Vine International

Wow!  What an evening!  About 400 came to the concert – so a big tip of the hat to Amy Turnblazer (Vine’s development coordinator) & her husband, Jason, & her dad & mom – Sam & Pat Johnson – & all the volunteers who turned out to help in Greenville, NC.  About all I had to do was show up…& simply enjoy….though getting there is a story in & of itself.  And of course, one of those joys was getting to know Bebo – & Gabe Scott, his instrument-versatile sidekick.  So Gabe….other than the guitar, dobro, piano, hammer dulcimer, & accordion….how many instruments do you actually play?  And Bebo….well, what a performer….& communicator!  As I told him after the show – the music & lyrics are incredible – but even better is what happens in between – as he shares his heart & faith.  His genuineness can only come from one place – the Christ-life – the Living Water that runs deep inside, finding opportunities to flow out.  Bebo was wanting to hear Vine stories to incorporate into the show.  And you know me….I had a ton of them, but the best one came directly from Guatemala – via Vine’s distribution manager there – Dennis McCutcheon – by way of a voicemail I shared with Bebo just before the concert.  Here’s that message…. 

“Hey gang – A mission doctor here in Guatemala saw that I had announced the MAP International medicine container was ready for dispersal last week.  He had been asked to come to San Marcos to spend a week helping with outbreaks of pulmonary & other infections – particularly in children due to the rains.  Their finances totaled only $50 – enough for fuel to get there and back – leaving nothing to buy medicines.  He described checking their medicine inventory….. ‘Hold your arms at your side, flex your elbows & hold your hands palms facing each other.  Pretend you are showing off your 14″ brown trout!!!’  That’s what he did standing in the Vine warehouse.  That was all the supplies they had to treat the kids for the next week.  While hectically organizing & packing the car he decided to check his email.  There was our note.  He called with a window of 2 hours in the afternoon – asking if we could meet him in the warehouse.  Of course we did.  We had tears in our eyes, because we know this to be the Providence of our God.  We FILLED his vehicle with antibiotics & cough & cold medicine – leaving just enough room for him & his wife.  God is good.  His Hand is evident every day in our lives here.  And as we speak, they are working with kids & their families with supplies provided by MAP, sent by containers funded by you – who support the Vine International family.  We are grateful beyond words.” 

Thank you Bebo….& Gabe – for your music & words.  Thank you Amy – for your hard work & dedication to put this event together.  Thank you Debbie – for the incredible creative explosion on the brochure design.  And thank you – to all those who support Vine with their donations, gifts, & time.  You make our cups overflow…& we hope your cups overflow as well……