Mission: Him-Possible
5th Annual Fundraising Banquet - October 18, 2008

The 5th Annual Fundraising Banquet was a huge success! In case you missed it, here are the highlights of keynote speaker David Gallagher, CEO and founder of OAI.

For the first time in OAI's five-year history, David gave the keynote address at our annual fundraising banquet. He challenged and inspired the 400-person audience that to be people of lasting influence, you must:

1. Be willing to wear your soles out

When David ended his summer in Kenya this year, he noticed his formerly new shoes had been worn down. Disappointed by the wear on his shoes, David heard the Lord say to him, "Don't ever be disappointed that your shoes - or your life - show some wear. It means you've been going places and accomplishing great things of eternal value for Me."

2. Start walking - away from yourself

A gentleman named Ward Brehm was asked by his pastor to pray about going to Africa, to which he firmly responded, "No!" Nevertheless, Ward found himself on a mission to Africa a few months later and says he had the privilege of having his heart broken.

During his trip, Ward and a friend took a five-day fasting walk in the Rift Valley of Kenya to experience real hunger. However, Ward packed protein bars in case of an emergency. At the end of his walk, he collapsed in a borrowed hut and awoke 13 hours later to find a little boy peeking into the hut. The boy was focused on his stash of protein bars and managed to steal a bar and run away. Ward curiously followed him outside to find him kneeling over his 2-year-old sister, who had a horribly distended stomach, feeding her small pieces of the protein bar, which the boy himself could have eaten. Ward found out three months later that the girl had died.

Though Ward did not want to go to Africa because it was too far out of his comfort zone, he made the decision to walk away from himself and give himself away to those he served there.

3. Decide to walk in someone else's shoes

When David was in Kenya a few weeks ago, he went on a hike in the Rift Valley and met a farmer named Paul, who joined him on the hike as his tour guide. David noticed Paul's shoes, which were in terrible shape - the soles and upper portion had come apart and his toes were poking out of his shoes. David heard God ask him to give his shoes to Paul, which he did, explaining that he is a follower of Jesus Christ and God wanted Paul to have new shoes. In the process, David felt led to ask Paul if he could have his shoes. Paul was deeply touched, not only by the fact that David gave Paul his shoes, but that David put on Paul's shoes and walked in them.

Proverbs 31: 8 - 9 says, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

Look at any tombstone. There is a dash between two dates. Are you living the dash or dashing to live?

Live the dash and be a person of lasting influence. Wear your soles out. Walk away from yourself. Put someone else's shoes on.



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