I’ve heard Billy Graham speak on the radio and television and read of his ministry most of my life.   The “Gospel” he spoke was so basic, simple, and sincere that it seemed impossible to be confused on what he spoke about.  I think of all the Presidents that Graham ministered to, President Johnson had to be one of the greatest challenges.  Once President Johnson asked Graham to preside at his funeral, without notes, just from the heart.   He wanted Graham to “preach the Gospel.”

What came next has never left me after I read about it.  When Graham got home he wrote a letter to President Johnson expressing his love and assurance about the afterlife for him.  ”We are not saved because of our own accomplishments,” Graham wrote. “I am not going to Heaven because I have preached to great crowds or read the Bible many times, I’m going to Heaven just like the thief on the cross who said in the last moment, ‘Lord, remember me.‘”

In a Time interview with Billy Graham he once again broke it down:

“I think we all need forgiveness.  I look at my own life and my own heart, and someday I will stand before God, totally naked.  I won’t be a preacher, or whatever I’ve been.  It’ll be just before God, and I’ll need forgiveness.  I’ll need the mercy of God  and the grace of God.”

Its very easy to get so busy with all the activities and responsibilities of life that we often forget that it was God who brought us into this world, and it will be He who accepts us into the next.  With all our frailties, all our mistakes, and all our imperfections. Try, as hard as we may, to accomplish great things, we just aren’t perfect.  We need God’s grace.

It reminds me of a typical Amor home that has been built by volunteers, with little or no skilled labor.  The house isn’t perfect when its done- the concrete slab cracks a little as it dries, the walls may not be perfectly straight, the door may not fit just right.  Yet, when the home is done it is received with great joy and appreciation by a very needy family.  The slight imperfections and the irregularities are simply forgiven and overlooked.  Its the thought that counted, its the love and the “heart” that the family who receives the home recalls.  We know that we tried our best to build this home and in spite of it all, we still need the grace of this family…and we will always need “the mercy of God and the grace of God!”

Radio Broadcast- Rainbow FM 90.7 South Africa
Transcript from Monday, Nov. 29, 2010, 6:50am

Humphrey Birkenstock, CEO, Rainbow FM 90.7: Scott, the news out of Haiti this week has been very alarming again?

Scott Congdon, CEO, Amor Ministries: Yes, Humphrey, both in Haiti and in the US. Health official are now saying Haiti’s cholera outbreak could kill 10,000 people. They are also predicting that they could have around 200,000 cases of infection in Haiti over the next six to 12 months.

Humphrey: How many have died so far in Haiti from cholera?

Scott: Haiti’s health ministry said that 1,200 people have now died since cholera was first detected in the nation in late October. The number of people infected also grew to over 72,000.

Humphrey: And you have a report that cholera has now reached the US from Haiti.

Scott: Yes, Humphrey. Florida officials have confirmed that a woman who recently visited relatives in Haiti has tested positive for cholera in Florida. Two other cases are still being tested.

Humphrey, Cholera is considered a great hitchhiker. It travels by contaminated water, food or on individuals who may be not even have symptoms or are just developing symptoms. Officials have stated that there’s virtually no chance the Haiti outbreak could spread to Florida or the US via travelers, and no airline passengers were at risk. Cholera is transmitted almost exclusively by water and food contaminated by the feces of infected people, which would be almost impossible with modern U.S. water systems.

Humphrey: On another note, Scott, you have some interesting news on the King James version of the bible? Most young American’s have never heard of the King James version?

Scott: Yes, Humphrey, I started to feel a little old when I researched this story. According to a new survey out last week, 51 per cent of those under 35 have never heard of the King James Bible. Awareness was far greater among those over 55, with 28 per cent saying they had never heard of it. I guess that’s good for you and me Humphrey, since we are both under 55, right?

Humphrey: Way under 55! I’m even amazed that only 72 per cent of people have heard of the King James Bible at that age and older.

Scott: That is surprising considering it has been praised by some as the most beautiful book ever written and is set to celebrate its 400th anniversary next year, but many young people have never even heard of it. I find it hard to imagine that so many under-35s have never heard of the King James Bible despite being one of the biggest selling books in history.
A spokesman for the King James Trust was quoted as saying: “There has been a dramatic drop in knowledge in a generation. Yet this is a work which was far more influential than Shakespeare in the development and spread of English.”

Humphrey: And President Obama got hit in the mouth this past weekend?

