Meeting Larry Groce of Mountain Stage

I’ve never found myself around town during the times that Mountain Stage has had events at the Creative Arts Center in Morgantown, but I have a number of friends in the area who are musicians, and I’ve always had a deep appreciation for the music of Appalachia and around the US from the Carter Family to today.

On Saturday, as the groom and groomsmen were getting shaves in preparation for my friend Derek’s wedding, Larry Groce, the host of Mountain Stage came waltzing into the barber shop. Of course, we let him cut line amid our wedding preparation. He had to get out of town within the hour for a concert gig.

It was great meeting a person who has done much for music, for Appalachia in general, and for West Virginia specifically. It turns out that he lives about a block away from Derek in Charleston, and he was extremely conversant, pleasant, and down to earth.

Sometimes celebrities, whatever the status, can come across smug or condescending. Not Larry Groce. In fact, he had an air about him that seemed a celebration of many of the finer attributes of West Virginia.

And what made his visit even more fortuitous, was the fact that the groom and one of the groomsmen had dedicated themselves to playing multiple instruments (guitar, drums, mandolin, piano, vocal) and both were huge fans of Larry Groce himself. In face, Cameron, one of my long time friends and a groomsman, was able to get his photo taken with Mr. Groce.

I believe that all of our lives are filled with opportunities to meet remarkable people. We just need to open our eyes. Some are people like Larry Groce who have earned a degree of remarkability based on their fame or vocation. Others, are more remarkable because they choose to live their lives with an intentionality that is lacking in many. The only way to discover these people, in my opinion, is to live one’s own life with eyes wide open and with an intentionality with regard to discovering the remarkable gifts and nature innately present in every human being.

May we each keep our eyes peeled for the remarkable, and in our own intentionality and purpose may we begin to live our own forms of a remarkable life.

Derek and Becca’s Wedding

Last weekend, I was able to be part of an incredible wedding celebration that featured an old roommate. It’s the second marriage ceremony I’ve been part of in the last month, and it is always a true honor to be involved in such an intimate ceremony and sacred commitment taking place among incredible friends.

This ceremony was an interesting coming together of lives and worlds. One of the  officiants for the wedding was none other then Ben Tuel, another of my former roommates. After graduating, Ben went to work for a ministry called YoungLife in Morgantown, Charleston, and now back in Morgantown again. During his time in ministry, he had met a number of students and witnessed their lives beginning to glow with a love for God and for neighbor. His favorite was a young woman named Becca Thomas, who is now Becca Roberts, my recent roommate’s bride.

As close as Ben was to Becca, I would have to say I felt equally close to Derek. Derek was a roommate of mine for over two years, and he and I have been part of many road trips to Atlanta, Charlotte, and places in-between. I watched Derek grow in both his zeal for God as well as his compassion toward others. During the time I lived with him, I had seen him dedicate time to serving people who were less fortunate in life, both locally and globally. Along with some friends he started a cold shelter for people who did not have homes in Morgantown. He also launched a nationwide tour and drove around the country  raising awareness about the millons of people in our world who lack the tools and knowledge to lift themselves out of extreme poverty.

This coming together of worlds is really what marriage is all about. Two lives are becoming united to serve God and others in ways that they couldn’t do so on their own. Becca and Derek are currently making their home in Charleston, WV, within site of the capitol. The Robertses have been working with high school students in a local church, River Ridge Church, and continue their efforts with YoungLife as Becca finishes her nursing degree at University of Charleston.

The ceremony was definitely memorable. Much like my friends Joel andHolly, Derek and Becca chose a locale that was picturesque, and contributed greatly to the solemnity and sacred air of the occasion. Friends and relatives from many different areas came together for the celebration, and I’m hopeful that this trend will continue throughout their marriage. May their home and their jointly-lived life be a place where many connect, come together, and experience rich hospitality and a wonderful sense of deep love. And further, may their love be an example that is emulated by the many people who cross their paths during their lives together.

Storytelling—Nuru On Tour

Nuru On Tour from Nuru International on Vimeo.

I love this video, I love the music that was donated by MGMT for the video, but more than that I love the people who make up this video.  Three recent West Virginia University graduates, Derek Roberts, Tiffany Newcomb, and Lisa Hough, decided that in lieu of pursuing jobs in Accounting, Aerospace Engineering, and Civil Engineering respectively, they would drive around the country in a Ford conversion van and tell people about the greatest humanitarian crisis of our generation, and how they could join Nuru in our efforts to end extreme poverty, first in Kuria, Kenya, and then moving forward to some of the most poverty stricken and unstable places on earth.

I first met Derek in a Bible study on the campus of WVU.  He was a competitive triathlete, and passionate about pursuing justice and serving others in this world.  In fact, about a year after I met him, he left competitive cycling and triathlons emphatically by selling a bike and giving the proceeds of the sale to Nuru.  He shocked his fellow triathletes, and left many of them wondering what had happened to radically transform their fellow competitor.  Derek put his career on hold to challenge others to get engaged in the fight to end extreme poverty, and before graduating, founded Nuru’s first campus chapter at WVU.

I’m not even sure where I met Tiffany, but I know I heard stories about her passion for advocacy for a long time.  She left a great job at an engineering firm and took a job waiting tables while serving the homeless community in Morgantown, West Virginia before joining Derek and Lisa to tell Nuru’s story on college campuses, in churches, and in coffee shops in cities all over this country in the winter of 2010.

I was at a costume party at my friend Cameron’s house when I first met Lisa.  Lisa not only served as a diligent student, but also competed as a scholarship athlete in volleyball at WVU.  After her final semester, her friends Derek and Tiffany talked to her about career options, and invited her to join them in sharing Nuru’s story.  She did not hesitate to accept.

Many people found out about Nuru through this tour.  Maybe you are reading this blog post because you found out about Nuru through these three brilliant individuals.  Maybe you are reading this post and wondering if you might be able to make a contribution toward ending extreme poverty.  I can tell you for sure that you can.  I can tell you that I am of the conviction that every person on this planet has a contribution to make toward ending extreme poverty.  It could be as simple as sharing Nuru’s story with a friend or as complex as a career or degree change.  It could be as easy as making a financial contribution toward Nuru’s work, or pursuing a career in advocacy for the one BILLION people who live in extreme poverty.

Today, in the spirit of Derek, Lisa, and Tiffany I simply want to ask you, will you share Nuru’s story with someone?  Not sure where to start?  How about liking our “Do Something” page on the Nuru website?  There are lots of ideas to get you started.