The Secret is OUT!

Prayers get answered.

On Friday I signed an agreement with the owner of the warehouse we have been using. We are going to be staying at our new warehouse for an additional 12 months!

This is a tremendous gift to our kids. It is a real encouragement to us at Hilarious Givers, and to the tireless directors, drivers and volunteers of the missions and feeding programs we serve. Instead of an hour round-trip from the border to our Miramar warehouse, the new warehouse is just five minutes from the border. We can host distributions, packing parties and other events without worrying about imposing on a busy business.

Of course, we now have responsibilities that have, until now, been carried by our generous corporate sponsors Pilot Freight and Miramar Transportation. We have the expenses of utilities, insurance, trash and the like. And when there is a delivery or pickup we can't just rely on the warehouse folks to take up the slack; we will have to arrange to take time away from our everyday activities (like earning a living - we're tentmakers here) to be at the warehouse.

All this is part of God's plan - I am absolutely confident that He will provide for our needs in carrying out His mission for us. Already we have been blessed. Our neighborhood Borders Bookstore is closing its doors. We were able to get warehouse shelving and office furniture to completely outfit our new digs for a few hundred dollars. A misfortune for the folks at Borders, but a real blessing to us and our kids.

So, keep Hilarious Givers in your prayers! It works!

Congratulations! and Thank You.

2010 has been an amazing year for all of us at Hilarious Givers. You have continued to serve thousands of orphaned and needy kids in Baja California and Sonora. The generosity of our donors has enabled us to provide medical supplies to earthquake victims in Haiti and Mexicali. Your continued prayers and support have resulted in more than a thousand mattresses being donated, trucked and distributed to folks, many of them blameless children, who used to sleep on the ground, in doorways, or huddled in makeshift shanties on farms or in the midst of a disused garbage dump in Baja. Our feeding program flourishes, and remains the central thrust of our outreach. As you read this, hungry kids are enjoying nutritous meals you have helped provide.



Mattresses and Clothing
Ready for pickup!

 And our outreach has expanded - and continues to blossom. We have been called to help launch a program which provides comfort to the urban homeless in Los Angeles - just last week that program kicked off by providing beds for a shelter for abused and battered women and their children. And through your generosity and thoughtfulness, the men at a recovery home here in San Diego are all sleeping in new beds, and have gotten new clothing for the upcoming winter season.



Another Mission Added:
Rancho San Juan Bosco



We add new missions almost weekly to the list of those we serve. A hospice. Another orphange. A recovery house for those ensnared in drug addiction. An amazing mission that kicks in doors to rescue child prostitutes from their slavemasters (yes, right here, right now, in 2010!) and leads them to a wholesome live in Christ. A home with 35 profoundly handicapped children led by a Christian couple from California. Each of these missions has a story to tell that would bring tears to your eyes - and none of them would exist but for the generosity of cheerful givers in our God blessed country. What a blessing to be a part of His work!

You are in good company.

Donors during the past year include international feeding programs such as Feed My Starving Children, Children's Hunger Fund, Gleanings for the Hungry, Convoy of Hope, and Save the Children. And there are food packers and manufacturers who have asked to remain anonymous. Two cruise ship lines, Holland America and Princess Cruises, who donated mattresses. On the warehouse and cartage side, Pilot Freight, Miramar Transportation and A&O Logistics have been very generous and encouraging in their support. The Hamann family and Pan American L.P. are recent additions to those who provide warehouse space - without them the mattress ministry would not have happened. Innovative Waste Solutions stepped up at a time when an important part of our ministry was about to fail and provided logistics, trucking and good counsel and encouragement.

We have shared monetary support from corporate sponsors and dozens of individuals. South Bay Volkswagen has been very generous, and the owner, Rudy, is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and devote a Saturday to schlepping cartons. A & O Logistics has helped to defray costs of cartage, and Jeremy, a partner, has stepped up to juggle pallets from the seat of his forklift on more than one Saturday.

Individual support included dads who got out of the house on a weekend to help build pallets with their teen-age kids, families who packed up and travelled to Baja for a day trip to serve an orphanage and put the lovin' on the kids, and church groups who were able to 'adopt' orphanages to provide year-round support, with the help of donated product from Hilarious Givers.