Scott: Yes, Humphrey, Obama got “smash mouthed” as they call it here in the US during a friendly family basketball game on Friday. Twelve stitches on his lip after he took a elbow to his mouth and he was back out on the court on Sunday. Sources say that Obama is know as being a tough and aggressive basketball player, hmmm…….just like in government!

Humphrey: And on your last report you have a story about a have a very familiar song to most of us, “Amazing Grace.”

Scott: Humphrey, after more than 200 years, ‘Amazing Grace’ is still a fixture across spiritual and secular culture here in the US and in South Africa I imagine.

Amazing Grace” has been recorded more than 6,600 times. “It may be the most recorded song on the planet,” according to Jerry Bailey at Broadcast Music Inc.

Humphrey: When was the song first published?

Scott: It was first published in 1779, written by John Newton, an English poet and clergyman who died in 1807. Newton, as a young man, deserted the English Navy, was recaptured and punished and actually became involved in slave trading. He later had a religious awakening during a storm at sea before becoming a prolific hymn composer.

Humphrey: In 1990 it was even sung at a 12-hour rock concert that took place in London, England. It was a benefit for Nelson Mandela, thanking him for his years of sacrifice in South Africa. Dozens of big stars performed. “Amazing Grace” was sung by opera star Jessye Norman as the closing number. Despite the length of the performance and the late hour, the crowd was strongly affected and obviously felt a common experience as they joined in.

Scott: The song has had quite an international use. It was even performed in English and Chinese by a children’s chorus at a worship service in Beijing during the 2008 Olympics, with President George W. Bush attending.

Humphrey: “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
“That saved a wretch like me.
“I once was lost but now am found.
“Was blind, but now I see.”

Got to the link below for a great African rendition of “Amazing Grace” by Louis Mhlanga:

http://www.africastories.org/amazing-grace/louis-mhlanga

Broadcasting from San Diego Studio

Transcript from 11-8-2010 Rainbow FM 90.7 Broadcast:

Humphrey (CEO/Presenter at Rainbow FM 90.7): Scott, in the US you went back on day light saving time again…today!

Scott(CEO, Amor Ministries): Yes. Humphrey we America’s have lost another hour….and I was wondering if you had found it in South Africa.  Man, we lose our economy, we lose the value of the US dollar, and now we’ve lost a hour of time.  When will it every end.

Humphrey: Well, Scott, I’m sorry for all that.  But, I have no idea where your hour went.  We sure haven’t seen it here at Rainbow FM 90.7!

Scott: The good news out of all this, Humphrey, is that I get to actually do this broadcast from San Diego, California a hour earlier than before….. at 8:50pm instead of 9:50pm.  I like that. I might actually get to sleep on time tonight.

Humphrey: So, I heard the Democrats also lost the majority of representatives at the House of Representatives in Washington…..  but they kept the majority in the Senate.

Scott: Yes, Humphrey, Washington and Obama have lost something else too!  They have been handed a balance change in the House of Representatives and even some in the Senate.  This may very well  radically changed how Obama is going to have to lead for the remaining half of his Presidency. Its going to be interesting to see if he moves more to the center and starts to support any of the reforms the Republicans are claiming, which, Humphrey, includes repealing or severely modifying the national health care plan, and serious budget cuts and supports for continuing the tax cuts for rich Americans which expire at the end of this year.

Humphrey: American’s were enamored with the rescue of the Chilean miners who were recently rescued.  Amidst all this, you have something to report on how this experience in the mine had a major effect on many of their lives?

Scott: Absolutely.  A report this week from one of the trapped minors rescued last month in Chile has told of the conversion of many of his colleagues during the ordeal Jose Henriquez was the 24th man to be brought to the surface. He told thousands of people at the Luis Palau festival in Santiago last week that 22 out of the 33 trapped miners turned to Christ while waiting to be rescued.  That’s two thirds of the miners!

Humphrey: Did he explain how this had come about?  Did they have a revival or something while they were trapped underground?  I’ve heard that some places around the world they have to go underground with their revivals (laughing)!

Scott: Well almost…..During his time underground, Henriquez had become something of a spiritual leader to the trapped men, who called him ‘The Pastor’.

He told the Palau festival crowds that he had requested and received biblical audio messages from Palau while underground.

Humphrey: Has the Luis Palau festival been a big event this week in Santiago, Chile?

Scott: This six day week was attended by 145,000 and was actually held the coastal city of Vina del Mar.

