatherman is calling for 3"-6" tonight. This is the 6th one of the year for us. That could be a lot of snowballs.

Terry

It is what it is

A well known lecturer was speaking before a large group of people for a seminar he was conducting in Dallas, Texas. Well over 200 people were packed into a rather small auditorium to hear him speak. After his introduction, he went to the podium and began by pulling out his wallet. He pulled out a crisp, new $20.00 and then asked who in the room would like to have it?

Hands went into the air from the now attentive audience. "I am going to give this $20.00 bill away, but before I do, I would like to do this." He took the clean, crisp, brand new $20.00 bill and crumpled it up in his hands for several seconds. The speaker then asked, "Who wants this $20.00 bill now?" Hands went up in the air again.

"Well, he said, what if I were to do this?" And with that he dropped the $20.00 bill to the floor and stomped on it and ground the bill into the carpet. The once new bill was now looking a bit worn and some of the edges had a crumpled look to it. "Who wants the money now?" Again hands went up from the crowd.

The lecturer proceeded to walk off of the stage and to a table where left over food was sitting from the earlier meal. He took the $20.00 bill and placed it in a cup of coffee and then smeared gravy on it. He wiped it off with a napkin and returned to the stage. The auditorium was completely silent, you could have heard a pin drop. The speaker once again asked the question, "Who will take the $20.00 bill now?" One hand shot up immediately before the others and the speaker asked him to the stage to receive the money.

The lecturer gave the gentleman the $20.00 and then asked him, "Why did you take the money after all of the things I did to it?" The answer? "It is what it is." The man sat down and the speaker continued. "Today, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the $20.00 bill, you still wanted it because you knew it did not decrease in value. It is what it is... $20.00."

My friends, many times throughout our lives, we are dropped, stained, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions and choices that we make. It did not take very long before that clean, fresh, brand new appearance wore off and we began to look crumpled and tattered. Before long we look at ourselves and we might think that we are worthless. After all, compared to a brand new $20.00 bill, we certainly are not much to look at, if you know what I mean. But no matter what happens, or what will happen, you will never lose value in God's eyes. To Him, no matter what you look like, no matter how crumpled or stained, you are still priceless to Him. You are what you are, someone that was made in the very image of God. And you have been redeemed, paid with a price. And that is something we should never forget.

And that is true whether you live in Hollywood, New York, or Louisville. It is true whether you have a college education or a GED. It is true whether you wear a suit and tie to work or a welder's helmet. It is true whether you live in a 6,500 square foot house or a 1 room wooden shack. Maybe we should get out there to let people know what their appraised value really is... what do you think?

TR

This Saturday (January 15) taste buds across the Nashville area will be invited to eat at the 2nd annual Chili and Desserts Cook Off at the Western Hills Church of Christ. Starting at 6:00 pm award winning chili and desserts will be open for sampling as entries compete for the 1st place awards.

Chili is divided into 2 categories, from mild to wild, while desserts will delight one and all. For a mere $5.00 per person you get to sample all of the chili and desserts you want and get a drink to boot. Additional drinks will be for sale for $1.00 for those who can't get enough of the fiery variety of the chili caliente or just like to quench your thrist.

If you live within driving distance, come on out and join the fun. During these chilly winter nights you can be warmed and filled and support the mission trips this summer. If you think that you can cook up a batch of chili that would bring home the hardware, or bake up a mouth watering 1st place pie or cake, its not too later to enter! Contact Jenny Lovell at jlovell@fhu.edu ASAP. $10 to enter and that includes 1 free meal ticket and drink per entry. There are 2 categories for chili and 2 for desserts.

Hope to see you Saturday! It is going to be muy bueno!

TR

off and running!

Happy New Year! 2011, can you believe it? We are now 10 full years past Y2K, anybody remember back to that fateful day? January 1st, 2000, when all of the computers would go into melt down changing day, year, decade, century, and millennial. Doomsday, end of the world, or something like that. Pretty funny to think about it now. 2011... wow... it has a unique ring to it.

