The Divided States of America: Racism & Discrimination is Unacceptable

The past month in our nation has faced some of the most horrific and heinous crimes that have left numerous young black people dead.  A few weeks ago in Brunswick, Georgia, Ahmaud Arbery was jogging in the middle of the afternoon and was killed by two white gunmen.  This week, George Floyd of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was arrested for forgery and murdered by a white police officer who suffocated him to death by kneeling on his neck for over seven minutes.   These events are purely evil.  They are utterly unacceptable and are hate crimes.  The outcry, protests, and demonstrations which have resulted in cities across the U.S. including burning of police stations, destroying police cars, riots in the streets, and looting articulate the pain that communities and entire groups of people are facing.  Enough is enough.  The deaths of these young people never should have taken place, but they did because we are the Divided States of America.

In a country that is supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave, it sickens me to see such horrific crimes and ill-will treatment of others due to race.  The United States has always had institutionalized problems from the very beginning.  Hundreds of years of slavery turned into decades of segregation, which has now turned into institutionalized racism and bigotry led by our very own president, Donald Trump.  It is awful.  It is wrong and the problem that existed from the beginning because of some evil power hungry and control white males, still remains in the year 2020.

Judgment is a sad thing. How feeble minded is the one who thinks he or she is better because of skin color. Race is a real thing and white privileged exists. It should not. All people deserve to be treated equally. My heart hurts because we all bleed the same color, red, and are part of a human family. Our differences when it comes to race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, culture and political affiliation make this world diverse. Diversity should be embraced and celebrated, not hated. Black lives matter, black dreams matter, black beliefs matter, black hopes matter, black futures matter, black rights matter, black education matters, black votes matter, black belief matters.  Additionally, Hispanic lives matter, Chinese lives matter, Japanese lives matter, Native American lives matter, Pacific Islander lives matter, White lives matter, all human lives matter.  No person is better than they next and no person is less than another.  We all have unique qualities about us.  We are all different and we must respect one another.

As the great Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Inequality anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."  So why do we allow these hateful crimes, these horrible systems, and this unfair and ill-willed treatment of others due to race to exist?  Why do people still treat others wrongly because of skin color?  As Will Smith recently put it, "Racism isn’t getting worse, it’s getting filmed.”  This problem has plagued our society in this country for hundreds of years.  Light is being shed on an issue that most be resolved.  The solution begins with me and it begins with you.  As a white middle class and educated male, I realize that I have been given great privilege as a result of my gender, race, and socio-economic status.  I do not take this lightly, but I realize that I have to do more.  It is time for those who have this white privilege to use it to better the world and to speak up, step up, and act on the behalf of those who are being mistreated and hurt.  Wouldn't you want someone to do the same for your brother or mother?  Well, why then does not every human being deserve respect, equal and fair treatment, and opportunity?  They do.  The sad thing is we have leaders in this country who don't believe that so it is up to us to empower those who are good and who will fight for the rights of all people.

Back in August 28, 1963 Martin Luther King gave his famous "I have a dream speech."  Within that address to the nation, King spoke about living in a spirit of brotherhood and how he was dreaming of a future where all children and men and women would be able to live in harmony.  Recall the powerful words, "I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls."  When you hold someones hand, you join forces, you are united.  This is what our nation should be all about.  Father Gregory Boyle wrote the book Tattoos on the Heart.  He, a white male used his privilege and life to serve the gang infested streets of LA for decades.  Father Boyle created a way for rival gang members to come together and work alongside one another by empowering them through HomeBoy Ministries.  He created a bakery, restaurant, and other businesses.  Father Boyle said, "It is not enough to take a stand on an issue.  We must stand with people in the issue."  MLK and Boyle were cut from the same cloth.  They desired to change the world and did so by taking radical action.  It is time for you and I to take action and do so in the best way we know how.

In 1992, the LA Race Riots took place after a black man named Rodney King was brutally beaten by cops and nothing was done about this hate crime.  By the time the riots concluded, a total of 63 people had been killed, 2,383 people had been injured, and more than 12,000 were arrested.  And yet, history repeats itself once again and for all those years in-between.  MLK Jr. was right when he said, "Darkness cannot Drive our darkness only light can do that. hatred cannot drive out hate only  Love can do that."  Stop the hate and put on the garments of love.  

