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To donate to this Family Care Foundation Project, please note Project NAME and then click here. The LIVE RIGHT program In January of 2002 I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Metastatic Melanoma Cancer, for which there is less than a 50% rate of survival. Considering my young age and the fact that I am a father of 4 children, this was not a happy prospect. The next 2 years were difficult—during this time I underwent 4 surgeries, and had a 3- month Immuno Therapy treatment.
I prayed not just for healing, but for a stronger body and better fitness than I had ever had before. I could think of nothing more physically challenging than to compete in a Triathlon, so I made that my fitness goal! One and a half years later—I got my miracle, placing 11th in the Tai-Dong Triathlon. Out of these personal battles developed the Live Right program, which promotes healthy living for the purpose of cancer prevention, as well as a much improved Triathlon record! I have a Motivational Speaking ministry, and also spread the Healthy Living campaign through sports events and the media. It all began when I was approached by a sports and cycling magazine to give an interview about my cancer recovery that ended up being published as a feature story.
The magazine published a four page color spread, relating my story in detail of how I survived third stage cancer and went on to become one of the top competing tri-athletes in the country, and highlighting that it was my faith that pulled me through. The Editor suggested that I start my own sport team so that it will not be just about me as a person but rather a movement or a campaign for health and wellbeing. (He has since asked me to write a regular column on health and fitness for the magazine.) During the next few weeks it seemed that everyone I talked to or met while out either had cancer themselves or a relative or friend they knew had it. One woman I met told me, “Although they are spending millions of dollars on cancer research, almost no-one is telling people how to prevent it!” That sentence flashed out to me as if it was the “burning bush” itself speaking. We came up with the name for our new team….Team LIVE RIGHT! And the five basics of our Healthy Living campaign…Eat right, sleep right, exercise right, think right, and speak right! The goal is to teach people to live healthy and Godly lives while at the same time highlighting the negative influences: greed, addiction, lethargy and fear, all of which destroy bodies and cause misery and sickness to abound. The response and support has been incredible. Team LIVE RIGHT has the sponsorship of a high-tech biking firm, supplying us with the gear that in for our racing and sports team. A color hand-out centering on my story is disseminated at races and sporting events that we take part in.
Another element of our Healthy Living Campaign is a seminar that we offer on the topic of Cancer Prevention, the “Live Right Seminars”. When I am invited to give a lecture, our LIVE RIGHT team to these cities is part of the promotion for the event.
I recently placed first, third, fourth, and sixth in a number of triathlons and other races held around the Country, meeting top people in the sport and business industries as well as the government. The Far Reaching Effects of our Ministry – Some time back, I met a doctor who specialized in sports injuries, and unbeknownst to me, he had leukemia. Shortly thereafter this doctor seemed to just disappear. Recently, one of our volunteers tore a ligament and chipped an ankle bone, so we again attempted to contact this sports doctor. We were thrilled to locate him, and asked where he had been for the past 8 months. He told us his story: “I was diagnosed with a curable leukemia, but it meant a painful, lonely, and prolonged hospital stay. At one point I felt I couldn’t take it anymore and wished to quit the treatments and just give up. But then one of my friends brought me a magazine about biking. I am an avid biker and before my illness and biked about once a month. “I found your story in the magazine and it gave me courage to hold on and fight of health. I felt if you could do it, I can too. My life has so changed now and I have a clear focus. I bike at least 4 times a week, and have changed my schedule so I work less hours and put more time into enjoying my family. Thank you for writing that article.” Other Mission Care Taiwan activities
News reprint: The China Post Christian clowns spread love to sick kids Cheers and laughter rang out at the children's ward of the Taichung Veterans General Hospital on a sunny morning recently. Dressed in colorful clothes, Aaron Berg and Andy Morrow demonstrated their skill, performing magic tricks to entertain sick children. With props including ropes, balloons and stuffed animal toys, they perform magic tricks. They can blow up balloons with their noses and they make balloons into different shapes - dogs, motorcycles and toys. Some children burst into cheers while others were dumbstruck at what they said is the mystic power of the two magicians. This is the purpose of the performance - to bring joy to the patients in the hope of relieving their pain, said Ho and Marrow who always wear a smile on their brightly painted faces . Berg and Morrow, both U.S. citizens in their thirties, have been entertaining and making little patients laugh at numerous hospitals and charitable institutes in northern and central Taiwan over the past two years. Born into a Christian family that advocates generosity of spirit and unselfish dedication, Berg sees the voluntary performances for the sick as a way to spread the love of God. Berg said his talent for performing was discovered in his childhood when his family formed a singing and dancing troupe traveling in Europe. He then showed concern for the sick and the needy by giving solo performances at hospitals and charitable institutions in Japan, Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China. Berg moved to Taiwan two years ago to spread the Gospel to people here. In Taiwan, Berg began performing with Morrow and a group of Christian friends who hope to improve the condition of sick children by giving them spiritual healing. They do not preach at the hospital. Instead, they clown and perform tricks to amuse the young patients, hoping to heal them spiritually. Brochures illustrating the glory of God are given away to the patients and their families after the show. Children apparently like the performance. During our interview at the hospital, a mother came in and asked for a magic show for her child who was in an emergency unit. Berg set up a 60-member clown troupe so more patients will have the opportunity to enjoy their shows. Most of them are Christians and have a talent for the performing arts. Taiwan Earthquake FCF Projects: Mission Care Taiwan and East Taiwan Family Mission (cooperative effort) In the early morning of September 21st, 1999, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake jolted the island nation of Taiwan. The final death toll exceeded 2,300, with 10,000 injured and more than 100,000 people left homeless. Someone came running to tell us that one of the apartment buildings in our complex had almost collapsed. The first floor was now in the basement and the building was leaning over precariously. We moved our family to a nearby field and by daybreak were joined there by several thousand other families.
From day one we joined in the relief effort, working alongside the Red Cross and other relief organizations, while living in temporary tent accommodations ourselves. In addition to shuttling food and medical supplies to the towns and remote villages that were hardest hit and visiting the now very crowded hospitals in Taighung and Nanto City, we encouraged people’s spirits with musical performances, clown shows, and games and activities for the children in the tent camps. The army colonel overseeing the tent camp thanked us profusely, adding that our clown shows did wonders for the children who had all been very frightened and suffered various degrees of trauma. By the end of the shows, we oftentimes had to have soldiers lining up at the front, as the kids were just going wild, laughing, and crowding up to the stages.
The military was very organized in accommodating the needs of the people. The Red Cross and a large Buddhist organization, Chi Ji, were organizing meals and doing a wonderful job of supplying the physical needs of the refugees. We therefore felt that the role we were meant to major on was the spiritual side of things, such as counseling, comforting and praying for the many needy hearts around us. We also felt a burden to encourage the medical staff and volunteers we encountered, those who worked tirelessly around the clock in selfless sacrifice attending to the dying and sick. Not only were the victims of the quake in need of help and encouragement, but also those who were helping the victims. So while we passed on supplies such as water, food, tents, and sleeping bags during the course of our days, we also hugged, held, and prayed for those who had lost loved ones and were severely traumatized: A 20-year-old who had lost his parents and sister when his house collapsed; a frightened girl who had been pulled from the mass of concrete and twisted steel that had claimed the lives of her mother and grandmother; a young mother who had lost her two-year-old child; a middle-aged woman who we spent time talking to, which prevented her from jumping from a bridge in a fit of desperation; and hundreds of others.
During our relief activities, we were introduced to Taiwan’s President Lee Tung Huei, who was visiting the hardest hit areas and who told us, “Thank you for helping my people. God bless you!” |
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