Volume Two Number One

- 1.4 pages, 755 words -

Dear Friends and Family,

So it turns out I’m rather highly goal oriented. Place in front of me something that will challenge me intensely, but remain attainable and I will focus on it and pursue it until I have reached it. Very closely related to this are concrete benchmarks, specific tasks with specific purpose. I like a big idea, but I like turning a big idea into tangible reality even more.

Imagine then, the difficulty an individual with such a personality would have with vague future plans and seemingly random movement from one project to another – none complete before the next is started. Oh yeah, and add in the fact that it all takes a very long time for very little to happen. You now have an idea of my perception of my experiences in the past few months. This is why I have not written much.

I know that God is teaching me patience and giving me the opportunity to observe different leadership styles. I still feel that I am making a difference in the lives of those less fortunate than myself, and I have made many great friends. I believe that volunteering with Friend Ships is just a season in my life, and as far as I can see into the future, I’m still supposed to be here.

In the meantime, I have discovered something that challenges me intensely with time sensitive specific required accomplishments - triathlons! I have a race on a certain day, and I need to swim, cycle and run just so far to complete the race. Races also add the delicious element of competition – yum!

I competed in a beginner’s triathlon last Saturday. It was a baby distance one for those who have never raced before: 200 meter pool swim, 6 mile bike ride, and 1.5 mile run. If you’ve seen my pictures from Thanksgiving, you’ll know that I was quite swollen, a certified Stay-Puft marshmallow man. I had five weeks to train for the race, and I halted all ingestion of candy, donuts, chocolate, and sweets. I woke up early to run and cycle, and lifted weights and swam in the evenings. I made sure to get enough rest and eat healthy meals at meal time.

My body has responded astonishingly well. I lost 34 pounds in five weeks, and just cinched up my belt a second notch. It seems that my body had been holding the excess weight in protest and was just looking for an excuse to get rid of it. On the day of the race I felt great and was all fired up to compete. Everything came together and I placed first in my age group by a wide margin and seventh overall out of 82 racers. See results here: http://eteamz.active.com/LCTriathletes/files/2006Governor

I am now getting ready for a longer race (800m swim; 18.6 mile ride; 3.1 mile run) in New Roads, LA, which is northwest of Baton Rouge. This race will have some freaky fast experienced triathletes and I do not expect to place anywhere near as high. This is just the beginning, however. I am training for a half-iron man this summer (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile ride, 13.1 mile run), and I expect to stick with this sport for some time to come. Race results seem to show that those in their mid-thirties are actually the fastest, so I’m getting started at just the right age.

The pace has even started to pick up around Friend Ships. We recently set May 1st as a departure date to sail for Haiti. We’ll be sailing two ships down at the same time, a Friend Ships first, and I’ll be the captain of the Mersea. We’ll be conducting a medical outreach during two different weeks with 10 days between for construction on a children’s hospital. I have been working on retrofitting four 20’ refrigerated containers into medical clinics. With help, I have added cabinets, lockers, countertops, sinks, plumbing, windows, electricity and flooring. A/C and a door in the side are next on the list. I may not see them in action, as I will be with the ship, but I know that God will use these container clinics to provide medical care to the sick and diseased in Haiti.

If you’re the praying sort, please keep us in your prayers as we prepare for and sail to Haiti. Certainly there’ll be adventures worth reporting at the conclusion of that trip. Stand by for an update in mid to late June.

In Christ,

Jake