Latest / Our Community, Our Mission / Ep #180 - Meet Lino Munoz

Transcript

Ep #180 - Meet Lino Munoz · Our Community, Our Mission

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Dear my father, we thank you for this day and your blessings and provisions, god.
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: Thank you for God, just your forgiveness and your mercy that you pour out on us each and every day.
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: Oh Lord, thank you for this time, thank you for our special guest.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: Pray your blessing over it and pray the ears that would listen Would be blessed as well and encouraged to action.
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: Father, we love you and praise your name, amen.
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: Hello everybody.
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: You're listening to our community, our mission.
• 0:30
  Speaker 2: This is a podcast of the Topeka rescue mission.
• 0:32
  Speaker 2: This is Barry Fieker on podcast number 180 on June the 28th.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: It kind of another milestone there of 2023 for those of you who are listening to this, in 2030, 2023.
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: So by what's the math on that, miriam You're you do our books here seven, seven years, so, but podcast number what?
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: Oh, by 20 what 2030 if today's podcast one every week?
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: never mind, i don't know the answer.
• 1:06
  Speaker 4: Okay, it will be.
• 1:09
  Speaker 2: I.
• 1:09
  Speaker 2: Will be 364 more episodes, plus 180 is what 2030, when we do a podcast, we won't need microphones, we'll just think it.
• 1:33
  Speaker 2: I know.
• 1:34
  Speaker 4: That's exactly right.
• 1:34
  Speaker 4: It'll just happen.
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: That's scary because we'll have implants of AI in us and those.
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: I've been reading that stuff, so anyway.
• 1:44
  Speaker 3: I'm gonna start getting emails about you saying that don't say that actually is this AI that's talking right now?
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: Is this a is?
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: I mean, you know we're pretty famous here.
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: You know they're copying all the famous programs here.
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: I think Tom Cruise has been AI'd, oh, you know, okay, never.
• 1:59
  Speaker 3: Josh turn his mic off, i'll get his mic off It's.
• 2:03
  Speaker 2: Yeah, let's bring it back.
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: Okay, we are here today, we're our community, our mission.
• 2:06
  Speaker 2: We have Amanda bro's, executive director, mary and Krabel, director, supportive services.
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: Yes, okay, so we're gonna get into our guests today, but first of all, we do have to have another quiz, and this is important about what June the 28th Signifies.
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: What's important about this day, what's famous about today And so June 28th is.
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: I Just want to tell you these folks help run the And, and the answers are right in front of them.
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: It's on a piece of paper and not on a sheet.
• 2:39
  Speaker 2: Like cheating.
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: It feels like cheating.
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: Well, i can call it.
• 2:42
  Speaker 2: Assure that you're going to get the right answer.
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: So today is national insurance awareness day.
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: Oh, national insurance awareness day.
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: Okay, now that that's you know.
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: It's also today national Paul Bunyan day, i know.
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: So isn't that interesting?
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: national insurance awareness day, and a guy who told tall stories.
• 3:02
  Speaker 4: Was a very big guy, wasn't he?
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: He was a very big guy, but he also didn't have a blue bull blue Cow.
• 3:13
  Speaker 4: I knew it was.
• 3:15
  Speaker 2: Okay, our special guest kind of whispered that to you, yeah, blue ox, but he was also known for tall stories.
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: Yeah, so yes, you know, and a lot of times people will Get us to buy their insurance program because they tell tall stories.
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: That's very true.
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: Not to say anything negative about you, all you good people out there to try to protect us with Or it could be the opposite people could tell tall stories to get an insurance claim Exactly.
• 3:42
  Speaker 2: So some very famous person who's been on the big screen Had her smile insured for thirty million dollars.
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: Thirty, her smile for thirty million dollars.
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: Now, I'm sure there's a lot of people know the answer to this, who's got a really, really big smile And she's an actress on the big screen.
• 4:01
  Speaker 4: Well, okay, see, i've looked, so now I'm not gonna say so, amanda, you just do it if you didn't look at the answer.
• 4:08
  Speaker 3: I haven't looked at the answer, but okay.
• 4:10
  Speaker 3: Okay, so if it was hair, I would say Jennifer Aniston smile.
• 4:15
  Speaker 4: Julia Robert, yeah, so so what if her teeth get knocked out?
• 4:21
  Speaker 2: I don't know, maybe she gets a dental problem.
• 4:24
  Speaker 4: I know like what, what, what would be the claim?
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: on that one.
• 4:28
  Speaker 4: Yeah.
• 4:28
  Speaker 4: Or and like does it run out, because as you get older sometimes you have more dental issues, right Yeah?
• 4:40
  Speaker 3: But I'm pumped Really, i think.
• 4:43
  Speaker 3: I think, if you get any, dental issues.
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: Today, you could probably spend thirty million dollars.
• 4:47
  Speaker 2: Okay, all right, let's move on.
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: A company based in London has sold over 30,000 believe it or not alien abduction policies throughout Europe, those Europeans, i'm telling you Alien abduction policies, 30,000 of them.
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: There's an insurance company that's in London that sold those.
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: I'd like to I mean I'm sure there's nobody in New Mexico that's ever bought one.
• 5:18
  Speaker 2: Oh okay, a couple of things about today.
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: It's National Logistics Day, so you got to be logical today, okay.
• 5:24
  Speaker 4: Is that it, or is it about how UPS moves things?
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: Just saying Is that is, that is that said with a little bit of malice.
• 5:34
  Speaker 3: I kind of feel like I've been abducted by an alien right now, in this moment.
• 5:37
  Speaker 2: All right, we're going to bring it back around for me to our guest.
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: It's national.
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: If this is, this is nice, the nice part.
• 5:43
  Speaker 2: Finally, today, wednesday, june 28th 2023, is national.
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: Happy hearts and what hugs day.