Humphrey, something else one of the miner said was that following the successful rescue of the miners, many of them praised the faith of the miners’ families. Some of the miners were seen praying in the moments after they emerged from the escape capsule.

Mario Sepulveda, the second miner to be freed, said he had “held on to God’s hand” throughout the ordeal, while another freed miner, Jimmy Sanchez, said God “never left us down here”.

Humphrey: Scott, so Haiti was just hit by Hurricane Tomas a few days ago and your colleagues Steve Horrex and Ryan Perkio, who work for your organization, Amor Ministries, were in Haiti when it hit?

Scott: Yes, Humphrey, and they are still there.  As a matter of fact the last contact we had with them was on last Thursday.

As you may already know, Humphrey, more than one million Haitians are still homeless and living in fragile tent cities with poor sanitation after the January 12 earthquake. “Branches and trees will fly around and houses can lose their roofs,” said Laura Nairn, Tearfund Programme Director, according to Christian Today. “The risk of flooding is huge and with that comes the risk of landslides and increased risk of waterborne diseases.”

The most recent report I could find says that the flooding caused by hurricane Tomas worsened the sanitary situation in Haiti, which has been affected by a cholera epidemic with 501 people being killed.

So, as you can imagine I am very concerned about the safety and condition of Steve and Ryan.

Humphrey: Well, Scott I actually just got a Skype call from Steve in Haiti on Saturday.  He said they were both doing just fine.  When did you say you last heard from them?

Scott: On last Thursday, November 4^th at 12:27pm.

It was an email stating that they had made it back to Port Au Prince. They mentioned that it took them about 6 hours to travel less than 100 miles. “The roads are rough, wet, and hilly”, Ryan wrote. “Our drive took us down a dirt road for about half of the trip, to a village way back (and I mean way back…) in the mountains. It was a trip I’ll forever remember…but not sure I’ll do it again.”

Ryan also said, “During our travels we were able to get a good perspective of the damage. It’s incredible. WAY more than I anticipated. There are tent cities everywhere there’s an empty lot. There are people everywhere. There are tents in the street medians in some places. The task ahead in incredibly overwhelming…but one at a time, we can make a difference. I’m excited to see what God has ahead.”

So, Humphrey its just great knowing you heard from them and they are doing fine. We would appreciate the loyal listeners of Rainbow FM continuing to pray for their safe and productive return from Haiti.

Have a great rest of your week Humphrey and Tracy, and God bless you and all the loyal listerners of Rainbow FM 90.7.

I’ve only been in a prison once when I was a Rotary Club President and I sponsored a young prisoner for his graduation.  He was imprisoned before he received his high school diploma.  Through hard work and study while in prison he managed to finish and even walk through his graduation ceremony, in prison.  He had no family to visit him.  No family to support him.  No family to celebrate with him.  I was asked to sit in for his non-existent family.  As I left the prison gates that day I was profoundly impacted by this young man’s steadfastness in the face of a life of mostly voids; no loving family, no job, no home.  All of which I have taken for granted my entire life.

Its one of the greatest mysteries  to me how the poorest of the poor, of whom millions spend their youth without a home, without any sort of decent shelter, and who have gone to bed at night hungry more times than they can recall.  How does a young person grow up in such lack and have any kind of chance of carving out a healthy, meaningful, crime free life?

Recently a great tragedy be-felled a white South African farmer and the 15-year-old co-accused in his murder. The murder itself has shocked millions of South Africans but the admission by the accused, that life is better in prison than outside is a startling indictment how life, society, and government are failing such marginalized people.  The accused said he was happy and had not even been asked to be released on bail because he had three meals a day, his own bed, and can watch television- all for the for the first time in his life.

After having dropped out of school at the age 14, he is attending school again.  He left school originally to start tending for the murdered farmer for reported wages of sixty six dollars a month.  He had taken this job in order to help support his family and look after himself.  He lived in the cattle corral of his employer in conditions that I can only assume were lacking even the basic necessities.

“That prison should be a better alternative to his everyday life raised loud alarm bells about whether a jail sentence is enough deterrent to would-be criminals,” wrote a South African journalist.  What chance do kids have in a world where life behind prison bars will protect him better from the reality of his miserable existence.

“There is no object of desire quite like a house,” writes Meghan Daum, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times. “Few things in this world are capable of eliciting such urgent, even painful, yearning. Few sentiments are at once as honest and as absurd as the one that moves us to declare: ‘Life would be perfect if I lived in that house.’”  What a timely sentiment of how most people in the world think of what the ‘perfect house’ would or should be like. After all, it’s the American dream…to own a home.

