Rick Zorehkey
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It’s been an unbelievably busy year so far for Convoy of Hope, the Missouri-based non-profit that provides humanitarian relief in the U.S. and around the world.
In addition to our regular programs that include Women’s Empowerment, Agriculture, Children’s Feeding, Community Events and Rural Compassion, we have responded to six major disasters in the last few months,” says Rick Zorehkey, who serves as Partner Relations Ambassador for Convoy of Hope. 
Through the first three quarters of the year, Convoy of Hope teams provided disaster relief in areas hit by killer hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, the devastating earthquake in Mexico, and deadly wildfires in California and Montana. Add to that assorted storms, floods, tornadoes and other crises in different regions of the country.
The statistics in the U.S. alone are staggering: 19 disaster responses, 525,950 individuals served, 335 truckloads and 11,402,834 pounds of resources delivered – all thanks to 6,181 volunteers who gave nearly 33,000 hours of service.
For Zorehkey and others at Convoy of Hope, the needs keep growing – from heart-breaking hunger crises in Africa to deepening poverty in America. Convoy has a goal of reaching more people in more countries – including 200,000 children – by 2020, meeting immediate needs while working to create long-term sustainable solutions for individuals and communities.
“We serve a God of abundance,” he says, and He wants us to share that abundance with people in need.
Cindy Marks
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“God told me to stay here until He calls me somewhere else,” says Cindy Marks, explaining why she sought and last month was re-elected – without opposition — to a sixth four-year term on the Modesto City Schools governing board.
The district is large – with some 30,000 students from kindergarten through high school — and is diverse in almost every measure — race and ethnicity, socio-economic status, religion. And it faces many of the cultural and political issues and stresses that are common in increasingly liberal states such as California.
That combination can make being a Christian on a public board extra challenging, but Marks is as committed today as she was when she first ran and was elected in 1997.
“I want to see Christian character and morals taught again in our public schools,” she says.
Standing strong for what and who she believes in has been anything but easy at times, Marks admits. She has faced very personal verbal attacks, not just from the public but from some of her fellow board members as well. But through it all, she says, she has grown.
“God has taught me not to fear,” she says, “but to trust Him, and to seek a deeper walk with Him.”
Serving on the school board isn’t all that Marks does. She sits on a number of non-profit boards, is one of the leaders of the annual Pray Modesto! effort, serves on the local PinnacleForum Chapter board and this year joined Pinnacle Forum’s national board.
Maj. Gen. James Mukoyama, Jr.
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Every day is a great day for James Mukoyama Jr. because, as he says, “I have my faith, my family, and I live in the greatest country in the world.”
And every day has been a greater day for more than 16,500 veterans, thanks to Mukoyama and Military Outreach USA, the faith-based agency founded by the highly-decorated retired Army major general to help vets and their families cope with the visible and invisible wounds of war.
While there are a host of programs to serve veterans suffering from various physical and mental health conditions, there was little done to help them deal with the “moral injury” – deep unresolved feelings of anger, shame and guilt – until Mukoyama saw the faith community as the solution.
“God is blessing the veterans being served by Military Outreach USA by being welcomed into a friendly, appreciative environment offering hope and help,” he explains. “Just knowing that a house of worship relates to the military community demonstrates that it is a place that cares enough to outwardly show support and interest in (veterans’) unique experiences and situations.”
Today, 384 houses of worship and 225 organizations are part of the organization’s network in 42 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. And more than 575,000 items worth more than $1 million have been collected and distributed.
In addition, Military Outreach USA and the Department of Veterans Affairs have launched an ambitious “Adopt-a-VA” program to find churches and organizations to adopt every one of the 150 VA medical centers and hundreds of VA community-based outpatient clinics. And, two new events are planned for 2018 – a summer veterans boating day and a special veterans awareness week program.
Mukoyama credits Pinnacle Forum – and especially his peers in the Chicago Metro Area Chapter – with providing encouragement and opportunities for Partners throughout the country to join in his ministry’s mission. Most recently, two Partners from the East Coast enlisted in Military Outreach USA’s national team.
