Mark Wilkerson’s Blog

May 4, 2010

May 5, 2010

Spiritual Prep

I am not sure where to begin tonight.  Seems as though time is moving really fast and all around me.  This weekend is going to be a real treat and I am starting to get excited.  First of all, Jenny (daughter), Franklin (son-n-law), Tanner (son) and Rea (Tanner’s girl friend) will be in Indy this weekend to be a part of Run Mark Run.  Second, they will be here for Mother’s Day.  Third, we will be helping North West Haiti Christian Mission.  A triple play!  Our being together is always a treat and we enjoy each other so it will be an event in the Wilkerson/Baker family. 

Act 10:1-3  “At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. ²He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.”

For a man and his family to be described and remembered as Cornelius was would be a great honor.  There is no other objective for a parent, mother or father than to have their family be God fearing, to give generously to those in need and to be faithful in prayer.  As a result, God provided for Cornelius and his family.  Of all there is to have, I desire most of all, for the Lord to provide for my family, for those he has entrusted  to me.  I am grateful for our believing children and a great partner in faith, CJ my wife.  They all inspire me and spur me on to be a better person in Christ.  I think that is what family is all about.  I think that is what the body of Christ is all about.  Take time to enjoy your family, all of them.  Take time to enjoy each family member and the unique person each of them R in the Lord.  Peace be with you!

Training Prep

I have spent the evening starting to get ready for the race.  Making sure my running cloths are clean and there are no hitches that would cause me to wear or have to do anything different.  I have learned that introducing “new” at race time can be painful.  New socks rub wrong, etc.  Doing a lot of stretching in an effort to work out the soreness.  Using the ugly stick to roll our my legs and icing my feet.  Goal is to have fresh legs and feet that don’t hurt on Saturday.

May 3, 2010

May 4, 2010

Spiritual Prep

This is CJ, Mark’s wife of 33 years.  I am subbing in tonight because he needs a break.  We were up at 4:00 am and traveled in from St. Thomas to arrive and tackle the unpacking, mail sorting, outside chores and other home duties that pile up while gone from home.  Mark quickly unpacked, put on his workout clothes and hit the elipitcal.  I am utterly in awe of his dedication to this cause.   He is relentless and I’ve pondered this.  What drives a person to go the extra mile day after day, even when you are exhausted and hurting?  I think it’s when we’ve stared real need in the face and that face haunts us and stirs something inside of us that is bigger and more important than ourselves.  For us, it is the faces of hundreds of helpless Haitian women and children.   It is the fearful eyes of the Haitian men as they deliberate over and over again on how they will care for their families.  And it is the weak, the elderly, the sick, the disabled, the orphaned …  who will stand in the gap for them?  Who will sacrifice a little to help a lot? 

Also haunting is the knowledge of how far an American dollar will go in Haiti.  We ate dinner out tonight and it makes me sick to think of what those same dollars could have done in Haiti.  I believe it’s similar thinking that makes Mark go that extra mile each and every day. 

To those of you who are following Mark’s journey on this blog, may I ask in this final week that you keep him in your prayers and ask Him Who has planted this burden in Mark’s heart, to give him the strength, the health, the stamina and everything that it will take to cross that finish line Saturday and that nothing or no one impede the cause.  We never forget the reason for all of this … simply, to pool our resources for the severe needs in Haiti.  We may miss a few meals but what a worthy sacrifice and cause.

Training Prep

Mark did an hour and 8 miles on the eliptical this afternoon.  He needed some time without heavy impact.  He will start unwinding and hope for rest in order to be at the top on Saturday.  I’m going to feed him a good power breakfast and be sure he has an ample supply of runner’s jelly beans!

May 2, 2010

May 3, 2010

Spiritual Prep

I wonder at times if I started with Training Prep, would more people read the blog?   I am not even sure who is reading the blog except someone tells me or I get a comment.  Pretty cool that some of the comments come from other countries.  I wonder if I focused more on the issues in Haiti if it would send more people to the page to pledge more pennies.  I wonder if we had done things better would more money have been raised for the medical needs of the northwest region of Haiti, the poorest of the country.  Then I refocus and consider our Lord and his purpose and power.  Then anything we do – if not  in his will is futile.  Also, whatever we do if for the right or wrong reasons, he will bring to his glory.  The scirptures are full of right and wrong leading to the fulfillness of his plan.  I don’t think about what I do and how it might work out for him.  No I think of how he wants things to be and what we do, might just be a small and good part of the result.  God is in control of all and I give all horor and praise to his ways and plans of which I am sure we know very little.  What I do know is the magnitude of love, grace, forgiveness and wisdom.  Can you just ponder for a minute the wisdom of our God giving himself as a perfect sacrifice, the only perfect sacrifice available, for us as a replacement for the punishment of our wrong doing.  A sacrifice that needs to be never given again, complete and for all.  The love that would drive him to suffer the kind of punishment and death he endured?  The grace to allow us to falter and still continue to come back for forgivness time after time?  The forgiveness that is everlasting and for all, the close to perfect and the far away from perfect—–for all of us!  Stops me from thinking and I move to worshiping him with all my being, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Stories from Haiti