As an educator in urban schools for over eight years, I have experienced racism first hand and it was horrible.  I was blessed to have taught and worked with thousands of children during my time teaching in the inner city.  I deliberately chose to work at a school that was primarily black, having over 90% African American population, about 7% hispanic, and less than 1% white.  As a white male and knowing the horrible issues our country faced, I desired to serve the underserved, the underprivileged and those who deserved a fair shot.  Numerous times during my tenure I was approached by people in the white community who said, "Those kids in Arbor Hill, NY cannot make it.  They have no chance."  This fueled my person fire to do what ever I could as an educator, mentor, coach, and person do to whatever it took to ensure that my students would have a choice filled future.  In my classroom, I took pride in teaching students how to treat one another respect, of calling out our government leaders, and people from my community who were racist and wrong, and speaking truth into them.  We read about slavery and segregation by diving deep into books like Night John and Promises to Keep.  We had lengthy discussions about how the system in America is broken, how it is unfair and wrong that white males had the power centuries ago and still do to this day.  I made a point to tell them how sorry I was for the ill-treatment people of color received and how disgusting it was that racism and discrimination still exists.  My students gained my trust as I built strong relationships with them, supported their lives far beyond the reaches of the classroom, and cared about them deeply as people.  A young student of mine named Janiyah told me on a number of occasions, "Mr. Jason, you are the best teacher ever. You believe in me and make me feel like I can do anything.”  This is what she and her peers deserve.  

The school system is certainly broken as well.  There is a pipeline to prison approach, especially amongst blacks and minorities.  Discipline is not done correctly and instead of learning from choices and restoring justice, suspensions pile up, failure rates increase, and kids drop out.  Within the city of Albany there is over a 50% drop out rate.  Much of this has to do with people giving up on our students and saying that there are too many obstacles.  They have thrown in the towel and not given these kids a fair shot.  And then the black young man or young lady has to continue to look over his or her shoulder wondering who is out to get them.  The police cannot be trusted because of a few horrific individuals who are ruin the reputations of heroes who serve their country and fellow citizens.  The situation our divided nation faces is out of control. 

A few months before I decided to move on from the teaching world to take a more active role as a missionary and re-evaluate life, one of my favorite students said something to me that I will never forget.  Deon, the young African American 5th grade student I called "Neon Deon," said to me,  “Mr. Jason, you are the first white person who I met who I think is actually black inside. You care about us. You would never allow this stuff to happen to us. You would have protected us.”  Those words made me realize that we must do more.  I have great love for my students including Deon and believe that he can do great things in life.  However, if our society doesn't change his ceiling will only be so high and he and his peers will have to live in fear.  That is not acceptable.  Jesús said, “ Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)  Little children do not hold prejudices, they are not racist, and they focus solely on love.  That is why Jesus said we must become like little children.  In a world that is shattered, we must start gluing back the pieces one encounter, one interaction, one relationship at a time.  St. Paul said to the Galatians, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." ...and then to the Romans “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor." (Galatians 6:10, Romans 12:10)  If you and I take this approach and if we say something and do something when we see something, the world can change.  

Ultimately, this issue of race in our country boils down to one thing, respect.  There is a lack of respect for others and a lack of human decency. Need new policies, laws, and our social justice system must be rewritten.  We have to flip it on its head.  Institutional racism is keeping people in shackles, as the black community and people of color still face the bondage of long ago.  Malcom X was right when he said, "I believe that there will be ultimately be a clash between the oppressed and those who do the oppressing. I believe that there will be a clash between those who want freedom, justice and equality for everyone and those who want to continue the system of exploitation. I believe that there will be that kind of clash...based on the color of the skin."  That clash existed decades ago and still exists in the 21st Century.  He then went on to say, " Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it."  The thing is, this freedom and equility should be a person's from their time of existence.  You shouldn't have to go get it, God created you to be free.

A problem that began long ago, remains.  "I had crossed the line. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land," said Harriet Tubman.  These were her words after reaching freedom and escaping slavery.  The thing is she went back and rescued over 300 others, risking her life by conducting the Underground Railroad.  A hundred or so years later, Rosa Parks refused to move on the bus and said, "Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to meet, and, hopefully, we shall overcome."  It is up to us to discuss these horrible issues with our children and address them, to break the cycle, and to show people there is a far better way.  Love and mutual respect is the answer.  I couldn't agree more with Parks who suggested, "I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all people."

