Dear Dahlia and Sons,

I want you to know that Max made an amazing impact on me in my career. I was honored to meet him through Dahlia when I was working at Marshall Middle School and you were at Ketelson Elementary. I had just given up my full-time career in youth ministry in Nacogdoches and moved to the big city to make a difference. My first week on the job I found myself in the middle of a gang fight. I knew then the kids in Houston were much different than my kids in the sticks. (Just another name for Nacogdoches)

My first instinct was to build a relationship with the leaders of each opposing gang. I made it a point to let them know that I cared and they had no choice, if they were in school I was going to help guide them to make the right decisions. One of the kids even swung at me while I was doing lunch duty. I walked him over to the principal who witnessed the incident and told him that I did not want him to be expelled as long as he agreed to work with me and give me respect. The conversation ended with a hand shake and that kid ended up making some great progress. He was very deep in “North Central”. Generations of his family were involved in very organized crime. Through this relationship God put a mission in my heart to bring the gangs together. It was a challenge but the kids in the Communities In Schools program at Marshall began to understand what I was about. After attending Max’s Funeral I understand now more the message that was given to me and feel responsible to continue being a person of change. Max was the mold the shaped so many programs.

Dahlia I met Max through you when he was in California. I shared with you a vision that I had about a one day conference for youth. This is now the Leaders Of Tomorrow Conference. You understood and believed in me. You encouraged me to check out your husband’s website and begin sharing the idea with him. I too am a blogger at www.thenxtlevel.org Max and I began to connect through email and blogging. He agreed to be the key note speaker and decided to come home for a weekend to see his family at the same time. I was amazed at his energy and presence. He even stayed to help put up all the chairs and tables. I was glad that the money was good that year and I was able to pay him. That day before he left he walked me to my car and poured His life into me. He affirmed God’s plan for me. I had never received such encouragement from a person. Even though that was the first time we met in flesh I knew that God had put us on the same path, or better said we were both brothers on God’s path.

Max served as an advisor to Terrence and I. I loved our meetings when we designed the program. Max could call the theme of the event and present the big picture in a few sentences. Then we would begin to just talk about life. As we carry this vision forward into the 3rd year I want to invite your sons to be apart of a mission that Max helped custom design. I feel called to helping equip our young people to have the best life they can create by using their strengths. If I learned one thing from Max it was how to custom design my life. We share that strength. I know that each time he cranked up his Harley he experienced a little bit of heaven. Now I know that he has all the heaven I dream of. Max was the most real Christ figure I have experienced so far in my life. In all my memories I see Max as Christ. Thank you for sharing him with me. I know he will be missed, but know that I am a better person because of him. I know he is in eternal peace and that brings me joy.

This summer I took the youth from my church to Boston for a mission trip. The kids in my ministry are very privileged. We had the opportunity to serve at a vacation bible school in one of the most underserved zones of Boston. It was great to see the collision of my two worlds. My privileged talented youth serving inner-city kids from all over the world. My kids in my ministry know that my passion is in the inner-city youth so it was great to see them as God’s ministers to urban youth. The most profound part of the week was learning the story about “y care Park”. This park was a peace agreement between inner-city gangs that is now a city park. There were inner-city youth programs leading basketball tournaments. My only thoughts were we need to bring this to Houston. Little did I know that Max beat me to it with the peace garden at Sam Houston! I look forward to watching that idea pop up all over the entire city.

I want you all to know that you have my highest level of love and respect. Each of the boys has a unique side of Max. I have never had the honor of meeting you all, but you carry your dad’s spirit and energy with your own unique gifts. I wish you all the best and hope to someday serve and worship Christ with you in the honor of your father. Thank You sharing MAX with me. May your life be filled with abundance and hope!!!

La Paz,

Sam
www.thenxtlevel.org