Living for Zachary

How the death of a Plano East football player inspired change.

http://www.hsgametime.com/dfw/sharedcontent/dws/content/topstories/stories/091609dnmetzachary2.1813eef84.html

Marine Tribute - Return to Makin Island

Emotional Good-bye for Afghan-bound Marines

Below is the first in a series that NPR is doing on this Marine unit who deployed to Afghanistan last week. You can follow on the web or listen on NPR (90.1 FM in Dallas-Fort Worth).

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104267469

The Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read and perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation. 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.

'Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan .'

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time.

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for j ust a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base '

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?'

'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. 'This is yours with thanks.'

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Aircraft Pilot coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said, 'I want to shake your hand ..'

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch.. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put some thing in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little.

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to his country for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'

That is Honor, and there are way too many people who no longer understand it.

May God give you the strength and courage to pass this along to everyone on your email buddy list.

This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm

A Christian

Thanks, Neal.
----------------
Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.' Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.'

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much change.'

The driver, with a smile, replied, 'Aren't you the new preacher in town?'

'Yes' he replied.

'Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday.'

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.'

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test!

Always be on guard -- and remember -- You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself 'Christian.'

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

I'm glad a friend forwarded this to me as a reminder. So, I choose to forward it to you - my friend. God bless you; I hope you are having a wonderful day!

If you don't pass this on to anybody, nothing bad will happen; but, if you do, you will have ministered to someone.

The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will not PROTECT you...

Stay FAITHFUL and Be GRATEFUL!

Boot Camp Testimonies

I highly recommend the Life Enrichment or the Marriage Boot Camp.

Just a Dog

Click on the image to enlarge for reading.

Bible Verse for the Year!

Luke 4:18-19
"The spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

There are some games in which cheering for the other side feels better than winning

Great story!

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3789373

Thanks, Jeanette.

President Reagan's Favorite Christmas Gift

Here's a good story about the true spirit of Christmas.

http://www.caglepost.com/column/Floyd+and+Mary+Beth+Brown/17272/President+Reagans+Favorite+Christmas+Gift.html

My Wishes for the New Year

Here are my wishes for you, my friends:
Unconditional love, hope, joy, and understanding of what God wants you to be.

I wish for the following: personal peace, perseverance, and hope for a better tomorrow.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Paul

New Christmas Poem

New Christmas Poem TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE, IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE. I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE, AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE. I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE, NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE. NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS. WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND. FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY. THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE, CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME. THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER, NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER. WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ? CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED? I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT, OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT. SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY, AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY. THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE. I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE, ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME. THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY. THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE, 'SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE; I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY! COUNTRY, MY CORPS.' THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP. I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL. I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT. THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.' ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. 'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,! AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.' This poem was written by a Marine. The following is his request. I think it is reasonable..... PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed

What to do when Mom or Dad doesn't recognize you

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/11/25/family.thanksgiving.alzheimers/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Your Cause Benefits from Online Shopping!

