The Eric Metaxas Show - Tom Jones

Episode Date: May 19, 2022

Extreme athlete Tom Jones is in the middle of an unusual challenge, running 76 Marathons "Village to Village" in his goal to raise money for a new American-experience park.

Folks, welcome to the Eric Mattaxas show, sponsored by Legacy Precious Metals. There's never been a better time to invest in precious metals. Visit legacy p.m.investments.com. That's legacy p.m. Investments.com. Taxis show with your host, Eric Mettaxas. Hey there, folks. Sometimes I read an email or something, and I just go, this is great. What is this? Can we talk to this guy? We discovered someone. His name is Tom, Joe.

not to be confused with the singer Tom Jones, nor with Engelbert Humperdink, who I used to confuse with the singer Tom Jones. This Tom Jones is an extreme athlete. That's an official term. He's an extreme athlete and a marine veteran who's passionate about the United States of America, about the Constitution, about traditional values of freedom, faith, and family. He's a world record holder and has a pretty impressive history of completing extreme. physical challenges, including running from Huntington Beach, California to New York City at a marathon pace for 121 consecutive days. I'm not making this up. He's my guest right now. Tom Jones, welcome to the Eric Mataxis show. Eric, thanks for having me on. Look, I want to ask you so many questions. First of all, the principal reason I'm having you on is because you are going to be doing something fairly shortly along the lines you just described.

What is this thing that you're going to be doing soon? Actually, I'm almost right in the middle of it. I've run 30 back-to-back marathons as we speak right now. You're in the middle of it now. Yes, yes. We left April 19th from Montebello, Alabama, and I've been running a marathon a day every day since then, including today. A marathon a day.

Okay, that's not a day. something I've ever done even for a single day. So what you're doing right now, it's affiliated with United We Pledge. What is United We Pledge? Because I know your goal is to draw awareness to the Constitution, to American Freedom. What is United We Pledge? United We Pledge is a nonprofit organization. And what they're doing is they're building a very special and magical place called the American Village. And the American Village is a place that has recreation. exact replica recreations of buildings that were instrumental in the Constitution and the Revolutionary War. And they also have people that play the parts of people that were instrumental in that time,

like George Washington, Ben Franklin, Paul Revere, Paul Revere's wife, men and women, they have colonial soldiers. And what they do is they bring in families and in particular kids, and they let them step onto the stage of American history and become part of the story. So it's a very, very impactful experience as far as history goes. Now, people want to find out more about United We Pledge. Is there a website for United We Pledge? Yes, it's United We Pledge.org. Dot org.

Okay. So you are doing what you're doing to help them reach their goal. And by the way, the site of the place you're describing is Montevallo, Alabama. It is, yes. So is that where you started this journey? That is. And I'm winding up in Hurricane St. George, Utah, where they're breaking ground to build an exact replica of this place on the West Coast. So they're starting development of that on July 2nd when I come into town there.

We're going to break ground there, and they're going to build an exact replica of that on the West Coast so that people on the West Coast have the opportunity to have. that same experience. Right. Look, this is exciting stuff. I want to talk to you about running, and I want to talk to you about America, and I figure I'm safe on both topics with you. But before we get to that, people want to know, how did Tom Jones get to be, Tom Jones, doing this kind of a thing right now? What is your story that led you to where you are today?

Where did you grow up? When did these things become central in your life? Well, that's a great question to just kind of make it real quick. So my childhood was a dumpster fire. I was removed from my home when I was 12 years old for child abuse. I was put into a foster care institution that was run by pedophiles. I was only afforded a sixth grade education until I ran away from that institution and joined the United States Marine Corps. They were great parents.