I certainly pulled the disappearing act for the past 5 weeks. I could usher in a dozen top notch reasons / excuses as to why I have not blogged but I will spare you the time and me the embarrassment. I have watched the site counter and know that many people have been checking it and with the new year comes new year's resolutions. And one of mine is to get back into the routine of writing regularly and keeping everyone updated with trip plans for 2011. December was one of the busiest months I have gone through that I can ever remember. But January is here and things seem to be back to normal (whatever that means!).

There is a lot going on. During the past 5 weeks I have been very busy in the planning stages of our trips this summer. Lots of phone calls and emails have been made as some of the ideas and thoughts of 2011 are starting to become realities. Trip work schedules, work sites, travel plans, etc. are becoming more concrete and plans are becoming clearer as to what we will be doing this summer in Costar Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. Although no where near complete, the big picture is starting to come into focus, which is a good thing! Once the big picture is in focus the task of ironing out the fine details will become easier to do.

This weekend the Torch Missions Board of Directors will be having our annual meeting. This year we will be meeting right here in Henderson, Tennessee. I am very excited to bring the board here for the meeting. It will be 2 days of meetings and fellowship. These are some of my closest and dearest friends on the planet and friends that share the same passion I do about the mission work that Torch is involved with in Central and South America. The meetings this weekend will be very important because specific strategies, guidelines, framework, protocols, and goals will be mapped and laid out. Our focus will be both on current and long range plans for Torch. As Torch continues to grow and expand the board is dedicated to provide the necessary leadership to keep us an effective missions program to serve and to reach those who are in need.

This month is also the official beginnings of the 2011 trips. Back in September trip information went out concerning the dates of the 2011 trips I would be leading. The 1st week of November the 2011 application was ready and was sent out. The 2 trips, Costa Rica (45 spots) and Honduras (100 spots) filled up before Thanksgiving and waiting lists began. Now its time for the rubber to meet the road. Applications and deposits are due this month. The application states that paper work and deposits are due January 8th. So far I have received nearly 60 applications and deposits. The sooner you can send them in the better.

Spaces that have been reserved by email, phone call, or in person are still valid. However, if you are a group leader and you have reserved a specific number of spots for your team, it is time to lock in those reservations. If you blocked off a certain number you need to send in applications and deposits for those reservations. If your numbers have changed, I need to know right away so that any slots that are not being used now can be filled with those who are on the waiting list. The sooner I can contact them the faster they can start moving towards getting their applications and money in. The balance of the trip payments is due June 1st.

Supply collections will begin this month. I will be posting specific items that we need to start collecting for our trips. I am not sure yet if we will be shipping a container this year or not. Containers are shipped throughout the year and depending on how much we collect and have donated will determine whether we will ship a container or "piggy back" with another team that might be shipping a container down to Honduras. Last year's collections and supplies certainly warranted the use of a 40 foot container, we will wait and watch to see how this year goes.

As we enter 2011, I hope that you have a very productive and exciting new year. I hope that you will seek opportunities to serve others and to be a living sacrifice for the One who makes all things possible. I hope that the Lord challenges each of us and stretches us and uses us in ways that will make us more and more like Him. As our 2011 theme states, God reins! I hope that God will rein in your home, in your family, in the work place. I hope He reins in your speech, conduct, and actions. I hope God reins in your church, your school, and your community. Commit to Him. I also hope that you will begin focusing on the mission trip this summer. Commit it to prayer. Commit time. Be pro-active. Collect supplies. Work on your Spanish. Talk to others about the trip. Help raise money for our work fund. Find ways to prepare for your trip along the way.

2011 is going to be a great year, and I look forward to working with those of you going on the trip this year. And for those of you who are not going this year, I hope you will continue to support us any way that you can. We are a team and a strong rope of many cords. With God's help there is no limit on what we are capable of doing! Dios te bendiga mi amigos! Reinados de Dios!

TR

Did you see that?

Located outside of Colorado Springs, behind the Air force Academy's campus, stands a mountain called Eagle Peak. At 13,205 feet, it is not the highest peak in Colorado. Far from it. 481 mountain peaks IN COLORADO are taller! However, rising up in the center of the Sangre de Cristo Range, reaching the summit offers a 360 degree view of some of the most breathtaking scenery you will see anywhere. Many a hiker takes on the challenge to reach its summit each year. The trail is moderate to challenging, and the summit can be reached on a day hike. sort of.