http://www.igive.com/welcome/index.cfm?wov=101508-01

Kipkorir "Weldon" Kirui

>Date: 19 Nov 2008 11:51:46 -0500
>From: Sandra R. Hale
>Subject: Kipkorir "Weldon" Kirui
>To: Paul W Gray
>
>Hi Paul,
>
>Here is some further information regarding Weldon and his family
>which may give some further clarification of their need.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Ken and Sandy
>
>--- Forwarded message from Stephen M. Silver ---
>
>
>Hi Sandy,
>
>Weldon Kirui '11 has asked me to send you a note that you can in
>turn forward to your husband Ken Hale in his role as Pastor of the
>Trinity Baptist Church. Please let this blitz serve as verification
>of Weldon's personal situation. As Director of International
>Student Programs, and Advisor to International Students, I have been
>working with others at the College to assist Weldon in getting on
>his financial feet. Dartmouth provides a full financial aid package
>for him that meets all of his educational needs.
>
>However, the recent violence in Kenya put Weldon's family in harm's
>way. They were forced to flee their home and go into hiding for
>their lives. Food was scarce, and as I understand it, for several
>months family members lived in a forest near their former village
>which I believe was destroyed. Ultimately, a friend of the family
>allowed them to live in a hut that was not being used, but the
>landlord is selling this property, and they must move by December
>23rd or they will be evicted and once again homeless.
>
>In the previous academic year, Weldon sent home his earnings from
>on-campus employment so that his brothers and sisters would be able
>to eat. Unfortunately, this made it impossible for Weldon to
>purchase his books until it was almost too late to salvage his
>academics. Its a tribute to Weldon's great intelligence and work
>ethic that he was able to get his academics back on track this year,
>while also managing to send home $1,250 toward the purchase of the
>property presently occupied by his family. However, $4,200 remains
>to be paid by 12/23/08 for his family to have a permanent home, and
>Weldon knows he can do no more for them at this point in time. He
>must now focus on doing well at Dartmouth so that he can get his
>degree and go on to do great things for his family and his country.
>
>I thank you and Ken for getting the word out to others about
>Weldon's family's needs. If you have any questions, please do not
>hesitate to call me at 6-2331 or send a blitz.
>
>Sincerely,
>Steve

In Honor of World War II Veterans

http://www.managedmusic.com/php/BYGIndex.php?page=Before_You_Go_Home

http://honorflight.org/

2 New Updates on Weldon's Family from Ken Hale

Here are 2 more emails on Weldon's family situation and some pictures by Violaine Mitchell from his village. See an earlier post (access Label "Weldon" for the original post.

Also, Weldon is a graduate student at Dartmouth, in pre-med, I believe, and attends Trinity Baptist Church in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Paul
----------------------------------------


Weldon's younger family members


Listening to speeches


Weldon's hut


Weldon's Mother and Father


Weldon's home


Village gathering


Village people


Email 1
---------------------------------------
Date: 15 Nov 2008 23:19:10 -0500
From: Sandra R. Hale
Subject: Visit to Weldon's Family August 2007
To: Paul W Gray

Hi Paul,

Here is the information from Violaine Mitchell in British Columbia regarding her visit last year to Weldon Kirui's family and village in Kenya. Her observations and recollections are quite moving.

Blessings,

Ken

--- Forwarded message from "Violaine Mitchell" ---
>From: "Violaine Mitchell"
>To: "Sandra R. Hale"
>Subject: Visit to Weldon's Family August 2007
>Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:18:55 -0800

Dear Ken and Sandy,

I realise we have been playing telephone tag, but I wanted to tell you a little bit about our trip to see Weldon's family in Kilgoris in August 2007.

By way of background, I grew up in Kenya and still have family and friends
in the Rift Valley and Nairobi. In August 2007 and on a lot of airmiles, we
decided to visit my family in Kenya. By chance, a few days before we left,
I met Weldon at a picnic here in Metchosin, BC. Weldon had been a student at nearby Pearson College but sadly we had not met before. Knowing how hard it is to send things back home, we offered to take some items to Weldon's family for him as we were planning to be in the Mara anyway, and would take a day to visit his village, near Kilgoris.

I can honestly say that the visit to Weldon's family and village was among
the most moving experiences I have ever had. We left the Mara at 6 am and
took the road through to Olgorien - and on among the worst roads I have ever
driven on, despite growing up in Africa.

We met Weldon's brother in Kilgoris town at the pharmacy and drove on dirt
roads another 20 km or so out of Kilgoris village. From there, the road
ended. We were lucky as we had a four wheel drive vehicle as we set off
across and up hills and down valleys. After another 30-40 minutes of off
road maneuvering, we came to a gulley, where it was later explained the
entire village had worked the day before to make it passable for our
vehicle.

We finally arrived at some mud huts with thatched roofs and were greeted by
approximately 100 people who welcomed us with song and drums. We were
introduced to Weldon's family, the local pastor, the village chief, the
village health worker, the school headmaster and many many school children.