So in light of the happenings and the situation that worsens, I hope that you will join in a grass roots movement.  We can each do our part and if we are white we have a great responsibility to do more to help our brothers and sisters who face racism.  We must ignite the change and be the change.  It will not happen on its own and we cannot allow another 100 years to pass by and for the way of the world to only worsen.  As the first African American president in our nation's history, Barrack Obama, so eloquently professed, "If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists – to protect them and to promote their common welfare – all else is lost....Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”  Keep fighting, keep striving, and keep being that change.  Do it for the Deon's of the world and do it because it is the right thing to do.  Love can conquer all evil and it will win in the end.  Let's do our part to turn our country into the United States of America, a truly unified nation with liberty and justice for ALL!

--

Dan Jason

Slow Down & Take Time to Be

Watching the clock. Time to go.  What is next?  Countless lists and things on the agenda.  Life goes way to fast and we are constantly on the move.  During these times of quarantine, I have learned a valuable lesson...slow down and take time to be.  Whether it has been sitting for a little longer on a sunny morning on my front porch sipping a hot cup of coffee, reading a good book on my cozy couch late at night, or playing yet another silly game with my nephew or niece, these past months have taught me to take my time and slow down.

Life is short and we are so consumed by our jobs, daily responsibilities, and the many things we "must do."  And yet, through it all, we often tend to miss out because we are continuously looking ahead.  Don't get me wrong, I am someone who believes in planning.  However, there is no time like the present moment.  There is no time like, now.  As I swam with my nephew and niece in my in-laws pool today it struck me.  At no other point would I be able to have an entire day to share in such fun during the middle of the typical work week.  Being unemployed is not easy and more people face it now than ever before because of losing their jobs due to COVID-19.  However, work was the last thing on my mind today.  Making money and having a job frankly didn't matter because I got lost in the moment.  My inner child come out and it was a ton of fun!

What a beautiful thing it was to be able to spend an entire afternoon with two of the most precious little ones in my family.  Jumping in a pool never felt so good.  Not because it was a scorching 90 degree day, but because for the first time in a long time, I could safely be with my nephew and niece and just be.  We squirted each other with pool toys, took rides on rafts, built little castles out of fake play dough like sand, played ring around the rosie, and had a picnic lunch.  At was as if time stood still.  I soaked up every second.  Looking at the joy in the two little ones that I shared such fun times with today reminded me of what truly matters in this life.  I experienced what I believe is the closest thing to a slice of Heaven on earth.  Before I headed home, my little nephew came up to me and said, "Danny, I am so happy you came to play with me at Chi-Chi's (grandma's) house today. It was so fun"  That three year old boy said it all.   

The messages I would soon glance at while heading to my car, after telling everyone I would see them soon and how much I loved them; those texts didn't matter.  The to-do list that would greet me when I got home was still going to be there and yet it was nearly erased from my mind completely.  Today was all about being.  It was about living in a moment, capturing it, letting it sink in, experiencing love, and allowing love to flow from my heart to those kids.  I hope that when I am a dad some day that I take a random Wednesday off and spend it entirely by doing fun things with my kids.  There is nothing more satisfying than taking the time for the little things and spending time with the people that matter the most.

In as much as I pray that the next phase of reinstatement from quarantine is soon approaching so we can get back to some sense of normalcy, days like today make me think that it's more than okay if another week passes and I am not at work.  Overall, the best and most important thing is that we have people to share our lives with, kids to love, and the time to do just that.  My hope is that amidst the chaos of life, you will take time to just be.  Whether it means time with your own kids, time with your spouse, or time for yourself, just be.  Live in the now and soak up the moment.  Slow life down, take time to smell the roses, breathe deeply, and know that there will never be another time in your life quite like the one you are experiencing now.  Enjoy the week ahead and I urge you that the next time you glance at your watch or think about all the things you have to do, ensure that you don't miss out on what is right before your very eyes.

Joining the Baseball Miracles Team

There are defining moments in everyone’s life when things radically change.  In January of 2020, I hopped on an airplane and headed to Mexico City.  A friend of mine had told me about this organization that put on baseball clinics for kids in some of the most impoverished places on the planet.  He said that you are going to be amazed by what this group does through the game of baseball.  As a longtime baseball player and lifelong fan of the game, this opportunity sounded like something I could have dreamt up.  Meeting John Tumminia, founder of Baseball Miracles, Kyle Bamberger, Mike McCarthy, and the rest of the Miracles team on the first afternoon in a city park where we served the homeless; told me right away that this group was the real deal.  Right out of the batter's box, I received a warm welcome and knew that this mission was going to be something incredibly special.  