The inexperienced hiker is usually told that the hike will take all day to go the summit and back down. They are told the journey will be rigorous and difficult. They are told to start out early in the morning and set a strong steady pace and to take plenty of water and some food. However, most inexperienced hikers, who follow this advise, become confused and angry when they reach the trail head. He can see with his own eyes that the hike to the summit and back will take less than a half day with little difficulty for even the novice hiker.

So, the inexperienced hiker changes all of the plans he has made. He begins a meandering pace up the trail and frequently stops along the way to take photos and observe native wildlife. Drinking water at will and snacking along the way, the hiker continues up the trail towards his goal. By mid-day he arrives at the "summit." However, his eyes have deceived him, for this is NOT the summit to Eagle Peak, it is a false summit which blocked his view of the higher summit far above.

Realizing his mistake, he looks at his watch and recalculates his time. He decides that if he pushes himself hard enough he can still make it to the summit and get back down before dark. So he sets off at a frantic pace, stumbling and sliding on the loose gravel and rock. He strains to climb the steep inclines along the way. Brush and rock scrape against his body as he recklessly climbs the trail. Sweat stings his eyes and thirst cries out for water he no longer has with him. His Lungs are burning, his heart beating rapidly, the sun is beating down upon him, yet do not keep him from his goal. At last, in the mid-afternoon, he reaches the summit. Sort of.

He has reached ANOTHER false summit. From this vantage point he can now see the true summit of Eagle Peak, towering above him. The second false summit had also blocked his view of the real goal. Tired, out of breath, out of water, and out of time, the inexperienced hiker turns and starts his descent down the trail. He would not make it to the top of the peak today. At the trail head, he takes off his boots and empties the dirt they had collected. other hikers are there, talking about their hike to the top of Eagle Peak. Sadly, the inexperienced hiker did not enjoy the outcome, simply because he did not listen to the advise of the experienced hikers. He allowed himself to be deceived, not by what he was told, but by what he saw.

Alas, it will be another day before the inexperienced hiker will have a chance to hike to the summit of Eagle Peak. Wiser for his experience, he will reach his goal next time because this time he will not be an inexperienced hiker.

Wow, the lessons we can draw from this story! Instead of me writing the "moral of the story," I would like to hear from you! Write what you have drawn from this story and email it to me, I will share them with everyone next week! My email address is: reeves.tl@gmail.com Hope to hear from you soon!

Terry

3,900 Saturdays

The book of James says that our life is like a vapor... we appear for a short time and then vanish away. This story will make you realize how true that statement is in the book of James.

"The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the garage with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time. Let me tell you about it:

I turned the dial up to the phone portion band wave on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind, he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling to somebody about 'a thousand marbles..' I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say.... ' Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. It's too bad you missed your daughter's 'dance recital' he continued. 'Let me tell you something that has helped me keep my own priorities.' And that's when he began to explain his theory of a 'thousand marbles.'

'You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years.

'Now then, I multiplied 75 (years) times 52 (weeks) and I came up with 3,900, which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now, stick with me, Tom, I'm getting to the important part.

It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail', he went on, 'and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays.' 'I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round up 1,000 marbles I took them home and put them inside a large, clear plastic container right here in the garage next to my radio gear.'

'Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and discarded it. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life.

There's nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight. And let me tell you, a 1,000 marbles might sound like a lot to you right now, but it is amazing how fast that container of marbles emptied out.'

'Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure that if I make it until next Saturday then I have been given a little extra time... And the one thing we can all use is a little more time.' And extra time should be considered extra special. Not everyone gets it.

'It was nice to meet you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your family, and I hope to meet you again here on this band. This is a 75 Year old Man, K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!'

You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to work on the antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few ham operators to work on the next club newsletter.

Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. 'C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast.' 'What brought this on?' she asked with a smile. 'Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. And hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles."

And so, as one smart bear once said......'If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you.' - Winnie the Pooh.

How many marbles do you have left? And, more importantly, what are you going to exchange for one?

TR

Pass me a biscuit

The story of the biscuit. "When I was a kid, my mom liked to cook breakfast food every now and then for dinner. I remember one night in particular when she had made a breakfast dinner after a long, hard day at work.

