Your Experiment in Better Living, a month-long community service project/seminar began Jan. 25 with nearly 80–90 people attending. Jim McHan, physician, and wife Carolyn, Springfield (Ore.) Church members, founded the outreach 30 years ago.
Neal Furlong, McHan's barber says, "Jim has been talking about this for a long time and this year I just decided to try it. My wife [Kathy] and I are drinking more water and eating only two meals a day. It seems to be working for us."
Linda Sampson, another participant, says, "I didn't believe a word you said about exercise [to Tammy Bovee, personal trainer]. I just came because Bob and Karen Biggs were so kind to me and they asked me to come. I kept missing the bus, but I thought, 'It must be the Lord! I'll give it a try,' and walked the few blocks to my destination instead of waiting for the next bus. I felt so good that I started praying I'd miss the bus more. Then I made the commitment to walk one way each trip. I feel great."
Another participant, suffering with debilitating arthritis, testified after only two weeks of getting more water and exercise, she has no pain. "It's a miracle!" she says.
Another said their head-aches subsided. Many have lost weight. Fibromyalgia patients felt less pain, diabetics' blood sugars went down, high blood pressure readings went down. One participant says, "I'm sleeping better after taking some of these stress reduction suggestions."
One church member didn't intend to participate because she "heard it all her life." However, the other participants' enthusiasm humbled her and she realized she had not been valuing a great God-given treasure. She decided to begin daily exercise, eating lighter evening meals and practicing the stress reduction tips given.
Food preparation demonstrations, lectures on fats, plant food diet, preventive health care and stress reduction were given each night. Participants are invited to write commitments and goals aligning with what they learned for the night. Stress reduction lectures were give by Lutz Binus, pastor; Tammy Bovee, member, led the exercise sessions; Debbie Meelhuysen and Kathryn Thrall, members and head cooks, provided daily samples; the McHans gave lectures from doctor/homemaker views. Many church members volunteered to be small-group leaders, servers, cooks' helpers, secretary, decorator, greeters and technical support.
The seminar concluded with a banquet.
Small study group members listen carefully to the seminar speaker.
Kathryn Thrall demonstrates healthy cooking techniques.
Serena Lui demonstrates exercises from the top of a table.
Nancy Gilbert checks Naomi Depuy's blood pressure.
