Providing free medical care to those who desperately need it in remote and low income areas

Back in 1985, Stan Brock, the original “crocodile hunter,” founded Remote Area Medical (RAM) after suffering an injury in an isolated area of South America and also seeing the devastating impact that easy-to-treat illnesses and injuries can cause to people in hard-to-reach locations.  More than 30 years later, RAM has provided over $112M in free healthcare services to over 700,000 people around the globe.  Over time, RAM has increasingly focused on providing services in poor and rural areas of the United States, and today this work makes up more than 90% of their services.  Tonight we’re joined by Dr. Vicki Weiss, an Optometrist, serial volunteer, and President of the Board of Directors for RAM Virginia.  This year, RAM Virginia will run eight mobile clinics in locations of great need like Smyth, Warsaw, and Emporia Virginia, and they plan to expand to 12 clinics next year.  In 2016, 4,850 RAM volunteers provided free care to 5,134 Virginians valued at over $3M dollars.  Vicki joins us to talk about her experiences working with RAM and other volunteer groups, and some of the people she has served over the past 25+ years.

It's more than just physical services.  It's showing people that others care about them.

There are lots of people right here in Virginia that need medical care but can't afford and/or access it.

RAM Virginia's greatest need is for dentists, hygienists, optometrists, opticians, and doctors of all kinds.  They also need other volunteers and assistance.  Please feel free to reach out to their Director of Community Engagement, Marcus Adkins, to see how you might help.  His coordinates are: marcusVA@ramusa.org, 276-870-6299, www.ramusa.org/Virginia, and P.O. Box 38, Norton, VA24273.     

Full interview with Dr. Vicki Weiss, President of the Board of Directors for Remote Area Medical Virginia.  (This may take 30 seconds or so to load.)

Building an effective partnership between a church and public schools

Can a church build an effective relationship with public schools – one based on mutual trust, serving the community, and satisfying the school’s needs?  Sharon Hoover joins us to talk about how her church, Centreville Presbyterian Church (CPC), has done just that with three Fairfax County public schools in their community.  Sharon discusses how CPC has come alongside these schools and worked with them to address a number of challenges including helping at-risk teens, supporting teachers, and even holding a prayer/support vigil in the face of tragedy.  Sharon also discusses her work with the Redbud Writer’s Guild (a collection of Christian women from North America and Canada who are working to influence faith and culture through writing and speaking) and her current and forthcoming books.

There's a school near you that could use your help.

If a church is genuine in its desire to help public schools, its volunteers will be welcome. 

Advice for churches looking to work with public schools.

Full interview with Sharon Hoover from Centreville Presbyterian Church.  (This may take 30 seconds or so to load.)

For more information:  Centreville Presbyterian Church Website;  The Redbud Writer's Guild;  Soul Motive to Pray book  

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Opening and closing music by Chris Tomlin, Your Grace Is Enough

An Easter Redux of Vanishing Grace - An interview with Philip Yancey

About 20 years ago, I (Ed) was adrift in my Christian faith.  I had stopped attending the legalistic church I had been part of for many years, I was chasing the big payday in the high-tech startup world, and I had recently become a father.  All the while, though, something kept gnawing at me, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.  As I wandered through Barnes and Noble, as I often did in those days, I kept passing a book entitled What’s So Amazing About Grace?  At first I thought, that’s a catchy title.  Then I started to think more and more deeply about the question until I finally said to myself, “What is so amazing about grace?!” So I purchased the book and read it, and it changed my life.  Today, we’re joined by Philip Yancey, the author of that book and 20 others (four written with Dr. Paul Brand), many of them award winning.  Philip’s most recent book is entitled Vanishing Grace, Whatever Happened to the Good News?  In it, he revisits the topic of grace noting that his original question has only grown more urgent in recent years.

Christians should be characterized by their joy, love, unity, generosity, and how well they get along with people no one else can get along with. 

A near-death experience leads to a greater awareness of grace.

We need to replace anger, divisiveness, judgement, and condemnation with the Spirit of grace demonstrated by Jesus.

Full Philip Yancey interview.  (This may take 30 seconds or so to open.)

For more information:  Philip Yancey's Website  

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Opening and closing music by Chris Tomlin, Your Grace Is Enough

Working at the intersection of faith, farming, and feeding the poor

It's a challenge to eat healthy, especially for people with limited income.  Unhealthy food is far more readily available and less expensive than nutritious food.  Today’s guest is working to address this challenge.  Sebastian Wilbern is the founder of Brickwater Abbey, a self-described “green think tank” that is working to make healthy foods available to the poor, and do so in a way that combines faith and farming.  In its first year, his Chantilly garden produced 750 pounds of food that provided hundreds of meals for people at New Hope Fellowship, a church serving the poor and homeless in Fairfax, VA.  Sebastian joins us to talk about how he arrived at the intersection of faith, farming, and serving the less fortunate, and his plans for the future. 

A call to start a neighborhood garden, visit your local farmers market, and make your neighborhood a real neighborhood.

Everybody feels good after an hour in "God's garden." 

The impact of serving as an EMT/firefighter at a young age. 

Full interview with Sebastian Wilbern from Brickwater Abbey.  (This may take 30 seconds or so to download.)

For more information:  Brickwater Abbey Website

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Opening and closing music by Chris Tomlin, Your Grace Is Enough