That evening, my mom brought scrambled eggs, sausage, and some very burnt biscuits to the table. I stared at those biscuits and waited to see if anyone would notice or even say anything!! Yet all my dad did was load up his plate with food and grabbed a couple of those burnt biscuits. He smiled at my mom, asked my how my day was at school, and proceeded to spread butter and peach jelly on those biscuits! I don't even remember much about the conversation that night but I watched my dad eat every bite of those burnt biscuits!

When I got up from the table that evening, I overheard my mom apologizing to my dad for burning the biscuits. I will never forget what he told her. "Honey, I love your biscuits, no matter how you bake them. Thank you for a wonderful meal!'

Later that night I went in to say goodnight to my dad, who was watching TV and reading the newspaper. I asked him if he really like burnt biscuits. He put his arm around me and told me that mom had put in a hard day at work and she was really tired when she got home... but she spent the time to put food on the table for us. We should always appreciate someone who is willing to do that for someone else. And besides, a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!

Life is full of imperfect things... and imperfect people. I am not the best at hardly anything. I forget birthdays and anniversaries and phone numbers and a lot of other things. I fall short and sometimes mess things up... I guess what I am trying to say is that I am pretty much like everyone else I know. But what I have learned over the years is that learning to accept other people's faults - and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is one of the most important keys to creating healthy, growing, and lasting relationships.

That is my hope for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He is the only one that will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal breaker!
This applies not only to our relationship with God, but with everyone around us. In fact, understanding is the foundation of any relationship, whether it is a husband, wife, parent, child, or friendship. Don't put the key to your happiness is someone else's pocket, keep it in your own!

So, pass me a biscuit, and yes, a burnt one will do just fine."

special delivery

It was the late 1970's and smugglers were hard at work in eastern Europe. These were not your typical smugglers, but the goods they were carrying across the boarder were as illegal as anything you have today. And as the train chugged along late into the night the smuggler was trying to blend in, trying not to be noticed, trying to look cool, calm, and collected. The long blowing of the whistle alerted the smuggler that the train had just crossed into Hungary and that the communist customs agents would be passing through the cars to check passports. This would be the last check point before he would arrive in Budapest.

There was a knock on his door and it opened before he could get up. 2 men quickly entered the small compartment and glanced around. The smuggler had his passport out and his documents ready for the agents. As one looked at the stamps on the passport the other searched the room with his eyes to see if anything was out of place. Only a shoulder bag and a canvas duffel bag shoved under the seat. The sharp edges pressing out on the cloth bag was all the agent needed to see. He quickly pulled out the bag and opened it. Bibles. Dozens of them. Bibles being smuggled into communist Hungary to be given away. The Christian's personal Bible, with all of his notes, was in his shoulder bag. With one quick move the window was opened and the Bibles were tossed from the train into the blackness of the night. The agents smiled and walked out. No need to do anything else they thought.

He had failed. This time. He moaned over the fact that he did not succeed, and even more so that his personal study Bible went out the window with the others. He knew that Romans 8:28 said that all things work for good, but how in the world would Bibles scattered along the desolate area of the train route do any good whatsoever? It would take 3 years for him to find out the answer to that question. He returned home and began plans to try again.

Nearly 3 years to the day that his study Bible was tossed out the window, our Christian smuggler received a package in the mail. Wrapped in plain brown packaging paper, he saw that the package originated in Austria. When he opened the package he was surprised to see his study Bible! Inside the Bible were all of his notes and lessons and a piece of paper with a note written on it. It read, "To my beloved brother in Christ, greetings! I found your Bible along with the bag of others along side the railroad track near my house. You surely were the answer to the prayers of those of us here for we have no idea how you knew to throw the Bibles out when you did, in the middle of the night so close to my house. We have distributed the Bibles that you gave us and copied your notes and lessons. Thank you for the wonderful gifts, we will never forget you."

You see, his name and address was on the inside cover of his Bible. The man who found the Bibles spent the next 3 years copying the notes and lessons by hand and placed them inside every Bible that he gave away. Once that was done, he crossed over the boarder into Austria to mail the Bible back to its owner in a country that would not search what was inside the package. The smuggler WAS successful in his mission, even though he did not know it at the time. God certainly does move in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.