We have been able to run a 'lean and mean' charity because of the selfless help and generosity of all these angels. Financially, we've been able to provide nutrition for literally pennies per meal. I really don't think there is a more efficient feeding program than ours when measured by meals-per-dollar-donated.

Every penny has been pinched until it squeals! Just when I started to feel comfortable at one point, the director one of our supported missions pressed an envelope into my hand. Inside was a crumpled bill, taken from the collection at a poor urban church in Tijuana. The very people to whom we were reaching out scraped together a few dollars to support Hilarious Givers. What a reminder God gave me of the responsibility of our stewardship of His gifts!

Here's the 'Congratulations' part

If you were one of our 'prayer warriors', your prayers provided guidance and encouragement to us from God. Your prayers helped us cross the border safely and with a minimum of governmental interference. Your prayers crossed our paths with others of the saints who helped our mission in some unexpected way. Don't stop praying!



"Our pantry is getting full!"

 If you were a food donor during the past months, your nutrition helped thousands of kids grow straight and strong. A warm meal goes a long way to bringing comfort and solace to our precious orphans and needy kids. Plenty of panzas were full and comfortable at bedtime because of your generosity, and young minds were receptive to hear the Good News rather than worrying about their next meal.

If you donated time and talent, thank you, thank you, thank you! There is absolutely no way our mission could function without plenty of elbow grease. You dads who brought your kids to the warehouse to help prepare food for crossing the border are an absolute inspiration. You ladies who helped sort donated clothes - hundreds of kids are in school now because they have uniforms to wear. You have helped break the cycle of poverty. Those of you who shared a link with e-mail lists or on your blog or facebook or twitter - you have not only helped our mission, but you have blessed those with whom you shared.

If your contribution was to share awareness of Hilarious Givers at your workplace or in your church, please know that you have made a difference.

And, of course, no organization can function without financial support. Our financial support grows with each passing month - Praise the Lord! Some have contributed regularly, and some have been moved to give a one-time donation. Some have encouraged friends to give by launching facebook campaigns or contribution chains on a blog. Every penny received has been applied to the mission, and multiplied by others who have donated time, talent or treasure. We grow in numbers only as our financial ability allows. Please consider making a one-time, year-end, tax-deductible contribution to support this wonderful cause. And for those who have committed to regular donations through the new year, our heartfelt thanks.

Congratulations for what you have helped accomplish, for being the hand of God on his mission here on earth. But the job is not done - and will not be until we hear the words "Well done, oh good and faithful servant!"

On His path,



Judd and Debra

http://www.hilariousgivers.org/MakingaDonation.dsp

The Amazing Trips: shall yourselves find blessing

What can I say... I'm overwhelmed with emotion ...  I'm reminded of the true meaning of Christmas. 

Please read this beautiful blog and watch the video that our Dear Friend Jenna has put together.

We asked Jenna, her husband Charlie (and their triplets) to join us on a venture that would probably change their life. Well, after much discussion between Jenna and Charlie they felt the best decision for their family (at that time) was to have Jenna go to Mexico with us and leave Charlie home with their amazing trips.

So, early one Saturday morning in December 2009, we picked Jenna up. Christmas gear on, passports in tow, lunches packed, camera's charged and ready to go and so were we.

We met up with a group of people from Rancho Vista Church, we then loaded cars up with food, clothing and toys and headed south to "Campo De Esperanza" Maneadero, Mexico.

This was a day that changed the lives of thousands, bonds were created, memories were made, people accepted Christ, kids got toys, clothes and hot meals were served that day...

        A life changing event happened for many people on that day,

   because of caring people.

Jenna, taking food from her packed lunch to feed a hungry, crying baby.
A Mother's Instinct at work.
 

 Jenna giving lessons in photography

I hope you will enjoy this particular blog of Jenna's as much as Judd and I did.   This is the link to Jenna's Blog:   The Amazing Trips: shall yourselves find blessing  

Jenna is one of the most Beautiful Passionate people I know. God has blessed her in many ways, her heart is amazing, her spirit is uplifting, she has the most adorable, intelligent, kind and loving triplets (in this world if you ask me) and a wonderful husband. You'll realize this when you read Jenna's blog.