To say that Weldon's upbringing was humble is perhaps the largest
understatement. Weldon's family are squatters and have built three small mud
huts close together. Weldon's mother and father do not read or write but
have tried hard to educate their children. Unfortunately, Weldon's siblings have been unable to finish school largely for financial reasons.

Through the course of a remarkable lunch that was made in our honour and
many speeches to which we were grateful for a cousin of Weldon's for
translation, we learned just how many hopes and dreams were built on Weldon
- from the school children to the village elders - to Weldon's family.
Weldon's father told us that when people ask where Weldon is, he points to
the sky to planes overhead. Young children told us how their dream is to be like Weldon. The school teacher told us how every day he tells the children
to study hard so they can be like Weldon. The village health worker told us how he hoped Weldon would become a famous doctor and come back to the
village and rid the area of malaria. The minister told us how they pray for
Weldon and for all children to be like Weldon.

Western Kenya is a difficult area, full of tribal conflict, land disputes,
and poverty. Weldon's story is all the more remarkable when one sees how
different ethnic groups and how so many people of different backgrounds and
faiths have come together to help Weldon along in his education. It is a
long long way from Kilgoris to Dartmouth.

We were all deeply moved by the visit, but I have to admit as well, deeply
saddened. The hopes and dreams that his village and community have for
Weldon are also his chains. As we left, we wondered if he would really ever be able to go back. So many expectations for such a young man.

I will be doing everything we can here to help raise money for Weldon's
family to buy a small plot of land and look forward to our joining forces to
ensure that Weldon's family has a permanent base.

With best regards,
Vio

Violaine Mitchell


Email 2
----------------------------------------
Date: 16 Nov 2008 22:42:02 -0500
From: Sandra R. Hale
Subject: Re: Request for Assistance from Trinity Baptist Church, Hanover, New Hampshire
To: Paul W Gray

Hi Paul,

In the forward I sent you from Violaine Mitchell there were some pictures she made in 2007 of Weldon's family home in Kenya. As a point of clarification, this house was later torched resulting in Weldon's family becoming homeless.

Again, thank you for sharing Weldon's family's housing need. If at all possible we need to gather any forthcoming contributions by December 15th in order to make possible a timely closing in Kenya.

Blessings,

Ken and Sandy

Ken Hale, Pastor, Trinty Baptist Church of Hanover
Sandy Hale, Baptist Campus Minister, Dartmouth College
www.trinitybaptisthanover.org

Christmas Cards

When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card (or more!) and
send it to this address.

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue NW
Washington , D.C. 20307-5001

If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards
these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get.

Spread the word!

Thanks, Jeanette, for this info.

Ken Hale Request for Weldon's Parents

3 emails are attached here describing the need and more info. If you'd like to help, note the church address in Email 2. I met Weldon when I was on the FBC Plano mission trip to New Hampshire in July. Our whole team attended Trinity Baptist Church and did repair work there. We met Weldon at the Sunday morning worship service, and Tom Manning and I took him back to campus in the rain. He gave me his Kenyan church address and I mailed some Bibles there.

Also, there is a new post about Weldon's family on this blog. Check the label "Weldon" to find all posts about him.