Perhaps more meaningful for a youngster accused of murder in a  South African prison cell tonight would be to re-quote Ms. Daum’s last sentence, but add one small caveat, “Life would be perfect if I lived in ‘A’ house.”

Amor builds homes to keep families together.  Amor serves the poorest of the poor to share the love of Christ.  Amor helps keep kids out of prison.  I won’t ever take this for granted.  I hope you don’t either.

My last blog post was the email I sent to a Nigerian newspaper called the Business Day.  Little did I know this would become the focus of the next article that journalist Abiola Adepoju would write and entitle ‘Teachable Moments."  With her permission I have posted this article in its entirety below:

        Teachable Moments

It was a rough night fraught with nightmares, and I got very little sleep. 1 don’t know if this happens only to me but it appears that whenever I eat ‘garri’ in any form before bed – which doesn’t happen often, I sleep very badly and have nightmares. Seriously. Last night was no exception.

I woke up really grumpy, but my sour disposition didn’t last for long. Unknown to me, there was an email from an inter­esting reader waiting on my blackberry that would have me laughing tears for an hour – almost non stop.

Here is the email in its entirety:

Abiola,

I always enjoy reading your articles in the Business Day (Nigeria). You hit a sensitive cord in your article entitled, "The Trusted Advisor" on April 20.

As I read your description of the "trust exercise" you brought back memories of the last time I had this experience. l was at a team building exercise with the leadership of our church. I was chosen as the "faller" and our senior pastor was picked at the "catcher." I had nothing but respect and trust for our senior pastor and barely hesitated to fall back into his caring arms. Unfortunately his arms weren’t ready for me. Either he was distracted or our timing was just completely off, but I landed straight on my behind and back with a loud thud. We were all shocked, especially me. Man did that hurt. To which our senior pastor replied, "It is better to trust in the Lord than put confidence in man.”

I am all for the applications of the "trust exercise." That being said, you might want to make sure that you have a backup plan incase what you hoped for doesn’t come about. From now on I would prefer taking the "fall" outside on the grass rather than a hard wood church floor. Love your articles. Keep up the great work!

Respectfully submitted, Scotty

There is only so much one can dis­cuss in a 800 word article (that’s about my weekly average) and I must admit my focus was on communicating a point. Scotty’s story is essentially the balance to my message which is that, as life happens, not everything goes according to plan. It is prudent to have a back-up plan. A plan B if you will. But that is not the only thing I like about Scotty’s email. One of the phrases I picked up at a Learning conference in January is ‘teachable moment’. By definition, a teachable moment is an unplanned opportunity that arises in the [classroom] where a teacher has an ideal chance to offer insight to his or her students.

A teachable moment is not some­thing that you can plan for; rather, it is a fleeting opportunity that must be sensed and seized by the teacher.  Often it will re­quire a brief digression that temporarily sidetracks the original lesson plan so that the teacher can explain a concept that has inadvertently captured the students’ collective interest.

Taking this tangent is worthwhile be­cause it is organically timed to maximize impact on the students. Ultimately, the teachable moment could evolve into a full-blown lesson plan or unit of instruc­tion. Scotty’s senior pastor recognized this opportunity for a teachable moment that was both a great comeback, and a powerful communication of a funda­mental Christian truth. I don’t think anyone at that meeting who saw and heard the impact of Scotty’s fall would ever forget that lesson!

Another lesson I would like to tease out from the email is based on the comment, "From now on I would prefer taking the “fall" outside on the grass rather than a hard wood church floor." Sometimes, things don’t go according to plan and we lose something – a business opportunity, money, self-respect, a few teeth –  what­ever. There is something I believe is more powerful than resignation. It is the ability to say to oneself," okay, that didn’t work, and this was why. Next time…"It’s the mindset that sees life experiences as a series of lessons and gets better with each iteration.

It is the mindset that does not keep doing the same things and expecting dif­ferent results. I think someone said that is the definition of insanity. Speaking of which, now that I have clearly identified the nightmare-inducing food in my diet, I should completely eliminate ‘garri’ from my dinner menu shouldn’t I?

A final word to the skeptics out them who think this story is too perfect, I didn’t make Scotty up! He is the Founder/CEO of Amor Ministries in San Diego, California, do­ing great work budding homes for the needy in Mexico (for 30 years) and South Africa (for 2 years) through volunteers giving their time. You can check them out at www.amor org and www.simplyscott.org.