When I heard that Baseball Miracles was serving and organizing a program for the children at the City Dump, one of the most destitute places on the planet, I was all in!  The experience I had with the Miracles Team and the kids blew me away and was one of the most joy filled moments of my life.  I am honored and proud to say that I am now an official member of the Baseball Miracles Family and am continuously astounded by the tremendous work that is done by this top notch organization.  The love and desire to serve Christ in all that is done through Baseball Miracles is the main ingredient for me that sets this organization apart.  The selfless service of the team members to bring hope, joy, and light to places around the globe in need, has left an imprint on my mind and heart in a profound way.

During our mission in Mexico City, I had the privilege to help put on a day long clinic where we taught the kids at the city dump how to play the game of baseball.  The Miracles team made this special day one that all of those children will remember forever.  I could not get over the generosity, as each kid received a new glove, a Baseball Miracles shirt, backpack, baseball, and player cards.  Watching their faces light up when I put the glove on their hand and they realized it was theirs is a tremendous memory.  Teaching the kids how to run the bases, field ground balls and catching pop flies was phenomenal.  The best for me though was watching them hit.  Each kid grabbed that bat and put on the helmet with such enthusiasm.  They dug their heels into the dirt with great determination. They were so excited to hear the crack of the bat and watch the baseball soar through the air.  The culminating moment of a day of fun in the sun where we shared ball park franks and signed autographs for the kids, was a big baseball game out on the dirt field.  Every kid got a chance to come up to bat and players were spread out in the field at each position.  I was blessed to be the all time pitcher during that game on the diamond, a hall of fame moment for me.  

As I watched every kid hit the ball in a live baseball game I knew that God was present on that field.   A miracle happened that day for those 150 kids in Mexico City.  A dump, piles of trash surrounding us, horrible stench, a language barrier, and yet none of that mattered.  The game of baseball transcended it all.  It was all about a glove, a bat, and a ball that brought great joy to the kids and their families.   What I have learned from this time on mission with the Baseball Miracles team is that it's all about showing up.  Sharing the game of baseball and loving on the kids is pretty simple.  When we allow God to do His work, then miracles happen.  And that is exactly what took place, another grand slam hit right out of the park!

The Baseball Miracles team includes many volunteers who dedicate part of their life to serving underprivileged kids, people with disabilities, and communities globally through the game.  John Tumminia is the founder of Baseball Miracles and is a hall of fame scout having worked many years for the Chicago White Sox. The pros have become involved in the organization with the likes of Mike McCarthy (former Red Sox organization) and Virgil Vasquez, former pitcher of the Detroit Tigers & Pittsburgh Pirates. Both of these pros are now coaches for the Twins organization. Clint Hurdle, the long time MLB pro and former Manager of the Pirates is on the board of directors and Kyle Bamberger of the Cleveland Indians ball club runs operations.

Check out our website: https://www.baseballmiracles.org/

Baseball Miracles, Inc. Contact Info: 

Email: djason@baseballmiracles.org

Instagram: baseballmiracles

Twitter: @basebmiracles

Facebook: @baseballmiracles

Emerging from Corona Changed: A Time to Work on Ourselves & Our World

The Coronavirus pandemic has put a halt on our society and impacted the world like nothing we have quite experienced before. Each of us has been impacted by this situation of quarantine. Many people have suffered with the loss of loved ones, unemployment, children out of school, and everything coming to a stand still due to this horrible virus. This time period will all go down in the history books as part of the COVID-19 era.  We could discuss the ramifications of this pandemic forever, however it is important to focus on what we have learned from it and how it will have changed us.

Life is short, for many during these turbulent times they have found this out in a tragic way.  The best case scenario that hundreds of millions of people have faced over the past few months was being in quarantine.  Not being able to go anywhere, do anything, or see our family and friends has been very challenging.  Going into these uncharted waters when the quarantine began was an invitation for change.  Change is hard for anyone and is often not something that people readily embrace.  In most instances, change is looked at as something we put off or do not desire because it takes effort, focus, and intentionality.  When the reality of Coronavirus settled in and we realized that our world would indeed be shutdown for a substantial amount of time we all faced a question.  How would we respond?  Human nature was to complain, look at the worst case scenario, and focus on what we did not have.  For some, this horrible time period was viewed in a much different light.  Some people looked at it from a perspective where the glass was still half full and we could pour new time on our hands into a cup of blessing.  There was a different road to be taken. 