• 5:54
  Speaker 3: So have a happy heart and hug somebody today.
• 5:57
  Speaker 2: And if there's nobody around, just look in the mirror and hug yourself, anyway.
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: So, speaking of speaking of happy hearts, you know, one of the one of the blessings of to be a rescue mission and this is all serious here is the volunteers and one of our bigger blessings I say bigger blessings, but people that really have to dig into the the the nitty gritty of operation of the ministries, the board of directors, and in my time serving at the rescue mission as director, i just had some incredible relationships and phenomenal people and some of those are still on the board And one of those is our guest here today who, in his professional life, outside of his volunteering, he is the guy that you don't want to see when you're in the operating room.
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: So if you're in the operating room and the doctors are working on you and this guy comes in, it's because a piece of medical equipment ain't working right So.
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: Lena Minos, you are Biomed equipment tech.
• 6:56
  Speaker 2: You've been working with Stormont Vale and of course they've changed some different ways.
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: They've been doing that over the years, But you are a medical tech equipment guy.
• 7:05
  Speaker 2: Yes, right, Lena Minos.
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: Anyway, board members Pika rescue mission want to get into that.
• 7:10
  Speaker 2: But talk about your, what you do.
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: How many pieces of equipment do you and your team in a hospital like Stormont Vale have to know how they?
• 7:21
  Speaker 5: work.
• 7:21
  Speaker 5: That that is.
• 7:22
  Speaker 5: That's a very good question, because it's ever expanding.
• 7:26
  Speaker 5: Yes, some of the equipment that we have is what that Stormont Vale actually has is old and they're replacing it And in some cases we hang on to it, they hang on to that equipment, and so what we do is we will what we call now, enroll the new equipment into that particular department, say it becomes in and goes to surgery, so we'll enroll that equipment for the surgical department.
• 7:56
  Speaker 5: In some cases the old equipment gets traded in.
• 7:59
  Speaker 5: In other cases it gets moved.
• 8:01
  Speaker 5: It might move to another department within the institution or it might move out to a clinic, and so they they get as much use out of the equipment as possible or they get whatever value they can out of a trade in on that equipment.
• 8:19
  Speaker 5: Yeah, so so if you say, let's say that this particular section of surgery has 50 pieces of equipment, they still maintain that 50.
• 8:31
  Speaker 5: But now a clinic has expanded from seven pieces of equipment to eight pieces of equipment in that particular department Let's say it's ultrasound.
• 8:41
  Speaker 5: Overall, good heavens, i think we could be looking at maybe 14 to 15,000 pieces of equipment that your team have got to know.
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: We have to know how to fix it Yeah so, oh well, that's easy Well many of our employees.
• 9:02
  Speaker 5: They go to training on that particular device so that they get certified to be able to work on that equipment as well, and that way we're not just diving into a manual.
• 9:20
  Speaker 5: In a lot of cases that's the only opportunity you have.
• 9:23
  Speaker 5: You contact the manufacturer, talk to their tech support department and walk through what the issues are.
• 9:31
  Speaker 5: What are the symptoms of the device, what do you see?
• 9:33
  Speaker 5: what's it doing Some cases, what does it smell like?
• 9:37
  Speaker 5: Because you do have an electrical problem going on there And you end up determining just what needs to be replaced.
• 9:45
  Speaker 5: And in our situation we normally can get those items in very next day, get whatever parts necessary and get that item up and running back into the department so that they can maintain patient care.
• 10:02
  Speaker 2: I know there's been times that you and I have been meeting and you got called to go into a surgical room and you don't have time for tomorrow's shipment of the part.
• 10:13
  Speaker 2: And so you have to gown up right.
• 10:17
  Speaker 5: Yeah, you can't just walk in in your street clothes.
• 10:19
  Speaker 2: And there could be a heart surgery or anything.
• 10:21
  Speaker 2: It has been Yeah.
• 10:23
  Speaker 5: And in some cases you go in you find, okay, you get as much information from the nursing staff or even the physician as to what has occurred, and when you get those ideas, what's going on that might lead you to?
• 10:39
  Speaker 5: well, i've seen this maybe three or four years ago.
• 10:41
  Speaker 5: I kind of have an idea of what this could be and try to get them up and running as quickly as possible.
• 10:46
  Speaker 5: In some cases it's not that easy.
• 10:50
  Speaker 5: It's going to be an item that we just don't work on this here.
• 10:54
  Speaker 5: It has to go back to the manufacturer.
• 11:00
  Speaker 5: I can remember one time I had to go into surgery.
• 11:03
  Speaker 5: Oh, they were.
• 11:04
  Speaker 5: What was the procedure?
• 11:06
  Speaker 5: I think it was gallbladder, and they were using an endoscopic camera, which is a camera that goes into the body cavity and they can see the doctor, can see from out here what he's doing in there And he proceeds with the gallbladder surgery.
• 11:27
  Speaker 5: And all of this is going through just a couple of holes in the abdomen, so that way they don't have to do it.
• 11:35
  Speaker 5: Well, the camera kept fading away, lacking out, and what I found was the only way I think I can make this work is is to reset the camera every so many, like 15 or 20 seconds I had counted.
• 11:53
  Speaker 5: So I'm climbing under the table.
• 11:57
  Speaker 5: I'm underneath the procedure table, the camera situated down at the foot of the table where the doctor is out toward the head of the table where he's working next to the patient, and I can look up from underneath the foot of the table.
• 12:12
  Speaker 5: I can see the display.
• 12:14
  Speaker 5: So I know exactly, you know, and I'm counting.
• 12:17
  Speaker 5: I can see this thing is beginning to bleach out a little bit and getting fader and fader, and then I would shut the camera off, turn the camera back on.
• 12:25
  Speaker 5: Of course it would bloom right back up again.
