Hal Donaldson

as you enter into the workforce you just need to work hard be a good person treat people with integrity do the right thing and everything is going to take care of itself you don't need to go and you know become a climber and where you are harming people along your journey you just need to be a good person and everything will take care of itself and you know that advice really was extremely instrumental

as you enter into the workforce you just need to work hard be a good person treat people with integrity do the right thing and everything is going to take care of itself you don't need to go and you know become a climber and where you are harming people along your journey you just need to be a good person and everything will take care of itself and you know that advice really was extremely instrumental

You know, my story, Gary, is I became a writer in my 20s. I have a journalism degree. I began writing books in my 20s. One of those projects took me to Calcutta, India, where I interviewed Mother Teresa. And it was in the course of interviewing Mother Teresa that she just stops me and she just said, Hey, young man, what are you doing to help the poor and the suffering?

You know, my story, Gary, is I became a writer in my 20s. I have a journalism degree. I began writing books in my 20s. One of those projects took me to Calcutta, India, where I interviewed Mother Teresa. And it was in the course of interviewing Mother Teresa that she just stops me and she just said, Hey, young man, what are you doing to help the poor and the suffering?

And I figured it was probably not a good idea to lie to Mother Teresa. So I told her the truth. I said, hey, I'm really not doing much of anything. And she said, everyone can do something. Just do the next kind of thing that God puts in front of you. And those words were haunting, but they dovetailed so well with what my grandmother had said. You know, just do the right thing.

And I figured it was probably not a good idea to lie to Mother Teresa. So I told her the truth. I said, hey, I'm really not doing much of anything. And she said, everyone can do something. Just do the next kind of thing that God puts in front of you. And those words were haunting, but they dovetailed so well with what my grandmother had said. You know, just do the right thing.

Just do the kind thing, and everything is going to take care of itself. I came back after meeting Mother Teresa. I did what I call reconnaissance. I traveled to eight cities. I lived in the streets for three days and three nights. I went to Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, D.C., New York, major cities.

Just do the kind thing, and everything is going to take care of itself. I came back after meeting Mother Teresa. I did what I call reconnaissance. I traveled to eight cities. I lived in the streets for three days and three nights. I went to Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, D.C., New York, major cities.

And I just walked the streets with a hidden tape recorder, interviewing drug addicts and gang members, prostitutes, runaways, and the homeless, and riding with the police on the midnight shift in each of those cities. That's really what changed the course of my life.

And I just walked the streets with a hidden tape recorder, interviewing drug addicts and gang members, prostitutes, runaways, and the homeless, and riding with the police on the midnight shift in each of those cities. That's really what changed the course of my life.

I saw pain and suffering on a scale I'd never seen before and came back and loaded up a pickup truck with $300 worth of groceries 30 years ago now. And that was the beginning of Convoy Hope.

I saw pain and suffering on a scale I'd never seen before and came back and loaded up a pickup truck with $300 worth of groceries 30 years ago now. And that was the beginning of Convoy Hope.

Yeah. Well, first of all, the employees, we really emphasize the importance of it. We've lost some really dear people. During COVID, I lost six close friends in a They were all healthy, you know, and so it's very difficult to deal with that if you don't have adequate life insurance. So I know you didn't ask for a plug, but I'm a strong believer.

Yeah. Well, first of all, the employees, we really emphasize the importance of it. We've lost some really dear people. During COVID, I lost six close friends in a They were all healthy, you know, and so it's very difficult to deal with that if you don't have adequate life insurance. So I know you didn't ask for a plug, but I'm a strong believer.

So I would say internationally and even in the U.S., I have a deep concern that there are many families that are month to month and they don't have insurance. Of any kind. And as someone that had to go through that in my teens, it's brutal. When you are not insured, it is brutal. And so I couldn't say more that from a convoy standpoint, our job is to get people healthy.

So I would say internationally and even in the U.S., I have a deep concern that there are many families that are month to month and they don't have insurance. Of any kind. And as someone that had to go through that in my teens, it's brutal. When you are not insured, it is brutal. And so I couldn't say more that from a convoy standpoint, our job is to get people healthy.

And once they get healthy and get a job, then insurance certainly is an important part of it. I'm a strong believer. And I get to see firsthand being in the business.

And once they get healthy and get a job, then insurance certainly is an important part of it. I'm a strong believer. And I get to see firsthand being in the business.

Hey, thank you for having me, Gary. Great to be with you and the podcast.

Hey, thank you for having me, Gary. Great to be with you and the podcast.