Like many people out there, I lost my job due to the pandemic and am still not sure when the time will come when I can go back to work.  This has not been easy.  Beyond the financial ramifications has been the loss of the interaction with peers and sometimes feeling the lack of a daily purpose. However, I have come to understand that we can only control what we can control.  What this pandemic has given me more than anything else is time.  Having an extra nine hours a day outside of work could either be used to better myself and our world or be wasted away.  We often wonder why things happen.  Why this virus hit and how it actually started might never be able to be proven or give us the answers we desire.  Why did I, along with millions of others become unemployed? Like it or not, these were the cards dealt to us and as in other tough situations we have one thing left to do...We get to decide how we will play the hand.  Time is a gift.  I have so often said, "I wish I had more time," "I don't have enough time to do that," or the ever so common, "I am too busy."  But now I had more time than ever before.  I guess this was kind of like what it felt like to be retired.  But at 31 years old, I wasn't ready for it.  So I searched for some answers and in doing so I decided to use the time to change myself and pour out my extra hours into an endeavor with the hope of blessing the world.  During the quarantine I got to brainstorming and the road I decided to travel down was through writing.  I thought about one of my life long goals, writing a book.  So that is what I set out to do.  I did not want to just write any book, but a work of inspiration. I desired to share a story, my story.  I wanted to share something that could impact the world in a positive way.  After spending upwards of 8 to 10 hours a day and a number of months, FIRE Burning Within has been fully published and is now being read.  I am very grateful to have had the time to share my ideas, thoughts, and feelings about life through a journey of faith with the world.  The writing process did not stop there and I went on to write Winning With Money: Dollars & $ense A Comprehensive Guid to Achieve Financial Freedom & Peace.  In addition, I created multiple children's books and illustrated them.  Some nonprofits that I have been a part of have also asked me to help them through writing various articles.  As Jay-Z stated, "Luck is made when preparation meets opportunity."  Things start chasing us down when we take a proactive approach and set the ball in motion.  

My point with sharing all of this is to emphasize that we can use unforeseen happenings in our lives as a crutch or a springboard.  We have a decision every day to determine how we will use the 86,400 seconds we have been given.  For me, each day is a blessing.  My hope is that through how I used my time I might be able to inspire and encourage people and in doing so make a small contribution to the world.  Writing has been the passion that I reignited and uncovered during the pandemic.  What this time under quarantine has taught me most of all is that through difficulty and struggle we can come out better than ever.  

I have great hope that when we emerge from this pandemic, when come out of this crisis and can go back to work, we will be more equipped than a few months ago.  When we go back into society fully, my hope is that people remember this trying time.   In recalling the challenges, may we all focus more on the blessings than the hardship.  I hope that we rewind and look back on what we were able to do with more time, how we could live out some of our greatest passions, and the ways we were able to use the extra hours of each day to do things we have always desired.  My hope is that we will continue to be more connected with our families and friends.  The zoom calls and connectivity must not stop.  The desire to see how our loved ones are, especially the elderly and to lift a helping hand as a good neighbor must continue.  Doing kind things, being cheerful givers, helping those who are not as well off as we are, all of this can and should follow us out of the pandemic.  

Loss is not easy and it never is.   What we have faced with the Coronavirus has been challenged and varies in large degrees.  However, if we come out of this thing and bring with us the positives, the ways we have grown, and take with us how we have changed; then we can be better from it.  There will always be light and darkness in our world.  It is up to us to be beacons of light and to bring forth renewed hope!  The next time that something doesn't go your way, try to think of it not as a setback, but as a set up.  How will you respond?  What will you do differently than you did in the past?  In what ways will you grow and become a stronger person than you were before?  The choice is yours.  Now it is time to take more action.  May God bless you and your family.  Together we can defeat anything that comes our way. Keep living life to the fullest!

Mexico City Missions: Encountering Christ in the Poor & Homeless

When we encounter Christ in the poor, we embrace our own poverty. We are filled with great love and are able to allow the love of Jesus to flow from us to those we meet. It is not enough to simply take a stand on an issue. We must stand with others and be one with them in what they face. When we do this, then the walls, the stigma, and the barriers are broken down. Human to human, life to life, a personal encounter cannot be replicated.   The depths of the human heart and connection with people is what life is all about.  The love of Christ is here with us always and present in the little ones. As Matthew 25:40 says, “Whatever you do for the least of my people, that you did onto me.” The greatest poverty in the world is being unloved. It is a tremendous blessing to have the opportunity to share with others on this journey of life and meet people where they are. Love transforms all and Christ Jesus gives us all the fulfillment that lasts forever. May the Lord bless those of Mexico City, especially the little ones.

