How's Rudy and the Nahuathl Stove Project?

Some of you have asked about Rudy.  Lately, I've had numerous inquiries about Rudy and the Nahuathl Indigenous stoves he builds.  Rudy is in good health, but as many of you have heard, Mexico is a hot bed of controversy because of the drug cartels and the associated killings. 

We have many friends that live in Mexico and many more who live in the United States, but still have family throughout Mexico.  Some areas are affected more than others certainly.  Caution and awareness are two words that spring to mind.  There are dangerous places throughout the world.  Many of the United State's large cities like Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York, (to name a few) have areas that would be best avoided.  I think the same is true in Mexico.

The good people, the uneducated, the helpless, the poor, and the average person trying the best they can to carve out a decent life for themselves are always damaged by the effects of the uncaring, the criminals, the evil people (if you allow me to use that term). 

So the news from Rudy is that he and the people in the region have been greatly impacted in a negative way.

The following is from Rudy's latest e-mail:

"We've had some very hot and windy weather.  The Nahuathl natives feel that we are in for a very dry season.  The old natives say that this hot and dry wind is bad and they are right about it.  All the creeks and streams are nearly totally dried.  Not much water is left in water springs.  Even our three rivers are way down in their normal level."

Rudy then went on to say in one of the towns where we do our medical missions; the local police station was under attack.  Grenades were even thrown, but didn't explode!  It's a very sad and troubling state of affairs in this once peaceful and beautiful region of Mexico. 

Rudy goes on to say, "I am still doing what little I can to keep my work with the Nahuathl people.  Stay well and healthy.  May God bless you always."

Regardless of the hardships, Rudy always ends his correspondence with a blessing to everyone. 

I'll be sending Rudy more donations this week to continue his work.  I'm always happy to be the conduit to get funds to Rudy and to aid the Nahuathl people.

If you would like to donate please visit our Missions of Hope website at:

http://www.missionsofhope.com/donate.html

Please continue to send good intentions, beautiful, peaceful energy and prayers for the good people in Mexico and throughout all the troubled regions of the world.

Thanks for all your help!

Blessings,
Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S.  "There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life -- happiness, freedom and peace of mind.  They are always attained by giving them to someone else."  Peyton Conway March.

Thanks For Your Support!

Considering the global opportunities of late to GIVE to those who are suffering hardships, I am grateful for help being given to Rudy to continue his work of building stoves for the Nahuatl natives. Just about every week, I receive donations to support his very important work. I especially want to pass on Rudy's thanks and some of his words from a recent correspondence...

The mango and avocado trees are in full bloom. And so are many lovely orchids. The Rosewood trees should be blooming soon, too. And that is a beautiful sight. Wish you were here to enjoy all these pretty things that mother Nature has for us to see and enjoy.

Like my dad used to say, life is great. We just need to take our time to see all the beauty that surrounds us and learn to enjoy it and share it with others.

I am doing some stoves and going strong with picking up garbage and used batteries in the rural area, and holding ecological conferences with the natives and students. I need to convince them more about taking better care of our environment. We have too many people sick with cancer, and other illnesses that could come from so much contamination.

I hope to hear soon from you. Do not forget us. Greetings and best wishes to all of you out there in the USA. And may God bless you always.

Bye now,
Rudy

In addition to the generous contributions from all over the world for Rudy, I am happy to report the following...Rudy's Nahuatl Stove Project is also benefiting from an additional stream of funding from the sale of Give to Live; Clearing Blocks to Receiving DVD! www.givetolivedvd.com You'll likely also be happy to hear another worthwhile project to benefit from the popularity of the Give to Live DVD is Operation Y.E.S. (Joe's project to end homelessness). http://operationyes.com

I speak blessings for you and your families. May you always be rewarded! Again, thank you, gracias, takke, tante grazie, mahalo, shukran, arigato...

Dr. Rick Barrett

www.missionsofhope.com

P.S. You can always listen to Rudy's message (in Spanish) on his Sunday morning radio broadcast. Go to http://www.radioreyna.com.mx/programacion.php for the 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. program, "Area Verde".