How is God going to use you today? Don't think for a moment that He isn't, for He surely is at work among us. You never know, but things you did even a few years ago might have a strange and wonderful ending... all because you did your part... you tried. That is what God wants us to do... TRY. You may not say the exact right thing, or do something the exact right way, but God will use your efforts to bring forth a harvest. So get up, get out, and get going... go do something for God today. He will take care of the rest.

TR

Get ready..... set.... go!

A friend of mine sent me this cartoon the other day and I just laughed out loud. I am pretty sure that would have been me back in that time period. Raising money to go on mission trips has been part of my life since I was a sophomore in high school (yeah, they had high school back then). From bagging groceries at the neighborhood super market, flipping burgers at Wendy's, to mowing yards, I have always been working to make money... and some of it always went to mission trips.

Now, it is working full time to pay "big boy" bills, and working at creative ways to raise money for mission trips. And believe me, if there was money to be made washing camels, I would probably do it and I would talk a bunch of people into doing it with me!

But instead of washing camels, we will kick off our first fund raiser of the year with something that is a lot more enjoyable than washing camels... the 10th annual Torch Invitational golf scramble. This year's tournament will be held at the Montgomery Bell State Park on Saturday, October 16th. MBSP has been ranked one of the top 100 public golf courses in the U.S by Golf digest. It is a beautiful course surrounded by picturesque scenery. October fall color will add to the events of the day. Bring the family for the day. While you are playing the course they can enjoy the hiking trails, fishing, biking, and any number of activities the park has to offer.

The cost for the tournament is $65 per person. The cost includes the driving range, the practice putting area, cart, 18 holes of championship golf, lunch, grab bags, door prizes and more. Awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams along with prizes for the longest drive and closest to the pin. It will be a shotgun start at 8:00 am so arrive early to take advantage of all of the amenities. Hole sponsorship signs are available, starting at $150 for a tee box sign all the way up to $1,000 cooperate sponsorship sign. All proceeds go towards mission trips this year.

Make your plans to be there. Contact me ( reeves.tl@gmail.com) or Jenny Lovell (jlovell@fhu.edu) for a registration form. Deadline to register is October 11th. Come on and join th fun, it sure beats washing a camel!

TR

The Great Gambini

Once upon a time there was a circus that was traveling through Europe. Among its wonderful and exotic animals (lions and tigers and bears oh my!) and displays were several shows. Although the world's strongest man and the bearded lady were popular, none were as popular as the Great Gambini, the high wire extraordinaire. People came from far and wide (not sure where that is on the map but that is where they came from) to see the circus and to watch the death defying Gambini.

High above the big top (aka large circus tent) stretched the high wire and where Gambini performed. Each night crowds would pack into the seats to watch the clowns, the Human Cannonball, and other acts in order to see Gambini, the grand finale. Cotton candy, peanuts, and funnel cakes flowed freely throughout the evening as the crowd enjoyed the shows. Then, suddenly, the lights would go dim and the announcer (in his very dramatic voice) would direct every one's attention to the landing platform high above the crowd. The spotlight lit up the platform and then slowly followed the pole down to the ground where the Great Gambini was standing. With a wave to the crowd he began the climb to the top.

The crowd cheered when he reached the landing platform. With microphone in hand, Gambini addressed the crowd. "Tonight I will perform my greatest feats for you!" The crowd cheered and Gambini stepped out onto the wire with his long balancing bar. He cautiously and gingerly walked across the wire, step by step, until he reached the other side. He then took the microphone and told the crowd he would walk across the wire without his balancing bar. The crowd cheered him on s he walked across the wire confidently. He then walked across the the wire blindfolded! The crowd got more and more excited as he performed his trade.

Then he announced that he was ordering the safely net below him to be taken down and removed. The crowd fell into a quiet as the workers removed the life net. Gambini asked the crowd if they thought he could walk across the rope without the net below him. They cheered him on as he raced along the wire. The crowd cheered loudly when he reached the other side. He then took a bicycle and asked if the crowd though he could ride the bike across the wire. They again cheered loudly as he proceeded to go across the wire. The crowd was getting his best show ever!

