My sons gave me a wonderful Christmas blessing, gift and challenge this year. I yield my space to my sons as I share their Christmas letter with you. They have a challenge for you, my tens of readers. As usual, I will have the last word at the end.

Blessings, Dave

Our dad is a little odd at times.  His self-deprecating nature, honest candor, and repetitious jokes all make for some entertaining moments throughout our growing up years.   He is occasionally witty and poignant in his “daily ramblings” while attempting to enter pop culture despite the increase in grey hair on the goatee.  He rarely misses an opportunity to toss out a dad joke or sports opinion while serving up a daily menu of dadisms.  Although these are the characteristics that come and go while adding to the quirkiness of our family, one thing about dad has never changed…his heart for a cause. 

Granted, the causes have changed over the years.  It started with Athletes in Action, to youth coaching,  then on to his “real” job as a sports television director.  He has his boycott of Exxon, but we try not to talk about the impact his “protest” had on the multi-billion dollar company.  He buys coffee from Pura Vida, supports everything that raises money for breast cancer awareness, asks us to give goats through World Vision, and funds a host of other causes including mission trips and church camp scholarships. 

Thus, for Christmas, we are honoring our Dad with another selfless gift.  This year we are buying him a team through the Mocha Club.  The Mocha Club is an organization encouraging people to give up something they can go without, or $7, to benefit African Leadership and the people they serve.  The $7, which all goes to Africa, can feed 1 person for a month, educate 2 children for a term, save 1 person from malaria, or provide clean water for 7 Africans for an entire year.  For the cost of two trips to Starbucks, which has a loyal customer in our father, we can make a difference in the lives of those who need our resources.  We are buying him the first year of donations, $7 a month, which will create the “The Fellowship of the Broken”.      

But this is the best part and the one that will resonate most with Dad…you don’t do it alone.  This is directly from Mocha Club…“everyone spends a couple of dollars each month on something they can go without.   Maybe for you it’s a midnight run to a fast-food restaurant. Maybe it’s a movie rental. Maybe it’s a mocha.  For the cost of only two mochas a month, you and your friends – together – can change lives.  The Mocha Club is about community amongst friends, but more importantly, it’s about joining together to provide hope to our community in Africa.” 

Our dad is all about people.  For years he has been about you all, writing daily to give you a glimpse of what it looks like to stumble through this world attempting to live an authentic life for Christ.  We are asking you to join his team.  You can give as much as you would like…but as a team you will do more together.  And together is better.  Henri Nouwen said, “Every human being has a great, yet often unknown, gift to care, to be compassionate, to become present to the other, to listen, to hear and to receive. If that gift would be set free and made available, miracles could take place. Those who really care can receive bread from a stranger and smile in gratitude, can feed many without even realizing it. Those who can sit in silence with their fellowman not knowing what to say but knowing that they should be there, can bring new life in a dying heart. Those who are not afraid to hold a hand in gratitude, to shed tears in grief, and to let a sigh of distress arise straight from the heart, can break through paralyzing boundaries and witness the birth of a new fellowship, the fellowship of the broken. . . .” 

The birth of this fellowship, The Fellowship of the Broken, begins today.  Our Christmas gift to Dad, the man we know cares for others with a passion that draws people to him.  This is an invitation to you, the reader, to join him on this team.  All you have to do is go to www.mochaclub.org and click to join an existing team (The Fellowship of the Broken) that will work to support orphan care in Africa.  Together we can make a difference…and dad, this is our gift to you, to serve others for His glory. 

Blessings,

Matt, Scott, and Brett

Can you give up a couple of mochas a month?  Bring your lunch one or two days to work to help desperate people? Pass on some magazines at the newstand? Any one of those “sacrifices” would save seven bucks or so and you could feed a person for a month, educate 2 children for a term, provide clean water for seven Africans for an entire year or save a person from maleria. Would you join my team? Seven bucks a month. Ready to make a difference? Click here to join the team!