Please continue to spread the Give to Live message. Tell others they can receive an absolutely free digital version of our Give to Live book by going to www.givetolivebook.com If preferred, a hard copy can be purchased at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=give+to+live+the+real+secret+to+manifesting+life%27s+rewards and 20% of the proceeds go to the Nahuatl Stove Project. They might also enjoy the Give to Live Subliminal Manifestation DVD. Remember, partial proceeds will help build more stoves for the Nahuatl Indigenous. Go to www.givetolivedvd.com

Do I Smell Like Smoke

This question was asked of me one day by a patient before we began treatment. So I know her fairly well. She has participated in our medical missions and I consider her a friend, I’ll call her “L”.

When “L” asked the question, “Do I smell like smoke?”

I was confused because I knew she didn’t smoke. I just replied, “What do you mean?” with a puzzled tone to my voice.

She asked again, “Do I smell like smoke?”

All I could say was “No, what are you talking about?”

“Good”, she said, “Because I just came here right from a fire.”

I didn’t see that one coming!

Now I was shocked. “What happened?” I asked.

She was reluctant to speak to me about what she did and was really only interested in knowing whether she reeked of smoke. But because she asked such a strange question, I was compelled to find out why she asked it.

My persistence paid off and she gave up her story.

In fact, she was very humble and almost self-conscious while telling me the story. She said, “The morning news reported on an apartment fire and requested Spanish speaking volunteers to lend assistance. So I went down there to help out.”

She began to tell me that before leaving the house, she gathered up some supplies like water, clothing and other basics to take to the victims of the fire. She was sure that they would need those things since the news reported many families were displaced from their apartments.

Arriving at the scene, “L” put her Spanish speaking skills to use. She told the authorities about all the items she brought to aid the fire victims. Unbelievable as it may seem, she was told they couldn’t accept what she had brought. They had no one in charge to handle donations. Unwillingly to accept that answer, “L” found one of the victims and put her in charge of organizing the people and distributing the needed items to them. This turned out to be very successful.

“L’s” selfless act of giving comprised of two components—the giving of material goods and giving of herself through service.

“L” really didn’t see the enormity of her action; she down played it quite a bit. Not wanting to be recognized for her good deed.

She even said, “Anyone would do the same thing.” I pointed out to her that not just anyone would do that. Most people, the great majority, in fact, would watch the news, hear the request and go about their business. I illustrated my point by asking if any other translators showed up.

Her answer—“No”.

I said, “There are four million people in the city, so a large percentage of the population had to be watching the same news broadcast. Yet out of perhaps hundreds of thousands of people, maybe even a million or so, you were the only one to show up. And you took action beyond what was asked because you brought some very necessary supplies!”

“This is no small thing,” I said. “Don’t minimize its value and your worth! Not everyone would do it. Only one did it. But that one made quite an impact.”
Then she told me she felt that a good deed should be unpublicized.

I didn’t agree with her, citing these reasons. While I agree that shouting from the roof tops, “Look at me, look at what I just did!” is in bad taste, boastful and perhaps self-serving. Humbly talking about a need and filling it is quite different.

The intention is the difference.

“Do you think it takes away from giving if you tell some one about it?” she asked. I said, “I believe it helps to inspire others.”

Every giving action doesn’t have to be revealed. But some should. I also felt that by telling others it sheds light on a particular problem. It also nudges others to take action. Perhaps next time someone else will remember what she did and feel encouraged and strengthened to take action themselves.

Sometimes we need to read a story or hear how someone else participated in giving and serving which could enable us to believe that we, too, can do that! Perhaps it will inspire someone to look around their own family or neighborhood and spot a need that they can act on.

This is how relationships are built, goodwill is fostered, barriers fall and love is spread. The essence of our existence is to love one another.

To love a stranger can sometimes be difficult, to do this unconditionally, all the time takes effort, to do this only when it is convenient and under ideal circumstances takes little courage.

I told “L” that our work with the medical missions and helping Rudy build stoves for the Nahuatl people wouldn’t be possible if we kept it a secret. Throughout my office are photo albums, and pictures on the walls from each medical mission I’ve participated in.

Photos of beautiful children, the elderly, toothless people, people carrying bundles of wood, colonias and churches made of wooden shipping pallets and other discarded materials, photos of all our mission participants—dentists, nurses, medical doctors, translators, clergy, chiropractors, vision care, acupuncturists, massage, occupational and physical therapists and support people.

