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*A Vacation to Remember* 1/29/02 ______________________________________ If you enjoy this free daily email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration into the lives of many! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, join the thousands of HeartTouchers.com readers around the world by sending an e-mail with the word "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@aol.com Visit our inspirational web site and read all the past stories in our archives at: http://www.HeartTouchers.com ____________________________________________ Happy New Year from HeartTouchers.com From now on we will be offering our book, Straight From the Heart "A Celebration of Life" for only $13 (instead of the regular price of $14.95), and best of all, we will pay the shipping! So if you have any interest in purchasing an autographed copy of the book for yourself, or as a gift for your loved ones, now is the time to get it! To order your autographed copy send a check or money order for $13 (We pay the shipping!) for each book made out to Michael T. Powers, and then send it to: Michael T. Powers 1918 Liberty Lane Janesville, WI 53545 To preview the book by reading some of the stories visit: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/michael_t__powers/ AOL Users Click below: Straight From the Heart: A Celebration of Life _________________________________________ There is an extremely important message and announcement from Roger Dean Kiser, Sr. at the end of his story today. Be sure to read every word, and then pass his message along to every single person in your address book. If you are not familiar with Roger, his writing, or his mission to help orphans, then trust me when I say, "If anyone can make a difference in their lives it is Roger." HeartTouchers.com throws all its support behind him and his foundation and I hope all of you will join me in helping out no matter what you can afford to give, whether money or time... From my family to yours, Michael _________________________________________ A Vacation to Remember By Roger Dean Kiser, Sr. I left California about 13 years ago and moved to Brunswick, Georgia. Since that time there has hardly been a day go by that I have not thought about returning and fishing for stripped bass in the beautiful California Delta. I, like many other people, cannot afford a very elaborate vacation. My Social Security disability check, together with Judy's job as a waitress, will not allow us to head off to Rome or any of the other fancy places like that. However, we have managed to put back a little money and my dream of once again fishing in the California Delta waters was finally coming true. The round trip tickets would cost us less than $400.00 and two days of fishing would cost us about $100.00 per day. In addition, Judy and I had been invited to stay, at no charge, in the home of my best friend Danny who was in need of a liver transplant. With our round trip airline tickets in hand and $400.00 in cash, off Judy and I flew to sunny California. The first day of our vacation was spent with Dan and Lois. We talked and laughed and somewhat make up for lost time in our friendship. Dan and Lois live right on the edge of a very poor area known to most as the dreaded "Airport District." It is not a very good neighborhood and if you are not known your personal safety was something that you had to be very careful about. Nevertheless, on Tuesday morning I was up early and decided to take a stroll around the old neighborhood. This was the same area where my former in-laws had once lived before their deaths. I noticed that not much had changed since I had left, some years back. The young teenage kids were still cursing and fighting with each other as their individual gangs trotted down the street to see what they could steal from the local corner markets. I slowly walked down the edge of the street until I got to the corner of Connie Way. I looked at the large water filled holes aligning the half paved, pot ridden roadway. All still filled with trash and mud just as they had been thirteen years earlier. Half way down the block I saw the small shack looking house where my in-laws had once lived. As I looked farther down the street I could see ten or fifteen old broken down junk cars still lining the roadway, as well as tons of used, worthless, old tires, large piles of trash, crushed tin cans and broken glass bottles. It was like looking at a war zone where someone had dropped an atomic bomb. A place where nothing would ever change for a thousand years or more. There was absolutely no color for the eye to see except a light, white gray. Everything looked dead and totally barren of life. I jumped as I felt something rub against my leg. When I looked down I saw a small cinnamon colored cat rubbing back and forth against my leg. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw that the cat's leg was severely injured. I picked the animal up in my arms and I carried it back to Danny's house and I gave it bowls of food and water. I watched as she ate the food. Gulping every bite as though it had not eaten, or drank in days. The small cat's broken leg was swollen and it was actually walking on the stub, dragging it's entire foot behind it as it traveled along. I immediately called a veterinarian and explained the situation. I was told that they would not take stray cats unless there was someone who would take full responsibility for payment of the cats treatment. After visiting another veterinarian and agreeing to pay a $25.00 examination fee the cat was finally examined. We were told that the cat's foot was broken and that it's leg had almost been twisted completely off. That amputation of the