Rich on the Road

Three years ago, almost to the day, on a Sunday night I anchored a newscast that was dominated by news of a huge hurricane bearing down on New Orleans.  Ron Jackson and I stood in front of a large monitor with the swirling monster edging closer and closer to what many predicted would be a disastrous landfall. 

The next morning Hurricane Katrina came ashore.  At first, it seemed, the city had escaped a direct hit.  But, then, the levees started to break and... well, we all know the rest of that story.

New Orleans After the Levees Broke

Tonight we will do it again with Gustav.  An even wider and, potentially, more disastrous storm is almost certain to hit somewhere very near New Orleans on Monday.  It is eery.  And, troubling.  No one seems to think New Orleans and its levy system is all that much better than it was.  Thankfully, the evacuation seems to be more complete and, certainly, more orderly this time around.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is telling his people that the flooding this time could be worse than with Katrina.  New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin is calling it "the storm of the century."

Man, I hope they are wrong.

But, whatever happens, it further convinces me that New Orleans, as we've known it, is gone.  Much like, a 108 years ago, Galveston disappeared.  Galveston was then the biggest city on the Gulf Coast, much bigger than Houston.  But the hurricane that wiped it out in 1900 changed the city's destiny.   Houston, further inland, became the dominant city in southeast Texas.  Just as Baton Rouge will now replace New Orleans.  The Crescent City will remain; as a tourist destination certainly, but it won't be the same vibrant, growing place.  Katrina and Gustav will see to that. 

Rich

A city in our viewing area was insulted on national TV last week -- but appears to be having the last laugh. Stephen Colbert of Comedy Channel's "The Colbert Report" has been on a cross-country tear -- first insulting, then apologizing to towns named Canton.

Last Tuesday he gave a backhanded apology to Canton, South Dakota that sequed into the Canton, Texas insult:

Tom Biscardi flanked by Georgia men at Friday's News Conf.

By now, most of you know that a policeman and a former corrections officer in Georgia claim to have found the body of a Bigfoot.  Pictures of the beast have been released but a news conference called on Friday provided surprisingly little more information than that.

If you saw clips of the news conference and you are an avid viewer of the Lone Star Adventure series you would have recognized a key player -- Tom Buscardi, CEO of SearchingforBigfoot.com, probably the most visible of the Bigfoot hunters and featured interview in a Lone Star Adventure we did back in April of 2007.  Then, Tom and his group launched a week-long effort to track down a Bigfoot at Pay Mayse Lake north of Paris, TX.  

One of the Georgia men told reporters:

 "The only person we would allow to come down and verify the body was 'the Real Bigfoot Hunter,' Tom Biscardi."

Biscardi was interviewed extensively Friday but, again, after it was all over nothing much had really been offered in the way of proof except those couple of blurry pictures.  Promised DNA evidence turned out to be an email from a scientist at the University of Minnesota who said three distinct sequences could be found -- one was inconclusive, one was human and the third was from a possum.  Not sure what that proves.  Or doesn't.  

Tuesday Huaycan, Peru

Short term mission team members must put aside all notions of dignity, those of delicate sensibilities be forewarned -- there is NO glamor in mission work.  I'll detail some examples later but, first, let me relate the wondrous (non-glamorous but totally fulfilling) events of Monday in Huaycan.  We've partnered up with another church -- Filadelfia - Iglesia Biblia Christiana (Philadelphia Christian Bible Church).  Its pastor, Manuel Rodrigues, is an always smiling, perpetual motion soul who daily feeds about 60 of the street kids in Huaycan.  The children have helped him build a vibrant growing church --though it is often a struggle to get their parents involved.

At Filadelfia, we helped with the noon feeding -- then offered hair-washings and haircuts to the children (pictures of that are coming but not today - I'm behind in loading what I need).  The team from Prince of Peace Lutheran in Carrollton, TX had an assembly line going of washing stations and trimming chairs.  Turns out David, our chief translator among the Peruvians, is skilled at cutting hair and he clipped right in.  After lunch, those of us not in the hair business started a big painting job inside the church.  Pastor Manuel had requested "lettuce green" paint for the walls and that's what we brought.  We're back at Filadelfia Tuesday for more painting and some door-to-door evangelism.

