WELCOME TO AMERICA!!!

We have talked for years about how important ‘first impressions‘ are. Everything from how you just a have few moments to make that impression to how its almost impossible to change someones attitude about a first impression once its been made. We have often referred to whoever was at the receptionist/from desk as the “Director of First Impressions“. I would say that everyone of us at Amor wears the ‘Director of First Impressions” title at one time or another. I had an experience yesterday at the Los Angeles airport recently that reminded me how important this all is.

I was helping 144 kids from the United Kingdom board three different buses at three different times from a bus company they had chartered. The first bus was the most challenging. We called the bus company ten minutes before we needed them to arrive. I stood on the street curb looking for the bus. As it turned out she had driven around the airport twice before she saw me as I flagged her down. She was nice, but after she opened the cargo doors she just stood back and watched. We loaded he suitcases ourselves into the underbelly of the bus. Once everyone was on the bus I asked for her microphone. I said, “Hi, I’m Scott Congdon, Founder and CEO of Amor Ministries and I have just one thing to say to you….WELCOME TO AMERICA!!!!” They went wild with rock concert cheer!



The second bus had a gentleman bus driver who was constantly talking on his cell phone. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t about business. He didn’t drive around the airport like the first bus. He parked across the street and waited. I just happened to notice a bus parked there and walked across the street and asked him if he was there to pick up Urban Saints. He said he was. Good thing I looked. I asked him if he was going to drive over to the curb like the first bus. He said, “Oh no, they need to walk across the street and come here to the bus.” I guess it didn’t matter that many of them had been traveling for 20 hours and had very heavy duffel bags. So ran back across the street and had them carry all their luggage across the street. Once at the bus he opened the cargo doors below the bus and just watched. I started lifting bags, stuffing them into the cramped quarters under the bus. One bag after another. I had to literally into the cargo area on my knees to stack and lift the bags. All the while the bus drive looked one. I did at one point wonder how this not so young man’s back was going to feel after doing all lifting his doctor had told him not to do. Oh well, the job had to get done. Once the bus was stuffed with luggage I climbed onto the bus and asked for the microphone. Once again I said, “WELCOME TO AMERICA!!!!” The cheer repeated.

The third bus is probably why I am telling this story. The bus arrived ten minutes after I called and stopped curbside right by me. The bus driver said, “Why don’t you climb on and I will take you to them.” I did and he drove right up to the curb. He had a big smile and shook my hand. When he climbed out of the bus he opened the storage bay doors and started heaving every last suitcase into the bus. He climbed in it at times, he stopped to wipe his sweat at times, and he stopped to smile at times. Once everyone was in the bus and all the bags were loaded I climbed onto the bus and asked him his name. He said, “My name is Larry.” I said, “Its so nice to meet you Larry!” I asked him if I could use his microphone and I said, “Hello everyone. My name is Scott Congdon and I am the Founder and CEO of Amor Ministries. WELCOME TO AMERICA! After the cheer subsided I said, “And here is Larry…THE GREATEST BUS DRIVER IN ALL OF AMERICA!!!” The bus went wild!!!!!

So you ask why “WELCOME TO AMERICA” is worth mentioning? That’s easy. Several years ago when I landed at the Johannesburg Airport in South Africa, Rainbow FM 90.7 station manager Humphrey Birkenstock met us and greeted us with…”WELCOME TO SOUTH AFRICA!!!!” We will all never forget it. It was authentic. It was exciting. It set the tone. We were in AFRICA! Whenever I land in South Africa I have this expectation that someone is going to once again greet me this way. If they don’t….I am sadly disappointed. I hope that every group land arrives in South Africa, or arrives in the US, or first gets to Mexico hears from one of us…”WELCOME TO MEXICO” or maybe “WELCOME TO AMERICA”, or the classic that Humphrey set the bar for….”WELCOME TO SOUTH AFRICA!!!!” Why not give them all a first impression that may last a lifetime!

The other part of this story is about “Legendary Service.” Its about Larry the bus driver who is greats everyone with a , who takes people out his way, who seats and toils toils to provide the service his can for his customers, and in my mine, greatest cheer for a job so well done. Larry majors in the minors and the majors. He drives a great looking, clean bus and he makes sure his customers are happy and satisfied. Larry looks at the big picture and the small details. It reminds me of how Jesus who died on the cross for all of humanity still made sure that the disciples interrupted their day to allow him to spend time with the children. Its so easy to get focused on the big picture, the big need, the amount of work, and forget the people around you, the customers around you, the people you work with around, and even your family around you.

I won’t forget Larry the bus driver and his “Legendary Service.” I am thinking about writing a letter to the owner of the company and telling him what an incredible servant leader Larry is. No wait, I think I’ll offer Larry a job at Amor. He sure would fit right in! Remember the impression you make. Remember that Christ came to serve, not to be served. And remember, even the small things get notice, if not here on earth, by your heavenly Father. Nothing gets missed!