Oh and while you're at it, enjoy the rest of her blogs. However, I must warn you, Jenna's blog is like a good book that you just can't put down. So, get your hot cocoa ready, a comfy blanket and curl up by a fireplace if you can...

Merry Christmas!  

Jenna even managed to buy a few Christmas presents on the way home without stepping out of the truck.
She's Amazing!



November 31

Last week marked a full month of having been blessed with the generosity of Hamann Property Management and Pan American, L.P. And what a blessing it has been! We have been able to provide ‘gently used’ mattresses to hundreds upon hundreds of needy kids in Mexico. Thanks to the generosity of the Hamann group, Holland America Lines, Princess Cruise Lines, Miramar Freight, Innovative Waste Solutions, South Bay Volkswagen and others, kids are waking up well rested after having slept on comfy beds; these are children who have known nothing but sleeping on the ground, insulated from the dirt and cold by a sheet of cardboard from a box salvaged from the dump or perhaps a fragment of builder’s plastic sheet. What a gift!

We are also helping to launch an effort to supply beds to the urban poor and homeless community here in the U.S. We have teamed with ‘A Good Night’s Sleep’ based in L.A. and been able to provide more than 100 mattresses to a women’s shelter – providing a sanctuary for abused and homeless women and their children. And a local men’s recovery home asked for 3 dozen mattresses for their patients; we were able to provide them on the spot. This outreach was not part of our plan, but evidently part of His.

Each mattress is a blessing and a true gift to the person who received it. And each gift fulfils the biblical admonition to reach out to the least among us – to care for the widows and orphans – to raise the poor from dust and the beggar from the dunghill. Each of these gifts would be in a landfill now but for the selfless generosity of our supporters and volunteers. The mattresses are given to any who ask who have a need, and at no cost.

The owner of a "99 Cents and Up" store retired and closed his doors. The inventory of his store, largely kids' clothing, was generously given to Hilarious Givers to distribute. Debra and the ladies sorted the goodies for distribution during this Christmas season. Most has already been given out - the rest will go to needy folks before year's end.

 We have been offered an additional supply of mattresses from other cruise lines. At this point, my response has been ‘we’ll see’. I would love to be able to continue this ministry into the new year, but of course that would depend upon the continued generosity of our gracious benefactors.

Please pray for the continued viability of this worthwhile ministry.

Opportunities to Serve …

November 20th & 21st, 2010.

Fellowship…





Help needed November 20th, and 21st, 2010 at the following locations:

Saturday Morning, November 20th from 9:00 to 10:30 at the Miramar Warehouse. We will be making food pallets for the Thanksgiving weekend pick-up. 

Saturday Morning, November 20th, from 11am to 1pm at the South Bay Warehouse. We will be unloading mattresses from a 53’ Flatbed.

Saturday Morning, November 20th, from 11am to 1pm at the South Bay Warehouse. We will be packaging presorted new clothes in preparation for our Christmas Gifting.

Sunday Morning, November 21, from 9:00 to 10:00am at the South Bay Warehouse. We will be unloading mattress inside the warehouse.

For Mattress information, contact Judd at 619-534-6801 or at Judd@HilariousGivers.Org



For Clothing Organization, contact Debra at 619-534-6801 or at Debra@HilariousGivers.Org

Warehouse Locations:


Miramar / Pilot Freight, 9340 Cabot Dr. Suite G, San Diego, CA 92126

South Bay Warehouse, 1405 30th St. Suite E, San Diego, 92154



Thank You For all your Help!

Judd and Debra Wheeler

Pre-Christmas note

Here are excerpts from an e-mail I sent to a supporter this week; I can't seem to find the time to update our blog, so I'll take the lazy way out.


Dear *****,

I thought I'd take a moment to share with you what we at Hilarious Givers have been up to. Remember the store inventory you helped pack up and load onto a bobtail? Tens of thousands of dollars worth of kid's clothes, grown-up clothes, kitchen items, toys and the rest have been sitting on pallets in boxes waiting to be sorted. Debra organized a group of ladies (and a couple of guys) on Saturday to sort all that precious gift in preparation for Christmas. We will be able to supplement the Christmas outreach of several local churches by providing gifts of needed clothing and the rest. I have attached a few photos of this weekend's activities.