He then pulled a wheelbarrow from the landing area and reached for the microphone. He asked the crowd, "Do you think I can push this wheelbarrow across to the other side?" The crowd cheered! "Do you think I can do it with my eyes blindfolded?" The crowd cheered even louder! "Do you think I could push this wheelbarrow across the wire blindfolded with someone in the wheelbarrow?" The crowd went crazy!!! "Who wants to be my volunteer!" The crowd hushed, to a complete silence. You could have heard a pin drop. Nobody volunteered. No one.

Why? The Great Gambini was the best high wire expert in the land. The crowd had seen his confidence, his skill, his abilities. They had watched with their own eyes as he confidently went across the wire time after time and yet no one volunteered. No one wanted to ride in that wheelbarrow 50 feet off of the ground without a safety net below. Why?

Fear? Lack of faith? You fill in the blank. but the bottom line was it was all fun, great, and exciting when Gambini was up there doing it, but it was totally different when it came time to join him. It is easy to watch the action and something totally different when you become part of the action. That is why their are stands full of people and only a few out there doing.

Want examples? Everyone wants and expects the local church building nice and clean and the grounds trimmed and proper. Everyone enjoys the comforts the building provides. But make an announcement that there will be a work day on Saturday to paint or clean or mow grass and pull weeds... see how many show up. You would think the whole Sunday morning crowd would be there to work, correct? Right. Schedule a gospel meeting. Bring in a "big gun" preacher and watch everyone get excited. Make announcements and pass out invitations and rent out the civic center. Estimate all of the Christians in the area and make sure you have plenty of seats for them and all of the friends that will be coming.... and let me know how it goes. Not very many people jumping in that wheelbarrow is there?

Go on a mission trip to Honduras. Come back filled with passion and compassion. Get excited to hear about future plans and think and dream about all of the great things that could be done. Receive an invitation to make a monthly pledge to reach those goals. Sit back and think of all of the hundreds and hundreds of people that have been on a mission trip and think about the tremendous participation and how much could be accomplished. And wait. Wait for a phone call asking for more information. Wait for a text message asking how to get involved. Wait for that email asking for the form so that they can get started. (here is where you make the assumption that the monthly auto debit campaign has started off slowly!)

Now, this is not to be a Debbie Downer article. It is actually intended to highlight the fact that there are those that show up and do the work at the church building, attend the gospel meetings, and participate in the fund drive. There will always be those that can be counted on when they are needed. Remember, there will always be "spectators" and "participants." That is human nature. I just want you to think a bit harder about being a fellow participant in something that is very important. Every year we come back from Honduras full of ideas and plans. Every year we think of all of the wonderful things that can be done. Every year we come back pumped up and filled to the brim with zeal and excitement. But all it takes is a bit of time and the settling in to our daily routines to knock the wind right out of the sails. And plans are put on hold. Or shelved. Or even forgotten.

Oh, so what happens in the story? Gambini waits patiently for a volunteer to step forward. The crowd becomes uneasy at the deafening quiet that has fallen over the big top. Then, quietly, a young teenage girl stands up and walks to the arena. The master of ceremonies walks her to the giant pole and she climbs the rungs to the top. Gambini places her in the wheelbarrow and places the blindfold over his eyes. The crowd is riveted to the scene above. And with great confidence he wheels his volunteer across the wire and to the other side! The crowd erupts in uncontrollable cheers! People are giving each other high fives and pumping their fists in the air. The real question is, who is the next volunteer? You? Something to think about...

TR

The long and winding road

Although there are a few holdouts across the country, by in large most schools have now started their new 2010-2011 school year. Summer vacations are over and even though the scorching summer heat lingers, everyone is settling back into schedules and routines once again. For me that is a good thing since I have been running wild this summer. Having a routine will slow the pace down for me a little bit and get me back into some kind of schedule. Soccer players and short course students have returned and the dorm has activity again, including a fire alarm Sunday morning around 7:30 am. Yep, the boys are back. Peace and quiet will return again in about 9 months.

It is hard to believe it has been almost a month since we returned from Honduras. Videos and photos are still bouncing around on Facebook and team members are still yearning to be in a small country where their hearts have placed residence. I have received numerous emails about next year's plans and my mind is swirling with ideas and potential projects for next year. And, living in a university setting, potential trips during school breaks have already been mentioned. It is just amazing. I am amazed at so many things but probably one of the biggest is just realizing that I have been given the opportunity to lead teams to Honduras, Costa Rica, etc, and to be involved in something like TORCH. It is a lot to take in considering everything.

