Snapshots from our MTM Booth

By Nancy Waldo

One way we get the MTM "word" out is by showing up at gatherings of Christians (including ministers and their families) as a presence in a booth. In the past year, MTM has been at two state and one national conference. These have been very positive experiences for me. I have decided that staffing a booth is the best way to attend these gatherings -- lots of fellowship without having to sit through meetings! And the opportunities to smile, shake hands, give people literature and get them to put their names on our mailing list often turn into moments of ministry. A few of these moments:

The couple who stopped out of curiosity and cried as they talked about being forced out of a church near retirement age, losing the opportunities to celebrate a life of ministry with the last church they had served.
The counselor who arrived at our booth and exclaimed "I have been looking all over for you! What can I do to help?" (One of several professionals who have made such offers.)
The polite little girl who came for a piece of candy and an MTM pen: "Is your daddy a minister?" "No, he's a PREACHER!" (said with great pride).
The church members who come by and share their frustration and pain at what they saw their own church do to a minister and family -- "We just didn't know what to do!"
The mailing lists we collect at the booth - from people we meet and people who would rather drop by when there's no one at the booth. More than 200 names have been added to the MTM mailing list this year, and hundreds of MTM literature pieces have been distributed during conferences.
The candy dishes (a very important part of ministry, I have learned) -- chocolate kisses and butterscotch drops -- as an expression of care for all who pass by.

The MTM booth is a great way to spread our message. These opportunities enable us to inform the public and continue to reach people who need MTM now, people who want to help and people who may need MTM at some point in the future.

We haven't been able to respond to every request or attend every gathering, but is there an event where you'd like to see us? Please let us know.