• 12:27
  Speaker 5: So the the remaining of the procedure was with me under the table, reaching up, flipping a switch back off back on, back off, back on, until the doctor was able to complete that surgery.
• 12:42
  Speaker 5: And then I was, you know, at the at the end of the procedure.
• 12:45
  Speaker 5: Of course we I removed the the equipment and sent it back to the company, found another replacement item and put it back in so they could do procedures the next day.
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: I don't know what you guys get paid, but you ought to get as much as the doctors do.
• 12:59
  Speaker 3: It's like emergency heroes, yeah.
• 13:03
  Speaker 5: It, it, it takes, it's a certain niche.
• 13:05
  Speaker 5: Yeah, I bet.
• 13:06
  Speaker 5: Because you know you're, you're, you're inside.
• 13:09
  Speaker 5: You know you're in areas that you never expected to be the first the first three days that I was there, i was in open heart surgery.
• 13:17
  Speaker 5: I wasn't, you know, but you know the patient.
• 13:21
  Speaker 5: They were having problems with the monitoring system and I went in.
• 13:26
  Speaker 5: I went in and we it was myself, the supervisor and the director of the department they were having some problems with that, with a monitor, and we couldn't.
• 13:41
  Speaker 5: You know, we're trying to figure out what the issue was So that way, you know, the doctor can proceed with the open heart and he would see the patient's vitals.
• 13:50
  Speaker 5: Okay, and all I could think of was any minute now the police department's going to come into this room and arrest all three of us, because I know I don't have a nursing license.
• 14:01
  Speaker 5: I don't know about the other two.
• 14:02
  Speaker 5: I thought that's what you got to have here And I mentioned it to my supervisor and he said oh no, this is why we're here, this is what we do, and so I had to adapt to that.
• 14:12
  Speaker 5: I mean, you know you're looking at a kid who just, you know, fresh out of, you know, school and training This wasn't last week, no, okay, that's good.
• 14:20
  Speaker 2: No, things have been prepped.
• 14:24
  Speaker 5: This summer back in like.
• 14:25
  Speaker 2: April 1980.
• 14:26
  Speaker 2: Okay.
• 14:26
  Speaker 5: So so I'm just really concerned about that.
• 14:30
  Speaker 5: But you can see, you know somebody who's just been working in the electronics departments in a school and getting training and all of a sudden you're standing in open heart surgery Yeah.
• 14:41
  Speaker 5: You know you're trying to get a grasp on that for myself.
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: That was really.
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: I'm just feeling a little nauseous right now, So I think maybe we move along.
• 14:48
  Speaker 2: So, Lomanda, a question for you, and this is a mathematical question How old were you in 1992?
• 14:56
  Speaker 3: 92.
• 14:56
  Speaker 2: Here we go, tick tock, tick, tock, tick tock.
• 14:59
  Speaker 3: I would have been barely turning five.
• 15:01
  Speaker 2: Barely turning five.
• 15:02
  Speaker 2: Okay, lomanda likes to talk about how young she is, and so we thought we'd give her another opportunity.
• 15:05
  Speaker 2: Yeah, lomanda, you were barely turning five in 1992.
• 15:10
  Speaker 2: And that's when Lino came onto the board of directors, to be correct.
• 15:13
  Speaker 2: So so, lino, you've been on the board for 31 years.
• 15:20
  Speaker 5: Is that right?
• 15:21
  Speaker 2: That's right.
• 15:21
  Speaker 2: Well, that's my math to my little calculator.
• 15:24
  Speaker 2: So you've seen a lot of things happen in that amount of time.
• 15:28
  Speaker 2: Quite a few changes.
• 15:29
  Speaker 2: Yes, So we've been on right after we had built the first building.
• 15:34
  Speaker 2: Mutual friend of ours, Ken Stone, who was a ward man at the time.
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: He was also part of the Stormount Vale Foundation.
• 15:41
  Speaker 2: Great guy Introduced us, And so if you could roll the clock back in your brain back then, what interested you?
• 15:51
  Speaker 2: You're in the medical tech area.
• 15:53
  Speaker 2: At that time You work in a hospital.
• 15:55
  Speaker 2: What interested you in what the Topeka Rescue Mission was about at that time?
• 16:02
  Speaker 5: You know, and I believe I had been listening to, okay, what was the radio station at that time?
• 16:10
  Speaker 2: Well, there was WRN.
• 16:10
  Speaker 2: No, it was Christian.
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: There was a joy 88.
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: Joy 88.
• 16:15
  Speaker 5: It was joy 88.
• 16:16
  Speaker 5: And I would have joy 88 on and from time to time I would hear an update from Barry Feaker concerning, you know, the new building and how things were coming together.
• 16:29
  Speaker 5: And at one point, ken Stone, you know he asked me, you know, if I would consider being a member of the board of directors, a Topeka Rescue Mission.
• 16:42
  Speaker 5: And I thought, who in the world even knows that I'm alive?
• 16:46
  Speaker 5: that I should be on the board of the mission.
• 16:50
  Speaker 5: And for me I had to get down on my knees and I had to pray about that, because I knew there, you know, god is going to be calling you to do, you know, his work.
• 17:03
  Speaker 5: And for me I thought, well, you know, i just can't be warming up a chair or spot on the pew.
• 17:15
  Speaker 5: To fulfill God's work in my life means having to get out there and get that work do that work And the overhead is that he's calling you to do, no matter how afraid you might be, because it's.
• 17:25
  Speaker 5: it's taking you literally, it's taking you out of a comfort zone.
• 17:28
  Speaker 5: You're living the life of a certain amount of anonymity to where now you're going to be on.
• 17:35
  Speaker 5: you know he's putting me in a position where you're helping to make decisions that are going to affect the lives of others, and God loves the poor, so I believe in that he's calling me in that direction.
• 17:49
  Speaker 5: I mean, it was.