Having the opportunity to go to spend time with people who are the down trodden and outcasts of society is important.  When we go and simply show up, blessings and immense light comes flooding in.  The encounter that we have with the poor is something that is transformative.  We bring joy into the lives of those we meet and they lead us closer to the Lord, radiating the love of Christ.  This intense experience is what continues to keep me going back to the places that nobody else wants to go.  However, the fact is that the poor are all around us.  They are in our work places, our communities, and in our schools.  Poverty tends to mask itself behind various walls.  There are all different forms of poverty albeit physical, spiritual, emotional, social, and financial.  Whatever form of poverty someone faces, it can drain them, sucking the very life out of their inner being.  When you and I show up in someone's life, we give them hope and these seeds germinate.  There is no telling how much this renewed hope will do for a person or a community and in fact it is not up to us to decided.  We plant the seeds and God causes the growth.  As long as we remember that we are workers in His vineyard, we will stay connected to the vine.  This will allow us to do God's work that He calls us to and our labor will bear much fruit.

Mexico City is a special place for me for so many reasons.  Experiencing the beautiful people in one of the most economically challenged places in the world has touched my life in a profound way.  I remember getting my invitation from a friend to join a group on mission.  When I learned where Hope of the Poor served the people on the streets of Mexico City and in the dump, I was touched.  Going there and showing up was another story.  So many people were supporters of my first mission and the one's I have served on since, as there is so much need in this place.  And yet, we weren't focused on "doing" but the emphasis was about being.  Being present is a gift, a far more impactful one than most understand.  Do not get me wrong, there was food, water and clothing brought with us, as these all served as a vehicle to allow us the opportunity to encounter the poor.  However, the heart of the mission was to share in time with our fellow brothers and sisters.

Think back to the ministry and times of Jesus.  He certainly performed many miracles and all of these impressed the crowds.  Giving sight to the blind, healing the lame, and raising the dead is quite remarkable.  It is not an every day occurrence that these happenings transpire today.  However, it is extremely important to recognize that as much as Jesus wanted to bring healing to people's lives, what he desired more was to draw them in so He could have an encounter.  Jesus was not merely a doctor for the ill, but one for the broken hearted and those who lacked faith.  Recall the words of the Lord in Mark's Gospel, "...Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.  I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."(Mark 2:17)  This shows that physical healing was important to show the power of God, however the spiritual health is the most critical as that lasts forever and sustains the soul.

Street Ministry

Jesus is in Mexico City.  I saw and experienced the Lord face to face in the poor children on the streets and their distraught parents.  Climbing down into a drainage ditch and seeing how those who are forgotten in society live, opened my eyes.  I was blind, but now I was able to see.  Jesus was in the little girl who jumped into my arms and clung onto me.  The human need and desire to feel secure, to experience love, and comfort is extraordinarily tangible.  No thing, no material good, not even food or water which sustains life, can replicate this need for intense love.  Love is what the human heart and soul needs and that is what we shared in our ministry.  Spending time with the homeless in the local parks and listening to their stories, hearing their testimonies, and connecting with them on a deeper level was truly beautiful.  All the barriers, walls, and differences were erased.  Skin color, socio economic status, level of education, language; none of that mattered.  What mattered was the human heart connecting between me and the person I was spending time with.  What mattered was the warm hug, the holding of a tiny hand while walking on the street, and the kicking of soccer ball to smiling faces.

Visiting the City Dump

We took an hour or so bus ride to our next destination where Jesus spends much of his time south of the boarder.  There was no seashore and there certainly was no crowd gathered.  The stench was horrific driving into the city dump.  Even from a couple miles out, the smell infiltrated the bus.  As we got closer it looked as if this was a very mountainous area where we were approaching.  Then, it dawned on me...The mountains I saw off to a distance were actually heaping piles of trash.  Hundreds of feet tall with no end in sight, these garbage mounds were massive.  For as far as the eyes could see in every direction was filthy disgusting rubbish.  Out of the enormous piles emerged the people who worked and lived there.  How could this be?  Who could withstand such horrific conditions.  It was very hard to wrap my mind around  all of this.  Even the thought of these conditions could be paralyzing.  I quickly called to mind why we were there.  We weren't at the dump to fix anything and certainly had not come to fix anyone.  We were there to love and encounter Jesus face to face.  Walking up the mountains of trash to find other human beings, to be present, and hang out was our main goal.  And that is what we did.  In doing so, I felt God's presence like I never felt him before.  Looking into the brokenness of those people, I saw Christ staring back at me.  The suffering crucified Christ gazed into my soul.  In many instances, all I could do was to look back and with my eyes and smile tell the person on the other end that they mattered, were not forgotten, and are loved.  We were there to love and to share in God's love.  I felt the Lord and I believe that the children, women, and men I shared those afternoons with felt God's presence as well.  The smiles I received and the hugs, the  many "muchas gracias" uttered, and the hand shakes all were evidence that Jesus was alive.  In the midst of a mountain of trash, Christ was present. 



