The power of Point Man Ministries

Last night I returned home from the Point Man Ministries conference in Buffalo. I left Orlando Friday afternoon drained. Too many reports on people suffering and too few offering hope tends to do that to just about everyone. I got to the airport in no mood to talk to anyone. After security and finding my gate, I saw a man sitting near another gate with a uniform on. Out of habit, I went to say hello. He asked me to sit down.

I told him who I was and showed my credentials since I didn't have my chaplain gear on this trip. As we talked about where he was and where he was heading, he wanted to talk about the needs of someone else. The conversation took a swing and someone we managed to talk about St. Paul.

We talked about the fact St. Paul managed to think he was serving God when he was still called Saul. At that time, Saul was determined to hunt down Christians and rejoiced over their deaths. Saul was positive he was serving God and I am sure he really loved God but someone got everything wrong. He just couldn't believe that Christ was the Son of God.

We talked about the road to Damascus where Christ changed Saul's life and then I asked the soldier what he thought about that. At first he didn't know what I meant. Then I asked, "Why do you think that Christ reached out to change Saul instead of just obliterating him?" The soldier had never thought about it that way until then. As he headed for the door to get on his plane, I said, "It's because God saw into Saul's heart and knew what was there." A look of peace took over the soldier's expression as he waved good-bye.

God sees into the hearts of everyone. He knows what they are feeling, where their heart is and he knows what their intentions are. God saw into Saul's heart and saw the great love he had for God even though he got almost everything else wrong.

I got on the Air Trans flight to Buffalo, taking my seat near the window, in the full flight. Kids, parents, business people and couples all talking about small stuff from their normal lives. I pulled out my Digital Media text book and studied the whole way. I just didn't want to think about anything else. I didn't want to listen to their conversations and I certainly didn't want to think about the news. It was one of the worst flights I have taken in a long time because it was the first time I had my nose buried in a book instead of paying attention to the people around me.

As the plane was beginning to land, a young girl behind me was experiencing landing for the first time. She let out a laugh and said "My tummy is being tickled!" The sounds she made, filled with glee reminded me of what kids sound like on roller-coaster rides as the cart goes up and then down. Her laughter was infections. Soon she had at least ten surrounding rows of people laughing with her. It had to be the best landing I ever had. I wondered where my joy had gone that I was not able to just enjoy life like she was able to do.

I arrived near the baggage claim area and there was Dana Morgan waiting to take me to the hotel. Seeing him standing there, I started to feel more alive. We talked on the way and he told me about what was going to happen over the weekend. I was still a bit off and tired as I checked into the hotel, finally finding my room, dropped off my bags and plugged in everything that had to be charged. My camera battery had to be charged. My laptop had to be charged. My cell phone had to be charged but I didn't have time and there was no possibility of me leaving that in the room, so I prayed it would last as long as I needed it to.

We arrived at My Father's House, the church Dana and his wife started. Right away I was greeted by loving people. I didn't feel like a stranger. Then came the start of the conference. It was the first time I attended a conference in a church. Dana talked about his life and then introduced all the people who were going to be speaking during the weekend. I sat there stunned by the young Iraq veterans there.

March 9, 2004
Three Schofield soldiers injured in Iraq shooting

By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer

KIRKUK, Iraq — Three Schofield Barracks soldiers remained hospitalized today following a firefight yesterday evening in which their vehicle came under small arms fire on a crowded city street.

Yesterday's firefight represented the greatest number of 25th Infantry Division (Light) soldiers injured in a shooting incident.

Sgt. Israel Burks, a forward observer attached to Company B, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, received multiple gunshot wounds, as did Staff Sgt. Santiago Frias, 24. A third Company B soldier, Staff Sgt. Timothy Pollock, 25, suffered a single gunshot wound, said 2nd Brigade Adjutant Maj. Scott Halstead. Family members have been notified of the injuries.

Pollock and Frias were taken first to Kirkuk Air Base and then to the Army hospital in Baghdad. Burks, whose age was unavailable, was at the air base after having surgery, Halstead said.

All three were expected to be flown to the U.S. medical facility in Landstuhl, Germany, he said.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dispatches/stories/030904

Ret. Staff Sgt. Tim Pollock shared his story about his time in Iraq, healing, the people he met at Walter Reed during his 18 months of recovery and then what changed in him when he began to use the experiences he had coupled with the love he has for his fellow veterans. Tim could have let his wound and loss of part of his scull along with losing his eye turn him bitter but the love he has in his heart would not surrender. He has changed many lives because he answered Christ's call to help others.

When I got back to the hotel, everything was charged up and ready to go. So was I.

About Point Man Ministries

Since 1984, when Seattle Police Officer and Vietnam Veteran Bill Landreth noticed he was arresting the same people each night, he discovered most were Vietnam vets like himself that just never seemed to have quite made it home. He began to meet with them in coffee shops and on a regular basis for fellowship and prayer. Soon, Point Man Ministries was conceived and became a staple of the Seattle area. Bills untimely death soon after put the future of Point Man in jeopardy.

However, Chuck Dean, publisher of a Veterans self help newspaper, Reveille, had a vision for the ministry and developed it into a system of small groups across the USA for the purpose of mutual support and fellowship. These groups are known as Outposts. Worldwide there are hundreds of Outposts and Homefront groups serving the families of veterans.

PMIM is run by veterans from all conflicts, nationalities and backgrounds. Although, the primary focus of Point Man has always been to offer spiritual healing from PTSD, Point Man today is involved in group meetings, publishing, hospital visits, conferences, supplying speakers for churches and veteran groups, welcome home projects and community support. Just about any where there are Vets there is a Point Man presence. All services offered by Point Man are free of charge. http://www.pmim.org/index.html

There is an awful lot of talking lately about the role of Chaplains in the military and most of it is negative. For all the Chaplains I know, they are deeply troubled by some that think it's ok to just go out and try to convert servicemen and women into their own denomination, wasting time instead of trying to help a troubled soul reconnect to God or at the very least, be able to release some of their emotional pain. In the process of trying to convert instead of help, they end up not only pushing them away from Christ, but build a barrier against them asking for help at all.

Well here are some people living up to what it is supposed to be like, helping people in whatever way they can without trying to put them into the pew of their church group. If the military Chaplains understood that if they do their job right, that won't be a problem later on because people will follow their example and remember the kindness they received. On the other hand, if they receive judgment and condemnation, that is what they will remember as they walk away.

Speaker after speaker talked about what they were doing and they talked about their own lives. All in all there was hope.

first part of series covering the other speakers.