Oh, and we kicked two members off the team -- but just overnight.  Colleen and Ryan Hildebrandt are celebrating their first wedding anniversary on the trip so we dropped them off at a hotel where they can get a hot shower and some R&R from the rigors of mission work.  David and Amanda are also celebrating birthdays, which gave us a reason to order birthday cakes and sing "Feliz Cumpleanos" (Happy Birthday) Sunday night.

Ryan Hildebrandt and Friend

Now back to the "glamor" of mission work.  What follows is not for the delicate flowers among you.  Be forewarned.

Monday your devoted reporter, for the first time ever on a mission trip, came down with intestinal difficulties.  Fortunately, Filadelfia has a fine bathroom (by Peruvian standards a 4 star) but it happened to be in the very hallway where all the painting was going on.  So my repeated trips to said toilet -- with toilet paper in hand (in Peru it is always BYOTP) -- quickly gained the notice and sympathy of fellow team members.  Acoustics in Third World bathrooms also tend to be really good.  Wether you are whistling Tinkle Tinkle Little Star or playing a full Sousa March (with fireworks) everybody within 10 yards enjoys the music.

Bus and taxi rides here will also strain the patience of Americans who are not used to the cramped, smelly, noisy and pollution-choked marathons -- gagged by the diesel fumes and tossed about by Peruvian kamikaze drivers.  On the way to pick up paint Monday morning, Beth, David, Kristen and I were treated to a long ride on one of the Peruvian mini-van busses.  These vehicles are about half the size of a mini-van at home.  The seats are built for people about half our size and, yet, they manage to stuff nearly 20 people into them.  When they run out of seats, someone stands in the narrow aisle.  Thus, Beth an Kristen were treated to the experience of riding for several miles with a Peruvian derriere inches from their faces.  I simply kissed my knees the whole way.

Orphanage Kids at Retreat Center

The dirt and the smell and the unpleasantness all fades away, however, in moments when you stoop to pick up a child who really needs your attention, or when you feed a child you know has not eaten well in a long time.. or wash and cut their hair.. and get a chance to tell them about your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

That's the payoff. 

OTHER STUFF

I'm behind in pictures.  Below is the evangelist Sylvano I told you about in earlier posts.  He had a terrific message for our young people.

We went to change money on Friday and there were long lines at several of the banks we stopped.  All, I'm told, people who are dumping American dollars.  Three or four years ago when our church started coming here the exchange rate was 4.5 soles per dollar.  Even a year ago it was 3 to 1.  Today, when I changed money for Beth and the team, it was 2.71.  Ouch.

Health issues continue to be minor ones.  I got a couple hours extra sleep last night and my tummy is doing much better today.  Tonight and tomorrow night we have services at Fildelfia.  This afternoon, most team members are doing a hospital visit.

We thank you all for your prayers.  And, we're having an awesome (if not so glamorous) mission trip!

Rich
 

Lima, Peru
Saturday

Friday night at the Retreat Center, something happened to me that frequently, now, seems to happen to me on mission trips.  I'm still a little hesitant to talk about this -- a guy thing I guess -- but with a surprisingly talented band of Peruvians playing and singing Christian praise songs, with a couple dozen of the kids from the orphanage dancing and singing and raising their hands to the heavens, with the young and not-so-young members of our mission team dancing and singing joyously, too  -- well... Okay, I admit it, my eyes filled with tears.  Tears of joy.  I didn't blubber or embarrass myself -- just misted up, swallowed awkwardly and smiled as I dabbed a little at my eyes, hoping no one noticed.

Praise The Lord that I could be in this place, at this time, with these wonderful Children of God.