You can’t walk anywhere in my office without coming in contact with some reminder of a mission trip. I have pottery, blankets, walking sticks, and a host of different gifts given to me by people who I’ve served. I even have an extremely old wooden crutch hanging on the wall that a woman in Mexico gave to me after I treated her.

Why do I have all this? To be boastful? No! To draw attention to me? No! It serves several purposes.

For one, I enjoy the mission work totally. It is a passion for me. Some people like golf vacations or lying on the beach and then displaying photos of their trips.

The mission trips are my vacation. I love them. I enjoy looking at the photos. I enjoy the feelings they bring and the memories. Even the feelings of pain and discomfort about the hardships these people endure are important and welcomed.

It is also an “in my face” reminder of how fortunate, blessed, lucky—you pick the word, I and most people are. It is a reminder that at any moment, a tragedy could occur in my life and I could be one of those people. There really aren’t that many steps from having to not having.

These photos of wonderful people captured in their environment keep me humble, and keep me grounded in reality.

I also told “L” that because of the pictures, and the writing and speaking I do about the missions, people continually donate money. And many have been inspired to participate in the mission trips. In fact, our mission team in Sugar Land started because one of my patients inquired about the photos, and we created The Medical Missionaries of Divine Mercy.

(You can see more photos at http://www.missionsofhope.com)

My patients routinely deliver clothing, shoes, crutches, wheelchairs and toys to my office for me to bring on the mission trips. Soon I’ll have to build a bigger garage just to store it all! The photos, also, encourage people to do more and afford them an opportunity to be blessed by giving.

It allows them to “be” more. I have seen my patients find and fill a variety of needs in our own community because they were inspired by our photos and stories.
If we don’t see or hear—we don’t know. It’s important not to boast. But I believe it’s vital to tell the stories! It calls our attention to a need and screams to the universe—“Now who’s going to step up and help?”

I reminded “L” of the section in scripture which teaches; just as you wouldn’t hide a light under a bushel basket, you must allow your light to shine out for others to see your good deeds which glorifies God!

This is not ego talking, but simply showing by example. Being a good role model for others to follow even at the risk of making ourselves feel uncomfortable with the attention it may garnish.

This is why Joe and I wrote Give to Live, The Real Secret to Manifesting Life’s Rewards. And will continue to promote the timeless message of Give to Live—to stand for something more, to inspire and to motivate others. To fortify those that are “doing” and encourage others to join and revel in the experience!

“L” and I had a great conversation. She then opened up and told me about some other selfless acts she was performing quietly within the poorest areas of our community. Though I won’t tell you what those things are, I will say, she absolutely inspired me!! She truly has a giving heart.

I know “L” is making a huge difference in our world by spreading hope and love. She really lives the giving message and exemplifies the ideals set forth in my Affirmation of Service.

I choose to carry out my day as if it is my last.
I will give freely and unconditionally that which I can.
I will provide service to one or more persons
With or without their knowledge.
Thought coupled with action equals change, therefore,
As I think and act, I can and will create positive changes in my community and world.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve humanity today.

“L” is an inspiration to me and I believe I am to her as well as many others in my life. We inspire one another to reach within ourselves to find ways to improve the human condition and in the process, force our own growth.

A tool to help monitor one’s daily life of giving is the Acts of Service Journal.

It’s described in Give to Live, The Real Secret to Manifesting Life’s Rewards. Use it to keep a personal accounting of the goodwill services you provide. It is a nice way to stay grounded and periodically reflect on your daily life. I encourage you to get one and utilize it.

You can download a free Acts of Service journal at http://www.lulu.com/content/5526047)

Get a free digital Give to Live book at www.givetolivebook.com or purchase books at www.amazon.com or at http://www.lulu.com/content/5434310

With Love and Gratitude For All You Do, Known and Unknown,
Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. Who you are, makes a huge difference…Thank you!

A Huge Blessing From Rudy

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Recently I was able to deliver $1000 more to Rudy to build ecological
stoves for the Nahuatl families. These funds are from donations by
people who have read about Rudy's work in our book,
Give to Live; The Real Secret to Manifesting Life's Rewards.

Those of you who have donated are making a huge impact on the lives
of the Nahuatl people.