• 17:50
  Speaker 5: it wasn't so much as an opportunity as it was a calling.
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: So your faith was pretty strong, yeah, and this was part of your decision.
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: Sounds like it wasn't just a service thing to do for you.
• 18:04
  Speaker 2: It was also a connection with the Lord.
• 18:05
  Speaker 5: Right, and you know everybody's faith is continuously growing.
• 18:11
  Speaker 5: You don't reach a certain level and then you plateau.
• 18:14
  Speaker 5: You shouldn't, Right.
• 18:16
  Speaker 5: You shouldn't be constantly growing, because you, you learn new things, you understand better your life in and with God.
• 18:27
  Speaker 5: You know the changes that come along.
• 18:30
  Speaker 5: For some of us It's just everyday changes were rubberous.
• 18:35
  Speaker 5: If we really consider it, it's a, it's a life change that God is bringing into you know, into your life.
• 18:41
  Speaker 5: For me it was.
• 18:44
  Speaker 5: Oh, i think working, you know, in in this area was going to mean again, you're going to give up some of your time, you're going to give up part of your life, and that would be just fine.
• 18:59
  Speaker 5: Again, i felt that it was the need to to grow and, you know, develop a real concern.
• 19:06
  Speaker 5: Before then, you, you know, before them.
• 19:08
  Speaker 5: For myself, i just didn't have that kind of concern.
• 19:11
  Speaker 5: I think you know, okay, god's moving me in this direction.
• 19:13
  Speaker 5: Let me make sure this is what he wants And it, you know, things just opened up.
• 19:19
  Speaker 2: How's that changed over the years for you?
• 19:21
  Speaker 2: You know you came on again 1992, where 2023, 31 years later?
• 19:27
  Speaker 2: what has changed in your perspective on the homeless, the poor, those that suffer?
• 19:34
  Speaker 2: I'm sure there's been some change there.
• 19:38
  Speaker 2: What would you say would be the most notable?
• 19:40
  Speaker 5: changes.
• 19:41
  Speaker 5: I would say that it has to be the compassion for these, for the people that you know they're, they're you know what, what, what, how did they get there?
• 19:51
  Speaker 5: And I would hear, as a board member, i would hear about an individual in at the mission who had a family wife, children.
• 20:02
  Speaker 5: They had a position in society and life happened to him and they, you know things just started to dissolve.
• 20:12
  Speaker 5: They couldn't get their, could get a grasp on it, for whatever the reason was, and in in some cases, the you know the next thing, you know they've lost everything.
• 20:23
  Speaker 5: They were literally living out in the street.
• 20:26
  Speaker 5: Some of it was of their own doing, some of it was.
• 20:29
  Speaker 5: You know, there's like again, it's just the way life turned out for them and they ended up just rock bottom.
• 20:36
  Speaker 5: And then they're, they're in the mission.
• 20:38
  Speaker 5: Yeah, you know, it's a glimmer of hope, it's a glimmer of light and it's that helping hand reaching out to them and drawing them in, drawing them back into, you know, and sharing with them the real love of God, that that compassion, that God does love the poor and that you know there's, there's a mission, is here for a reason, for a purpose And over the years, you know, just listening to the stories of some of them that you would share, about an individual who's you know got everything turned around and his life or her life has developed all over again and they're back out there.
• 21:21
  Speaker 5: They they've got their feet back underneath them, you know, and they're part of the community again, or they moved on.
• 21:29
  Speaker 5: they moved on and now they're out there somewhere in in the world, but they have developed that life again and and God is just provided for them, and if it weren't for the mission in some cases you just wouldn't see that.
• 21:44
  Speaker 5: I remember the story of somewhat, let's say it was a.
• 21:48
  Speaker 5: It was a grandmother and her child and her grandchild.
• 21:51
  Speaker 5: They turned up here in Topeka, their car had broken down, they were traveling up north and they were literally frightened.
• 22:00
  Speaker 5: They hadn't nowhere to go, had no money for an apartment.
• 22:03
  Speaker 5: Somebody directed them here to the mission and they, they got here again.
• 22:09
  Speaker 5: They were like, okay, at first they didn't want to be in the mission because they'd heard stories about what happens to people in mission, Of course you know about at that time.
• 22:18
  Speaker 5: Well, they showed up and the staff it was evening, i believe, it was.
• 22:24
  Speaker 5: Well, they got them some, some dinner and they provided for them a room.
• 22:28
  Speaker 5: The room was a nice room.
• 22:29
  Speaker 5: It was acquired as a private room at that time, i think we had maybe five, four or five rooms that were set aside just for somebody who you know a family or something like that, and she and her, her grandchild, spent the night.
• 22:45
  Speaker 5: The next day, i believe they managed to get the car running again and they gathered themselves up and we're back on the road headed, headed to a family.
• 22:55
  Speaker 5: I don't remember all the details of that.
• 22:58
  Speaker 5: I just remember that we received a letter back from them and she just a letter of thank you, a letter of saying you know how much she appreciated us, what they provided in that moment of.
• 23:13
  Speaker 5: You know they're, they're frightened, they're out in the street And it's the first time this ever they're.
• 23:17
  Speaker 5: They're in strange town and they managed to get through that that night and into the next day.
• 23:23
  Speaker 5: And if it weren't for the mission to be here, where would they have been?
• 23:27
  Speaker 5: Where would that that grandmother and that granddaughter ended up at?
• 23:31
  Speaker 5: And so you know the compassion that God has in providing with the foreknowledge that they would be passing through here and the mission.
• 23:41
  Speaker 5: Of course, the mission was the newer building at the time that he had already had provision for them, and again being on the board of directors.
• 23:51
  Speaker 5: For me, it's just seeing how God is working in our community and that he really does have a concern and a love for the people in this community, or the homeless.
• 24:07
  Speaker 2: Lomanda, you have been in the executive director position for a little over a year now, so you are the board.
