Let us develop a kind of dangerous unselfishness. One day a man came to Jesus, and he wanted to raise some questions about some vital matters of life. At points he wanted to trick Jesus, and show him that he knew a little more than Jesus knew and throw him off base.
Now that question could have easily ended up in a philosophical and theological debate. But Jesus immediately pulled that question from mid-air, and placed it on a dangerous curve between Jerusalem and Jericho. And he talked about a certain man, who fell among thieves. You remember that a Levite and a priest passed by on the other side. They didn't stop to help him. And finally a man of another race came by. He got down from his beast, decided not to be compassionate by proxy. But he got down with him, administered first aid, and helped the man in need. Jesus ended up saying, this was the good man, this was the great man, because he had the capacity to project the "I" into the "thou," and to be concerned about his brother.
Now you know, we use our imagination a great deal to try to determine why the priest and the Levite didn't stop. . . . But I'm going to tell you what my imagination tells me. It's possible that those men were afraid. You see, the Jericho road is a dangerous road. . . . And you know, it's possible that the priest and the Levite looked over that man on the ground and wondered if the robbers were still around. Or it's possible that they felt that the man on the ground was merely faking. And he was acting like he had been robbed and hurt, in order to seize them over there, lure them there for quick and easy seizure. And so the first question that the priest asked -- the first question that the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"
--Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee on April 3, 1968
(in better-late-than-never news) A few days before the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination, my parents and I attended the 2008 Jefferson Awards dinner. The first sentence of the above excerpt (from the "Promised Land" speech) was quoted at the dinner. You may not be familiar with these awards (I wasn't before my parents were nominated). They originally started in 1972, when Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Senator Robert Taft, Jr., and Sam Beard founded the American Institute for Public Service; they wanted to create a "Nobel Prize" for community and public service.
To quote The Commercial Appeal, "Recipients are individuals who recognize and give new meaning to the old phrase that 'one person can make a difference.' These unsung heroes encounter problems in their communities, believe they can help and create innovative solutions - all without concern for personal recognition or reward."
There are national and local Jefferson Awards, and The Commercial Appeal started sponsoring the program here nine years ago. I'm not sure how many people were nominated this year, but I do know that 700+ people have been nominated over the last nine years. The judges narrow the nominees to around 30 finalists, who are invited to the dinner and awards ceremony. Ten local winners are then selected from the finalists. It will probably come as no surprise to you that my mom was nominated for a Jefferson Award in 2001 and was ultimately selected as one of the ten winners (I wasn't blogging back then . . . sorry, Mom). This year it was Dad's turn. He was nominated for the award by his good friend, David, who is the executive director of AGAPE. He was also selected as one of 31 finalists. We didn't find out until the awards ceremony that he was one of the winners! He received a medallion and, more importantly, $500 to be donated to the charity of his choice.
It was really amazing and humbling to listen to the stories of the winners' service to their community. There was a Jefferson Awards insert in the paper the following Sunday, with the stories of each of the ten winners. However, I don't think that's online. Click here to read a short article about the awards and winners.
Here's Dad's section from the Sunday paper. I think my parents would agree with me when I say that this article is a little . . . dramatic. For instance, I wouldn't say their decision to adopt two children was "easy" (more like "much prayed-over"). But it's a good article nonetheless. :-)
Randy was nominated not only for his servant leadership as a 12-year board member and 6-year board chairman of AGAPE Child & Family Services, but also for his personal commitment to the ministry of foster care.
AGAPE is a Christian-based non-profit organization that serves children, adults and families through foster care, adoption, parenting services and counseling.
Randy does not just sit as a board member. Since 1991, he and his wife, Tricia, have fostered more than 20 children. At two different times, an adoptive family could not be found for foster children in their care. On both occasions, the solution was easy. They adopted them.
In 2001, his wife was diagnosed with cancer. Randy persevered and continued to foster and to parent their two adopted children.
Randy helped AGAPE grow from serving 139 children and families in 1995 to 11,283 children and families in 2007.
He has not only served the foster children in his home, but also served the birth parents and relatives of these children by mentoring and assisting them whenever possible. He and his wife, despite their many personal struggles, have opened their home to young mothers in order to teach parenting skills, to encourage bonding, and to give them a sense of family.
Under his leadership, AGAPE launched "Families in Touch," a ministry that serves homeless, pregnant mothers and their children by providing apartments and supportive services. He helped initiate the "Family Permanency Model," which successfully moved 88% of foster children in AGAPE foster homes out of foster care and into safe and permanent homes within 15 months or less. He also helped start AGAPE's Counseling Center, which served nearly 1,000 children in 2007.