I grew up in what would have to be considered a religiously dysfunctional family. Wonderful family, just not a "go to church every Sunday" family. For me it changed because of a great family that lived right across the street from me growing up in Huntsville. The South's invited me every year to go to VBS with their boys, and they planted the seeds for me. By 8th grade Mark South and I were great friends and I was going to attend Madison Academy for high school where he went to school. From there I was molded some more and I transferred from a state school to Freed-Hardeman with a lot of my church friends from Mastin Lake Road Church of Christ. I went on some short term mission trips while I was there (thank you Paul Lewis) and I guess you could say the rest is history. Such a long journey with a lot of influences along the way. Amazing grace.

I love what I do. Even with the all of the headaches and bumps in the road that have to be endured, organizing and leading short term trips is what I love to do. And a person has to feel blessed to be able to do things that they love doing, because most people do not. And it is a shame, because life is supposed to be a journey filled with memories and challenges and adventure. I mean, Jesus DID say, "I came to give you life and to give it more abundantly (John 10:10)." I believe that with all of my heart and where your heart is that is where your treasure is going to be found (Luke 12:34). And I have a big treasure chest. Moth and rust can't touch my treasure!

So, when you find your love, your passion, you pour yourself into it. You buy into it. You take ownership in it. You share it with others. And that is what I have done for the past 20 years and what I plan on doing for as long as the earthly vessel will carry me. TORCH is my love, my passion, my ministry. And I know it is for some of you as well. Literally thousands of people in the past 20+ years has participated in a TORCH mission trip. Hundreds have been multiple times. Dozens and dozens and dozens have been multiple times. We call ourselves "Lifers." But whether you are a lifer or a 1 time rookie, we have all experienced life changing ministry. Almost everyone who has been on a TORCH trip would say that their lives will never be the same again. Amen?

So, it has come to this point in time. after 20+ years of working in Honduras, and assisting and reaching tens of thousands of Hondurans who have needed physical and spiritual help, TORCH is at a cross roads of sorts. Our teams continue to grow, our areas of ministry continue to expand. Our resources are expanding and the opportunity to serve, not only in Honduras but more and more globally, we must take a good look at ourselves, to look in a mirror as James says. What do we see? What do YOU see? Do you see a small organization, started by a couple of youth ministers and a dream, doing feel good trips to fill a summer schedule? Do you see a summer trip that offers cool experiences and a nifty stamp in your passport? Or do you see more? I see more; much much more.

We have already seen what short term TORCH trips are capable of doing. The list of projects we did this summer by our trip alone is pretty impressive. When you take a look at what ALL of the TORCH teams have done this year it is amazing and unbelievable. I hope to get an email soon from Mark and Tim that will give totals of all of the things done this year to date. Until then I will only be able to tell you that it was a LOT. And we have every plan to continue what we are doing and to crank it up a notch. For example, our mega team of 160 this year has split from 1 team into THREE. Our team alone now has 3 x's the power and resources and abilities to do what 1 team did this year. It also allow 3 teams the ability to stretch and grow again. I have witnessed this time after time. It wasn't that long ago that team leaders (Tim, Mark, Gayle, Tom, etc) were working together on the same teams.

I have said a lot to lay the groundwork for what we are about to do. Stepping it up a notch, moving to the next level. TORCH mission is growing in numbers and we need to grow accordingly with facilities and resources to match. Our buses are old and are aging very quickly (Honduran roads can do that ya know). We continue to rent facilities to house our teams. We continue to rent pick up trucks, flat bed trucks, buses, and other equipment. And just like renting a house or apartment, that rent money is going out the window and into someone else's pockets. Team leaders and board members have talked about this for years but the time has come to do something about it. Investing in the future of TORCH is at hand. The time has come to act upon things we all know to be true and logical. And we all must pitch in to make it happen.