Haiti’s farmland is some of the least productive in the world. Widespread deforestation and poor environmental controls have stripped most of Haiti’s hillsides bare, the best topsoil washed downstream long ago.  And demonstrated as recently as 2008, alternating spells of drought and tropical storms can wreak havoc on the country’s large number of small-scale subsistence farmers.  Agricultural development programs are one of the most practical types of ministry in Haiti. If feeding programs are essential for short-term and life-saving relief in Haiti, then agriculture projects are essential for long-term improvement. Without them, there will never be lasting “relief.”  Northwest Haiti Christian Mission is working to develop agriculture initiatives ranging from reforestation, to food production, to fish farming, to clean water projects.

May 1, 2010

May 2, 2010

Spiritual Prep

Matthew 9: 35  -Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 

He has given us talents and means to teach and preach the good news of the kingdom.   He has also given us the ability through knowledge to heal disease and sickness.  It takes money to provide the care necessary to pull people through.  When we help one to make it, the one might return one day to help the others lift themselved to a better existence or to preach the good new of the kingdom.   The Lord needs us to do for others as he has done for us.  Being and bringing grace to the Haitians is of God.  Being and bringing grace to anyone in need is of God.  Being and bringing nothing is—–Lord as we, all your people approach your throne to worship you tomorrow on a day set aside for that purpose, we ask for your mercy and that you will consider our worship acceptable.   You alone are God and we acknowledge Jesus your son as the Christ, given for our sin.  We are saddened that he had to take our place and we are grateful for his courage  to stand as a ransom for us all.  The weight of our sin crushes us and we are only alive because of your grace and his offering once and for all.  It is with glad hearts we praise his name and claim him as our Lord and Savior.  We know all things come through him and we ask in his name for forgiveness of our sins.  We ask for your hand of mercy on NWHCM and all the other mission works your people are engaged in for the opportunity to tell the good news of Jesus.  We pray for your strenght and guidance in all our lives.  To you be the honor and glory.  In you Name,  Amen.

Stories from Haiti

NWHCM believes in offering life-saving surgery to the poor, especially those who have little or no hope of receiving it anywhere else.  They began performing major surgeries with the visit of an American surgical team in 1994.  Since then, regular surgery team have performed more than 3,000 procedures.  Our teams do more than 300 major surgeries a year, including orthopedic, general surgery, OB/GYN, ENT, plastic surgery and opthalmology, among others.  NWHCM’s surgical wing is one of the best in the country, with two fully equipped operating rooms and more than 15 beds for recovery and overflow.  They also have a minor surgery facility, where they perform approximately 300 minor procedures a year.  In recent years they have performed surgeries that are almost non-existent in Haiti, such as corneal transplants and spina bifida procedures.  In the recovery room, patients experience Christ’s love through the care of doctors and nurses who look after them around the clock. 

Training Prep

Did 4.5 miles at a 10 min mile pace on the treadmill this morning early.   Don’t understand that my right foot started hurting at about 3 miles.  Haven’t had that much trouble outside the last week or so.  Something I am doing is really making it act up.  Well hoping to work out the kinks soon.  Will get a run in the morning and a very long bike ride on Monday afternoon.  Plan a short 3 mile run on Tues and most likely a bike ride on Wed to call it done till race time.

April 30, 2010

May 1, 2010

Spiritual Prep

I listened tonight to some recognition of an individuals endurance in the face of great odds on this earth.  However, the body cannot endure forever.  When facing the end of life, the question that come to mind is, will I be happy with what I leave behind.  But that does not seem to be the right question.  What should come to mind is, what am I taking to my new life?  There is not much we will take in the way of the material things of this life.  However, what we will take is the thoughts we possess.   What will live on is our soul, our innermost being, our thoughts.  That is why we must capture our thoughts , make them captive and place them in line with the Word of God.     Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

Training Prep

Day off today but very active.  Will catch a short run in the morning.