 
This has been a very different trip from last year's, with a very different team.  No teenagers this time, no one to perform the mimes (which are especially effective here in Peru where most people already know something about Jesus and the message) but a lot more discipleship.  A lot of our team members are teachers - Jenny, Colleen, Kristen, Amanda and a couple others I've probably forgotten about -- and they are so good with the children.  Amanda is a Spanish teacher back home with amazing language skills -- but then most on the team speak Spanish and some near fluently -- Will, John, Beth, Sean, Ryan and others are pitching in and helping with translation.  Kathy, Lori, Rosaline and Stephanie have been pouring out their hearts to the kids at the orphanage for years now -- the original "Llama Mamas" now joined by a growing group of other women like Amber and Catherine and Doreen and Heather who I'm sure have been bitten by the same love bug.

The older children from the orphanage arrived just before dark Friday.  We shared a meal, gathered for song and worship.  When the music ended a young evangelist named Sylvano (hope that's spelled right) offered a wonderful message to "los chicos" about how much God loves them and how he wants them to pursue their dreams.

Before bed Friday (and after showers) the women got the orphanage girls together for a little beauty shop time -- hair drying, nails, etc.  I offer up a picture of that as well.  Stephanie, Beth and Doreen here giving some loving attention to an orphan girl.

Sean and Will and John were among the brave souls who tried to keep up with their male charges.   They report, however, that the whole bunch was worn out and sleeping at a fairly decent hour -- well before midnight.

Saturday morning, our bus went back to the orphanage to pick up the little ones for a daytime revival.  More praise music from the band (they are terrific!), another message from Sylvan.  Again, the children broke up into small groups, each led by a couple of the adults -- often a translator and one of our team members who encouraged the children to talk about their faith, to ask questions, to share what's important in their lives.  That's Amanda and her group below.

I spent some time swaying to the praise music (I don't dance, only sway) with a little one on my shoulders -- a fireplug of a kid who looked a lot lighter when I first agreed to pick him up.  I'll be hitting the Advil tonight.

As far as I know, there are no health issues.  A couple people actually report some warm water in the showers -- praise the Lord -- including me!

One last picture of Kathy Stroman and a beautiful little girl.

Can't promise that I will be able to blog daily but I will try -- and, if not, I'll catch up when I can.

Rich 

Friday in Lima

It wouldn't be a mission trip if it didn't involve a travel beating.  As travel beatings go, Thursday's was just a minor thumping.  All 18 of us are now on the ground and running in Lima.  The flight from Miami was delayed an hour but when it left our standby fliers, Doreen and Rosaline, were in the cabin with us  -- an answer to prayers!  In fact, we'd given up hope on both of them because the flight was oversold and it appeared they would have to catch a later one.  Not sure how it all happened but somebody got bumped at the last minute, Rosaline got a seat next to Catherine and I (how does that happen!?) and Doreen (an AA flight attendant) got the last jump seat.

Loading the Bus in Lima

We got into Lima before midnight but by the time we cleared customs, loaded the bus with all bags accounted for (another minor miracle, there's usually at least a couple of bags that don't make it), stopped at an apartment in the city to pick up blankets and other goods that Amber had purchased (she's been here for three weeks already doing awesome work at the orphanage) and off-loaded all the luggage at the Retreat Center it was nearly 2am.

A couple of team members are fighting through some mild stomach and motion sickness issues -- actually, less than what you'd normally expect from the kind of wrenching, lurching bus travel required to get us through Lima -- a crowded, horn-honking, polluted city with incredible traffic even late on a Thursday night.   But, all and all, the team is healthy.

The Retreat Center is a wonderful oasis in this sprawling Third World city.  It has a grassy courtyard with mature trees, singing birds and reasonably comfortable accomodations (cold water showers are bracing - or, at least, that's what I tell myself).  The food is good and the staff is delightful.  It is surrounded on two sides by steep, rocky and vegetation-less mountains.  Overlooking the retreat center are shacks, high on the mountain side where squatters are living and trying to raise families.  No water, no electricity and an impossibly steep trail down to the city below.  It's a constant reminder of how many here live. Look closely in the photo below and you will see the shacks.

