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Originally appeared in APeX Attack #7 (October 2000) The Ministry of
the Pez
By Gene David Monterastelli
Many times when we are on the road folks say, "I wish
I could do what you do, but I don't have any talent."
My response is generally, "Well the church is dying for
a kazoo ministry." Translation: You don't need to have
a performing talent to do very cool ministry. Little did I know,
the ministry I was going to encounter. I encountered the ministry
of the Pez. When I was at Youth Sing Praise this summer, I met
a young man, just graduated from high school whose name is Merv.
Now Merv did not call what he did the Ministry of the Pez, but
I would. What Merv would do is walk up to people and say, "Would
you like a Pez?" and hold out his Charlie Brown Pez dispenser,
with its head pulled back and a Pez candy popping out if its
neck. (You just have to love food from the neck). With some
help Merv ended up with a Pez 15 pack (that is 15 packs of 12
Pez) for each day of YSP. If you are scoring at home that is
180 Pez a day. I asked Merv how may Pez he figured he ate a
day. I know that if I had 180 Pez I would eat around 140. His
answer shocked me. He said, "Exactly three a day."
When I pressed to find out why he ate so few he said, "Every
Pez I eat, is one less Pez I can give away." He found out
that one of the staff members was partial to the flavor of Grape,
so every time the dispenser was loaded with those grape nuggets
the first person Merv found was Orin. Merv did not discriminate
who he gave Pez to. When we were in St. Louis he offered Pez
to strangers in Union Station (some he and his friends even ending
up talking to). If you did not want a Pez and said no, Merv
never acted offended and even offered them again later. Offering
Pez was just a small act of love he was sharing. He did not
say, "Take one." He just offered and left it up to
you if you wanted one. Later I was told (and I believe it is
true) that over time he had gathered a very large collection
of Pez dispensers. At graduation from High School he gave one
to everyone in his class. It's almost as if they were commissioned
to do his good works as well. A month later, Brad and I returned
to St. Louis for another conference. Merv and number of others
came by to see us and they came bearing gifts. One of the gifts
was a Snoopy Pez dispenser. I guess all I can say is, "Would
you like a Pez?" (for more info on YSP please visit YouthSingPraise.com) |