Jesus & Baseball

A final place I felt the intense presence of Jesus was during the Baseball Miracles portion of a visit I had in January of 2020.  Having the privilege and opportunity to team up with MLB pros, coaches, and staff as well as other volunteers to provide a dream day for kids at the dump was spectacular.  Over 150 kids and their families came out for a one day baseball clinic right there on the edge of the city dump as we transformed a massive patch of dirt into a baseball haven.  Once again, love conquered all.  The kids were provided and fitted with new baseball gloves, t-shirts, baseball cards, a backpack, and a good old fashioned ball-park frank lunch.  We taught them the ins and outs of the game including hitting, base running, fielding ground balls and catching pop flies, as well as the mechanics of throwing.  I have never seen so many kids so happy, as they smiled ear to ear.  That day in particular changed my life and led me to become a member of the Baseball Miracles Team!  This nonprofit organization travels the globe brining hope to underserved communities through the game of baseball and the love shared with the kids on the diamond.  The human connection felt that day broke down all barriers yet again and it allowed these children to simply be kids having fun! 

Get Involved

My hope is that you too will seek out opportunities to encounter Christ in the poor.  Take a step out of your comfort zone.  Remember, the poor are all around you.  Invite someone into your conversation, take a few minutes out of your day to be present, and love someone like Jesus did.  Your willingness to love and show up in the lives of another person will sprinkle light and make this world a better place.  There is no doubt that you will feel whole, as engaging in such an encounter is truly a holy moment.  We are called to be saints and we can change the world one person, one encounter, and one relationship at a time!

(Here is a link to a video that I created highlighting some of my experiences with Hope of the Poor & Baseball Miracles encountering the poor in Mexico City)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr68MvDZR-g

To learn more about HOPE Of The Poor or BASEBALL MIRACLES or to help these great organizations to continue to serve through donating, please check out the links below:

https://hopeofthepoor.org/

https://www.baseballmiracles.org/

  


God bless you,
Dan Jason

Who are You & What will your Impact Be

On your tomb stone it will have the year you were born and the year you died.  There will be a dash. That dash will represent all the things that you do, who you were, and the impact you had on other people's lives.  What do you want your dash to represent?

Each of us lives and each of us will die.  As it is said so often, "the only two things that are guaranteed in life are death and taxes."  There is another guarantee though, one that we can control based on how we use our time, our talents, and the faith that has been granted to us...We can all love and make a difference to others.  Jackie Robinson was one of the greatest baseball players of all time.  He was an MVP, World Series Champion, and most significantly the man who broke baseball's color barrier.  Robinson said, "Life means nothing, except for the impact we have on other people's lives."  One man can do something about problems in the world, one person can inspire others to be great, and a human life can impact numerous people by how we treat others.

Sometimes we get overwhelmed with the feelings of insignificance or not being "good enough."  We might even feel like what difference are we making if any at all.  How could I be like Jackie Robinson, or St. Paul, or Mother Teresa.  But it is not about making a name for ourselves.  It isn't about fame or glory.  Who you are is an easy question to answer, you are a child of God and oh does he have a mission for you.  It is easy to fall into the rabbit hole of comparison in a day and an age that is littered with social media postings, a get-ahead mentality, and keeping up with a high class lifestyle.  If we are to become our best version of ourselves, it is important for us to stay in our lane and be the best we can be.

Being our personal best every day will be what makes changes happen where we are for as long as we are there.  Every day we have people around us who take note of our choices, the way we treat others, and how we love.  When we put our faith in action, when we do the uncommon thing and make sacrifices it can be a game changer.  Mother Teresa is well known for serving the poor in Calcutta, caring for leapers, and healing the hearts of those in distress.  She became a great saint and left an imprint on the world.  She did what she could do.  One of her most famous sayings is, "Do small things with great love."  If we heed this advice and each day go about our routine and normal business with a "great love" attitude and approach the world around us will change.