They taught me right from wrong. They taught me about integrity, a spree to core, all my clothes matched. It was a good thing. And I ended up being a world champion prize fighter. And I had the opportunity to train with Chuck Norris and other people like that. that, there were really great influences on my life. And then in 1998, I went to a foster care facility in my area that wanted a playground and they couldn't afford it. So I came up with a wild idea of running from Oregon to Mexico on foot, raising money and helping them have a playground. And

when we dedicated that playground, all of a sudden my life had meaning. I knew what I was here for. And since 1998, I've been lending my athletic abilities to worthwhile causes like this one. I love it. I mean, I really love it. When did you, you know, get into what you call extreme athletics? Because, you know, anybody can run 10 miles. Most people can do a marathon. But this is a dramatic uptick when we're talking on the levels of athleticism and endurance. I mean, for you to run a marathon a day, 26.2 miles a day, I mean, what does it take to get your body to a point where you can do that? Most people run a marathon and then they've got to take, you know, three weeks off. What, what, how long have you been involved in this stuff? So it's a culmination of a lifetime of work, right? So this isn't something that you can just kind of go out and train for.

So my entire life, I've been a professional athlete. And I got into it because I wanted to empower people that had been in situations. that was similar to mine as a foster kid to do whatever they wanted to with their life because we live in a country that actually allows you to do that. And I wanted to share my story with them and empower them to be more and to empower them to follow their dreams, just like I am right now. I mean, I find myself in 1998, I started this stuff, and I've set several world records running.

I've set the world record on stand-up paddleboard when I paddle boarded from Oregon and Mexico. Then I broke that paddleboard record when I paddle from Keywood. Excuse me. Hold on a second. World records. This is very impressive. If I had a world record, I would say it very slowly so people could take this in. You paddleboarded from where to where? I paddle boarded from Oregon to Mexico in 2007. What am I missing? Hold on a second. How do you paddleboard from Oregon to Mexico? This is very tough for me to take this in. So I have a motorhome that I use as base camp, and I shuttled with wave runners every day to a launch point, and then GPS to wherever we left off, and we'd keep paddling, and then we'd leapfrog that motorhome and keep doing it over and over again until we got to the Mexican border. And then in 2010, I broke that world record when I paddle from Key West Florida to New York City. I really can't believe this. This is mind-blowing stuff.

A paddle. Look, it's one thing to run. I'm a runner. Upper body stuff, I can't believe, you know, how far can you travel on a paddleboard in a day? I just can't believe this stuff. Well, when I went from Key West to New York, I averaged 18 miles a day. But when I set the flatwater world record on a lake, Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia, I paddle 30 miles a day. And I paddle that 540 miles of shoreline, I believe. it was in 16 days. So when you were, I just want to get this, not that I'm going to do this, I don't really need

the details. This is just for the storytelling here. But when you're paddleboarding from Florida to New York, you're doing this on ocean water? Absolutely. I'm doing it in the ocean water. And I can tell you, when I went from Oregon to Mexico, I saw Great White Sharks most every single day until I got to Point Conception, which is three quarters of the way down the state. And, you know, when I went into the ocean,

at the Oregon, California border, I thought I was the alpha person in the water until I saw my first 17-foot Great White Shark about six feet away from me. And then I realized I'm basically fish food. I think once Ward gets out in the Great White Shark population, they will be afraid of you. They just, they're not yet familiar with what you've accomplished. But this is so exciting. So right now you're in the middle of this journey going from Alabama to Utah. You are running, so this is on foot across most of the country, 26 miles a day. We're going to be right back, folks.

We're talking to Tom Jones. The website for United We Pledge is United We Pledge.org. And Tom's website is quitproof.com, Q-U-I-T-P-R-O-O-F.com. We'll be right back with Tom Jones. Tell me, Eric, why is relief factors so successful at lowering or eliminating pain? I'm often asked that question. The owners of Relief Factor tell me they believe our bodies were designed to heal. That's right, designed to heal.

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I did and I was shocked. Now I'm able to clean out the junk and invest in companies actually doing good things. Go to inspireinsight.com today and register for free. That's inspireinsight.com. Go there. Folks, I'm talking to Tom Jones, not the singer, the non-singer. the runner, the extreme athlete, the patriot, the Marine veteran, Tom Jones. Tom Jones, you are passionate about America.

And I want to ask you about that, about faith, about patriotism, because what you're doing right now, running literally from Alabama to Utah, to draw attention to United, we pledge, it comes out of a love of country, faith, values. when did that become important to you? You talked about growing up in a painful, painful foster care system, whatever, you eventually get involved in the Marines. When did these issues? Because a lot of people would just, they would hate America, they would hate life.