Retreat Center (photos by Amanda Bloomquist -- our Maestra de Espanol)

By mid-morning, everyone was up and hard at it.  Unpacking and sorting donations, getting prepared for tonight's revival (complete with band and Peruvian evangelist) getting the Retreat Center ready for an overnighter with the older kids from the orphanage and running the various errands.

I'm writing this at a Starbucks -- God bless wireless internet access -- where Peruvian translator and mission leader David and John Seale have dropped me off while they attend to other business.  Amber Davies and translator Cesar are off buying some last minute stuff for the orphanage kids.  Others have gone to the orphanage to pick up the children.  Still others are doing Lord knows what back at the Retreat Center. 

It all ties into something Missions Director Beth Daugherty said at devotions this morning about going with the flow and being available to what God and the team needs from us -- without worrying about schedules or fretting about what lies ahead.  It also dovetails nicely with my devotional lesson in today's "Our Daily Bread," which reads in part:

Jesus said of the Holy Spirit: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

The Spirit desires to use us in sharing the gospel so others can experience that second birth .

So, it goes.  We're all being blissfully blown about.  Hopefully, in God's will.

Rich

We've made it to Miami.  Where we're in the midst of a four-hour layover.  The Miami airport, as always is a zoo but we've finally comandeered a couple of rows of seats.  We're fed, caffinated and I'm blogging.

First up -- the group photo at DFW (although one team member Amber is already in Peru -- Rosaline and Doreen flew ahead this morning so 15 of the 18 were duly photographed).

One interesting development at DFW.  An impromptu welcome at Terminal D for incoming troops from Iraq or Afghanistan.  Volunteers at the airport continue to do a remarkable job of making sure that soldiers get a warm welcome when they come in for R&R.  At Terminal D they walk by on a catwalk above the terminal floor but they can see and here the cheering waving passengers below.  The picture I have of that is badly back-lit.  But I think you can sense, from it, the atmosphere.  Neat.

One last picture for the day -- this one emailed to me from Kim Seale, whose son John is on the trip with us.  It's a group picture that I think, more accurately, captures the team's sense of dedication and purpose.

More when I can get internet access.

Rich

The Texas Department of Agriculture -- specifically Commissioner Todd Staples -- is going after a gasoline retailer that operates under the name Sunmart with verbal guns blazing, threatening civil and criminal penalties because the company allegedly has been shorting Texans at the pump. 

"Despicable violations such as these  are repulsive and must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Staples said during an Austin news conference.

Staples announced results of a three-day inspection blitz that started last Friday of all 86 Sunmart stations.  TDA found well over half the pumps cheating consumers.  Sunmart stations in Palmer, Royse City and Joshua were among those that had at least 60% of their pumps short-changing on gasoline -- up to a tenth of a gallon on every five gallons sold.

Sunmart could be fined up to $100,000 dollars for the violations but Staples called that "woefully inadequate to cover how much they have shortchanged Texas families and and Texas businesses."

The Texas Attorney General has launched an investigation that could result in civil and criminal penalties.  At this writing, Sunmart and parent company Petroleum Wholesale, L.P. have declined all comment.

The story will lead the newscast at 6pm.  We made a visit to the stations in Palmer and Royse City and were, politely, thrown off the premises.  Always entertaining TV.   Hope you can catch it.

Rich

Iraq's Prime Minister is telling a German magazine that he supports Barack Obama's plan for a US pullout.  Here's a portion of the story from Spiegel's online English website -

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki supports US presidential candidate Barack Obama's plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq within 16 months. When asked in and interview with SPIEGEL when he thinks US troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

Maliki and the Iraqis may well take American politics out of the equation.  If they decide it's time for us to go, it would be hard to say we intend to stay.

In a related note -- the Reuter's version of the story caught somebody's eye at the White House so they decided to email it out to all the inhouse addresses.  But, they pushed the wrong button (reportedly) and sent it out the everybody on their email list -- including reporters.

