Post: Thursday, Nov 1

Hello Everyone!

   On Oct. 30 the Liaison between the Marines and the CA. Dept. of Forestry, (CDF) told us to stow what items we could as he anticipated the event to wind down.  Later on that day we were dismissed from active duty after we prepared lunch on the 31st.

   As soon as our team informed the responders of this situation you could sense a real disappointment in their demeanor…so Ginger decided to put something really special together. How about this for field grub; BBQ tri-tip, potatoes salad, garlic bread and apple crisp ala’ mode!  Some of the Marine responders had been to Iraq two times and are staged to go back soon.  They had not had apple crisp in a couple of years or more.  What a joy and privilege it is to brighten their day in this way.  “We are going to miss you sooo much” was the comment of the day.

   The following are some anecdotal thoughts concerning this response: 

   1) We found that we were positioned in a forward camp between the main base camp and the fire line. The big contracted providers handle much greater numbers of people in the base camps but it is simply a chow line.  Yes, we were able to provide food but there was another element we brought…heart.  We found that the responders would hang out with us after their meals.  They would sit and talk at the tables and interact with us as if it were the kitchen table at there house.  I would often greet them as they returned from the line with a hearty “Welcome home boys!” and that is the way they treated it. You would be hard pressed to find this atmosphere at a base camp where the line is a quarter mile long at meal times.

   2)  Other volunteer organizations attached to us as a door way to bring there offerings to the fire line.  One group had a truckload of food and could not get in.  When we were placed they were able to get their donation as well as manpower to the line where they could finally participate and share their heart of compassion through our doorway.  We also were used by the community who would stop by with cookies, brownies, a pot of baked beans, sun glasses, chap stick, and various other offerings of the heart.  It was our table that was the bridge to the responders and we praise God for that.

   3)  A seed that had been planted four years ago in the community received some water.  It is the heart of the Church in Valley Center to be there for the community in times of crises.  They do an excellent job of and have great insight and vision. We pray that the involvement of Real Life Church and The Soup Ladies has inspired and maybe added another dimension to their vision. A great teacher once said; “You teach what you know, but you recreate what you are!” We pray that a piece of our heart was left to attach to the precious heart already present in that town.

   4) In one of my bosses communications to me he made a profound observation; “One of the many things I love about our wonderful country, is the generosity and the willingness to help when help is needed.  Our detractors can say what they want, but the American people are compassionate, caring, have heart, and take action when action is needed.”  We observed this in both public and private sectors.  From drastic discounts at major grocery chains to “CARE” packages dropped off in the middle of the night at our table people want to do something to help in times of crisis. It is our  hope that some of the protocols that are in place will be revisited and rewritten to allow the community involvement in these responses.

  5) Small does not mean insignificant. (See this weeks blogs and photo’s!)

   In closing, it has been a joy and a privilege to work with this core team of five dedicated servants. I am proud to be numbered among them.  We are packed and returning with knowledge and equipment that we did not have before.  We will be better prepared for the next crisis…or should I say opportunity to serve.  Our sincerest thanks to all who made this possible, from our dedicated and understanding spouses, our ministry authorities, our host homes, the generous contributors both financial and hard asset, and to God, without whom none of this would have been possible.  The Real Missions logo states;  “Our hands sharing God’s heart.” Is there any arena where this is more evident than in a community emergency response?  See you with us next time!!  Kevin Martindale

Post: Spanish Interpreter with our team

Today  10/29, I had the opportunity to volunteer again  taking my daughters Ashley and Lorrie alongside, and  Angel, a brother from our church (San Diego Christian Worship Center) and met up with  The Soup Ladies and Real Missions Team and John Bibler (who was there by the time I got to the site) John is a wondelful special guy who helps us ( @The Medical Clinics in  Tijuana and Honduras ) giving free glasses to those who need them. Angel stayed with the “Soup Ladies”and helped them with the preparations of lunch and dinner and served the military.

  This time I participated more with the evacuation center at Valley Center managed by the Red Cross.  I met wondelful people from all over San Diego that are Red Cross volunteers. I was there to assist the Chief Coordinator for Mental Health Services Mr. Tim  (They all go by first names so it was hard to learn last names) I was told that about 80% of the evacuees there in that evac. center  are hispanics whose homes were burned down. I was asked to come and assist with Spanish Interpretation and translation. Once there the site’s Manager Don (about a 75++ year old energetic and joyful fellow) call me to let me know he had a special assignment for me. John and my daughters were sent to work with the children and hand out balloon figures. The girls were to help John with the spanish speaking kids.

Don hooked me up with a christian gentleman Mr Jim Tucker a 64 yr. old man from that area and Decon at Valley Center Christian Community Church.  He was an evacuee himself and  had a stong conviction that everyone in the center needed at least 2 pieces of new  underwear and a pair of clean new socks. Jim needed to go to Walmart and requested that a female lady would acompany him to purchase the female underclothes. So Don assigned me to help Jim.

We went to Walmart loaded our cart with 7 packages with 6 pieces of each size (s,m,l,xl) of undies for females and males and many bags of blacks socks ( per Don’s specifications, because dirt would be less noticable in black socks).  When we were looking for more undergarments for men a Walmart attendant came to us asking us if we were really going to buy that whole cart full un underwear… YES!! I replied, this gentleman is buying this with his own money for the evacuees and then all of a sudden I heard myself say: ‘CAN I SPEAK TO YOUR STORE’S MANAGER” … after I had said that I asked myself.. ”where did that come from?”‘… The clerk asked me what I wanted to speak to the manager about (I did not even know) but then I heard myself say: “This man is buying this whole cart of your products for evacuees and I would like to speak to the manager to see if she could authorize a discount”. The clerk called the manager and she had gone to lunch, then the manager’s assistant and the assistant said that he could not give us a discount on new merchandise that was in packages but that they had a bin full of clothes they were collecting for the evacuees, and asked us if we were willing to take what was there. We said YES!! and went to the back of the store to pick up the stuff from the bin. When we emptied that full bin.. GUESS WHAT WAS THERE???  That bin was full of men’s undergarments and men’s socks, baby socks and 5 packages of diapers!!!!!!!!! We had to go back and return half of our shopping cart. THE LORD BLESSED THIS MAN! Who was willing to obey the Lord and trust Him with his finances. This brother lives on social security checks of 775.00 per month. The bill for what he purchased was 241.00  If he had bought the men’s undergarments and the mens socks, the babies socks and diapers that  bill would probably had been more than 500.00 dolars. The Lord blessed him in providing to him half of his shopping list. It was clear he knew WHO was his provider!!!

We went back to the center and made little baggies of 2 pieces of undergarments and one pair of socks for all 125 evacuees in that Center. I attach the pictures were my daughters are helping do the baggies. Some got distributed today and some will be given out tomorrow.

I was able to witness the miracle of mulltiplication. God provided for this man’s faith. I was trully blessed to be on this “UNDERGARMENT SPECIAL MISSION” for today.

The pictures I send here are: 1. The camp site for the firefighters. When Angel and I arrived this morning there was about 200 give or take Fire Engines in that lot.  You can see the tents where the firemen slept. Picture #2 WALMART San Marcos Employees that help with the undergarment donation Pic#3 My daughters with 2 marines @ The Soup Ladies Kitchen. Picture #4 Ashley and Lorrie (My daughters)  making undie/baggies. Pic#5 Captain Saul from Fire Station #73 and Myself.

I have been trully blessed.

Thank you for your prayers.

On SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT,

Brenda.