You, God has really found you and is able to use you. When did that happen? You know, I would tell you this, Eric, if they hate America, then they should get on a plane and take a trip anywhere. You know, when I was deployed in the Marine Corps, I was deployed all over the world. And all of the places that I went and was deployed to didn't have the freedoms that we have and all of the things that we enjoy. And I think it's human nature that when things are given to you free, you tend to devalue them. And you tend to put value on all the things that you can buy that can be replaced.

And the thing that's so ironic is the things that you can buy can be replaced very easily. But the things that you're gifted and when you're born into this country, you're given. gifted freedom. You're gifted freedom of speech. You're gifted to be able to vote and all these things. So all these countries that I visited didn't have these freedoms. And I can tell you one thing, every single time I was deployed, Eric, when I got back to the United States of America, the first step I took on the soil of the United States of America without fail, I dropped down and I kissed that ground every single time because I saw firsthand what it meant to not have these freedoms that so many people take for granted. And there.

I won in 2009, I won on Mixed Marshall Arts Superstar Tour, and I went to Iraq and other places in the Middle East. And I can tell you one thing, that was an incredible eye-opener. When you get back to this country, if you don't appreciate it, I think you ought to go and seek some help. I got to tell you, it's just a joy to hear you say these things, and it's what I often say. And we get our perspectives in different ways.

I mean, part of the reason I appreciate this country is because my parents, grew up in parts of the world where they did not have this. My mother was in East Germany, communist East Germany. My father was in Greece during the war. The communists tried to take over. So when they had the privilege to come to the United States of America, they understood this is, we don't deserve this. This is an honor.

We get to do this. We get to raise our kids as Americans. So my brother and I were raised to know that this is not normal. What we have here is not normal. This is a gift from God. It's a blessing. We need to cherish it. We need to celebrate it.

We need to teach our kids and anyone we can what it is and why it's beautiful and why we need to spread it around. And you're sharing what you're doing with United We Pledge. I've not heard of them before. So this is a big deal that the way they want to do this, and you're obviously helping them, trying to draw attention to this. They want to create the American village. Is that what they call it in Alabama? That's correct.

Yeah, it's in Utah that they're going to actually build a duplicate American village in Utah. And when you say the attention, Eric, that's the reason that I do these things, because the attention is the bridge between one human mind and another. Without the attention, you don't have that bridge. So the reason that I started doing these things in 1998 was to get people's attention. And that would create a bridge between minds. And then I could deliver whatever message that I was delivering. And the message I'm delivering now is that freedom matters and it's special.

This experiment in the United States of America is the greatest experiment in the history of humankind. That's huge. Okay. And it doesn't exist anywhere else. Is the United States of America perfect? No. Are there people flooding into here because it's racist to the core and there's no opportunity? I think not.

You know, they get it. And I think that what I'm doing. really is an effort to reignite patriotism in this country and in particular in the youth. Well, it is a beautiful thing. It thrills me that you're using your platform and the talents, God has really blessed you to be able to do this. And it is beautiful. Now, I want to ask you, so you're saying that United We Pledge already has something

called the American Village in Montevallo, Alabama. because I had not heard about this till today. No, what I'm saying is that Montevillo, Alabama is an American village. And the United We Pledge has partnered with a company called Balance of Nature, and they procured about 40 acres of land in Utah that they're going to recreate an American village there. That's what I'm saying. So there is an American village in Alabama already. Yes.

But I had not heard about this. Like, I want to go to Montevallo, Alabama now that I've heard. I've literally not heard about this. And you should. I hadn't heard about it either until they brought it up. And then when they brought it up to me and they came up with this idea of me running from Montevillo, Alabama to St. George, Utah to break around for this thing. You know, I think that we have a whole mind body, right? You have your gut.

You have your heart. You have your head. And all three have brain cells. My gut just goes, go for it. My heart was like, oh, you've got to do this. You know, and then my mind just said, yeah, it's a resounding yes. This is the right time, the right place, and the right thing. So then when I visited Montavello, Alabama and saw with my own two eyes the impact that this American village had with these kids, it was just like, oh, man, let's get going.

