PEOPLE Helping PEOPLE
100 YEARS
of
&
the INSTITUTIONS that make LUBBOCK WHAT IT IS TODAY
Giving Back Troy Thibodeaux
COO, Covenant Health Systems
Carl Toti
Senior Pastor, Trinity Church
Kent Hance
Chancellor, Texas Tech University
Greg Miller, MD
Medical Director, PAPA Missions
Vo lume 2 Issue 1 S p r i n g 2 0 1 4
PLEASE JOIN
Sondra’s 2Song 2
2
Soar Succeed in welcoming
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LEIGH ANNE TUOHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
to Lubbock | April 26, 2014 United Spirit Arena VIP DINNER | 6:30p.m. MAIN PROGRAM | 8:00p.m. www.sondrassong.org or contact Sandi Turner
806-790-1962
Corporate sponsorships available
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Young people transitioning out of the Foster Care System are affected by the instability that accompanies long periods of out-of-home placement during childhood and adolescence. This places them at a higher risk for unemployment, poor education, health issues, early parenthood, increased rates of incarceration, and homelessness. Our future home will be a residence that will provide these youth with an opportunity to practice the skills needed for independent living. An individualized program will be offered for a balance of independence and supportive care. During their stay, youth will learn, grow and make decisions with the support and guidance of caring mentors. Sondra’s Song, S2S, Soar 2 Succeed serves male and female youth who have motivation and potential to benefit from independent living services to successfully transition into independent young adults. SONDRA’S SONG IS A 503C - NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED FOR THE POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE TRANSITIONING OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
C E L E B R A T I N G
50 years in the community
of Lubbock Looking Beyond to another 50 yearS
New Service Times Beginning
Palm Sunday, April 13
for
peopLE
like you
Contemporary Worship: SATURDAYS 5:00 PM SUNDAYS 10:00 AM 11:45 AM
J O I N at
Classic Worship:
U S
8:30 AM
OUR NEW
CHILDREN’S FACILITY, TRINITY CENTRAL, WEdding chapel & Coffee shop 7 0 0 2
C a n t o n
Av e n u e
www.trinitytoday.com
E DI T O R - IN - C H IE F Brad F ro e s e C RE A T IVE D I R E C T O R Ha d le y F l e t c h e r C O PY E D IT O R S Marilyn G a r re t t Jo- An n A l l a n F o r b e s C O LU M N W R I T E R Ca rl To t i C O N TR I B U T IN G W R I TER S Marilyn G a r re t t Gloria To t i Cha nd a A l l e n Chris L a w re n c e Joy c e H e r ro n C O N TR I B U T IN G P H O TO G R APHER Cris D u n c a n , C J D u n c an Ph otogr a ph y S P E C IA L T H A N KS K ent H a n c e , C h a n c e l l or - Te xa s Te c h Un ive r sity Ra nd y S a n d e r s , A s s o c. Vic e Ch a n c e llor - TTU Troy T h i b o d e a u x, C O O - Cove n a n t He a lth Gre g M i l l e r, M D - M e d i c a l Dire c tor, PAPA Mission s Ca rla O l s o n , E xe c u t i v e Dire c tor - Pa re n tin g Cotta ge Gre g W i n t e r s , G e n e r a l Ma n a ge r - R a wls G olf Cou r se
S ALE S I N Q U I R I E S 806. 3 7 0 . 0 4 8 6 s ales @ re l i v e l i f e m a g a z i ne .c om E DI T O R I A L SU B M ISSI ONS ed it or i a l @ re l i ve l i f e m a gazin e .c om W E BS I T E w w w. re l i v e l i f e ma g a z i n e.c om S O C I A L M E D IA IN F O RMATI ON fac e b o o k . c o m / re l i ve l i f emagazin e t wit t e r. c o m / re l i v e l i f e
flic k r.c o m / p h o t o s / re l i v e life magazin e pint e re st . c o m / re l i ve l i f e
TABLE
Spring Issue 2014
PEOPLE Helping PEOPLE
&
100 Years of Giving Back 16 Feature:
the INSTITUTIONS that make LUBBOCK WHAT IT IS TODAY
CONTENTS
AFRICA: Physicians Aiding Physicians Abroad
100 YEARS
of
Giving Back Troy Thibodeaux
COO, Covenant Health Systems
Carl Toti
Senior Pastor, Trinity Church
Kent Hance
Chancellor, Texas Tech University
of
Meet the doctors who made the journey to the African desert to deliver a ministry that has become a lifeline to families in desperate need of medical care, food, and love.
Greg Miller, MD
13 BOUGHT & SOLD: You might be surprised to learn that over 100,000 children fall prey to human trafficking every year - right here in the USA. Find out how you can protect your family from this growing international epidemic.
Medical Director, PAPA Missions
Vo l u m e 2 I s s u e 1 S p r i n g 2 0 1 4
COVER PHOTO: TROY THIBODEAUX, COO - COVENANT HEALTH CARL TOTI, SENIOR PASTOR - TRINITY CHURCH KENT HANCE, CHANCELLOR - TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY GREG MILLER, MD, MEDICAL DIRECTOR - PAPA MISSIONS PHOTOGRAPH BY CRIS DUNCAN, CJ DUNCAN PHOTOGRAPHY
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TORNADO SAFETY: Surviving Extreme Weather
ISRAEL: The Wonder of a Personal Journey Experience the wonder of Israel through the eyes of a woman on her first journey through the Promised Land.
Teeing Off in the Hub City
Next time you hear the phrase, “Tornado Warning,” will you know what to do? Check these helpful tips that may just save your life!
Test your skills at one of the most challenging and masterfully designed courses in Texas.
Contributing Writers Chanda allen
Marilyn garrett
Chanda Allen is the Director of the Neugebauer Congressional Committee. She is a graduate of Texas Tech University and Leadership Lubbock. Chanda and her husband, Joshua Allen have two young children.
Marilyn Garrett, BSEd/MA, is the English Department Chair of Trinity Christian High School, having taught there since 1986. She has two children and two grandchildren, who lovingly call her “Grammar”. She plans to be a professional writer / editor in the future.
GLORIA TOTI Gloria Toti is the Women’s Ministry Director at Trinity Church in Lubbock. Much of the time, you will find Gloria looking for opportunities to make a few more gals feel valued. Gloria & her husband Carl, along with their two sons, Nathan and Jonathan, moved to Lubbock in 2001 and fell in love with the community.
Chris LAWRENCE Chris has spent the majority of his life in the restaurant business. Prior to that, he served his country in the Presidential Honor Guard under President Ronald Reagan and later in Desert Storm. He currently serves in church ministry. Chris is married to Robin, his wife of 25 years, and has two daughters, Jordan and Cassie.
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The
IS
Wonder of A Personal Journey
I
srael is a land steeped in vast history, a land of vibrant contrasts, vivid diversity. It is a tiny country the size of New Jersey; a tiny land with a storied past, an integral international presence, and a prophetic future. It beckons the pilgrim from near and far to come and experience the flavors of this ancient culture.
