What's your dream job? Describe it.

So what's my Dream Job?

In the past, the best job I ever had was also the worst paying job I ever had. I worked at the San Bernardino County Medical Center's ER. My official job was Hospital Security, but generally that was the last thing I did. Every Friday and Sat. night, the "after effects" of the San Bernardino County Youth, Knife and Gun Club would start rolling in by ambulance and helicopter. Gang activity was very high and the body count was too. I eventually had to quit that job. Earning about $800.00 a month and having a small family to support did not mix well.

When I was a kid, I did not dream of becoming a Policeman (although I was one later in life) or a Fireman or any of the other typical titles little boys wish for. I wanted to be an ambulance driver. I had no idea what a Paramedic was back in the day. I doubt the word paramedic even existed back in the 60's.

Perhaps a pattern is developing here...

• Worked in a Hospital ER
• Worked in a Cardiology Clinic
• Dreamed of being a Paramedic as a kid
• Worked as a Police Officer for 3 years, the job is more like a protector and less like one who arrests bad guys.
• Worked in mental health facilities

Many times when I was working at the ER, the police would bring in the "5150's". 5150 is the California Health and Safety Code for a person that is a danger to themselves or the public. There is no such thing as "attempted suicide". My experience tells me that anyone who "attempts" suicide, never had any plans for killing themselves, they were just crying out for help and this was their was of getting it. When I was a cop, I had a good friend in the department kill himself over a girl. At the young age of 21, his girlfriend of 4 years ended it. He sat at his grandmother's kitchen table, pointed his nine-millimeter at his chest and pulled the trigger. The Deputies that were dispatched to his house told me, that he did not die right away. As soon as he pulled the trigger and understood fully that he was not dead, but rapidly on his way out, he called 911 looking for someone to save his life. It was too late. A waste of a life. It hurt to go to his funeral and see this kid in the casket, dressed in his uniform, holding a rose above his chest. Many times when the 5150's were dropped off in my ER, I was the only one they could talk to. The doctors and nurses were too busy to bother with a 5150 anyway. I really want to believe that many of the people I spoke with, turned out just fine later in life. All they needed was to hear a caring and compassionate voice.

One day my law enforcement career ended and I was looking for a new career. I was tired of working nights, weekends and holidays anyway. It sucked to be on the job on Christmas Day. Everyone was home with their families, even the bad guys and I was stuck in a patrol car with nothing to do.

I started to look into the idea of being a Medical Missionary. I had plenty of basic training and I always knew my skills would be very valuable in the Third World. When I was a young father, we sponsored a little girl from Columbia, through World Vision. Luz Amporo was about 5 years old when we sponsored her. We sent the check into World Vision every month till we got the letter that said she was a young lady and doing fine. Our help was no longer needed she thanked us for helping her to have a better life.

It was 1992 when I looked into being a Medical Missionary. Every organization I contacted was happy to have me go abroad…as long as I had people here in the USA who could sponsor me! They would not sponsor me. I thought the money they collected each month from donations was supposed to go to supporting someone like me, working in the mission field. That never did happen. I needed people to collectively pay for my travel expenses and health insurance for my own treatment if I got sick or injured in another country. Everyone I talked to about this thought it was a great idea, but their actions never did speak louder than their words.

As you may know from my profile, that I am trying to follow Saint Francis’ life of simplicity, living one day at a time. He made it a point to own nothing. Sorry about that Francis, I can’t go that far! I have to own a few things.

It was well known that Francis had dedicated his life to the poor. What many of you may not know was that Francis’ father was a very well to do cloth merchant in his city of Assisi. Francis grew up well dressed and well fed. There was the Ruling Class, the Wealthy Business Class and Common People.

I believe the key to Francis’ success with helping the poor was the fact that he continued to maintain his relationships with his wealthy friends! Francis had no problem going to his friends and asking for money to buy the materials to build a Church or a Shelter or a home. If the lepers needed food, Francis would ask his friends for food or money to feed the lepers. They gave freely, knowing that Francis would not keep a penny for himself. This leads me to the present day when I hear that CEO’s and Board Members of Non Profit Organizations that are dedicated to Social Justice, are earning massive salaries, driving fancy cars and living in huge homes. It pains me to know that if I give a $10.00 donation to an NPO like this, $8-9 dollars of my donation is earmarked for executive salaries and operational overhead. There is something very wrong with this picture!

So what is my Dream Job? to help those less fortunate throughout the world. In the goals section of my profile, I wrote much about my experience in Honduras. The worst possible poverty you can think of in this country is far better than what 90% of the population of Honduras experiences on a daily basis and it will never change unless those that are blessed, share those blessings with others.

I will gladly follow in the footsteps of Saint Francis and build shelters and dig water wells and install solar panels, if you can take on the role of benefactor and fund the purchase of food and materials to make a difference in this world of ours.

If you help one person, if you visit one inmate, or adopt an elderly person who has no one, if you extend kindness to those who know only what it’s like to be despised, you have done great a thing.

 Namaste