Where's Montevallo, Alabama? Is that near any of the big cities in Alabama? It's Montavello, Alabama is near, what is it? Montgomery. Birmingham. Near Birmingham. Okay. Because I had not heard of the American village in Alabama. So I'm thrilled about this. I want to visit it. I've been to colonial Williamsburg, obviously. Anything like this where you can especially get young people to see this, to experience this, it's just beautiful. It's just beautiful. It does something that's vital. So I'm thrilled that they're wanting to do this in Utah. And you said balance of names. Nature, this is the products.

They're involved in this as well. Correct. The CEO of Balance of Nature, the owner came up with this great idea, United We Pledge. And so it's his brainchild. And so they're the ones that are behind it and they separated it out as a nonprofit. So that's, you know, the balance of nature is a fruit and vegetable supplement that I ran across about a year and a half ago and liked it so much. I called them on the phone and I'm like, hey, I get stuff thrown at me all day. Every day, half of it I won't take. The other half

of it doesn't do much, but after taking this for a few months, I think you guys got something here. And then so the relationship developed from there. I take balance of nature every day. It's kind of a new thing for me. So I'm glad to know that they're involved in this unitedwe pledge.org. And what is your website quitproof.com? What is that? So I do mental strength and resilience coaching for other professional athletes, corporate executives, and just basically anybody that wants it. You know, I've, with stone tools and carving knives, I've built quite a palace, you know,

and I've learned a lot along the way. And so I'm able to take that experience and I'm able to help other people get mentally stronger and become more resilient. And, you know, quitting's a habit like anything's a habit. The first time you quit, you like kick yourself in the pants and you're like, oh, gosh, we're not going to do that again. Next time you quit, it gets a little easier. Next time you quit, it gets a little easier.

Next time you quit, now all of a sudden you're habitual quitter. So I've come up with a lot of different ways to help people become, like I said, mentally stronger and more resilient and quit things less. Well, people want to know, too, you know, when you're, when you're, when you're really, running, you and I are about the same age. I never felt the effects of aging until the last few years and suddenly there are aches and things. And you realize, wow, you know, running a marathon or doing something like that, suddenly that's the problem. It's not just, you know, the normal problem. But so you have remained just extremely fit for decades and you're doing stuff that

most people just can't imagine. What is your advice to people in terms of exercise and that kind of thing? Because clearly there's a connection to the mind and to the soul and the body. I mean, it's between them. There's connection or among them. There's connection. 100%, Eric. And the thing is, is that the mind controls everything. So, you know, the secret to becoming successful is to understand this. You become your thoughts. So be careful about what you think about, right? Because what you think about, you know, that that becomes your actions. Be careful of your actions because your actions, those become your habits. And be careful of your habits because your habits, they're the compass that drives your entire life. So be careful of your thoughts. And think positive

things because I can tell you one thing, you, the person that you listen to the most is you. You know? Wow. So tell yourself good things. Tell yourself strong things. You know, the mind drives the machine. We're going to go to a break. Final segment coming up with Tom Jones. Powerful stuff, folks. We'll be right back. In case you haven't been paying attention, the Biden administration has caused a financial crisis,

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Folks, I'm having a fun and important conversation. I like all my conversations to be fun and important with Tom Jones. He's an extreme athlete, marine veteran, doing something right now that is amazing. He is running across most of the country a marathon a day to draw attention to the ideas of patriotism, faith, and specifically unitedwe pledge.org building a replica of this American village that's in Montevello, Alabama.

They want to do that in Utah, which is where he's going to end up. So Tom, I've got to ask you, when you're running, at what pace do you run so that this is possible? Because, I mean, I just really, again, can hardly imagine to go 26 miles in a day and then to do it the next day and the next day.

How do you, what have you settled into at this point that makes this possible for you? It's 26.2 miles a day, and I can tell you one thing, those last 6.2 miles, those are the ones that kick your butt. So what I've settled into is a pace of right around 4 to 5 miles an hour. I mean, it's just unbelievable to me that you are able to do this. and so you're doing this every day, and you're about halfway from Montevallo, Alabama, to this place in Utah. So where does that put you now in Texas?