For those who love history, there is no place like Israel. Positioned on the eastern bank of the Mediterranean Sea and surrounded by neighbors of opposing faith, Israel remains a holdout ally of America and democracy, a remnant culture of Orthodox Judaism, the home of the Temple Mount, and arguably the most coveted single square mile of real estate on planet Earth. Its history is rich and pervasive – from the last remnant of the wall of Jerusalem, now known as the Wailing Wall, to the ancient ruins of Solomon’s stables; from Golgotha, infamous hill of Christ’s crucifixion, to the adjacent garden and location of the now-empty Tomb; from uneven rocky roads lined with vibrant bougainvillea to the dusty Garden of Gethsemane, which houses ancient, gnarled trees – silent witnesses to the tortured tears of Christ. Around every corner, there is remembrance, antiquity and the Bible in Technicolor. Traveling through this tiny land is a study in extremes. Our tour began in Tel Aviv, a metropolitan city nestled against the Mediterranean Sea. We meandered along the shoreline, leaving fresh footprints in the weary sand. A few sea shells in our pockets, we turned back to the high rise hotel, a building juxtaposed across the parking lot from a mosque, an Arabic finger pointing defiantly at the sky. During the next ten days, we would climb rocky hills in the Golan Heights, peer over into a civil war torn Syria, drive by date palm orchards, olive groves, and rich vineyards. We learned about “the green line”, the clear delineation between Israeli held lands and those of their neighbors. The Israelis are committed to restoring the land and bringing the country back into bloom. They treasure and cultivate each and every one of the 57 million trees they have planted since the 20th century inception of their state (1948). South of Jerusalem, however, one stumbles into the dry, dusty desert region that surrounds the Dead Sea. This is wilderness in the extreme – craggy, harsh, oppressive. The region boasts such attractions as En Gedi (where David spared Saul), Qumran (the location of the Dead Sea Scrolls), and Masada. It is a steep cable car ride to the top of the high mesa known as Masada, the last stand of about 300 Jews who held the Roman Empire at bay for over three years. From the vast waters of the Mediterranean or the choppy Sea of Galilee to a salty, silted, vapid Dead Sea in the midst of a desert; from the crush of a bustling metropolis to a lone shepherd and his goats on a rocky hillside; from temple to mosque; from orthodox to modern – Israel is a land of extremes, and these extremes occur in a span of only 8,000 square miles (in contrast, America has 3.72 million square miles).
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SRAEL by: Marilyn Garrett
In America, we seek to understand and embrace diversity. We cherish the words, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” We commit ourselves to freedom in a nation painted in a kaleidoscope of colors. So, too, is Israel. Jerusalem is a microcosm of this principle, with Jewish, Christian, Armenian and Arabic quarters. The bustling streets move from a pastiche of colorful Arabic bazaars to Hasidic men in black and white, with earlocks bobbing. Our ultra-modern hotel there (most of which is underground) belies the antiquity of the Via Dolorosa and the ancient city gates. The bustling, cacophonous, crowded streets evolve into an eerie silence on Shabbat, with only the Arab-manned businesses remaining open. A spirit of calm rests on the city, a sense of worship pervades the very stones. On that day, I found myself speaking more quietly, walking more slowly. It was the Sabbath. God Himself called Israel “the Promised Land”, and He promised it to a particular people. It has experienced peace and prosperity as well as invasion and war. The blood has run deeply as people have fought over this coveted corridor, from the Far East to the sea, and from the Middle East to Africa. It has known not only the glory of great temples and the blessing of Jehovah, but also the horror of the removal of His protection and the resulting rubble of devastation. It is a land born of conditional covenant and commitment. That is its history. Its history is also a storybook of heroes and villains, of men and women who lived and died believing in an Unseen. It is the miraculous story of Creation, of walking on water and raising from the dead. It is a history that tells of fish large enough to swallow a man, and weapons such as the jawbone of an ass or an ox goad, each used to kill thousands of the enemy.
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It is the wafting of incense, the wailing of the mourner, the weeping of the prophet, the winning of the battle. Its history is not only the land but also the people, the stories. Israel’s present centers on protection and prosperity. Living in a constantly heightened state of alert, the people of Israel go about their everyday lives, which center on Shabbat and festivals, Bar Mitzvahs and ceremony. They are rebuilding a homeland, complete with a rich infrastructure. They are a proud people, holding onto every foot of land and holding out on encroaching politicians and hollow promises. Their young people will spend a minimum of two years serving their country. Initially, they are taken to Masada, the very heartbeat of courage. They hear again the riveting story of selfless valor. Into their right hands, a rifle is placed; into the left, the hand closest to the heart, a Bible. They are Israel’s present, and they are deeply proud and innately committed to the cause of this land. Israel’s children are carefully trained up to embrace their homeland and traditions. Standing by the Wailing Wall, I exchanged a few words with a Jewish mother from Haifa who was observing her third son’s Bar Mitzvah ceremony on the men’s side of the plaza. I asked which boy was her son. She proudly pointed out a child in a black suit, white shirt, black hat, earlocks, phylactery. She asked where I was from. “Texas – in America.” She countered with, “Is this your first visit to Jerusalem?” “It is,” I responded quietly.
There was a short silence, and then she all but whispered, “I envy you your first visit; nothing compares; you will never forget it.” She turned back to the vision of her third son, while my eyes momentarily blurred in the realization that this moment would be once in a lifetime. I brushed the tears away and slowly began moving my gaze, my mind taking mental snapshots in a rapid, staccato rhythm, basking in the wonder, drinking deeply of this treasure. This is Israel in the present. Israel’s future futureis already is already written. written. Christ has Christ promised has promised to return totoJerusalem, return to to tread Jerusalem, again on and the Mount tread again of Olives. on the He promises Mount oftoOlives. rule andHe reign promises from this to rule capital. very and reign Megiddo, from this the panoramic very capital. valleyMegiddo, north of the panoramic Jerusalem, the valley valley that Napoleon north called of Jerusalem, the “most the valley natural battlefield that Napoleon in the world,” calledwill the“most one day open natural its battlefield jaws ponderous in the to the world,” armieswill of the one nations, day open and then its ponderous will choke on jaws a river to the of armies blood. of Incalculable the nations, wealth and then and will chokepeace deceptive on a river treaties of blood. will be Incalculable followed by devastating wealth and deceptive peace earthquakes andtreaties cataclysmic will be followed wars. The by devastating future will earthquakes again reside and in this cataclysmic land and wars. with this Thepeople, future God will again reside having promised in this thatland a remnant and with willthis remain, people, survive, God having promised endure, and worship that their a remnant Covenant will God, remain, for survive, the day endure, will surely and come worship whentheir “every Covenant knee will God, bow.” for the day will surely come when “every knee will bow.” The Bible promises, “Blessed is the man whose heart The is setBible on pilgrimage” promises, “Blessed (Ps. 84:5). is the Israel man is whose a storybook, heart is painting, a set on pilgrimage” a work of(Ps. art 84:5). – and Israel it beckons is a storybook, me again a painting, and again, for a work I am of a pilgrim. art – and I will it beckons go back.me Again, againI and leave will again,my forfootprints I am a pilgrim. on theIsands; will goIback. will touch Again, theI will leave sacred stones; my footprints I will walkon where the sands; the patriarchs I will touch and the my sacred walked; Savior stones; IIwill willwalk experience where the wonder patriarchs again. and my Savior walked; I will experience the wonder again. If you are interested in joining the 2014 trip If you to Israel are interested June 4-14 in joining contact the Marilyn 2014 trip to Garrett: Israel June 4-14 visit www.inspirationcruises.com/tcs or mgarrett@tcslubbock.org contact Marilyn Garrett: mgarrett@tcslubbock.org
TORNADO SAFETY S U R V I V I N G S E V E R E W E AT H E R
by Chanda Allen
T
here is much to be learned from the movies, especially the great classics. Gone with the Wind taught us that in the event of a crisis, one could fashion an elaborate gown from an old pair of velvet curtains. In To Kill a Mockingbird, we learned that when given the opportunity, freaky neighbors can make friendly playmates. Star Wars taught us that the force could be with us. In The Wizard of Oz, we saw that tornados are terrifying things - tornados and flying monkeys. A little known fact about The Wizard of Oz is that, on a film lot in Hollywood in 1939, it cost more to create the special effects for that one tornado than any other special effect for the
entire movie. What the professionals working on that set failed to realize is that if they would have only waited for spring in West Texas, they could have filmed the entire tornado scene - for free! Although a tornado can hit anywhere, at any time or season, the most powerful tornados occur in the United States between 3 and 9 pm and last only a few minutes. Most of the world’s destructive tornadoes occur during the summer months in the mid-western United States. Like a snowflake, no two tornados are exactly alike. They vary by color, shape, speed, and sound. The word ‘tornado’ comes from the Spanish word, tronada, meaning thunderstorm. First introduced in 1971, the FujitaPearson scale, more commonly
known as the F-Scale, was developed to measure the amount of damage done by a passing tornado. These ratings range from F0 to F5. Although the larger and more destructive tornados garner press, there is actually less than .1% chance of an F5 (winds from 261-318 mph) ever developing and making landfall. Those are the movie-strength funnels where cars become missiles and the entire landscape of a town is annihilated. In real life, tornados like that are few and far between. Regardless of how a tornado registers on the F-Scale, when our local meteorologist issues a “tornado warning,” we should automatically seek shelter and shift into a mode of preparedness.
