Wednesday, April 20, 2011

A Cup of Cold Water



I just remodeled my office last week at the church and I came across an old picture that reminded me of the phrase, "...a cup of cold water." The picture was from 1998 and I was in District 14 of Addis Ababa, an impoverished area in the capital city of Ethiopia plagued with poverty, disease and death; in fact, the tuberculosis and HIV infection rate was well over 50% (the closest medical facility was miles away and simply not accessible for these hurting Africans). With past business experience in the medical field, I was asked to lead a team of doctors and nurses into this area to determine if we could provide some form of relief. After months of planning & negotiating, we convinced the government that we were humanitarians and really did love these people. Hence, we set up a temporary medical clinic to document our findings so we could put together a game plan to come back, build a clinic, train the nationals and within two years, provide a self funding, indigenous ran state of the art medical facility (…over 13 years later, I’m blessed to say this clinic is functioning with twenty beds, four birthing rooms, high-tech equipment and totally ran by Ethiopians!). The picture that captured my heart was Doctor Dan (from Yakima, Washington) treating a Muslim man who was fighting full blown AIDS; I remember my heart moved with compassion for this precious guy. I asked Dr. Dan if there was anything I could do to help. His comment was, “…Randy, there’s nothing we can do, he’s dying; if you have a long sleeve shirt to cover his exposed sores, that would be like giving a cup of cold water to thirsty man on a hot day.” You see, this fellow had oozing sores all over his body and in his poverty, he had no shirt to protect his upper body from the elements. Well, I ran to the taxi and quickly grabbed a long sleeve shirt out of my travel bag and gave it to Dan (I was actually in a suit at the time because I was about to be interviewed by the Ethiopian National Television crew on why we were in the country…). After putting ointment on his sores, Dan and Erin, one of our great students from our youth ministry, put my long sleeve, blue shirt on this man, said a quick prayer and hugged the man. With tears in all of our eyes, we said good bye as his family literally carried him out of our clinic – he did die shortly thereafter.










Well, years later, as I was looking at my old mission trip pictures in the midst of the remodel, I was surprised how that event in my life still impacts me. Yes, totally sad he died; and, yes totally blessed our work continues to this day. But, more impressionable for me, simply put: is that I am given opportunities everyday to provide a cup of cold water to those in need. Whether it’s speaking words of affirmation to a downcast friend, “…hey, I believe in you!” Or, taking food to a shut-in that is battling cancer – I have that privilege and I submit the responsibility to give a cup of cold water! And you know, the interesting thing, not only does this behavior mirror what my favorite Rabbi said years ago, “…its more blessed to give than to receive…” there’s a sense of accomplishment, a sense of – yea, I’m doing what I was created to do!

In short, why not today be proactive and intentionally look for someone you can give a cup of cold water to! Seriously, you’ll be blessed, fulfilled and glad you did! And I close with this, there's not a greater calling in life than that of investing your life into the life of others - and, one way to do so is to give a cup of cold water...

Monday, April 11, 2011

A Miracle Underway - Part 2

Back in November, I received an urgent phone call informing me that our friend's daughter was in labor and it wasn't going well.  Immediately, we began to pray for Lisa, Chris and their soon baby-to-be Sophie.  When Sophie Rose was born she went without oxygen for over 8 minutes and had to be emergency air-lifted to Children's Hospital in Seattle, Washington.  It truly was touch and go; the young parents were given little hope!  Prayers were offered from Ethiopia to Australia, from the Philippines to Kenya, from California to Washington...all seeking a miracle of unprecedented proportions.  

Okay...fast forward four and half months!  A few nights ago my pal Steve called and told me Tri-Tip was on the BBQ and better yet, his granddaughter Sophie was waiting to meet me, along with Chris, Lisa and Addie (Sophie's big 2 year old sister).  Well, we drove as fast as we could and made the 4 mile trek in less than 3 minutes to Cayucos, a small Central Coast dream town.   Tami and I practically ran into the house, washed our hands and fought over who would be the privileged one to hold the miracle first.  I won...yes, I was selfish - but frankly, I didn't really care and I still don't - I love babies, and I have a kindred spirit and heart with this precious bundle of joy.  As you can see, Sophie is simply amazing and a blessing indeed.

Miracle Sophie Rose

  As I sit and think through this miracle in my mind, I do have questions as to the whys (I hope that's okay with God...)?  Seriously, Sophie Rose was sparred her life; mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, family and friends were all spared grief - for this I'm totally grateful!  Yet, there are so many who aren't privileged with the same outcome.  Just this past month, I've counseled and worked with two families (both personal friends of mine...) that have had to walk through death's door and in both cases the outcome was not only hurtful, it was unnatural - both men taken far too early from this world.  And to complicate my thoughts, I've been praying with and for another family friend of mine that has agonized over their 17 year old son's sudden illness (...please pray for Grant and check out his story at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/home.php?sk=group_192541437430882).  Sometimes these things simply don't make sense.  Now, does this alter my faith? Put into question my commitment to the God I love? Cause me to allow bitterness, anger and hurt to flood my soul?  I hope not, I do my best to protect that.  However, its in times like these that all we can do is say, "...wow, You're God and we're not!"  And, the comforting thing for me is rather profound and yet oh so simple - none of these incidents have taken the Lord by surprise, they're Father filtered, if you will.  Further, since He is God, He will sustain, take care of, enable and fully uphold all of His followers in His right hand of love, both in the good and the bad times of life! 

Back to Sophie - I am convinced that the Lord has allowed her to live, with perfect brain waves and motor functions, to make His Name famous.  I also believe that our Sophie has a special assignment, designed before Creation, that God has for her.  In Christian circles, the phrase goes, "...God has a special call on your life!"  (personally, I feel God has a special call on all of our lives...)  In this case, Sophie Rose has a Divine Purpose on this earth that is two fold, as far as I can Biblically see it.  First, that her life brings great Glory to her God; and second, it is in that pursuit of God's Glory that Sophie Rose will realize her complete joy and satisfaction on this earth!  As Job, the poet of old, once said, "...the Lord gives and the Lord takes - Blessed be the Name of the Lord!"  In this case, Blessings to You God and thank you for this gift of life called Sophie Rose!

Check her smile out...