My "in" box

You often here us talk about “making C3 your personal ministry,” and celebrating the growing C3 community. This is happening from all directions through all kinds of connections. I thought you’d like to see how simple God makes it. This is an e-mail exchange – a few key strokes based on a common heart – that means 50 more children are about to find a better life. I never met Chuck Hooten before he hit my “in” box. Here you go:

Arrived Dec 2007
My name is Chuck Hooten and I live in Birmingham Alabama. I want to help with the ministry that the Lord has given to you. First a little about myself. I am the worship leader for a college ministry of around 1000 students here in Birmingham. I also lead worship for a local church on Sunday mornings and travel on the weekends and in the summers leading for different camps and retreats. All of this to say that I feel like the Lord has placed me in front of all these people for a purpose, and part of that purpose is to spur the body to good works. I have been praying for a couple of months now for the Lord to direct me towards some people that I can partner with to affect a change in my own priorities and giving and also the people that I come in contact with on a weekly basis. I am writing to maybe start a conversation between us to see how I can help you in what you are doing.First, I am in conversation with a group of people here in Birmingham who would possibly like to completely fund a home start to finish, and then support it monthly after the build. Would this be possible through you guys, and how hands on could our group be in the daily life of the home itself. Could we visit it later? Could we stay in correspondence throughout the years to come? The project in Chad really pulled at my heart but I would be open to hear from you guys where the greatest need is.

Second, is there any way I can help you guys. As I said before I am in front of a lot of people from week to week and would love to put these children in front of the people I am with. I have hesitated to do so much up till now because I have not had a solution to the problem. If I could somehow hook people up with you guys post event that would be amazing. The potential in the churches and youth groups I am with is staggering, and if they could just catch a glimpse of the need and their responsibility to meet that need we
could make a serious dent in the problem.

Anyway, let me know what you guys think. I would love to talk further if you have any other questions for me and also would love to hear more about how the Lord has brought you to where you are in this ministry. I’m not sure who to send this to so I’m sending it to everyone on the site. You can check me out at www.chuckhooten.com.

In Him,
Chuck

My reply
Chuck,

The last 24 hours has been incredible for C3 Missions and the orphaned kids around the world. First, I get an unexpected call this morning from a lady who’s boss is retiring next month and his employees and friends want to give him a retirement gift. Something special. Something he’ll remember forever. So they have chosen to pull their resources together and build a $15,000 C3 Children’s home in Haiti in his honor. What a retirement gift.

Then, Caf Nouri, a C3 Missions caf caters a luncheon for 250 business people in Kansas City to further raise awareness of homeless children around the world.

Hold on, it get’s better. I have a conversation after lunch with the wife of a wealthy businessman who wants me to sit down with her and her husband and tell them how they can build a home for a bunch of kids in Africa. They have two beautiful daughters themselves but they know that they have too much stuff and feel compelled to help those less fortunate.

This evening I go to an open house with a bunch of restaurant people who get excited about the prospect of giving part of their profits to C3 Missions to help support some children in Haiti.

And then just last night we have a conversation with three former college football players from Kansas State University who are now in their late twenties and have pooled their money to financially support the building of a children’s home in Chad, Africa for 20 kids.

And to top it all off, this afternoon I get this incredible email form a guy in Birmingham, Alabama who wants to use his gifts and contacts to share the story of homeless and abandoned children around the world.

What a great day for C3 Missions. God is having a blast with this stuff.

Now here is what’s really cool: For the past several weeks I have been going around Kansas City telling people that we need to find an advocate for orphaned children that connects with college age kids and young adults. I have been on a high-horse about this for some time. I keep telling my friends that we need to find a band or musician who is willing to make C3 their ministry. Someone who is fearless about the size of the problem and will ask unashamedly for others to step up and make a difference. Someone who really believes that God will use him or her to lead others in this mission to help homeless children.

Go figure, Chuck Hooten. Give me a call. Let s talk.

Merry Christmas,
Michael