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I remember watching the movie Twister, at the Winchester Twin Theater in Lubbock. Images from that picture haunt me to this day, and I admit that I am still unable to follow directly behind a truck hauling a load of metal pipes. What you and your family do in the event of such weather probably has a lot to do with how you were raised. If you were brought up by overly-cautious parents, you might have childhood memories of spending hours in a
In Oklahoma, a small herd of cattle were sucked up by a tornado and carried across the countryside, before being set down unharmed.
dimly-lit cellar that smelled like your grandparent’s linen closet. If you were born into a more adventurous family, you probably have grainy home video footage of an up-close twister, mere blocks from your house, showcasing you and your siblings running around the front yard, squealing with elation and pointing up to the sky with awe and wonder. Whether your past experience resembles either of these examples, or
In 1981, a tornado that swept through the Italian city of Ancona lifted a sleeping baby from its baby carriage and set it down unharmed on the ground.
a mixture of the two, the fact remains that if you have spent any time living in this part of the world, you likely have an up-close and personal experience with severe weather and twisters. It’s really amazing what information you can learn from a simple factfinding mission on the internet. There are countless websites dedicated to the topic of twisters, funnels, and tornadoes. One of the most interesting sites I’ve found is tornado-facts.com. Their site not only was helpful, but also
The deadliest Tornado happened in 1925. It swept through three states killing 689 people and injuring 2,000.
The myth that opening the windows in a house to help prevent a tornado from destroying it is false. In fact, opening the wrong windows could allow air to rush in and blow the house apart from the inside.
KEEPING YOUR FAMILY
SAFE WHEN SEVERE WEATHER
STRIKES
Chief Meteorologist Ron Roberts and the
SIGNS TO
- The sky turning a greenish-black hue - Large hail
WATCH FOR:
- Sounds resembling a waterfall, rushing air, or a freight train - A funnel-shaped cloud in the sky with other clouds moving quickly toward it - Before a tornado hits, oftentimes the wind will die down, and the air will become very still – not always, but often - Tornadoes generally occur near the trailing edge of a thunderstorm, and it is not uncommon to see bright and sunny skies behind a twister
provided some very interesting facts and accounts of tornadoes. With the evolution of technology, we now have access to experts and information who assist us in being prepared in the event of a tornado threat. Mobile devices, the internet, and television provide us with up-to-date warnings, advice, and instruction. An NOAA Weather Radio allows for uninterrupted updates and alerts. These can be purchased at a number of local drug stores and supermarkets. The government’s website for emergency preparedness, ready.gov, lists some excellent tips for tornado safety.
If you are in a structure:
(e.g. residence, small building, school, high-rise building)
•
Go to a pre-designated shelter area such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar, or the lowest building level. If there is no basement, go to the center of an interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. Put as
many walls as possible between you and the outside. Get under a sturdy table and use your arms to protect your head and neck. •
In a high-rise building, go to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible.
•
Put on sturdy shoes.
•
Do not open windows.
If you are in a trailer or mobile home: •
Get out immediately and go to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter. Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes.
•
Stay in the car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows, cover your head with your hands and a blanket, coat or cushion if possible.
•
If you can get safely lower than the level of the roadway, leave your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands.
•
Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location.
•
Never try to outrun a tornado in urban or congested areas in a car or truck. Instead, leave the vehicle immediately for safe shelter.
•
Watch out for flying debris. Flying debris from tornadoes causes most fatalities and injuries.
•
Immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt, and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter.
While we all pray that you are never in a situation where you need to recall any of this information, hopefully you have acquired a few useful tidbits of information. With the weather in West Texas changing as often as, well, the weather in West Texas, we can never be too prepared or informed.
•
If your vehicle is hit by flying debris while you are driving, pull over and park.
As the great Jaws movies taught us, it’s always best to be prepared and then have a backup plan, or two.
If you are outside with no shelter:
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HUMAN TRAFFICKING
BOUGHT
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act defines “severe forms of trafficking in persons� as: a. sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age; or b. the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery. A victim need not be physically transported from one location to another in order for the crime to fall within these definitions.
& SOLD by: Gloria Toti
If you think human sex trafficking is a problem associated with countries outside the US, you are right, it is. But you may be surprised to learn that Human Trafficking is a growing epidemic right here in America as well, and that it threatens our own neighborhoods and children. Human trafficking has been reported in every U.S. state, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that at least 100,000 children are victims of sex trafficking and prostitution each year in the United States. We know that these children and young adults are not volunteering to be bought and sold. They are preyed upon, captured and exploited.
The extreme disregard for the value of human life and dignity is staggering.
We hear reports on the news that cause us to hold the hands of our own children a little tighter. Once we learn what is happening, how can we move on with business as usual? These are children who are being treated like commodities with their innocence at stake.
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This modern-day slavery is a 365-day-a-year crime that requires a 365-day-a-year response, and we must take the time to acknowledge their cries.
This isn’t just a Super Bowl problem. It’s a NATIONAL problem. In the dark world of human trafficking, young girls and boys end up nameless, identified only as statistics. Who helps the children who have no advocate? Antoinette is a developing young girl who finds herself in trouble in her own home. She runs away after her mom’s boyfriend begins to sexually abuse her. While wandering through the mall, a young man approaches her and offers his friendship, a safe place to sleep, and some spending money — all the things Antoinette desperately needs. Antoinette is amazed by how her new friend cares for her… until they arrive at his apartment, and the nightmare begins. Once inside, the “friend” sets an alarm system and locks Antoinette in the bedroom. Over the course of a week, she is held in isolated captivity and sexually assaulted by numerous men. Then one night, she is ushered outside, locked in the trunk of a car and driven to a truck stop.
and surrounded by fear and violence. “Looking at a child between 8 and 9, you can tell if they have been abused.” Traffickers manipulate and abuse their victims – physically, mentally, and emotionally in order to maintain control. Too often, trafficking victims are wrongly discounted as consenting adults. Do we really think they are volunteering for these jobs? If they could leave, we know they would. Who would want to be subjected to this kind of evil? “Around the customers, I had to act sexy in every way. I had to be the person they wanted me to be. If I didn’t obey, they wouldn’t pay, and I would be beaten.”
HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND TECHNOLOGY In the fight against modern slavery, technology can be a double-edged sword. Traffickers use technology to advertise their services widely and develop new methods to recruit, manipulate, and lure potential victims. These technologies can rapidly connect buyers of commercial sex with trafficking victims, while simultaneously distancing the perpetrator from the criminal transaction. At the same time, prosecuting human traffickers requires evidence; technology makes the crime more traceable. The cell phones and computers of traffickers and victims alike contain archives of text messages, voicemails, geotagged data, and web browsing history, all of which can be “evidentiary gold mines” for law enforcement. Pattern recognition and data analysis used to detect money laundering can also help expose human trafficking schemes.
Multiple cases of potential human trafficking were reported to the NHTRC hotline from all 50 states and PREVENTION: Washington, D.C. in CURBING DEMAND 2013 alone. Women and children are often kidnapped into the industry or sold into it by family members under desperate circumstances. “I wish I had a family member who had helped get me out of the situation.” Traffickers prey on vulnerable youth, primarily girls, but boys are not exempt. We are learning that the average age of victims continues to grow younger and younger as clients seek out ‘fresh’ products.
DISGUSTING… Children do not understand the evil of this world or their immediate risk. They are too young to comprehend that sex trafficking is an 87 million dollar a day industry worldwide. Many don’t even know what sex is! They deserve to be safe, yet their innocence is the very thing predators use to ensnare them and then sell them to the highest bidder. They should be living innocent lives filled with friends and play, but instead they are enslaved
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If there were no demand for commercial sex, sex trafficking would not exist in the form it does today. We must reject long-held notions such as, “boys will be boys,” and send a clear message that buying sex is wrong. It is especially important to reach young men with a strong message of “demand reduction,” to help them understand the exploitation that permeates the commercial sex trade. These are real people, not robots! Laws and policies, partnerships and activism will continue to be critical to this struggle, but it will also be the dayto-day decisions of individual men and women to reject exploitation that will bring an end to modern slavery.
BE PROACTIVE Dispelling misconceptions about human trafficking is imperative to proactively identifying victims and countering the isolation on which traffickers rely to keep people enslaved.
“Trafficking doesn’t happen here.” Approaching human trafficking as a crime that occurs only in far off places ignores situations of forced labor or sex trafficking that may be happening closer to home. Human trafficking is not a problem that involves only foreigners or migrants, but one faced in nearly every corner of the world, involving citizens who may be exploited without ever leaving their hometowns.
“It’s cultural.” Holding a person in servitude is not a cultural practice; it is a crime. Some victims are subjected to trafficking by members of their own families or ethnic groups.
“She agreed to do this.” Whether or not a person agreed to a certain type of employment, to migrate for a better job, or to work off a debt is irrelevant once that person’s free will has been compromised. Often, traffickers use the initial consent of victims to stigmatize them for their choice, telling victims they will be deported, arrested, or ostracized if they seek help.
“She’s free to come and go.” Popular images of human trafficking include dramatic kidnappings and people held under lock and key, which is not an exaggeration. Yet, we must not miss the numerous victims who don’t seem to be enslaved. We cannot forget the less visible methods of control, which include psychological coercion, debt bondage, withholding of documents and wages, and threats of harm.
“She didn’t complain.” The duty to identify human trafficking must not be left solely to those enslaved. They may fear physical harm, shame, or repercussions against their family members. They may come to the conclusion that speaking out may not offer them the needed protection to merit taking the risk. They may also be unaware of their rights, or lack trust in authorities to enforce those rights. They may have a language barrier, as we have learned that victims are moved across borders in order to keep them enslaved.
“There’s nothing I can do about it.” Everyone can learn the signs of human trafficking and take action to alert authorities about possible crimes. Citizens can learn about organizations that assist victims of trafficking in their hometowns and how to safely refer potential victims for help. They can spread awareness of and dispel common misconceptions about human trafficking. You really can make the difference.
NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE CENTER Call: 1-888-373-7888 OR Text: BeFree (233733) 24 hours a day - 7 days a week
100
YEARS 90 TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
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COVENANT HEALTH SYSTEMS
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TEXAS TECH
UNIVERSITY
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N
o single event has been more important in creating a vibrant city of Lubbock than when a location committee appointed by Texas Gov. Pat M. Neff selected the Hub City from more than two dozen West Texas communities in August 1923 to be the future home of Texas Technological College. On Feb. 10, 1923, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 103, a bill authored by State Sen. William H. Bledsoe of Lubbock, that created the new institution of higher education in the Lone Star State. Thanks to Sen. Bledsoe and an outpouring of Lubbock citizens who greeted the committee with such a celebration as had never been seen here, the locating group reported back to Gov. Neff that Lubbock was the place for the college. The success of Texas Tech since that time has proven that the committee was absolutely correct in its decision.
After the cornerstone for the Administration Building was put into place on Nov. 11, 1924, Texas Technological College opened for students in the Fall of 1925 under the leadership of President Paul
TRINITY CHURCH
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THE PARENTING COTTAGE
Horn with five schools offering classes in Agriculture, Arts & Sciences, Engineering, Home Economics and Music. Horn, who said “everything that is done on these West Texas plains ought to be on a big scale,” would not be disappointed by what today has become Texas Tech University. In the 1930s and 1940s, the graduate and business administration schools were created; in the 1960s and 1970s, Texas Tech changed its name to Texas Tech University and a medical school, law school, museum and Ranching Heritage Center were added. In 1996, the University’s Board of Regents created the Texas Tech University System (TTUS) with John T. Montford being selected later as the PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTHWEST COLLECTION SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARY, TEXAS TECH first chancellor. UNIVERSITY, LUBBOCK, TEXAS, 1920’S - C4024-3
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Giving Back Under Montford, a return to Texas Tech’s legacy with the Master Plan, ensured that future building would adhere to the university’s Spanish-Renaissance tradition. Montford’s wife, Debbie, helped re-establish Arbor Day to encourage campus maintenance and instill a sense of campus community.
Under Chancellor Kent Hance, who will become Chancellor Emeritus later this summer, TTUS has entered a new stage of growth and development. Thanks to Hance’s vision and the work and support of thousands of alumni and friends, Angelo State University became part of the Texas Tech University System in 2007; and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso was created in 2013. Last year, Texas Tech ended its biggest financial campaign by raising more than $1 billion to provide scholarships for students, attract the finest faculty members possible, improve research, and construct more classrooms and living spaces. With the Texas Tech campus in Lubbock having increased enrollment to more than 30,000 with a goal of 40,000 by
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2020, the university continues to be the driver of the city’s economy.