Yeah, that puts me in Arlington, Texas. So we're approaching halfway through it. And so I think in two days we'll have been at this 30 days. We're going to be doing 76 of them in a row this time. You know, last time I did this, I did 121 marathons in a row, but that was back in 2000. and my pace was much faster than it is now. Although, you know, it's just a matter of being quitproof, man.

It's a matter of being what? Quitproof. Quitproof. There's a good plug for the website, quitproof.com. Well, I just love it. And what you said when we went to the break before that, who do you listen to the most of all in life, yourself? That's a huge observation.

What are you telling yourself? What are the thoughts that you're having? And it's so funny because the Bible is so clear on this. What does God say we are? God says we're infinitely valuable that he died for us. We're made in his image. When you believe that, first of all, you're believing truth, but also you're allowing yourself to be in tune with what is right and true.

But we have the freedom to say negative, destructive things to our. just like we have the freedom to be destructive with our own, with our physical health. And it's so interesting to me that you link this, that you link it to. Yeah. Well, and I can also tell you this. So I found out very early in my life that there's two roles, I believe, that we can play in our lives. We can either play the role of the victim or we can play the role of the victor, right? And that is really what it boils down to.

So what kind of dialogue are you going to have with yourself? Are you going to have the victim mentality and tell yourself that, oh, because of circumstances, I couldn't do this, I couldn't do that, I couldn't do the other thing? Are you going to take the victorious role, the role of the victor, and say, you know what? We live in the greatest country on the planet, and this country allows us to do anything that we want to do. All we got to do is roll our sleeves up and get to it, you know, and think the right kind of thoughts. Again, your thoughts become your actions. Your actions becomes your habits. your habits are what drives you through life.

Do you have healthy habits? Do you have unhealthy habits? You know, be nice to yourself for good and sake. Yeah. And I'll tell you, what fascinates me really is like, you know that that works. You know that this is right. But they're people that they've got all these, you know, reasons not to do it. And to them, I would simply say, okay, whatever, but here's the issue.

It is God's will for you to think those positive thoughts. It is God's will for you to have his opinion of you, not your own opinion or the negative opinion of somebody who raised you. It is God's will that you hear what he has to say about you and that you agree with that. And I think if you don't believe in God, you know, you can just say, well, I can do whatever I want. I can just destroy myself. But if you realize, like, no, he wants to bless you.

He wants you to be victorious. He wants to use you for his purposes. That's his will. And it's beautiful for me just to see you letting him use you for his purposes to bring attention to the greatness of this nation, to the great ideas of freedom and this kind of thing. If there's anybody who would have excuses, you would have excuses growing up in the foster system, abused. I mean, but you choose to believe what is true over. those other voices.

It's from your lips to God's ears, and I mean that, because we are the divine creations of God, right? And that's what we are. We are part of God. And all we got to do is look in the mirror, and we've got to embrace that, and we've got to grab the wheel, and we've got to drive, right?

The mind's like this big D-9 dirt mover, right, with a little guy on top driving it. So, you know, what are you going to do? Let go of the wheel and let that thing run into the ditch. Are you going to keep both hands on the wheel of that incredible machine and drive it in the right direction? I just love it. So your website is quitproof.com. Quitproof, Q-U-I-T-proof.com.

And United We Pledge. People can find out more at UnitedWe pledge.org. Tom Jones, we are just proud of you and glad to get to know you. I'm glad my audience gets to know you. and we're just excited that you're doing all of this. It's absolutely wonderful. Look forward to having you back another time. Look forward to meeting you in person, maybe running with you sometime.

God bless you. Tom Jones. Thank you so much. Yeah. And thank you, Eric, for having me out because this is a team thing, right? Because without people like you, the word can't get out. So I consider you and I to be a team. And I'm really, really proud to know you and be part of your team.

