Fundraising Kick-Off - Part I

Last week, I had an out of body experience - no lie!! 

I had been preparing for a presentation to be held at the International Longshoreman's Association (ILA), downtown Wilmington for a couple weeks.  I had met the ILA's business agent, Lewis Hines through one of Wilmington's Stevedores, Chris Sheppard.  Shep set me up with Mr. Hines to discuss ZOE ministry.  If you haven't heard of the ILA, its only the largest union of maritime workers in North American representing some 65,000 longshoreman.  I was nervous to say the least, but Mr. Hines was such a wonderful person to have my first real talk with about the Swim for ZOE.  He helped me with my pitch in "selling" the passion of my mission.  He told me what not to say and what I should say.  He took phone calls, listened attentively, and spent quite a bit of time with me - I left feeling like we really connected and I looked forward to seeing him again, knowing that time would come in few short weeks.  He asked me to come talk to the board of the ILA about this mission project. 

On February 2nd, that opportunity came.  I had had a very busy day that entailed teacher duty, tutoring, teaching, and a meeting after school.  By the time I was getting ready to go present to the board, I was talking to Jesus to help me!  My husband and boys were at their last wrestling match in New Bern.  But, I was surrounded by the rest of my local Swim for Zoe team: Ben, Beth, and Jen.  When we arrived at the ILA building, I was a basket of nerves!  

The first person we saw: Shep - waiting on the corner for us.  I was deeply relieved at seeing him.  When we were invited to go into the room where the board meeting was already in progress, that's when I started having this out-of-body experience.  These men, I couldn't have counted to ten if I'd tried at that time, where sitting around a beautiful oak oval table, pens and papers in hand, glasses down on their noses, watching our entourage walk in.  They gave up their seats to us women, and the chairman told me they had lots of business still to discuss so I had to make it quick.  

Do you know how it feels to not know if you have a tongue in your mouth?  I looked to my right, and there was Beth, smiling so sweetly directly at my face.  I don't really know what I said to the men of the board, but I do remember the chairman asking me to come back to speak at the union meeting, being held February 8th.  I was so happy - like there I was and I didn't let the team down.  There has never been such sweet relief!  We got there at 7:00pm and were out of the building by 7:20pm and I didn't know where the time went.  

Now I'm preparing for this week's presentation, and here I go again with the dry mouth, just thinking about it.  How am I going to get through it?  We're talking upwards of 100 possible members showing up out of 300 members.  Nervous?  That doesn't describe the fear at all!  Who knew when I was taking public speaking class in college that I would use if for Swim for Zoe!