• 24:16
  Speaker 2: Is your oversight here at the mission?
• 24:18
  Speaker 2: What's it mean to you?
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: You've got some board members been around a while.
• 24:21
  Speaker 2: There's been some, i'm guessing, around 10 years.
• 24:24
  Speaker 2: Some are much newer than that, but here's Lino, 31 years.
• 24:28
  Speaker 2: What's it like to have someone who's got that kind of experience, background that has seen things that and experienced things that a lot of the other board members haven't Sure?
• 24:42
  Speaker 3: You know, i think the first two things that come to my mind when I think about just Lino, his heart, him, and just the experience is common comfort, from even the time of when I was on the board before coming to work at the rescue mission.
• 24:58
  Speaker 3: Lino just has this sense of calming to any situation And so, as a new board member, it's comforting as I jumped in and then I jumped in 60 days before COVID hit, as I'm trying to learn, and Then how that evolved to me, coming on to staff and being your number two and then Transitioning into the executive director role.
• 25:24
  Speaker 3: So his, his calming spirit brings comfort and has to me in multiple positions as I've come here.
• 25:30
  Speaker 3: But I don't think that it's just the fact that he's calming.
• 25:34
  Speaker 3: It's why he's calming and and Lena was calming because he is anchored to the Lord and So there's not a lot that shakes him.
• 25:44
  Speaker 3: And it's not because of his faith in his own abilities, it's not his faith in you or me or the, the ministry, it's the Lord.
• 25:55
  Speaker 3: That's the backbone of our hearts, the backbone of this ministry.
• 25:59
  Speaker 3: And so, you know, there have been a couple of times where Being in this role has been challenging, to say the least, and I try really hard to be vulnerable and transparent in front of the board So that they get a sense of really what it's like every day to try to do the job.
• 26:21
  Speaker 3: And every time Lino listens, he quietly nods, you get a smile from him, and then every time before he leaves, he says something that's just, it's gonna be okay, it's going to be this.
• 26:37
  Speaker 3: Yes, and he doesn't talk a lot, but when he does, you better listen And it's it's gonna touch your heart and it's gonna be something that you remember and It's gonna be something that helps you in whatever situation you have right then.
• 26:52
  Speaker 3: But then you remember it.
• 26:53
  Speaker 3: I've gotten a thumbs up from Lino, i've gotten a smile from him, i've gotten a warm hug from him, i've gotten a pat on the back from him.
• 27:02
  Speaker 3: It's just like Lino's calming spirit is just always whatever we need for whatever we're facing in that moment, and so it's, it's him, it's the spirit of the Lord in him.
• 27:12
  Speaker 3: But then it's also It's kind of comical for me because it's also the experience, because something that might be worrisome to me.
• 27:20
  Speaker 3: He's like oh yeah, we've already gone through this, that happened 25 years ago, or we've done this, and so that wisdom And just his presence is a blessing to well said.
• 27:31
  Speaker 2: Lino, you are the second longest serving board member in the 70 year history of Topeka rescue mission, at 31 years.
• 27:39
  Speaker 2: Do you recall who Beat your record?
• 27:42
  Speaker 2: and you got a way to go before you.
• 27:44
  Speaker 5: I'm thinking that would have to be Leonard.
• 27:46
  Speaker 2: Leonard Johnson.
• 27:47
  Speaker 2: That's right.
• 27:49
  Speaker 2: We celebrated Leonard's 50th year on the board, oh, and then we quit counting.
• 27:54
  Speaker 2: After that, i think it was around 52 years and Leonard would still be on the board today, but he went to be with Jesus and so yeah.
• 28:00
  Speaker 2: So, lino, what did you learn from the previous board members, like a Leonard Johnson, that maybe has shaped you To be in the board member that you are today?
• 28:14
  Speaker 5: well, god used Leonard.
• 28:16
  Speaker 5: I'm sure you know in my life that perseverance was one of them, you know, and He would.
• 28:25
  Speaker 5: He would have questions because Leonard, leonard was the treasure.
• 28:28
  Speaker 5: Yes, and There would be times where, okay, so some funds came in now.
• 28:35
  Speaker 5: And it just he didn't really specify where those funds were supposed to go.
• 28:39
  Speaker 5: I always remember this.
• 28:40
  Speaker 5: We're just got to want this to go.
• 28:42
  Speaker 5: Well, i don't know.
• 28:43
  Speaker 5: Well, the first thing it pop up in my head Well, why don't we ask him, you know, because I'm sure if the funds have shown up, he's got some ideas to where these are supposed to go.
• 28:53
  Speaker 5: And so, from Leonard, i actually learned to ask okay, god, what do you want to do with this?
• 29:00
  Speaker 5: Where do you want this to go?
• 29:02
  Speaker 5: How should we apply this?
• 29:04
  Speaker 5: and Should it go through the general fund?
• 29:07
  Speaker 5: Should it be used for?
• 29:10
  Speaker 5: you know a special purpose that we need.
• 29:12
  Speaker 5: What direction do you want to go in time and again, well, here's a need.
• 29:17
  Speaker 5: Well, there's the funds you know, and the board would know this
• 29:23
  Speaker 5: is the direction for those You know those funds are supposed to go to, and time and again I would see God working in this community, in the mission, and There had been times where I thought, okay, i'm done, i've had enough, let somebody else take a position here and Got a get.
• 29:43
  Speaker 5: Time and again would say, no, it's not time, there's still work for you to do.
• 29:48
  Speaker 5: Yeah, and you know you okay.
• 29:50
  Speaker 5: Well, again, when, when heaven is calling you, there really is no other answer, you, you should follow through, i should follow through and that's what I do.
• 30:01
  Speaker 2: I remember always what stands up in my mind about Leonard.