And I can't thank you and your listeners enough. And we're raising money to build this American village. So if they go on United We Pledge.org, consider making a donation to make this place happen because I tell you one thing, freedom matters. God bless you. Thank you. Hey there, folks. Eric Mataxis here. I know you know how much I love Mike Lindell and my pillow. Well, Mike Lindell and my pillow right now are offering a bogo extravaganza. Bo go buy one, get one.

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This is really an important segment today. I want to be really blunt. This is very important. In Zurich, Switzerland, right now, the international head. of CSI, Christian Solidarity International, is coming to us, Dr. John Ibner is with us right now to talk to us about what's going on in Ukraine. As you know, we're doing a fundraiser with CSI to try to get you to help them do what it is that they do helping Ukrainian refugees. So all the way from Zurich, Switzerland, Dr. John Ibner. Welcome. I'm so thrilled that you were able to be with us today. I'm thrilled to be with you. Thank you very much.

for having me and for platforming this dreadful crisis in the Ukraine and the humanitarian disaster that's unfolding there. It is, I always say it's incumbent on us to understand that, you know, suffering is not good. It doesn't matter how it comes about. You don't need to be involved politically to know that when you have millions of people fleeing their homes with their kids, it is a nightmare. and so CSI, as usual, steps into the breach. So what do we need to know about what is going on over there, Dr. Ibnur?

We know there's a terrible humanitarian crisis. I was there some weeks ago and saw something of it myself, but over half of the people in the Ukraine, Ukrainians are either outside the country, they fled or they're internally displaced, or they are living in danger zones and common. combat zones. The whole country has been turned upside down. It's just impossible for those of us in the West to imagine what it would be like. Even our parents and grandparents probably can't remember anything this dramatic. We're used to peace. We're used to prosperity. But the idea that

Ukrainians are going through this right now, it's just mind-blowing. And I want to thank you and CSI for stepping up to help them. So I keep saying to people that $280 provides food and resources for a month. Now, folks, go to metaxis talk.com. You'll see the banner, metaxis talk.com. I'll give you the phone number in a moment. But tell us how does CSI help these folks? I mean, it's, you guys are all over the world. Where are you now and how are you helping the folks fleeing Ukraine? In the Ukraine, we have local partners. We're working through them. They're interdenominational.

And they're on the spot. They're on the ground. I was in Mukachevo in Western Ukraine. Thousands and thousands of people are flooding there because it's a relatively peaceful area. And our partners are on the ground providing what is needed in a flexible, unbureaucratic way. So there are people who simply have no food. Okay. were able to provide food. No shelter. They have children that are traumatized. There are all kinds of needs that are there. People have different needs. Some people come with some money. Some people come completely destitute. And we're able through our local partners on the ground to meet individual needs. And moreover, not just to meet the individual material needs, but the spiritual needs, the psychological needs, the psychological,

needs. People need love. They don't need just a bureaucratic gift. And so working through these Christian partners on the ground, we're able to provide that really important dimension too. The message is not just here's some food, here's some shelter, here's some clothing, here's a mattress, but you're not alone. You're not alone because there are other Christians around the world who care about you. And of course, ultimately, the good Lord, care. about you too and loves you. Well, see, that to me, I'm so glad you said that because that's at the heart of this. I mean, the reason we partner with CSI, Christian Solidarity International, and not any number

of others with whom we might partner, is because it is, we have a worldview that is not materialistic. We don't believe that a pill and food and shelter that it ends there. There's this thing called love and encouragement. It comes through the love of Jesus, expressed through. the folks that CSI uses, employees, volunteers, people who ministering. They are ministering. They are not just disbursing funds and food. I remember, it's amazing now to think that it's over 20 years ago, but here in New York, when we had the crisis at 9-11, one of my best friends, the Reverend B.J.

Weber was ministering at a site near downtown. And a woman came in, a Hispanic woman came in, distraught. And some social worker or whatever literally was putting an anti-anxiety drug in her mouth without really even asking her. And the woman said, I do not want drugs. I want to pray. The woman said, I want to pray. And I think this is why we partner with CSI, because you all understand that hand in hand with giving people material necessities, basics. They need the love of God. They need the comfort and the presence of people who have deep faith in the God who died for us, and that is CSI. Forgive me, I'm going to tell the phone number. Folks, metaxis talk.com, you'll see the banner. But if you feel moved to call, we would really appreciate it.