This has been a weekend filled with His grace. We distributed a 53-foot truckload of mattresses to orphanages within our Mexico ministry from a warehouse recently so generously donated to us. Somewhere near 500 mattresses have passed through those doors on 30th street since we got the keys last month, and about 300 more are coming from Holland America Line before year's end. And as if that's not enough, Princess Cruises is donating an additional 100 mattresses; we received the first 50 on Saturday and expect the remaining 50 this week. I fully expect that we will have provided more than 1,000 comfy mattresses to deserving kids and their families before Christmas. What a blessing! None of this would have happened but for the generosity of our selfless donors. Hundreds of deserving kids are now sleeping on comfy mattresses instead of cardboard on the dirt. Praise God!

The need is unrelenting. The generosity of our donors is limitless. We feel so blessed, so gifted, to be able the be the hand of God in this endeavor, and to have been introduced to many who have had a part in making it all possible. Over and over I feel overwhelmed, fail to see the solution to problems presented, and ultimately surrender the problem to God . And over and over someone like you sees the need and steps up. The ultimate earthly reward is to see the gratitude in the faces of the kids we serve; I pray daily for the ultimate heavenly reward - to hear the words "Well done, good and faithful servant!" Bless you and the continued success of your business.

Christmas Gift Preparation

Pre-Christmas Event...

When ? 9:30 am, Saturday, Nov 13, 2010

Christmas Gift Preparation

Where ?  1405 30th St. Ste E, San Diego, CA 92154              (Beyer Exit off I-905, Between I-5 and I-805)

 

 

Ladies, Ladies, Ladies…

Hilarious Givers has a deal for you!

We have an Opportunity for you to Serve, Fellowship and Help those less fortunate in a third world country, without leaving the comfort of the United States.

The holidays are coming up and a generous donor has donated the entire inventory of his store to Hilarious Givers. In his offering there are new shirts, slippers, toothbrushes, undies, school supplies, . . ...

Think of this as an opportunity to go shopping and give gifts without spending any money! And, an opportunity to get together with old friends and to make new ones. Your giving of your time will help to enrich the lives of kids this Christmas in a way that cannot happen without your selfless sacrifice of a couple of hours’ time on Saturday morning.

We will be opening boxes of Christmas treasures, sorting the contents by age and sex, and preparing to distribute these items to churches and groups who will be sponsoring Christmas Fiestas this Christmas Season.

If you have folding tables we can use to sort on, please bring them along. If you have folding tables but can't make it, and would like to let us borrow them...let's talk to make arrangements so we can borrow them.

Have Questions??? Please feel free to contact Debra or Judd…

Thank You!

P. S. If you feel guilty about the ‘shopping without spending money’ thing, Hilarious Givers could use your financial support, especially during this special season. Your tax-deductible donations are sincerely appreciated.

Hilarious Givers


Phone: (619) 534-6801


Email: Debra@HilariousGivers.org

Distributing food and mattresses this Saturday morning, October 30,

Hilarious Givers


We will be distributing food and mattresses this Saturday morning, October 30, starting at 8:30. We hope to be finished early - please plan to pick up before 10:00.

Please note that Mexican authorities are no longer accepting our documents to cross the border. This means that either you have to have an arrangement to cross the food or you have to pay duty at the border. Please give this some thought before you place your request.

We will be distributing the following items on Saturday:

10 Cases 'Manna Pack' enriched rice and soy meals (36 pouches, 6 servings per pouch)

3 pails of dried fruit (Peaches, cherries)

9 cases assorted canned vegetables (no labels)

10 bags dehydrated vegetable soup (from Gleanings for the Hungry - mix 10:1 with water)

1 case face masks (cold and flu season is coming!)

Each load is approximately 700-800 pounds.

We also have mattresses, both full-size and twin to distribute. If you don't want food, just mattresses, or if you have questions, please e-mail me at Judd@HilariousGivers.org

Please go to our website http://www.hilariousgivers.org/ , click on the link (or paste it into your browser's address window) to place your request for food.

The food pickup will be at our warehouse at 9340 Cabot Drive, San Diego, CA 92126

We appreciate your time and thank you for all you do for the kids!