Building up the Kingdom is about loving others where they are and for who they are.  Who you and I are is a person created to impact this generation in our own way.  We do not know how much time we will have, but if we trust in God's plan for our lives and are receptive to holy moments each day we will be remembered.  What is more than making a name for ourselves is making a name for He who we represent, Jesus Christ..."And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17)

Be the best version of yourself each day, one day at a time.  Understand that your life is a platform to share the love of Christ with others through the way you interact with people, and how you go about your day.  For they will truly know that we are Christians by our love.  Becoming a millionaire, acquire fame, acceptance, and power...none of these will provide the joy in knowing at the end of your life that you made an impact on others. 

There is only one you that will ever exist on this planet.  You have unique gifts and talents to share with the world.  The world needs everyday heroes of faith who live for an audience of one--God.  When we live for Him everything changes and people will see Jesus in us.  It is then that they desire to know him more because we love as Christ loved.  

So what will your impact be?  How will you share love and Jesus with the world.  Remember, our Kingdom is not of this world.  This life is not the end, it is only the beginning.  What greater thing than to live for Him and lead others closer to our Lord. 

A Kingdom Not of this World

I was racing back and forth and couldn't believe what still had to be done.  Another day gone and so many tasks to accomplish, yet note enough time.  I felt anxiety beginning to creep in and take a stronghold over me.  Why were there so many burdens coming down, numerous lists that I hadn't even touched yet, and I was overwhelmed once again.  Then I suddenly stopped, paused, and took a deep breath.  I closed my eyes in distress and said four simple words that changed it all, "Jesus, please help me."

In life we can feel at times that the weight of world is coming down on us.  It might seem like we can never get ahead or even catch up to where we are "supposed to be."  Working tirelessly for that promotion, getting the kids to practice night after night, and having to do the million daily tasks of paying bills, household chores, and keeping everyone in the family situated.  Step back and breathe.  All of the things we must do, people we feel like we have to care for or the business of life should not and must not take us away from what this life was given to us for.  Even the best situation, working to advance ourselves to provide for our future and family, something of highest regard cannot take first place on the medal stand of life.  If Jesus is not on the top of the podium, whatever it is that is higher will rob us of what we are made for--Heaven.

In this 21st Century it is very easy to get distracted.  We are consumed by a culture that needs results instantaneously.  There is countless stimuli that infiltrates our lives on a daily basis.  Much of the "noise" is not for our benefit and even that which is often distracts us from that which is most essential.  This life is important, but we were made for more, we were made for Heaven.

We are laborers in God's vineyard and we are living for a Kingdom that is not of this world.  Jesus said, "I am the vine and you are the branches (John 15:5) and then reminds us that "the harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few." (Matthew 9:37)  When it becomes clear to us that we do have an important role and calling on this earth, however we were made for much more; then we can keep Christ at the center.  When Jesus is the center of our lives the stuff, the tasks, the material desires, the agendas, the responsibilities, and even other relationships become a little lighter.  They are still important, yet he enhances them all and will help us through it all.  Not only will Jesus help us to survive, but our Lord will allow us to thrive.  Our end goal is provided as a gift through the Lord's amazing grace and the blood of his cross (John 3:16).

Jesus came and lived in this world for a mere 31 or 32 years.  He could have stayed on the scene for much longer and have done even more miracles and work on earth.  However, as the Son of God, he knew full well that the Kingdom is not of this world.  Jesus did say, "nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:21) He did tell people this for a reason, we will have slices and pieces of the Kingdom revealed to us here in the now, but it won't come to fulfillment until we meet our Lord face to face in Heaven.  It is interesting that Jesus lived a fairly average life as a carpenter's son and then his final three years or so he dedicated to ministry.  It is in the daily grind of life where we can meet our Lord on the road and take steps forward toward Heaven.

At times people say you become what you eat or you become who you center yourself around and upon.  Well, when we center our lives on Jesus and realize that this is not the end, the burdens can be made lighter and the yolk not as heavy.  We then focus on what truly matters and have an eternal outlook.  So as you go into the hustle and bustle of the week, keep your eyes on the prize and fix yourself on Him.  Then the Son will raise you up this day and on the last day when you appear with Him in glory.