It's 888-253-3522. Again, 888-253-3522. Dr. I'm so grateful you shared that because that's at the heart of why we partner with CSI, why we value you guys. Well, I appreciate that because we do not get government money. We are not the recipients of grants from USAI. or the United Nations or any other.

Thank God. The funds that come to CSI are coming from committed Christian people, mainly at the grassroots level, who have love in their hearts, and they give because of that love. And we want to be the transmission of that. And so, as you say, we're not simply giving food, giving medicine, giving shelter, providing mattresses, providing the basic necessities which people do need, they do need them, but we want to convey the love of our donors. And that is a hallmark of CSI, and as long as I'm leading CSI, it will remain that way. Well, folks, you've heard that. We'll be right back with Dr. Ibner.

Please help. MetaxusTalk.com. You'll see the banner there, or if you prefer to call 888-253-3 We need your help. 888-253-3522. God bless you. Really excited I have from Zurich, Switzerland, right now with us, Dr. John Ivner. He's the international president of Christian Solidarity International. You know that we've partnered with them again and again. They show the love of Jesus in every kind of way. Right now, we know in the Ukraine, there are literally millions. Millions of people who have been chased out of their homes, who have fled their homes, fled for their lives with their kids.

They have no place to live. They have no food. They have no medical supplies. They need our help. And so we reached out to CSI. CSI has partners on the ground, Christian organizations that are showing the love of God in helping these people. and we want you to join us in that. Dr. John Ibner, thank you so much for joining us. What can we say to get people to understand the urgency of what is happening?

Well, it's a catastrophe what is happening, and there are tens of millions of people who are either forced out of their own homes living internally displaced, refugees abroad, or are still caught up in the terrible conflict zones with shells, going off, blasts all around them. And it's something that hasn't happened in Europe, really, since the Second World War, anything on this scale. And the human suffering is incredible. It's often, in some ways, concealed or the full magnitude is not so visible because the whole issue ends up being politicized through the mass media. And so we are sometimes distracted from the extent of the human suffering, and it affects all of the people in the Ukraine, whether they think of themselves as ethnic Ukrainians or some kind of either Russian background or other minorities, whether there are evangelical Protestants, Catholics, or Orthodox, it's impacting all of them without distinction.

That's the point. And I see it as every crisis is an opportunity for the gospel of Jesus. These are suffering people. And Christians through CSI come in to help them to show the love of God that they are loved by God. There's a God who cares. And he has sent you and CSI with your partners to show the love of God to these people. I mean, I'm amazed as I read that not only do many of them not have food, medicine, and shelter, but They don't have pillows, blankets, heaters, every kind of basic thing. When you leave everything, ladies and gentlemen, if you're listening, you have an opportunity to show the love of God to all kinds of people, some of whom may have some idea who God is. Maybe they identify as Christians because they're not Muslims or they're not atheists, but maybe they've never seen the real thing. I want to encourage you to call, to do whatever you can. Go to metaxistococococ.com, please. There's a banner, metaxis talk.com, or you can call the number I'll give you in a moment. But I want to say that $70 provides food and resources for one week.

Obviously, $280 provides it for a month. Some of you can give that. Some of you can give a fraction of that. Some of you can give much more than that. whatever God lays on your heart, but this is an opportunity for the gospel. I want to be blunt. It's an opportunity for us to show the love of Jesus through CSI. We trust CSI. And I thank you, Dr. John Eibner, all the way from Zurich Swistle, and coming on this program at a difficult hour. But we have to get the word out. Folks, the phone number, I will give it to you now. Please do what you can.

888-253-3522. Again, it's 888-253-252. Again, it's 8-88-253-2. 3522, 888-253-3522. Or go to metaxis talk.com. You'll see the banner. Dr. Ibner, God bless you and your efforts. God bless CSI. Thank you so much for letting God use you for his purposes in our time. Thank you.

Same to you, Eric. Thank you so much.