Paul
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email 1
>Date: 01 Nov 2008 12:41:43 -0400
>From: Sandra R. Hale
>Subject: Hi from Ken Hale
>To: Paul W Gray
>
>Dear Paul,
>
>I hope you are doing well and that you are having some
>decent fall weather out your way. All is well here and we >remain grateful for all you did on our behalf this past >summer at Trinity Baptist Church >
>I wanted to give you an update on Weldon, the student from >Kenya, to whose home church you sent some Bibles. Weldon >has undertaken to find a permanent place for his family >(there are 5 remaining at home) to live in Kenya. They >are currently in a tiny house that belongs to one of >Weldon's friends and they can remain there until December >23rd. Weldon, earlier this week, negotiated a price of >$4,200 to purchase this house and the land on which it >sits. Actually the purchase price was $5,500 but he has >already satisfied $1,300 of this with a personal loan he >took out. We are attempting to help him raise the balance >needed and thus we are casting a wide net to see if there >are those among our contacts who would like to participate >at any level of contribution. Apparently Weldon's family >lost a previous house due to some tribal strife in his >home region of Trans-Mara. >We are proposing that anyone who would like to contribute >send funds to Trinty Baptist Church designated for the >Kenya Project. >I know that you would have questions about this project.>I have had questions as well and Weldon has been very >forthcoming in addressing concerns and sharing details. I >am communicating with a woman in British Columbia who >knows Weldon and who visited Weldon's village last year. >She is in a good position to corroborate his family's >need. >If you or any of your contacts would like to participate >at any level of contribution and have any questions, >please communicate with me or even directly with Weldon.>We cannot help all the homeless of the world, but here is >an affordable opportunity to help one family if we can >involve wide participation.
>Thank you for your consideration of this request.
>Blessings,
>Ken
>
>Ken Hale, Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church of Hanover >Sandy Hale, Baptist Campus Minister, Dartmouth College
>...snip
>www.trinitybaptisthanover.org

Email 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 05 Nov 2008 21:36:23 -0500
From: Sandra R. Hale
Subject: Re: Hi from Ken Hale
To: Paul W Gray

Hi Paul,

Thank you for your response and your interest in helping
Weldon's family. The church address is Trinity Baptist
Church, PO Box 5079, Hanover, NH 03755. Any contributions should be made out to Trinity Baptist Church and designated for the "Kenya Project". Sorry about the bad "Contact" on our website.

I am definitely interested in your posting the information on your blog. However, let me ask you to hold up a bit while I collect some additional information.

Blessings,

Ken

---Paul W Gray <> wrote ---
Ken, I will pass this on to my friends, and, with your permission, post it on my "Gray Matters" blog . I would like to have your church mailing address (for contributions) to add; the "Contact" link on your website is bad, so I can't get it there.

...snip

I hope you and your family are well. I enjoyed meeting you and working with you too!

God bless, Paul

PS Fall weather has been great here!

Email 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 14 Nov 2008 11:53:49 -0500
From: Sandra R. Hale
Subject: Re: Hi from Ken Hale
To: Paul W Gray

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your message.

I have been waiting to get further helpful information from Violaine
Mitchell in British Columbia who knows Weldon from his 2 year time of
study in Victoria, BC. Violaine, an Anglo, was raised in Kenya, and
has been to Weldon's village and has met his family and has first hand awareness of their dire need. I have asked her to compose a few paragraphs which describe the need and situation there. She apparently is a busy person with her job and thus has not yet gotten that information to me. So I would suggest going ahead and receiving any contributions from your FBC people on the basis of the initial information I sent. Ideally, we would like to receive contributions by the middle of December as Weldon's family can stay in the landlord's (the man who has agreed to sell the property for $4200) house until December 23rd. Weldon assures me that if we have raised a reasonable portion of the $4200 by December 23rd, the landlord will let his family continue to remain in the house until the balance has been raised.

Violaine has a friend in Kenya who she is asking to attend the eventual transfer of property ceremony (which involves tribal elders, and surveyor and others) to corroborate that everything proceeded correctly and legally. He will additionally take pictures of the event.

To date, we have raised $600. Violaine is trying to raise a portion
of the $4200 in Canada. Also Weldon is in contact with his former
pastor in Canada to see what he might be able to do to help. Additionally there might be some help from some folks at FBC Temple, Texas.

As soon as I do have further information from Violaine, I will forward that to you.

Blessings,

Ken

Budweiser commercial re: 9-11, aired only ONCE!

They only aired it once so as not to benefit financially from it - they just wanted to acknowledge the tragic event.

This is so consistent with a company who always does things with a ton of class!!

Can you imagine what the cost was considering production, air time, etc.?
-----------------------------------------
Thanks, Mark.