That's the sort of slip-up that happens late in a lame duck President's last term  Lot of inexperience at the White House now.  Hard to keep really good people on board when everybody knows it's all over but the shouting.

Rich

Man, this is shaping up to be a weird campaign.  The New Yorker magazine just upped the ante with a cover cartoon depicting Barack Obama in a turban and his wife Michele with a weapon.  The magazine's explanation is, apparently, that it is making fun of right-wing caricatures of the Democratic candidate.

Look close and you see Bin Laden on the wall and the flag in the fireplace.

But, nobody seems to be getting the joke.  Obama has declined to comment on it, personally.  Both campaigns, however, Obama's and McCain's have had the same general reaction when questioned by Politico.com.

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton says: “The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Senator Obama's right-wing critics have tried to create. But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree."

McCain spokesman Tucker "Outward" Bounds quickly e-mailed: "We completely agree with the Obama campaign, it’s tasteless and offensive.”

"Tasteless and offensive" goes two for two.

Hardcore Obama haters will, I'm guessing, love it.

Rich

Tonight's Lone Star Adventure is just in time for the summer blockbuster Dark Knight movie -- it's a real thing bat cave with a life and death drama that plays out live every night when the sun goes down.

Last Thursday photographer Rick Smith and I made the four-hour trek to Mason, Texas to hook up with Vicki Ritter, aka "Bat Granny."  Vicki is cave steward for the Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve.  It's another 30-minute drive south of Mason that, in itself, is quite an adventure.  There are dirt roads and a low river crossing that lead to the 9-acre preserve owned and operated by The Nature Conservancy since 1980.

Each night (beginning now about 6pm) more than a million bats swirl out of the cave in three or four orchestrated tornado like emergences.  Most are Mexican free-tailed bats who come here each spring to have and raise pups.  The bats draw in other predators.  Snakes, hawks, raccoons, owls -- it's a bat buffet for hungry critters.  We got good looks at a couple of big snakes who are almost nightly visitors.  And, Rick captured on video hawks swooping down and grabbing bats on the wing.

Vicki is there to answer questions and dispel myths about the bats -- who nightly consume tons of insects, thereby benefitting crops and humans alike. 

It's a fun story that will air tonight (Sunday) at 9pm and again next Saturday morning.  Catch it if you can.  Otherwise, as always, you can watch the story here on myfoxdfw.com.  Just search for Lone Star Adventures.

Rich

Let me be clear about one thing.  If I had any dirt to dish on this subject I would simply say nothing at all.  But, I think, a little perspective is in order.  Fox 4 News has lost some reporters in recent months -- and some of the other Blogs in town are portraying that as some sort of ominous trend.  But -- with the clear exception of Rebecca Aguilar -- all our departing staffers have left to pursue other career options.  Unlike the other stations in town -- Fox 4 isn't laying people off.  Jason Overstreet left to take a great job with the professional bowling people, Scott Sayres landed a good PR job and Jeff Crilley started his own business, something he tells me has long wanted to do.

In fact, in the almost 25 years I have worked at KDFW-TV, we are the only local station that has not had massive layoffs at one time or another.  Channel 33 has hired and fired three complete newsrooms in the time I've been in Dallas/Fort Worth.  All of the other stations (8, 5, 11) have laid off dozens of people at a time -- and more than once.

Arguably, we've had one layoff in 25 years -- an excellent videotape editor who is now freelancing with us.  I say "arguably" one layoff because the contract of an excellent Sports anchor/reporter was not renewed about five or six years ago and it's debatable whether that was a layoff.  (He went on to get a network job at a much bigger salary - and he's doing just Mark Fein thank you).