Now that question could have easily ended up in a philosophical and theological debate. But Jesus immediately pulled that question from mid-air, and placed it on a dangerous curve between Jerusalem and Jericho. And he talked about a certain man, who fell among thieves. You remember that a Levite and a priest passed by on the other side. They didn't stop to help him. And finally a man of another race came by. He got down from his beast, decided not to be compassionate by proxy. But he got down with him, administered first aid, and helped the man in need. Jesus ended up saying, this was the good man, this was the great man, because he had the capacity to project the "I" into the "thou," and to be concerned about his brother.
Now you know, we use our imagination a great deal to try to determine why the priest and the Levite didn't stop. . . . But I'm going to tell you what my imagination tells me. It's possible that those men were afraid. You see, the Jericho road is a dangerous road. . . . And you know, it's possible that the priest and the Levite looked over that man on the ground and wondered if the robbers were still around. Or it's possible that they felt that the man on the ground was merely faking. And he was acting like he had been robbed and hurt, in order to seize them over there, lure them there for quick and easy seizure. And so the first question that the priest asked -- the first question that the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"
--Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee on April 3, 1968
(in better-late-than-never news) A few days before the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination, my parents and I attended the 2008 Jefferson Awards dinner. The first sentence of the above excerpt (from the "Promised Land" speech) was quoted at the dinner. You may not be familiar with these awards (I wasn't before my parents were nominated). They originally started in 1972, when Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Senator Robert Taft, Jr., and Sam Beard founded the American Institute for Public Service; they wanted to create a "Nobel Prize" for community and public service.
To quote The Commercial Appeal, "Recipients are individuals who recognize and give new meaning to the old phrase that 'one person can make a difference.' These unsung heroes encounter problems in their communities, believe they can help and create innovative solutions - all without concern for personal recognition or reward."
There are national and local Jefferson Awards, and The Commercial Appeal started sponsoring the program here nine years ago. I'm not sure how many people were nominated this year, but I do know that 700+ people have been nominated over the last nine years. The judges narrow the nominees to around 30 finalists, who are invited to the dinner and awards ceremony. Ten local winners are then selected from the finalists. It will probably come as no surprise to you that my mom was nominated for a Jefferson Award in 2001 and was ultimately selected as one of the ten winners (I wasn't blogging back then . . . sorry, Mom). This year it was Dad's turn. He was nominated for the award by his good friend, David, who is the executive director of AGAPE. He was also selected as one of 31 finalists. We didn't find out until the awards ceremony that he was one of the winners! He received a medallion and, more importantly, $500 to be donated to the charity of his choice.
Congratulations, Dad!
It was really amazing and humbling to listen to the stories of the winners' service to their community. There was a Jefferson Awards insert in the paper the following Sunday, with the stories of each of the ten winners. However, I don't think that's online. Click here to read a short article about the awards and winners.
Here's Dad's section from the Sunday paper. I think my parents would agree with me when I say that this article is a little . . . dramatic. For instance, I wouldn't say their decision to adopt two children was "easy" (more like "much prayed-over"). But it's a good article nonetheless. :-)
Randy was nominated not only for his servant leadership as a 12-year board member and 6-year board chairman of AGAPE Child & Family Services, but also for his personal commitment to the ministry of foster care.
AGAPE is a Christian-based non-profit organization that serves children, adults and families through foster care, adoption, parenting services and counseling.
Randy does not just sit as a board member. Since 1991, he and his wife, Tricia, have fostered more than 20 children. At two different times, an adoptive family could not be found for foster children in their care. On both occasions, the solution was easy. They adopted them.
In 2001, his wife was diagnosed with cancer. Randy persevered and continued to foster and to parent their two adopted children.
Randy helped AGAPE grow from serving 139 children and families in 1995 to 11,283 children and families in 2007.
He has not only served the foster children in his home, but also served the birth parents and relatives of these children by mentoring and assisting them whenever possible. He and his wife, despite their many personal struggles, have opened their home to young mothers in order to teach parenting skills, to encourage bonding, and to give them a sense of family.
Under his leadership, AGAPE launched "Families in Touch," a ministry that serves homeless, pregnant mothers and their children by providing apartments and supportive services. He helped initiate the "Family Permanency Model," which successfully moved 88% of foster children in AGAPE foster homes out of foster care and into safe and permanent homes within 15 months or less. He also helped start AGAPE's Counseling Center, which served nearly 1,000 children in 2007.
2 comments:
Congratulations, Randy! Callie deserved to be right up there with you! (since Trishia already had her turn)
Between the song playing, that speech and your Dad getting that award I am seriously crying. Like, sitting at my computer, blowing my nose in a hanky, crying!
That is so wonderful!!!!!!
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