entire leg from the shoulder down was the only recourse. We were also told that the injury must have been done at least a week or two previous as the infection had spread into the shoulder. He told us that the charge for removing the entire leg would run us about one thousand dollars. Unable to pay the high fee Judy and I took the cat back to our room and tried to make it as comfortable as possible throughout the night. The next morning I walked down to the corner store where I learned that earlier in the week four young boys had twisted the cat's leg until it broke then they smashed it's foot with an old car started. Then they shot it in the back of the neck with a pellet gun and then half buried it alive. For hours Judy and I stayed on the telephone trying to get a Vet to help us save the animal, but to no avail. Danny finally came into our room and told us that it was a hopeless case and that we should just have the cat put to sleep. But I just could not do that. "Dan, If I ever accomplish anything in my life I will save at least one thing from the Airport District," I told him. Danny looked at me with tears in his eyes and he said "Roger that is why we have been friends for so many years. You just never give when it comes to fixing something that is broken, or hurt." Well, by the end of the day a surgeon at the Modesto Spay and Neuter Clinic agreed to amputate Cinnamon's leg at their cost. Which totaled $377.84. Judy and I gave up our fishing trip and used the money towards Cinnamon's medical expenses. Sonny's Real Pit Bar BQ threw in $50.00. Our friend Sharen Jackson, though she has many bills because of breast cancer surgery, threw in $130.00 and my son Roger pitched in another $100.00. The wonderful people at Delta Airlines refused to accept the normal $75.00 fee that it normally charges for pets to travel. They insisted that Cinnamon be allowed to fly home with Judy and I for free. Cinnamon now lives here with us at our home in Brunswick, Georgia. As I sit here writing this story Judy is in the bedroom crying her eyes out. Judy stood silently watching Cinnamon as she used the liter box for the first time in her life. There stood Cinnamon, all alone, trying to cover her business with a now invisible leg that is no longer there. Here was an innocent little animal who had never hurt anyone. She had her leg broken and almost torn away and now amputated. She was shot in the head with a pellet gun and then buried alive by four people who call themselves human beings. In spite of all of her suffering Cinnamon still has the heart to hobble up to a strange man standing on the street corner, in a place that could only be known as "a war zone," and rub against his leg to let him know that she still loves "all" human beings. It is not Cinnamon or the people mentioned in this story who are the heroes here. The true hero in this story is "the spirit of goodness" and "the spirit of kindness" shown by these people. A wonderful, wonderful feeling that lives deep inside the hearts of most good, kind and descent people. A special feeling that makes a 'honest to goodness hero' appear, whenever a real hero is needed. Roger Dean Kiser, Sr. trampolineone@webtv.net Write to Roger and let him know your thoughts on his story! ____________________________ The Sad Orphan Foundation has been established to specifically help orphans in the United States of America. The intent of this organization is to make sure that a minimum of 90-95% of all the donations received go directly to the children. Not to groups, organizations and/or Societies who tend to pay themselves large salaries and in the end leave the kids getting little or nothing. I want these kids to know, without any doubt, whatsoever, that the world outside the orphanage really cares about them. I want them to know that not having a mother and a father is lonely, yet it is survivable. The foundations books will be available on the Internet 24/7. All transactions will be posted on this web site (In simple plain English) for everyone to view. I am not exactly sure what all "The Sad Orphan Foundation" can accomplish. It is not easy, trying to establish such an organization and to find honest, capable people who are willing to give that much of their time. Oh! there are those who are willing to help if it makes them look like a big shot in the community. I don't need, or want people like that in this organization. The kids that I am trying to help did not do anything wrong. They are innocent children who were abandoned. I do not want them to ever have to feel that they have to bow down to anyone who offers them help or kindness. I, and my orphan brothers and sisters were made to beg for whatever kindness was given to us. I will never forget the feeling of having to look at the ground every time kindness was shown to me. Even today as a fifty-six year old man that aspect of me has never changed. I still get embarrassed, and I look down at the ground, when kindness is shown to me. What I plan to do for these children may not have much of an affect right now. But in the years to come they will remember the kindness that was showed to them. I know this for a fact. Common sense tells us that we never harm those who are kind to us. Kindness is the only path leading into the heart of the orphan, or abused child. It is then, and only then, that we can start to build a lasting relationship based on love and trust. I will be there myself, and I will tell them that it is YOU who have helped them. That YOU do care about them and that they do not owe you anything for helping them. The money given to this foundation will not be wasted. There will be no fancy envelopes or stationary. These items, if necessary, will be purchased from the dollar store. Should the