• 30:04
  Speaker 2: Of course, i spent a lot of time with Leonard over the years, but as, as as directors and Maryam, you know this as being director of Several organizations before you came here, and Amanda director now you get enthused about a thing, you get excited about a thing, you're ready to go do a thing and and I'll remember Leonard go.
• 30:21
  Speaker 2: Well, barry, let's just wait and see what God does.
• 30:26
  Speaker 2: And I said well, leonard, god needs to hurry up because I gotta get this thing.
• 30:31
  Speaker 2: Well, he was always so gentle about that.
• 30:35
  Speaker 2: Well, barry Maryam, you've been director of couple United ways California here.
• 30:40
  Speaker 2: We've talked about that before.
• 30:41
  Speaker 2: You've worked lots of different boards.
• 30:43
  Speaker 2: A lot of times your board members with United Way or are people that have some kind of No to ride in the community?
• 30:52
  Speaker 2: sometimes not always, but, but sometimes There are always people of heart.
• 30:57
  Speaker 2: When you think, when you, i mean, you got a chance to work with Lino quite a while now Since you've been here at the rescue mission.
• 31:02
  Speaker 2: What touches your heart inspires you.
• 31:05
  Speaker 2: What do you say about guys like Lino and other board members?
• 31:09
  Speaker 4: You know, i think I'm just always so awestruck by that level of commitment.
• 31:13
  Speaker 4: You know that somebody is willing to stick in with an organization for 30, some years, because that means you've seen a lot and it's not all been sunshine and roses, right.
• 31:23
  Speaker 4: You know, there's been really difficult times.
• 31:26
  Speaker 4: There's been times when you wonder How will this be able to move forward, kind of thing.
• 31:31
  Speaker 4: And so for a board and there are sometimes board members that are just not up for that challenge It's not the right time for them, whatever, you know.
• 31:40
  Speaker 4: So to look at someone like Lino that Was willing to persevere, i think that's a really good word to use.
• 31:47
  Speaker 4: You know that.
• 31:48
  Speaker 4: But there is a deep level of commitment that follows behind that perseverance to say I'm in Because I believe in the work, and even when it's hard, i believe in the work and Even when it's good, i still believe in the work, you know, because it means then that they're willing to bring what's needed, not just, maybe, what Feels good to them, right.
• 32:12
  Speaker 4: Yeah what it whatever is needed for the situation, and that that can only happen if you're here for a long time.
• 32:19
  Speaker 2: Otherwise you don't get to experience all of the different cycles that an organization can go through rescue mission As far as a board member position has got to be one of the riskiest board member positions that you could be on, because of the Risk that the rescue mission takes every single day by the people that we reach out to, the challenges you know, many, many years ago There was a lot more mental health services or state hospitals Yes, there wasn't as the proliferation of drugs and the propensity of violence.
• 32:47
  Speaker 2: We hardly ever had violence within the homeless population, and so Rescue mission is, by God's calling, stepped up to the plate to say we're going to fill a gap, according to the way the Lord leads in spite of risk, which National Insurance Awareness Day we do have quite an insurance policy here, don't we Mary?
• 33:06
  Speaker 3: Yes, we do.
• 33:07
  Speaker 2: But there was a day we couldn't get insurance policies to cover the rescue mission because of the risk.
• 33:11
  Speaker 2: Um-hmm, lino, did you ever think about the risk, as a board member, that you… Oh sure, uh-huh.
• 33:18
  Speaker 5: Yeah, there were plenty of times where, you know, i think about that, we think about, well, our staff, you know, their frontline, and some of the people that come in here to our mission, or those that we're reaching out to, they could have a mental issue going on or they just you know, they're just to the point where you know why is God doing this to me?
• 33:41
  Speaker 5: And they might oh, how can I say it?
• 33:47
  Speaker 5: just you know, become violent, you know, toward that individual that's just trying to help strike back out at someone And they're really not, really not meaning to hurt that particular person, they're just fighting against their situation.
• 34:03
  Speaker 5: I think I mean, i heard your story about an older fellow who came in here.
• 34:09
  Speaker 5: I think he had a staff with him.
• 34:15
  Speaker 4: I believe those stories.
• 34:17
  Speaker 5: In fact he was a tribe.
• 34:19
  Speaker 5: He looked like Moses long white beard, long white hair and he was carrying the staff.
• 34:26
  Speaker 5: And, of course, when he was in the mission no, you can't have that with you, you need to set that aside.
• 34:31
  Speaker 5: Well, he had been through enough life situations out there where that was his only means of protection, and so he was not going to let that go And he ended up going out back out, i believe.
• 34:46
  Speaker 5: I don't think he stayed at the mission.
• 34:47
  Speaker 5: The next story we heard he was in one of the bank buildings, in the lobby.
• 34:52
  Speaker 5: Of course, again, he walks in with this, this staff, this rod, let my money go.
• 35:00
  Speaker 5: Yeah, i don't know, i don't know what the situation was that managed to get to that point, but he's whirling this staff around.
• 35:08
  Speaker 4: Oh gosh.
• 35:09
  Speaker 5: And, of course, if you've ever taken a staff or rod, whirl it through the air.
• 35:13
  Speaker 5: you can hear whoosh, whoosh And he's got a circle of security guards around him.
• 35:18
  Speaker 5: He's keeping them at bay because he felt threatened.
• 35:21
  Speaker 5: You know, you hear about that and you think, oh, good heavens, what could have happened if he got into the building to another guest or to one of our staff members.
• 35:31
  Speaker 5: But you know, for me I pray about that.
• 35:35
  Speaker 5: Whenever I think of them, i pray God's safety upon them.
• 35:38
  Speaker 5: God to guard over them, watch over them as they watch over those guests that are here and are in need.
• 35:49
  Speaker 2: To the point.
• 35:49
  Speaker 2: You know, a board member at Topeka Rescue Mission could attempt to be a good board member out of compassion, But it needs to be more than just caring for people.