On His path,

Judd and Debra Wheeler

Mattresses! And more mattresses!

We just confirmed another delivery of mattresses from Holland America Line for Saturday. And a generous donor has provided a warehouse near the border - no cost, no strings, except we need to show evidence of liability and property insurance. Of course, we don't have any. We really haven't had a need up until now, but now we need it. NOW. So if anyone has an inside track to a couple of months' of business liability and property loss insurance, now would be the time to let us know!
Saturday is going to be a big day. We're praying for some help for a couple of hours to unload a truck and move 120+ mattresses into our newly-acquired warehouse in South Bay. Give us a call if you can help.

Hilarious Givers: We are, once again, the beneficiaries of nearly new mattresses from a luxury cruise ship!

Hilarious Givers: We are, once again, the beneficiaries of nearly new mattresses from a luxury cruise ship!

We are, once again, the beneficiaries of nearly new mattresses from a luxury cruise ship!

NEWS FLASH...

Friends of Hilarious Givers,

We are, once again, the beneficiaries of nearly new mattresses from a luxury cruise ship!

The last shipment of mattresses were a huge success; many of you have been praying for more because we just ran out of mattresses. Well, He is sufficient. We have been Blessed and given more.

Next Saturday, and every Saturday for the next few weeks, we will receive a truckload of about 100 mattresses. These are mattresses that have been in use since early this summer. We don't know for sure the pickup location for you - we're still in the process of making those arrangements.  About 10 mattresses will fit in a pickup or van - the last time the duty was about $10 U.S. per mattress to cross the border.

We need to know if you are going to pick up Mattresses (somewhere in the San Diego area.) If this week will not work, let me know and we'll set aside mattresses for a future Saturday. I need a count for this week ( 10-23-2010 ) ASAP.

E-mail me at Judd@HilariousGivers.org - please include your name and the name of your mission and how many mattresses you can use. If you are not picking up this Saturday, tell me which Saturday you will be available.
We appreciate your time and thank you for all you do!

On His path,

Judd and Debra Wheeler

July 29, 2010 (posted 7/30)

God answers prayers – not just sometimes, but faithfully and with unbounded grace. I have been asking for guidance – the ‘what’s next’ – for Hilarious Givers. Discouragement and disappointment had come to the fore. Obstacles seemed to spring up in my path despite my best efforts – and sometimes even because of my best efforts. My plans were just not working. I resolved to sit with my helpmeet, my most faithful supporter on earth, my beautiful wife, and discuss the facts. The facts were that no matter what the depth of our devotion to the mission, we simply could not go forward without financial support. And it was becoming clear that needed resources were just not going to be forthcoming. Oh, there were some encouraging signs on the horizon, but without ‘here and now’ support we just couldn’t get the job done. So, I resolved that on Saturday I would make some time to discuss with Debra the facts: We need to stand down for a few months until I can figure a way to find time to raise money.


Then came a telephone call. An anonymous donor had made a substantial gift. Completely unsolicited, absolutely unexpected, and large enough to meet the immediate needs of the mission. It was like lighting a candle in a dark room.

So. I had not explicitly been praying for money, nor had I embarked on a campaign to raise funds for Hilarious Givers. Instead, I had fervently been praying for some guidance, some direction, some way to be able to meet God’s direction to share his Good News by sharing our abundance.

God knows our prayers before they reach our lips. I don’t know why I continue to be surprised – I suppose it’s a matter of my lack of faith. We continue in His work by His grace.

To our anonymous donor: Thank you. To God: Please forgive my doubting mind, reach my skeptical heart, and accept my deepest thanks for your grace. And please, God, cause our nameless benefactor to rejoice in the absolute joy that comes from giving to the least among us.

Answered Prayers

June has been an awesome month. I know - I say that every month. What can I say? We have been blessed with tons of food to give out to needy kids, and hundreds of volunteers to give it out. Generous corporate sponsors keep donating warehouse space and trucking, not to mention manpower. Debra and I keep things together on the home front because I have a reliable job (a mixed blessing, but a blessing none the less). How could it get any better?