time come that the organization grows and needs any type of paid help. The president of the company down to the last man on the totem pole will receive minimum wage. There will be no bonuses for anyone, ever. I will not spend one penny on anything that the orphanage itself should have purchased for the children. If by chance, these children are taken to Disney World, Universal Studios, a water slide, movie or the like. I, as the President of the foundation, will make sure that the lowest possible fare(s) have been achieved. It is hoped that someday computers will be placed in the orphanages and that I can start a program, which I will call "e-doptions." I want the children in these orphanages to have access to the people who are helping them. I want them to look forward to receiving e-mails and encouragement from those who care about them. When the day comes for these children to leave the orphanage, I do not want them to feel, as I did, that it really does not matter if they go North, South, East or West. I want them to know that no matter what direction they travel in (to make a life for themselves) that there is someone near who cares for them. That is the seed that I want to plant now. Have you have ever wondered why a young person goes off the deep end and hurts others. I can tell you the reason because I have been there. When all has failed in a child's life and they feel that they have nothing to lose. The next thought is to hurt someone or to get even with the world. At this point they do not need a reason to do it because they feel that they already have one. Now their mind searches for a reason not to do it. This is the critical point in the process of decision. 'Love' at this point is totally worthless to that child. However, kindness always seems to shine through and gives the child 'a reason' not to hurt someone. The brilliant minds of today, and yesterday, as well as all the educated scholars have had their chance and they have all failed. It is time for a new approach. It is time to allow some of us who have ridden on the train to have a chance to stop it. Most of you have read my stories and you know of my past. It has not been an easy road for me to travel. I am not very well educated, but on the other hand I am not stupid. I hope that you will give us former orphans a chance to see if what we know, and what we have learned, can make a difference in this world. In closing, I would like to add this: "The Sad Orphan Foundation will never be allowed to become more important than it's purpose." Those who wish to make a donation please send a check or money order to: THE SAD ORPHAN FOUNDATION c/o Author, Roger Dean Kiser, Sr. 100 Northridge Drive Brunswick, Georgia 31525 THANKYOU, Author, Roger Dean Kiser, Sr. NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS: Please do not send cash. Your check or money order will be your receipt for your tax deductible contribution. For more information please visit Roger's web site at: http://www.geocities.com/trampolineone/foundation.html _________________________________________ _ /_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS \_\ / HeartTouchers@aol.com /_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no \_\/\ \ longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I \_\/ live in the body I live for the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 ___________________________________________ The copyrights to the stories that appear in HeartTouchers.com are owned by the authors and are used with their permission. We refuse to run stories without the author's permission and contact info listed after the story. We also refuse to publish stories listed as "author unknown." (All of which violates Copyright Law and the rights of the authors.) This e-mail may be forwarded in its entirety, but please do not cut and paste the stories to be used elsewhere unless you have contacted and been given permission by the individual writer. Thank you so much for honoring the rights of those writers who graciously share their stories with us! __________________________________________ Video Imagery --Michael's Video Production Business "I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such a beautiful job! They were so surprised and so touched--they really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for the video too! Thanks again!" Kelli-- College Station, TX Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies! Check out the web page for Michael's video production business! Visit: http://www.hearttouchers.com/video_imagery/ AOL Users click here: Video Imagery ___________________________________________ Would you like to see your story in HeartTouchers.com? Writer's guidelines can be found on our Web site here: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/guidelines/ AOL Users click here: Writer's Guidelines ___________________________________________ SUBSCRIBE: "I need a daily source of inspiration and encouragement in my life!" To become a HeartTouchers.com Member send an e-mail with "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@AOL.COM Then get ready to laugh, cry, and be deeply touched by some of the best stories on the Internet! __________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: All you have to do is send an e-mail with the word "Unsubscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@aol.com Give it a day or two to be processed... __________________________________________ Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you? http://www.greatcom.org/english/four.htm AOL Users click here: The Four Spiritual Laws __________________________________________ |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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