Archive week: Why We Fight (pt 1)

This week, as we lead into the new year, we are choosing some of our favorite past posts… reflecting on what we know and how far God has brought us. This blog was originally posted in July of 2009…
Reason #9: Leadership Council in Dupatis a community near the Segera Mission. A group of Pastors and Christian Leaders within the community.
Reason #9: Leadership Council in Depatus a community near the Segera Mission. A group of Pastors and Christian Leaders within the community.

Many of you may remember the HBO mini-series “Band of Brothers.” It was a terrific ten-part World War II mini-series produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks that followed the 101st Airborne’s “Easy Company” from D-Day to the end of the war.  The 9th episode is called “Why We Fight” and provides perspective, albeit horrific at times, on why the war was necessary.

We’ve sort of adopted the phrase “Why We Fight” at The 410 Bridge as a way to remind us of the importance of our mission…  especially in the midst of the chaos, conflict, business, and distractions of our everyday lives.  We can too easily lose sight of the incredible work God is doing in Kenya.

James Ward was recently leading a Service Team in Kenya and sent us his Ten Reasons Why We Fight…  We’ll post all of them over the next week or so, but here are the first three.

10.  Americans just don’t get it!
We just don’t know what we don’t know.  We take for granted how blessed we are, and so often miss our opportunities to leverage those blessings to serve the kingdom and the people God loves.  Through trips we help people to see that,  and open their eyes to a reality they would otherwise never experience.

9.  We help bring the body of Christ together.
Today I sat in a room with five pastors from different churches in the same community.  All of them were sharing about the work that God is doing in their community through The 410 Bridge.  They all work together, pray together, and dream together.  They celebrate success and failures together!  As a result their churches work together, do events together, and are all fuller.

8.  Women need to be loved and adored.
I watched a group of Kenyan women receive manicures from a group of American women who wanted to serve them and help them feel beautiful.  The faces of the Kenyan women absolutely lit up as they had their hands messaged and fingernails cleaned, filed, and painted.  For a day these women who have very little, felt loved, adored and beautiful.

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  A Note from Our Founder

If we’ve spent any time together, you’ve probably heard me this before: pay attention to who walks through the front door. 

That was some early advice from my friend, Lanny, and it held the test of time. It’s important to keep a lookout for people suddenly crossing your path – God just might be introducing you to someone special. So, when Chris Joiner walked through our front door, I paid attention.  

In 2021, Chris reached out just to have a conversation. Over a few breakfasts, Chris and I discussed our shared passion for changing the way the West church engages the poor. At the time, Chris was working for another non-profit organization, but it quickly became clear that we both sought to create a lasting, meaningful impact on the lives of the poor.

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Meet Chris Joiner

Friends, what a wonderful season of growth we are experiencing here at The 410 Bridge! 

For those I haven’t had yet had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Chris Joiner.  

I’ve had the privilege of working at The 410 Bridge for the past two years, first as Director of International Programs, then transitioning to President in 2023. Today, I am incredibly blessed to step into the role of CEO. 

As we begin this exciting journey as an organization, I want to share more about who I am, my heart for our mission, and where we are headed this year.

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Introducing Chris Joiner as CEO of The 410 Bridge 

We are pleased to announce Chris Joiner as the new CEO of The 410 Bridge! 

Chris has served our organization for more than two years, initially as Director of International Programs and most recently as President. In both roles, Chris has demonstrated a commitment to servant-leadership and a deep passion for Christ-centered community development.  As President, Chris pioneered our expansion into three new countries this year: Indonesia, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.

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