A few months ago I had a chat with the director of one of our supported missions. When the subject turned to school for the kids, he related that it was a real challenge, because although school is mandatory for kids in Mexico, the reality is that they can't attend unless they have uniforms, and many, if not most of the families he supports just can't afford to buy school uniforms. So the kids stay home or work in the fields - a tough reality. Of course, Hilarious Givers is primarily a feeding ministry and a serving ministry, not a school-clothes-providing-and-teaching ministry. Or so I thought.

Then, a brother from our church offered the inventory from a store that had gone out of business as a donation. He said there were lots of kid's clothes, among a lot of other stuff. Debra and I visited him last week to see what was being offered. Sure enough, there was lots and lots of stuff. Clothes, t-shirts, jeans, shoes and undies, most in kids' sizes. And miscellaneous goods like baby oil, shampoo, backpacks, and dolls. Oh, and school uniforms. Lots of school uniforms. About 60, he thinks. Both black and white and blue and white - the colors kids wear to school in Mexico. (Are you reading this, Greg?) So now we have to arrange cartage and volunteers to sort - but the bottom line is that dozens of kids who would be working in the fields or just staying home this autumn will instead be attending school, and helping to break the cycle of dependency in which they are now enmeshed. Very cool. We took a few boxes with us for the planned trip south the following day - some baby oil, shampoo and a few other items.

Some weeks ago Debra discovered a non-profit in Florida that recycles bath soap from hotels. http://cleantheworld.org/ After some push-and-shove, and the support of friends and a church near the warehouse in Florida, and donated cartage, and all the rest, we received a pallet of brand-new bars of bath soap. Not the skinny kind from Motel 6, but nice, fragrant hand-sized bars of bath soap.

We visited an orphanage near where we live on Sunday, just outside the Mexican town of Tecate. This home had been suggested as a candidate to be sponsored by a church we are helping to establish an orphans outreach. We were hosted by Pepe, the adult son of the founder of the Children's Home. We had a great time making new friends, connecting the U.S. church with the orphange, playing a few games with the kids, and just "puttin' the love on" the precious children. Of course, we had a few hundred pounds of food to give them, but we saved that bit of information until the end.

I chatted with Pepe, and described the Hilarious Givers ministry. Of course, he was grateful to be asked to become one of our sponsored programs. His kids are well-fed, but donations have dropped off recently, and whatever we can do to help would be appreciated. But, he went on, what the kids really need today is soap. And baby oil. And shampoo.

When we opened the back of the truck and started unloading food, we soon came to the cases of soap and baby oil and shampoo. I don't think I will ever forget Pepe's beaming face as he exclaimed "Mira! Jabon! Aceiti de bebe! Champu!" (Look! Soap! Baby Oil! Shampoo!) So we not only filled their pantry, but were able to be the hand of God in answering a prayer.

So, once again I'm given a lesson in humility. My plan is to feed kids. But God has so much more in mind for me. And he keeps reminding me.

When you ask if your prayers are going to be answered, the question is not well phrased.  Your prayers are answered before they ever spring to your mind. Pepe's prayer for sanitation supplies were answered weeks ago, when Debra was touched by the soap salvage ministry. Greg's prayer for school uniforms was met when the business closed and its inventory went to storage. My prayer for the means to support my family and fulfill our mission has been answered - I just don't yet know what that answer is.

I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!

Isaiah 65:24 (NLT)

Hilarious Givers: Time, numbers, dollars and what counts. They're not all the same.

Hilarious Givers: Time, numbers, dollars and what counts. They're not all the same.

Time, numbers, dollars and what counts. They're not all the same.

The month of May has been incredible for Hilarious Givers. We distributed about 23,000 pounds of nutritious food, sanitation supplies and water to needy kids and their families during May. Several missions and feeding programs have allowed us to come alongside them and expand our outreach. Two churches have invited us to get involved with them to enlarge their efforts in Baja California.

It seems there is never enough time to get done what needs to be done. To prepare a 15-minute presentation requires hours of time. Sending a pallet of food south takes assembling, from tons of food, a meaningful variety; otherwise we end up giving some orphanage a twenty-year supply of toilet tablets instead of the soup mix we had intended.

Adopting a new orphanage in Baja requires getting to know its directors, procedures, and morals.