“All of this growth brings in more people, more students,” said Lynn Whitfield of the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library at Texas Tech. “Over the decades, the university keeps expanding and the town of Lubbock keeps expanding because the faculty members are buying houses, students are staying here and having families. The history of the two are just so interconnected in ways that you can’t really fathom one without the other.” Texas Tech is also on its way to becoming an Association of American Universities Tier One University, by achieving the National Research University designation. Texas Tech continues to grow its infrastructure with new facilities such as the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business, Talkington Residential Hall, United Commons and improvements to Jones AT&T Stadium. “The future is exciting for Texas Tech,” Hance said recently, “and we look forward to sharing our legacy of greatness with our loyal friends and supporters!” To learn more about Texas Tech University, visit ttu.edu
COVENANT
HEALTH SYSTEMS
ubbock, Texas 1939, the Sisters of St. Joseph purchased St. Mary Hospital. That purchase, made 75 years ago, was the foundation for what is today Covenant Health Systems, one of the most successful nonprofit health systems in the United States. According to Troy Thibodeaux, CEO of Covenant Hospital,
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It is our value system and our unwavering faith in Christ that makes us successful. Our mission is the core principle of our success. MISSION STATEMENT
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The mission of Covenant Health Systems is to extend Christian ministry by caring for the whole person – body, mind and spirit – and by working with others to improve health and quality of life in our communities.
PHOTOGRAPHY USED WITH PERMISSION
“I knew the moment I spoke with Richard Parks, CEO Covenant and St. Joseph Health Systems, that I was in the right place, and we would accomplish great things here.” - Troy Thibodeaux
St. Joseph’s, founded by Jesuit priest, Jean-Pierre Medaille, dates back to the 1600’s. Father Medaille had a unique idea about religious communities of women, different from others in his time. The place of sisters in the 17th century was usually in a cloistered convent, not out among the people. Father Medaille had a vision to go out into the city, divide up the neighborhoods, discover the greatest needs, and recruit lay people to fill those needs with good works. During the 17th century, the “Black Death” and war plagued France, so there were many women left without any way to provide for themselves. This led most of them to prostitution. Father Medaille understood that, if you gave someone a daily purpose and a way to earn a living, then you could change their life. He believed that impacting one person would, in turn, affect many.
Today, St. Mary of the Plains Hospital is known as Covenant Medical Center – Lakeside. Covenant Medical Center began as Lubbock Sanitarium in 1918. The facility became known as Lubbock General Hospital in 1941, then Lubbock Memorial Hospital in 1945. In 1954, it became Methodist Hospital. Through all the changes and mergers, the healing ministry of Christ has remained at the forefront of Covenant’s vision. Today the vision of Covenant is a major blessing to everyone in the Lubbock area. They believe that every interaction — whether it involves staff, patients or their families — is a sacred encounter.
It was this movement in Europe that inspired the Sisters of St. Joseph to put their faith into action by moving to America. In 1912, they settled in Orange, California. With only 60 cents among them and a place to stay, they went to work. None of them were trained in medicine, but the flu epidemic of 1918 found them offering basic nursing care and comfort to the sick and dying, as well as to the grieving families. By 1922, the Sisters were working to develop spiritual, physical and social needs in Southern California; they recognized that the community could better develop its ministries by moving the Motherhouse to Orange. The congregation continued in the same spirit of charity, simplicity, and humility as the Sisters of St. Joseph throughout the world. They responded to the needs of their neighbors with faith, foresight, and flexibility. Their ministry continued to grow and led to the purchase of St. Mary’s Hospital in Lubbock 75 years ago.
We come together to provide compassionate care and contribute to the overall good health of the people we serve. We believe that each of the communities we serve should be among the healthiest, and we are committed to improving access to care. Thibodeaux believes that once that “sacred encounter” occurs with a staff member, they buy into the system, and their faith and performance improves. Covenant Children’s Hospital is one of only 8 licensed children hospitals in Texas, and with the future expansion of all Covenants’ campuses in the works, the best is yet to come. What started out in Lubbock as a hospital with 3 doctors and 1 nurse has grown into a community of over five thousand, who have found their purpose and believe in what they do. Leaders such as Thibodeaux and the Godly men and women who lead Covenant are mindful of the most important value they all share: “We look at the virtues of Christ, taking care of one another serving,” says Troy. For information about Covenant Health Systems visit covenanthealth.org
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50 YEARS
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pon entering the facilities that now define a new experience at Trinity Church, one is reminded that Trinity is a congregation with a legacy of giving back to the community. The recently completed building project comprises over 84,000 square feet, nearly half designated for the sole purpose of teaching God’s Word to children.
Several new ministries were founded in 1977 with Trinity Christian School being one of those. People from almost every denomination came. We offered 62 parenting classes every year. Court judges sent families to participate in these classes. It was soon necessary to bring in temporary buildings. The church rented space to house the counseling offices. We had training seminars for administrators wanting to have parentinvolved schools. I came to school on registration day at 6:30 a.m. to find people in sleeping bags on the sidewalk, waiting for the few spaces we had available. Our pastor and elders made the decision to build Education 1. This would house our youngest Trinity Members, serve as adult classrooms on Sundays and serve the school weekly. The church and school were impacting the community seven days a week, that Hebrews 6:1 may be fulfilled. “Let us go on and become mature in our understanding, as strong Christians ought to be.”
The new chapel, now home to Trinity’s Sunday morning Classic Service, hints of lifelong memories yet to be made there. The Cafe’, now open daily to the public, speaks of community and a passion for fellowship. As I, Joyce Herron, stood there gazing at this marvelous structure, I realized not one building remains that existed here when my family arrived in 1974, and I was reminded: if we are not making history we are becoming history.
As we continued to grow, the decision was made to purchase the block of land on University Ave. This facility would serve the church and school for classrooms and large gatherings. We reached out into the community in many ways. Today, parents from all over the community bring their children for a God-centered education and join hands with teachers to “train children in the way they should go.”
In earlier years, almost everything took place in the Chapel. It was the place for praise and worship, baptisms, weddings, funerals, conferences, graduations and prayer meetings. It was a place where The Word was preached. We soon learned we must come to church by 4:00 p.m. if we wanted a seat for Sunday evening service. Trinity Church was touching the community. Many sacrifices were made. I will never forget when people gave their wedding rings to build the Sanctuary. “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” ~ 1 Chron. 16:9b
Our missions ministry is far-reaching. Pastors and lay leaders go all over the world training thousands of new believers. Administrators and teachers at TCS have taught our unique discipline system and parenting emphasis throughout the world as well as right here in our own community. Each year, TCS closes for one week when our students go into the community, the nation and the world to minister the love of Jesus. Our young people of Trinity have received a heart for missions. Our outreach into the community covers many areas. Each year as I participate in the Christmas Blessings ministry, my heart is blessed. This year, many needy people were given food, shoes, study materials, counsel and prayer.