• 36:00
  Speaker 2: It needs to be a calling and it needs to be a step of faith, because there are risks that board members not just physically coming into the facilities here, but when you have staff who are on the front lines, have to make very critical decisions life and death situations.
• 36:14
  Speaker 2: It's not just, you know, people having a place to lay their head at night and something to eat and everybody's happy.
• 36:22
  Speaker 2: Amanda, you've stepped into this in wide eyes, wide open.
• 36:31
  Speaker 2: For sure, the heavy weight that's upon you and your team.
• 36:35
  Speaker 2: Talk about the importance to have a board that backs you to be on the front lines and doesn't tell you all the time stop, don't do this, stop, be cautious, be careful, be careful.
• 36:46
  Speaker 3: You know, i think one of the things that I just genuinely appreciate about our board is I never have to be distracted in the moment of making you know if we're in the middle of a crisis, or we're in the middle of a tough meeting, or, you know, this morning I had two concerns happening by 7.30 this morning.
• 37:11
  Speaker 3: Those kinds of things.
• 37:12
  Speaker 3: I'm so grateful that I don't.
• 37:14
  Speaker 3: My first thought doesn't have to be what is my board going to think about this?
• 37:20
  Speaker 3: I'm able to do the job.
• 37:22
  Speaker 3: So, whether it's handling that crisis or navigating that meeting.
• 37:27
  Speaker 3: Now, on the other side of that, i do appreciate that I have a board who's invested, a board who cares, and so I'm always able to give updates.
• 37:34
  Speaker 3: You know I do that in addition to our monthly meeting, i also give different updates And we have an executive committee and all of that, and I know that they want to walk alongside me and not just show up once a month and hear a report and be done.
• 37:47
  Speaker 3: They're invested.
• 37:48
  Speaker 3: So I get text messages from the board members just randomly hey, praying for you today.
• 37:53
  Speaker 3: You're on our hearts.
• 37:54
  Speaker 3: Thank you, you know, for what your team's doing, and so there is this ongoing support between me and pretty much every board member.
• 38:02
  Speaker 3: However, i don't have to fear them, or it's not a dog and pony show where I feel like that I'm having to be so distracted with their opinions that I can't do the job.
• 38:13
  Speaker 3: It's that I'm able to do the job and I know that I'm always able to report back to them or to tell them when I don't know something, to get their input, those kinds of things, and so it just reminds me of I know this might sound silly, but that they are just kind of my life jacket And sometimes I need it and sometimes I don't, but it's always there And so that just helps me when we are navigating everything from constantly looking at donations, looking at the increase in need at the distribution center for food services, and safety and security concerns, expansions of buildings Do we not expand?
• 38:54
  Speaker 3: Do we participate in the city initiative, do we not?
• 38:57
  Speaker 3: It's always something, but I'm able to do the job, i'm able to make the decisions, but I know when I need that life jacket on because it's going to get bumpy or I need that life jacket on because I just need to rest a minute, or if I need that life jacket on in the form of wisdom or encouragement or something like that, i have it in my board and I'm grateful for that.
• 39:18
  Speaker 2: So it's an incredible balance.
• 39:19
  Speaker 2: This is where it is.
• 39:20
  Speaker 2: There's oversight accountability, but also freedom to be able to follow the Lord's direction, and the Lord oftentimes takes us into those places that aren't necessarily easy, but he's always with us in the uneasy.
• 39:37
  Speaker 2: And so to have a board that understands that and supports that and also protects, i mean that's huge.
• 39:43
  Speaker 3: I would you know.
• 39:44
  Speaker 3: One more thing I would say about that is I think we have a board that they they do what they say they're doing.
• 39:52
  Speaker 3: So, for instance, if I get a hug or a text from one of the board members that says I'm praying for you, or I saw this on social media, i saw this on this place.
• 40:08
  Speaker 3: Or I heard this person said this I'm praying for you to be encouraged, amanda.
• 40:13
  Speaker 3: Or they text me and say if you need support from us, publicly tell us.
• 40:20
  Speaker 3: Or if they say is it time for you to have a break?
• 40:24
  Speaker 3: Do you need to take some days off?
• 40:26
  Speaker 3: Those kinds of things they mean what they're saying And I love that, because then I'm not trying to play this guessing game of well, they said that, do they not think I'm doing a good job?
• 40:36
  Speaker 3: or they do it Like there's just not games with our board, and I appreciate that And I appreciate that.
• 40:41
  Speaker 3: And if they're telling me they're praying for me, i know they have.
• 40:43
  Speaker 3: Or if they're telling me they want to give me a hug, they want me to truly feel that love And that genuineness is just something that I don't ever want to take for granted, because I hear horror stories of how other boards outside operate and things like that, and just the discourse and that kind of thing.
• 41:02
  Speaker 3: And even when we're trying to come to an agreement or we don't understand everything the right way and we're trying to get that, there's just no one there that's mean, there's no one there.
• 41:12
  Speaker 3: That's unkind, and there's definitely not someone there that's saying one thing and doing another.
• 41:16
  Speaker 2: Which empowers you to be able to do your job.
• 41:18
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 41:18
  Speaker 2: Yeah, lena, before we close today, i want to thank you for 31 years of service So far, so far, to the peak of rescue mission.
• 41:27
  Speaker 2: You've given a lot.
• 41:28
  Speaker 2: We've unpacked a little bit here today about this board and you and your calm spirit, your voice, that encouraging word, the knowledge that you have given over the years and there's a lot more in depth to that.
• 41:46
  Speaker 2: But, Lena, what have you got out of this?
• 41:48
  Speaker 2: Somebody out there that's listening right now that's saying I probably could never serve anywhere for 31 years And that may not be their calling.
• 41:56
  Speaker 2: But they may be saying why would I want to serve on the to be a rescue mission board?