One blessing of the internet is that we can stay in touch with Rudy on a
regular basis and continually update you on his work.

He sent me the following e-mail specifically to give his thanks to you.

I know you'll enjoy it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Dear Friends,

Yes, the money got here. I went to the ATM this morning and withdrew
half of it. I shall do the rest tomorrow. I have already gone to the
hardware store and have paid for tin pipes, elbows and four bags of
cement.

Thank you very much for this help. Like I said yesterday, I will do four
stoves per village to start with, and later do the rest. I hope I can stretch this money and do 40 or 44 stoves. I will take pictures as it makes progress, and send you some so that you can show them to the people there. I know they want to know where their money goes and what is done with it.

The NAHUATL natives and I thank you very much for this great support. Without your aid, we would not be doing so well in stoves or anything else. It all takes pesos, and we do not have any.

Your help is much appreciated.

On behalf of all the NAHUATL families who have been benefitted with an ecological stove, through these years, I want to thank you so much for all your help and support.

You and your people have made a big difference in the lives of many
women and children.



Thanks to the generous contributions, you have made a pleasant change in our lives. I mention women and children because it is they who spend much time in the cooking area of their houses/huts. It is they who have to inhale the black smoke from the firewood.


It is they who get ear, nose, eyes, and throat infections.
They also get asthma and lung cancer.



Thank God there are still nice people in the USA and throughout the world who care and help those who are less fortunate. We hope (and pray) that all of you will continue helping us. We need you.

We pray to God to reward you plenty.

We need your helping hand, always.We have no other source of support.

Only you.

It is my pride to say that, as of this date, I have made over 1,400 stoves in four counties, for the last eight years. This means counties in our State, and also in our neighbor State of Hidalgo.

There are many NAHUATL families awaiting their turn to have stoves made. As you may remember, I have the will, the time and the vehicle to continue doing my work with the natives. But I do not have the money.

Please help me so that I can help them.



Right now, I have requests for about 600 stoves, in many villages. Word got out that I am making a stove that uses very little wood and the smoke is no longer in the cooking area. And now, many more people want one.



The NAHUATL love their women and their children very much, and if there is something that will improve their lives, they are willing to try it.

But they do not have the money to buy the material with. Neither do I. So, we all turn to you and to your good-will and generosity. And to your warm hearts.

Dear amigos, Tamazunchale alone has about 62,000 NAHUATL natives in 158 villages. The severe drought that we had this year made things much worse for all of us.

The natives just barely have enough pesos for black beans and corn. Minimum wages in this area is 80 pesos per day. That is about seven US dollars.

Thank God it has begun to rain now, but it is going to take a long timeto get back to normal.

Thanks again, for spreading the Give to Live message around the world.

Through this book, people who never knew about us and our great needs, have been graciously and generously sending money through my dear amigo, Dr. Richard Barrett to assist us all. Some of the money from the book sales also comes our way, and this is very helpful.

PEOPLE FROM THE WORLD, PLEASE HELP US BY BUYING THE BOOK.

(available at http://www.lulu.com/content/5434310)

We need all the help we can get.

I cannot thank everyone enough. All the faceless people throughout the world, are easing our suffering that we have had to carry on our backs for so many years.

We thought we would never find somebody who would look down upon us, analyze our needs and lend a helping hand. Such as Dr. Barrett.

Thank you, all of you.

Here is a NAHUATL thought for all of you to share:
TLASKAMATI MIAK. TU TOTIOTSI MU MITZ TIOCHIHUA.

Which means "Thank you very much. God bless you".
Greetings and best wishes to all of you, dear amigos.


Bye now,

Rudy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Rudy said, help is continually needed. By telling everyone you know via e-mail or regular mail or even phone calls about Give to Live, not only will the Nahuatl people benefit but the entire world.

We don't say this casually. Give to Live is making significant changes in the world. But we must keep sending out the message. Please get your friends and families on board to create the movement that will change them and others.

Tell them they, too, can have their own Give to Live e-book by signing up at www.givetolivebook.com. Once they sign up, they will receive a confirmation e-mail to confirm their subscription to Give to Live.Once they confirm, they will receive an e-mail with the link to download the Give to Live book.

Serving You,
Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. If you would like to donate to the Stove Project please visit www.missionsofhope for more information. Thank you!