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In a short time of four hours, I experienced four people give their hearts to the Lord. We saw people from the community enjoy a game at the gym. Several thousand people have enjoyed Scrooge or Christmas Shoes. The women’s conference and men’s breakfast are community favorites; as are the Life Groups that are held throughout the week. Each year more than 750 people come for the Grandparents Coffee and thousands from the community enjoy the God and Nation program where we honor the service men and women of our community. Marriages are saved and strengthened through the ministry of counseling and Freedom Ministries. Hundreds of babies have been saved through the ministry of Heartline Women’s Clinic and the Outreach Ministry serves the community by providing practical needs and support. Since its early beginnings, Trinity Church has had as its major goal to save the lost and disciple those desiring to learn The Word. Presently, Trinity employs more than 200 people. Each one has a unique gift. People from all over the community come to attend classes on Financial Freedom, Divorce Recovery, Grief groups, Marriage and Bible studies. Over the years, we have prayed for infants yet in the womb and watched as parents dedicated their babies to the Lord. Trinity has seen people of all ages baptized. We have had the privilege of helping parents train up second and third generations in the faith. Trinity is the result of strong pastors with vision, lay leaders, educators , volunteers and the prayers and sacrifices of many committed people. We are a community of believers with a passion to reach our community for another 50 years and beyond. “You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” John 15:16 For additional information about Trinity Church including service times and the various ways you can be involved, visit trinitytoday.com
he seeds of the Parenting Cottage were planted more than ten years before its founding in 1973, when the Lubbock Independent School District hired educator Gloria Galey to develop a home-based infant program for children with special needs. Unanimously approved, LISD’s Developmental Education Before Two (DEBT) Model became nationally recognized as an exceptional infant program. In its first ten years, the program assisted over 2,000 families. Fueled by the results being achieved through LISD’s program, Gloria Galey became the driving force and inspiration for the idea of a place where the parents of children with developmental disabilities could come together to share their unique challenges and receive services not available through LISD’s DEBT program. She was adamant that the services should be provided free of charge so that all children and families in need might be able to access them. In 1983, with a grant from the Mabee Foundation, the Parenting Cottage opened its doors at 3818 50th Street, where it remains today, with a vision of cherishing the children. The name COTTAGE, adopted by its founders, stood for Center for Occupational Therapy, Training, Assistance and Group Education. With the help of community advocates such as Ed Irons, Jane Tustin, Louise Cummins, County Judge Rod Shaw, Lou Conner, and others, Gloria Galey’s dream was realized. Over the next two decades, the Cottage went on to assist thousands of special needs and developmentally delayed children in the community. As the needs of the community changed, the Parenting Cottage aligned its experience and resources to meet those challenges. The Parenting Cottage became a Lubbock Area United Way community partner agency in 2002, and a broader base of services became available. This opened the agency’s resources to all of Lubbock’s children and families. Since becoming a United Way community partner agency, the Parenting Cottage has been actively involved in United Way’s Success by Six early childhood development component, with efforts to address early learning, school readiness, early literacy and the prevention of child abuse and neglect in children prenatal to kindergarten entry. Today, with help and support from the Lubbock Area United Way, foundations including the CH
Thank You to ALL these fine INSTITUTIONS that have made LUB 20
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PARENTING COTTAGE Foundation, Diekemper Family Foundation, M.S. Doss Foundation, Helen Jones Foundation, Lubbock Area Foundation, Rushing Family Foundation and the J.T. & Margaret Talkington Charitable Trust, along with business donors, civic organizations, and individual donors, the vision of the Parenting Cottage continues. It remains true to its vision of building a strong community by first building strong families. Daily, inspired by a mission statement of providing hope, education, resources and encouragement, the Parenting Cottage continues to assist parents in leading and caring for their families, while becoming their child’s first and most important teacher. The Parenting Cottage’s research and evidencebased services are offered to all families, regardless of their economic status, at no charge to insure accessibility. Families can choose to access a range of services which fit their needs; from group parenting to individualized parent education and training with a certified parent educator. This educator comes to the family’s home and works one on one with them. Educators utilize evidence-based curriculums to help assess where parents are in their journey, what their knowledge level is regarding early childhood development, age appropriate behavior and how children learn. They discuss with the family what they feel their needs or challenges are and then help them set goals for what they want to achieve. A strengths-based approach, building on areas parents are already doing well in, insures that the family, rather than the agency, becomes the agent of desired change. Degreed educators also administer developmental screenings beginning at the age of four months that assess a child’s individual progress in achieving age appropriate milestones in multiple developmental domains including; physical, speech and language, cognitive thinking, social and emotional. Additionally, families are connected to resources within the community that will assist their needs or provide additional learning or age appropriate recreational activities. For more information visit parentingcottage.org ARRIL is CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS month.
BBOCK WHAT IT IS TODAY
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t all began when Kyle Sheets, entrepreneur and Papa of ten, decided to enlarge his boundaries and go to medical school. In the process of completing his residency in 1999, he found himself in need of a specific training rotation, and one was available in Zimbabwe. Never shirking adventure, he packed up his wife and ten children – ranging from infants to young teens – and moved to Karanda for a month. Taking his family on a faith-based mission was on his bucket list; this would be the ideal chance to check off that item. It would be a month that would change their lives forever.
afri Physicians { AIDING by: Marilyn Garrett
There they inhabited a tiny house, littered with mattresses and children. For this month, Dr. Sheets and his family would give themselves away to a people in desperate need of medical care, food, and love. This hospital compound has become a home away from home for the Sheets family as they have now traveled back some fifteen times. They have seen the hospital expand in beds, supplies and equipment. There have been surgeries and treatments, tumors and injuries, HIV and babies – always babies and more babies, orphans and more orphans. Dr. Kyle Sheets
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When Dr. Sheets went to Karanda for the first time, he had no idea of the depth of need. Sponsored by TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission), there were only two doctors in residence – Dr. Roland Stephens, age 70 at the time, and his son, Dr. Dan Stephens. But it was from those needs and that experience that PAPA Missions was born. Entrepreneur and now doctor, Kyle Sheets came home to America with a new passion to take colleagues back with him
ica Dr. Greg Miller
} Physicians Abroad Photography used with permission
for extended stays to this dire location. The name for PAPA Missions began with the fact that ten little Sheets called Kyle by the name of Papa, but it was his wife, Bernita, who hit on PAPA as an acronym for Physicians Aiding Physicians Abroad. It fit Kyle, and it fit the vision. Karanda is nestled near the border with Mozambique, ironically right in the midst of where anti-government rebels came across into Zimbabwe. As the only healthcare professionals around, the staff found themselves in an untenable position in the middle of a war zone. At the height of the civil war, the hospital became the location of aid to government troops and rebels alike, an island in an ocean of storm. During the election year of 2008, times were particularly desperate; it took a backpack of money to buy a loaf of bread. One man went to prison for murdering his own son, who
had eaten the whole rat the father had killed as food for the family. Political gangs, for years known as “ghosts in the night�, targeted political adversaries - dragging people from their homes under the cover of darkness, killing and maiming them - their aggression mirroring the times. Hospital staff members were not immune to the political violence. In a courageous move, TEAM literally threatened to withdraw the only medical care in the region if the gangs didn’t cease the threats and attacks against their workers and staff; the threat worked, and the hospital continued to serve those in need, even in the midst of the political chaos on this dark and war-torn continent. This is Africa, just like in the movies, with lazy lions ranging and the river pock-marked with crocodiles; dusty huts, people carrying loads on their heads, babies and children in abundance, women washing clothes in the river and cooking basic meals on open fires. Raw and powerful, this place has a rugged beauty
and an undaunted people. Death is a constant in their lives; child mortality is high, often from sheer ignorance of care; the elderly are few; HIV is rampant, leaving death, disease and orphans in its wake. As with any endeavor such as PAPA Missions, personnel become a critical commodity. It was a chance meeting of parents at a Trinity Christian basketball game in 2009 that led to the inclusion of another doctor to this medical team. High school basketball players, Ben Sheets and Dave Miller, unknowingly set the stage for one of those meetings that happen occasionally, when life just “turns on a dime.” Common in the stands is the conversation between parents, and on this day, two doctors met and began to share about their lives and practices. The destinies of Dr. Greg Miller, a highly specialized Cardiac Anesthesiologist, and of Dr. Kyle Sheets, General Practitioner and Mission CEO, became interwoven on that day. The Trinity Christian basketball team was about to join their coach, Todd Duncan, on a mission trip to Panama that summer, an evangelistic thrust using basketball camps as an outreach. The Sheets and the Millers were in multiple meetings as logistics were discussed, and a close friendship ensued. Dr. Miller said that his wife knew immediately that they would be going to Zimbabwe to volunteer and help in the work of the Karanda Hospital. For the last three years, the Miller family has spent much of June in Zimbabwe and much of the rest of the year in preparation. They have formed deep relationships with the people on staff in the hospital. One such person is the Pastor of Orphan Ministries there. His name is James Kambudzi. James initially came on staff at the hospital working in maintenance, but his passion was service and evangelism, so he raised the money to attend Bible School in Harare. He is, according to Dr. Miller, “a man of amazing integrity”, working tirelessly for the orphans who dot the land like multiple scars on the face of Africa.