If that time is not invested, we would end up supporting the cause of some superstition-following cult or a commercial venture whose goals are contrary to ours. The enemy is always testing our doors.



Fortunately, we have been blessed with volunteers without whom we could never accomplish what we have - but it still takes time and money to keep this mission going.

Still, the number of tons of food distributed is not the important measure. It's the joy that comes from feeding a hungry kid.

It's the knowledge that our efforts have somehow brought the message of Jesus Christ to a family who didn't know Him.

It's falling asleep at night knowing that there are hundreds of folks sleeping on comfy mattresses we have distributed, instead of on plywood beds - or in the dust of a dirt floor.  These are the things that are important. This is what counts.

So. If these are the important things, why is there never time to get them done? It's because I spend my precious time on things that are necessary, but not important. I get up and go to the office to earn money so I can fulfill my duty to my family. Mortgage needs to be paid, bills satisfied, food purchased. "He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?" 1 Ti 3:4-5

But I can't seem to be able to find the time to introduce Hilarious Givers to those who would be willing to donate the money needed to run the charity. Instead, I spend my precious time at the job. God has called me to reach out with this ministry and spread the Good News; still, I get up and go to work. It's easier than asking for help. ". . .ye have not, because ye ask not." James 4:2

Today, I begin knowing I am doing the Lord's work, reaching out to the nations and spreading the news of the grace of Jesus Christ. Still, I am not satisfied. I must do better. I should set aside my pride. I should ask. Not just for help, but for money. Because this ministry will not grow and flourish without it.

So, I am asking. Please go to http://www.hilariousgivers.org/MakingaDonation.dsp and make a donation. Experience the joy of selfless giving. Your donation will help us do the important things - feeding hungry kids, spreading the Gospel, introducing people in our community to the joy of serving Him. "The Lord loves a  cheerful (Hilarious) Giver"!

My world is shaken.

Easter Sunday afternoon. It's another beautiful Southern California day - brilliant blue sky, temperature smack in the middle of the comfort zone, and my sweetie and I are celebrating Easter at the home of our dear friends in nearby Bonita. Great company, good food, all is right with the world. He is risen! Thinking of maybe slipping into the swimming pool for a bit.

Whoa! What is this? The concrete patio is moving - sliding back and forth: east - then west - then back east - back and forth for what seems like a long time, but is really less than a minute. 45 seconds is a long time, when you're trying to orient yourself. The surf is definitely up - in the swimming pool! The jacuzzi is sloshing over, trying to empty itself. Some bend down and touch the ground with one hand, seeking some stability. Then it stops. We all look at each other, as if to get assurance that all is back to normal.

Of course, this is not our first earthquake. We live perched at the meeting place of the Pacific tectonic plate and the North American tectonic plate. Each is hundreds of thousands of square miles in size, and each is moving - slowly, inexorably moving, a  few millimeters a day, with respect to one another. On the geologic time scale, these plates are continuously, violently grinding against one another, making mountains and changing the shape of continents. In the human time scale, where our lifetime is but a blink in the geological eye, this grinding occasionally results in a noticable temblor. Last Sunday's shaker resulted from a minor rift to our east, about 100 miles from us. Last Sunday we got a reminder of the temporary nature of what we want to think of as permanent. The very ground - the foundation of everything we have built on this earth - moved. And kept moving. And didn't stop until we were reminded of how fragile everything we built over the years is.

Our Easter shaker measured 7.2 on the Richter scale. That's twice as powerful as the recent 7.0 Haiti quake. It tore a fault beneath the urban center of Mexicali/Calexico, on the border between California and Baja California. There was some damage to structures, some injuries and a couple of folks died. (One died as the result of running panic-stricken into the street where he was struck by a car.)

Hilarious Givers supports several missions, orphanages and feeding programs in the area hard-hit by last week's earthquake. Families who before had little now have even less. Children who had been living in homes made of packing crates and cardboard now live out-of-doors. But they are self-reliant, and resilient, and are rebuilding. And we have the privilege of coming alongside, as brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, and giving them assistance. We will continue to provide food and drink, and now mattresses, to these children of God.

And you can join us. Our mission is possible only because of the help of our faithful supporters. Your prayers are earnestly requested, your volunteer time is cherished, as is your continued financial help.