In the next few months I will be working with the TORCH board to create a new group, a committee of people, that will dedicate some of their time, skills, resources, and energy to help raise funds to allow TORCH to move to the next level. What level are we talking about? Owning our own property. Building our own "Mission House." Buying newer buses and more of them. Buying our own trucks. Increasing our inventory of tools, chainsaws, and equipment. Hiring full time workers as bus drivers, cooks, care takers, etc. This has only been a pipe dream for us for several years, but the time has come to act upon our dreams and to make them reality. and it is going to take the TORCH community, the alumni, along with many others to make this happen.

The first phase of this concept was introduced by Jenny Lovell the last night of our trip. Jenny is a professional fund raiser for Freed-Hardeman and she raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for the school each year. I have asked her to spear head this committee and to get the ball rolling. Her first idea has begun and it is time for us to start. Many of our TORCH team were given forms that will allow individuals to make monthly contributions into a special account that has been set up for TORCH. By filling out this form a person can make a monthly contribution to TORCH that will be used, hopefully in the very near future, to begin the process of doing the very things we just talked about earlier. This account is not a trip work fund, but a fund specifically set up to take us to the next level. Jenny will be contacting all TORCH team leaders to assist with this project. By doing this we hope to reach hundreds, possibly thousands of people to ask for participation in this project.

This one project alone, with the help of a TORCH army of participants, has the potential to generate enough money to pay for land and build our own facility with a FEW years. Tim and Mark have been looking at property and buildings that might be suitable for TORCH to buy. We know where to buy newer buses and trucks. Things are in place and I believe the time has come for us to launch out into a new phase of TORCH Missions. Dreams are the building blocks of tomorrow. Lets begin to build tomorrow today!

Contact me by email if you would like for me to mail (or email) you the bank automatic debit form. Once you have filled out the form you will mail the form to Lowell Haworth, who will be in charge of collecting the forms, entering the data to the bank, and keeping records of those that will be participating. Lowell's mailing address is 428 Amberleaf Trail, Westfield, Indiana, 46074-9500. That is all there is to it. Simple, eh? Just email me to get the ball rolling. Anyone can participate. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends at church, co-workers. This is a simple, but very effective way for anyone to help TORCH Missions in its continued efforts in Honduras and beyond. Are you in?

Terry Reeves

President, Torch Missions board of directors

reeves.tl@gmail.com

HEAR YE, HEAR YE

Well, it is official. Torch Missions has become a 12 month a year job. Less than 3 weeks after returning home from the 2010 trip the teams are all but set for the summer 2011 trips to Honduras. Just a few years ago it was a given that things did not really start rolling until after Thanksgiving. Then it was the first of October. Last year dates were announced in mid-September. And now, August 5th. Wow, and I still have 1 suitcase left to unpack from this year's trip! Now, to be fair, not all of the team leaders have set their dates yet. However, many have and although the dates are tentative and subject to modifications, here is what we have so far for summer 2011:

June 1-15: Mark Connell / Larry Sawyer (Alabama and Kentucky)
June 1-15: Eric Connell (Oklahoma)
June TBA: Rick and Donna Grose (Ohio)
June 13-26: Gayle Davidson / Tim Hines (Florida and Louisiana)
June 24-July 4: Terry Reeves (all over the place)
July 1-11: Nathan Reeves (all over the placee)
July TBA: Mark Halbert (Mississippi)
July 15-25: Tom Beach (North and South Carolina)
July 30-August 6: Allen Burris (Indiana)

This does not include the Torch teams that Marc Tindall runs since he houses his team out in Santa Ana and does not overlap with the lodging facilities in Tegucigalpa. This also does not include the teams that go throughout the year, especially during spring break and Christmas break. It also does not include the Torch trips to Costa Rica and Recife, Brazil next year. The bottom line is that a lot of people will be doing mission work in 2011 and plans are being made to use our teams and resources as well as we possibly can. God is at work and we have been honored to be one of the conduits for His power, love, compassion, and strength to be shown to the people. Mighty is our God.

So, mark your calendars and start requesting your days off for next year. Remember, the dates are tentative, so try to be as flexible as possible. I will be posting the Costa Rica and Brazil trips VERY soon so keep checking the blog. Feel free to email me if you have any questions! I will be posting new blogs within the next few days. Stay tuned. Enjoy the last few days of summer, the new school year is about to start and 2010 will be roaring to an end before you know it. Trust me, I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

Terry