He works tirelessly on behalf of these children who he knows like they were his own. He knows which tree each lives under, their names and often their backgrounds. When the political gangs tried to strong-arm him into misplacing funds raised for the orphans, James refused even under the threat of death. Saved only by the miracle of a tribal chief’s support, James continues to work on behalf of the truly weak and vulnerable. He is intimately invested, and he is the dear friend of the Sheets and Millers. He is also the hero and mentor of Dave Miller, son of Dr. Greg Miller. Influence is a fragile but powerful reality. Dave Miller was playing a basketball game in high school while the lives of his family altered within a conversation in the stands. Dave would begin yearly treks to Africa with his family, and there, he found his own heart, his own calling. James Kambudzi, African national and pastor of orphans, became what Dave would long to be. While Dr. Miller was treating patients and Stephanie Miller was befriending and feeding the poor, a scrawny, red-headed kid, who stuck out like a candle in the darkness, began following James around. He became a shadow; he asked questions; he watched intently; his heart was changed and molded; passion and a calling were born. At home, Dave Miller would go through the motions of high school, but he was a different young man after being in Zimbabwe. During high school, Dave traveled every year on a mission trip to Bogota, Colombia. That, too, was changing who he would become. His friendships were impacted as he chose those of like interest in the call of world-changing, and it was in conversation with them that the idea of starting a Trinity Christian alumni mission organization was birthed. In 2012, fellow ball player, Beau Durham, verbalized what Dave was also hearing from God when he said, “I think we should start a mission organization to plant churches and get outside of Lubbock to a world that needs Christ.” A phone call to a Bible teacher, a long dinner together, a meeting of hearts - and Illuminate Ministries was born. By December of 2013, Dave Miller, along with Dr. Dick Aguas,
Dr. Greg Miller and his Bible teacher, led the first medical/evangelistic mission trip to the Philippines. Illuminate Ministries was launched. Over two weeks, a team of eighteen – mostly college students – poured themselves out meeting physical, spiritual and emotional needs. They spoke in conferences, led people to the Lord, and provided medical and dental outreaches in four different locations, including the newly hurricane-devastated city of Tacloban. They played with tiny children and held ancient hands; they distributed medicine and hope; they taught God’s Word. They trekked up a mountain to deliver the news of funds (raised by Trinity Christian School) for a nomadic tribe to have a water well and permanence. And they prayerwalked a plot of land in Lipa, where they will come alongside Dr. Aguas in building a multi-purpose building and clinic. They will partner with his vision and calling to his own native people. The work in the Philippines is just beginning; it is Karanda, Africa twenty years ago. PAPA Missions provided oversight as a young, red-headed missionary birthed a new mission organization. What is the next juncture for PAPA? There is land in Guatemala; fundraising is in progress; and this will be the next hospital for PAPA to sponsor and staff. The goal was to get a “plant” into the Northern Hemisphere, more logistical for American doctors to volunteer their services for short stints. Networking has led to a partnership on the Guatemala project with Docs for Hope out of Iowa, a group of five General Practitioners. Four of these doctors man their practice at home, traveling one at a time to work abroad. Dr. Paul McQuillen met Dr. Sheets and Dr. Miller in Karanda. There they talked of a piece of land north of Guatemala City, a remote area needing medical care for the Mayan people. “We were just two groups on the same page,” Dr. Miller expounded. This new venture will shore up the twenty year ministry of Adonai Ministries, led by Dwayne and Leslie Fickers, a couple who have been serving in these mountains and with this people. Leslie is a nurse and the only medical care provider for orphans and families there; Dwayne is a pilot, and his job is to fly the most serious medical cases out to a hospital. Leslie has just begun the process, by which the hospital-to-be will be staffed, by opening a nursing school to train nationals to live and work there. Depending on the funding, the hospital could open as early as the year 2015.
It is finally a change in perspective - one that comes from getting out of one’s own comfort zone, of reaching out to a needy world - that changes a person. ● Dr. Roland Stephens went to the Karanda Hospital and gave the people of Zimbabwe his life. He just recently retired at the age of 84. He has experienced every civil war there for over forty years. “We have given lip service to ‘I’m Yours, Lord, use me’,” Dr. Miller pointed out. “But showing up in a foreign country and saying that ‘I’m staying’, that is what Dr. Stephens did.” ● Dr. Kyle Sheets found new purpose there, also. For the men and women and children of Karanda, he IS PAPA. They swarm around him wherever he goes, and there are always M&M’s in his pockets. He wanted his own children to know a depth of purpose, so daughter Shelley and new husband Jedidiah are heading back to Karanda to work there for an extended time. ● Dr. Greg Miller was drawn from a specialty in a modern hospital to a jungle compound and disease and wound care that “took him back to med school.” Dr. Miller knows that his destiny is not his own. He noted, “We are completely dependent, and we forget that. Being in these situations [in foreign hospitals] is a microcosm of where we should be all the time.” relivelifemagazine.com
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In these primitive conditions, with limited staff and supplies, juxtaposed with death, are the miracles of babies born healthy, of successful surgeries and treatments, and sometimes, even divine intervention. PAPA Medical Director, Dr. Greg Miller, shared the story of being hard at work in Karanda one morning when a mother brought in her daughter, who was burning up with fever. The young mother stumbled down the hall and thrust her small child into Dr. Miller’s arms. He rushed the child into a cubicle and began to assess; she was unresponsive, likely beyond help. He prayed for her as he worked, begging God for wisdom and answers and healing. Clearly, he would
need meds that were in an adjacent room so he left her momentarily to get the drugs. When he came back into the room, she was gone! He began a frantic search that led outside, where he found the little girl with her mother. She had gone from fever-ridden and comatose to cooling and comfortable, leaning against a tree and in her mother’s arms, evidence yet again of a Great Physician whose sovereign hand comes alongside and touches what man cannot reach. These doctors’ families, too, are changed. This past December, Dr. Miller went with his son, Dave, to the Philippines – and while Dr. Miller saw patients, Dave was preaching. A humble doctor watched from the sidelines as his son appealed to a mountain tribe to accept not only a water well, but Living Water. It is a change in perspective but a perspective that comes, often, at a steep cost. In 2010, Dr. Sheets was operating, yet again, on an AIDS patient when he cut his hand - just a small cut. HIV and AIDS are rampant, over 20% of the population. It is a constant threat. Heather, his daughter, was the anesthesiologist in the procedure. Their eyes met, and their hearts sank. Immediately after the surgery, Dr. Sheets began ARV meds to combat the exposure, but these meds often come with severe side effects. Over the next two weeks, Dr. Sheets became more ill, and his liver began to fail. The family knew they had to get him back to America. The pilot of the plane at first refused to take him but then acceded, with Heather taking responsibility for her Papa’s care. 26
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Heather, as the only other doctor, would accompany her father and try to keep him alive during a long, trans-Atlantic flight. Close friend and author, Max Lucado, shares the story of this riveting miracle in his new book, Grace; for Grace is who showed up. Dr. Sheets was sinking rapidly but finally resting; Heather went to the front of the plane and just crumpled to the floor, crying and praying. What a responsibility for a young woman! She looked up to see two men there, asking if they could help. Between sobs, she shared her dire situation. The men responded, “We are doctors. In fact, the plane is filled with doctors – 100 of us – who are returning from a conference on infectious diseases!” Over the following hours, they assessed Dr. Sheets and confirmed the choice she had made to discontinue the ARV medication that was attacking his liver. By the time the plane landed in America, Dr. Sheets was improving. Grace is the only explanation for a plane filled with doctors specializing in the very diagnosis with which the Sheets were faced! Today, on the front lines of the medical and spiritual battles at a brave hospital in Karanda, Africa or high in the mountains of Guatemala or nestled near a shanty town in the Ring of Fire known as the Philippines, PAPA Missions brings hope and help into a world of hopelessness and helplessness. One cannot miss the echo of “When you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me.” It is a change in perspective that alters lives for the better on both sides of the equation. It is the ripple effect of Grace.