• 42:00
  Speaker 2: You've given, what have you received?
• 42:05
  Speaker 5: What happens?
• 42:06
  Speaker 5: Well, i guess it's just bonding and the relationship One of the would be with with the fellow board members, you know, with the mission staff, with the people here.
• 42:21
  Speaker 5: But it's for me it would also be that God consciousness continuing to grow in him and continuing that relationship.
• 42:34
  Speaker 5: This is something for me has been just to continue to develop and to listen to him.
• 42:43
  Speaker 5: You know and follow his leadership.
• 42:46
  Speaker 5: You know, the other day we were at the church and I had to sit down.
• 42:54
  Speaker 5: I believe we were in the church area itself.
• 42:59
  Speaker 5: We were not in the church area.
• 43:00
  Speaker 5: I'm sorry, but In the fellowship hall down in the pews in the sanctuary And we were supposed to write something on.
• 43:09
  Speaker 5: What was that?
• 43:10
  Speaker 3: Like a canvas that we're gonna hang.
• 43:13
  Speaker 5: And I just asked God, give me something, what you know?
• 43:16
  Speaker 5: what can I?
• 43:16
  Speaker 5: what can I?
• 43:17
  Speaker 5: what do you want for me to put on this?
• 43:20
  Speaker 5: I'm supposed to write something down, right?
• 43:22
  Speaker 5: So?
• 43:24
  Speaker 5: and I went through several different verses of scripture that I thought, maybe this is it.
• 43:30
  Speaker 5: No, maybe this is it, Maybe that's it, and I think at the time we were having a little bit of a struggle.
• 43:35
  Speaker 5: That's going on.
• 43:36
  Speaker 5: I think it continued still, and what came to mind was the book of Joshua, chapter 1, verse 9, and.
• 43:45
  Speaker 5: And in that God has said to Joshua have I not commanded you Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord, your God, will be with you wherever you go.
• 44:01
  Speaker 5: And the wherever you go, i believe, is whatever life situation that you, that you journey through, he's going to be there with us.
• 44:10
  Speaker 5: He's going to be there with you.
• 44:12
  Speaker 5: He's going to be at your side at all times, for our guests and for the homeless.
• 44:21
  Speaker 5: He loves them and he will always be there with them wherever they go.
• 44:27
  Speaker 5: Just hold on to him and he will never let you go.
• 44:32
  Speaker 5: He will lead you, he will guide you, you will be there for you.
• 44:35
  Speaker 5: He's been there for me all these years and that's that's the developing of my relationship with him.
• 44:44
  Speaker 5: Look it's, it's ever growing and that's the wonderful thing.
• 44:49
  Speaker 5: Who was it?
• 44:50
  Speaker 5: the other day she, shelley, shared, and she was right.
• 44:54
  Speaker 5: She read from the liturgy, the book.
• 44:57
  Speaker 5: You know, the book of the liturgy of the hours, and I've been in prayer with the liturgy every day Bishop Robert Baron, word on fire, $7 a month and you get this prayer book and it's the liturgy of the hours.
• 45:14
  Speaker 5: It is morning prayer, evening prayer and night prayer.
• 45:18
  Speaker 5: And shelly even said you know she was going to share that prayer, but she says you always do this just before your head hits the pillow.
• 45:25
  Speaker 5: So nobody in the meeting go to sleep.
• 45:28
  Speaker 5: And she shared that and I thought that's wonderful because that that is exactly where I'm at and it's literally you're praying the Psalms back to God and you're developing for me It's more and more, the development of the relationship with him and his love, his compassion, his caring for me and for all the, all of us who who want that relationship with him.
• 45:54
  Speaker 5: You know so I can't remember who it was with somebody said do you think hell's hot, heaven's hotter?
• 46:00
  Speaker 5: It burns with a passion of a loving God.
• 46:03
  Speaker 5: I thought that's remarkable.
• 46:06
  Speaker 5: I remember that and I have so.
• 46:09
  Speaker 2: Well, you know, you've talked about how you've received fellowship and grown with others.
• 46:12
  Speaker 2: It's a non-denominational ministry and we have folks with the Catholic expression, the Baptist expression, the Nazarene expression, the assembly expression, the non-denominational expression.
• 46:21
  Speaker 2: I'm just like, oh well, almost the Mennonite expression, Maybe not on the board, but very close.
• 46:29
  Speaker 2: That's right and on and on and on about a common denominator, jesus Christ, and that incredible love.
• 46:35
  Speaker 2: And, lino, thank you for 31 years and going.
• 46:37
  Speaker 2: Thank you for being a personal friend.
• 46:39
  Speaker 2: I'm so impressed that you stayed on the board when you and I didn't have time anymore to go out to dinner but for board meetings.
• 46:46
  Speaker 2: I mean, we did that for how many decades?
• 46:47
  Speaker 2: Good heavens, yeah, a long time.
• 46:49
  Speaker 2: But you've been a dear friend, a great servant and a great testimony to us.
• 46:56
  Speaker 2: Thank you for being here today.
• 46:57
  Speaker 2: Thank you, thank you for listening to Our Community, our Mission.
• 47:00
  Speaker 2: We've heard from Lino Munoz, a senior board member to Pica Rescue Mission had served as secretary for many years, taking those incredible notes for perpetuity, and we just thank you for the testimony of guys like him.
• 47:14
  Speaker 2: And if you would like more information about to Pica Rescue Mission, you can go to trmonlinetrmonlineorg.
• 47:21
  Speaker 2: If you would like to help promote our community, our mission, you can subscribe, you can rate or you can share.
• 47:27
  Speaker 2: Today you may have heard something that really touched your heart.
• 47:30
  Speaker 2: And if you would like information about how you can serve at the Pica Rescue Mission, go to that website and possibly someday God may call you to be a Lino Munoz.