This is a tough time in the TV news business.  Good people are losing their jobs all over the country in layoffs.  Do some of us BLEEP about our bosses here at Fox 4 News?  Does the sun rise in the East?  Of course, you can find people who are unhappy with some of what goes on.  I've been guilty of bitching and moaning just like everybody else.  In fact, I've never worked anywhere that there wasn't somebody unhappy with something.  Those trying to make something more of this are often found in the comment sections of various blogs -- without identifying themselves.  That's one of the things that really bugs me about this whole Blog thing -- how easy it is to leave nasty or mis-leading comments and to do so anonymously -- on Ed Bark's UncleBarky.com blog, for example.  I enjoy reading Ed but I should skip the comments section.  I promise you this.  If I comment anywhere I use my name.  Or, I say nothing at all.

Rich

It's a tough story to tell.  I can only imagine how difficult it is for friends and family to grieve through it.  Christy and Geoff Hart, their 12-year-old daughter Rebekah and two little foster girls (ages 5 and 6) all killed minutes after leaving church Sunday morning in Plano -- broadsided by a young man who ran a red light and is now hospitalized in critical condition.

Geoff and Christy On a Mission in Mexico

It was my assignment today to go out to the church, Custer Road United Methodist, and update the tragic tale.  It is always difficult to report this kind of story but this one, a little more so.  The Harts, it turns out, were very active in the Missions Ministry.  The kind of folks that, I'm sure, if they were in my church would be among my closest friends.  Debbie Pomponio, who heads up the children's ministry, shared with me a brochure that Rebekah recently designed, to help raise money for mission work in Mexico.  She told me stories about how the whole family had rolled up their sleeves in Matamoros and worked hard to better the lives of people there.

 Rebekah in Mexico

The two little foster girls (sisters with different fathers who have not yet been publicly identified by Child Protective Services) had been with the Hart family just a few months.  Debbie told me a story about a mural of Jesus at the church, about hearing one of the little girls say "I love Jesus."  

Not a day goes by that someone here at Fox 4 News doesn't ask me about the love of my life.  "How's Catherine doing?" is usually the question.  "I miss her," often follows.

For those who don't know, Catherine decided not to sign a new contract when her last one ended in October.  After nearly 20 years at KDFW she had risen to the position of Supervising Producer at Fox 4 News.   But, management was not her first love.  Producing was.  And, she was worn out.  TV News will do that to you.  So, for the six months before she quit we cleared the decks financially.  Paid off the house.  Eliminated the bills we could eliminate.  The goal was to make sure she didn't have to work again, if she didn't want to.

Well, she's not employed.  Calls herself "retired" but she's busier than ever.  Today she was elected to "Church Council" at Prince of Peace Lutheran in Carrollton which will add to her already full schedule.  A lot of her time is spent volunteering at church and now she'll have more responsibility for budgeting and decision-making matters.

She has also started a business "Crossroads Christian Tours."  It's an effort to recruit Pastors and promote travel by Christian groups to Israel and other religious sites.  Pastor Oscar Benavides of LINC is hoping to lead the first such trip to the Holy Land this fall.  Catherine and I will be putting together a group trip in the spring that will start in Egypt, go to Petra, Jordan and then on to Israel.  She hopes to organize future trips to Ethiopia and elsewhere but, mostly, to Israel.  You can check out her website at:

www.CrossroadsChristianTours.com.

Masada, Israel with Dead Sea in Background

That's what she's up to.  That's how she's doing.  She's a happy camper.  And, "the best wife in the history of the Universe!"  I know.

Rich 

One of our terrific web producers, Alice Kalthoff, has posted a video of a man going absolutely beserk and tearing up an office.  Several web sites now identify the guy as a worker in a newspaper office in Moscow.  One site, at least, reports the video showed up earlier on Russian TV.  Hard to confirm but that seems to be the back story.
If you haven't seen it yet -- you really should.  It's on www.myfoxdfw.com at:

www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=
6696338&version=4&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1
.1.1

I've worked around a lot of really volatile people but never seen anything like this.  The occasional screaming hissy fits.  A little pushing and shoving.  A prominent DFW TV sports anchor was once fired for throwing a typewriter at somebody in another market.  But, all of that pales in comparison to the Russian MELTDOWN - as Alice characterizes it.