TEEING OFF in the
HUBCI by: CHRIS LAWRENCE
When Texas Tech University decided to construct a golf course, they hit it right down the fairway with their choice: Tom Doak of Renaissance Golf Design, a golf course architect credited with the design of some 29 courses worldwide. What brought this vision to life was the vision of Jerry Rawls, a Texas Tech graduate and businessman who loves Lubbock, Texas Tech, and golf. Jerry got the ball rolling with an $8 million donation. He envisioned the course an amenity to the university, attracting visiting alumni and faculty to interact with students in a low-key setting and give Lubbock golfers a course for the ages. What was built was a course rated:
Golf Week’s #2 Best Course in Texas (2013) Best University Golf Course in America (2013) Golf Digest’s #2 New Affordable Public Golf Course in the US The Rawls Course is accessible and affordable for anyone. Green fees are as low as $36 during the week, with four different membership levels available.
Photos courtesy Rawls Golf Course
You might ask yourself how a city with a flat landscape, no tress, hard dirt, and very little rain could get such a course. It all started on an old cotton field. When they finished, the dream of creating one of the finest university courses in the country became a reality. “Well, it wasn’t easy,” says Tom Doaks. “The dead flat site required significant earthwork - more than our previous ten projects put together - in order to breathe life into the fairways and greens. We also had to hide some of the surrounding development from view.” It took 1.3 million yards of topsoil to sculpt a course that is described by its architect as, “probably the most complicated we’ve done to date.” Developing an entire landscape from scratch, their goal was to create a look that fit seamlessly with the surrounding landscape of West Texas. Tom’s goal was to craft the course to emulate the eroded features and canyons of the South Plains Caprock region. With his vivid imagination and a dedicated team, they created a work of golf art. The 7,349 yard, par 72 course has wide fairways, rolling hills and boldly contoured greens, a true masterpiece. CONTINUED ON PAGE 31
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Lubbock is the Hub of the South Plains and best known for its incredible lack of trees, water and hills. It is also known for cotton fields, pickup trucks, and as of late, The Rawls Golf Course - now rated as one of the top courses in Texas.
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When you design a course in West Texas you have to consider the most present obstacle: wind. The wind in Lubbock can change in the blink of an eye, so the course was designed with that in mind. Although not completely immune from the bogie making force winds, it is close. In fact, if you can use the wind as an ally, it makes your game much more enjoyable and your score potentially better. Don’t let the fact that this is the home of the Red Raider Golf Team discourage you from giving it a try. With its long fairways, treacherous bunkers and rolling hills, it is a challenging course, no doubt. But the course is designed to accommodate the average player as well as the experts. The idea for the layout was that it should be easy to finish but hard to shoot under par. As an avid golfer, I can assure you, the more you play the Rawls, the better your game will get. The course will sharpen your toolset, and no matter what your skill level, you are sure to have a great experience. To complete the experience, Jerry Rawls reached out to
upgrade and develop a state-of-the-art, contemporary facility. They enlisted the support of Robert McKinney, a Lubbock native, former Texas Tech golfer, and winner of the Southwest Conference Championship. Robert is perhaps the foremost authority on golf course clubhouses. With his knowledge of golf, and Lubbock as his hometown, he was a perfect fit. Together, Jerry and Robert created a stunning and extremely functional clubhouse. The resort-style structure, with its Texas Tech brick and clay roof, is highly recognizable. Boasting 22,000 square feet of indoor space, the clubhouse is quickly becoming a destination for recreation and tourism. The addition of Jerry’s Grill emphasizes West Texas hospitality, with excellent fare — a welcoming way to unwind after a challenging game of golf. This outstanding facility ensures that Texas Tech will have plenty of opportunity to host for Big XII and NCAA championships for years to come. It’s also a great opportunity for Lubbock residents, students, and future generations to enjoy a great day of golf. So, what are you waiting for?
“What you think about you bring about.”
Just A Thought
We all have areas in our lives that we would like to change. No one is exempt. Some things are minor, and some are not. I’m talking about the things that started attaching themselves to our lives when we were young, and now they seem to be very comfortable, unwanted houseguests. Yeah, those! During my recent study time, I read the following statement: A person’s life will not change very much unless his or her thinking is challenged. What did that statement do to you? Did it go down into your emotional well and stir up unchallenged sediment? Did it remind you that there are still some things undone? If you said yes, keep reading. Did you know that the word repentance comes from the Greek word metanoia, and its definition is none other than “a change of mind.” Some have referred to it being one of the greatest words in the New Testament. We think thousands of thoughts each and every day, but the only thoughts that become reality are the thoughts that are tied to an emotion. Imagine the power of a single thought being held long enough in our minds and then acting on its authority by virtue of entrance. That thought doesn’t have to ask permission to generate an emotion, it just does – which, in turn, creates a reality.
“For as he thinketh in his heart,so is he.” Proverbs 23:7a (KJV)
If it can work against you, it can also work for you. A thought held on to long enough produces an emotion, which in return produces a conviction, which translates into a new reality.
Thought + emotion + conviction = REALITY The ancient teaching of Scripture states, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.” What you think about continuously, you’ll eventually do or become. The thoughts you are holding onto, specifically, your thoughts about God, yourself, and others, are producing your current reality. Let’s bring these thoughts a little closer to home. Try personalizing the phrase using a pronoun: “My thoughts, held on to long enough, produce emotions, which in turn create convictions that result in my current reality.” By altering the quality of your thinking, you will alter the quality of your life. Just a thought!
— Carl
Toti