I had not begun my quest to find Ken when someone tapped me on the shoulder in Chick fil A. I turned around to Ken’s smiling face. “Join me for lunch,” he said. Perfect. I took care of the business I needed to discuss with Ken, and he opened his laptop to show me pictures of his trip to the Philippines.

Ken showed me a picture of a ship washed ashore by the Typhoon. “They may as well make that an apartment building,” I observed.

“I said the same thing,” laughed Ken.

He then showed me pictures of the schools. If you can call them schools. Children are being taught under tarps with few books available. Ken usually collects medical supplies. He returned from the Philippines with a passion to collect 25,000 books to replenish their libraries.

If you have books appropriate for school age children that you would like to donate to the people of the Philippines sent Ken an email: cheerup777@aol.com

Teena L Myers is the author of Finding Faith in the City Care Forgot; a freelance writer; editor of NOLA.com’s Faith, Beliefs and Spirituality blog; member of the Southern Christian Writers Guild and The Northshore Literary Society. A Toastmasters CC and Area speech contest winner. She is also a certified Belief Therapist and credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God. Teena lives on the west bank of New Orleans and attends Hosanna Church with her husband who has ministered to children for thirty years. To learn more about Teena and read some of her longer teaching works visit teenalmyers.com Connect with Teena on Twitter

Humor is infectious. The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle, or sneeze. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. Laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body. Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.

Laughter is strong medicine for mind and body

Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert.

With so much power to heal and renew, the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting problems, enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physical and emotional health.

Laughter is good for your health

• Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
• Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
• Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
• Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

Laughter and humor help you stay emotionally healthy

Laughter makes you feel good. And the good feeling that you get when you laugh remains with you even after the laughter subsides. Humor helps you keep a positive, optimistic outlook through difficult situations, disappointments, and loss.

More than just a respite from sadness and pain, laughter gives you the courage and strength to find new sources of meaning and hope. Even in the most difficult of times, a laugh–or even simply a smile–can go a long way toward making you feel better. And laughter really is contagious—just hearing laughter primes your brain and readies you to smile and join in the fun.

The link between laughter and mental health

• Laughter dissolves distressing emotions. You can’t feel anxious, angry, or sad when you’re laughing.
• Laughter helps you relax and recharge. It reduces stress and increases energy, enabling you to stay focused and accomplish more.
• Humor shifts perspective, allowing you to see situations in a more realistic, less threatening light. A humorous perspective creates psychological distance, which can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed.

The social benefits of humor and laughter

Humor and playful communication strengthen our relationships by triggering positive feelings and fostering emotional connection. When we laugh with one another, a positive bond is created. This bond acts as a strong buffer against stress, disagreements, and disappointment.

Laughing with others is more powerful than laughing alone

Shared laughter is one of the most effective tools for keeping relationships fresh and exciting. All emotional sharing builds strong and lasting relationship bonds, but sharing laughter and play also adds joy, vitality, and resilience. And humor is a powerful and effective way to heal resentments, disagreements, and hurts. Laughter unites people during difficult times.

Incorporating more humor and play into your daily interactions can improve the quality of your love relationships— as well as your connections with co-workers, family members, and friends. Using humor and laughter in relationships allows you to:

• Be more spontaneous. Humor gets you out of your head and away from your troubles.
• Let go of defensiveness. Laughter helps you forget judgments, criticisms, and doubts.
• Release inhibitions. Your fear of holding back and holding on are set aside.
• Express your true feelings. Deeply felt emotions are allowed to rise to the surface.

Bringing more humor and laughter into your life

Laughter is your birthright, a natural part of life that is innate and inborn. Infants begin smiling during the first weeks of life and laugh out loud within months of being born. Even if you did not grow up in a household where laughter was a common sound, you can learn to laugh at any stage of life.

Begin by setting aside special times to seek out humor and laughter, as you might with working out, and build from there. Eventually, you’ll want to incorporate humor and laughter into the fabric of your life, finding it naturally in everything you do.

Here are some ways to start:

• Smile. Smiling is the beginning of laughter. Like laughter, it’s contagious. Pioneers in “laugh therapy,” find it’s possible to laugh without even experiencing a funny event. The same holds for smiling. When you look at someone or see something even mildly pleasing, practice smiling.
• Count your blessings. Literally make a list. The simple act of considering the good things in your life will distance you from negative thoughts that are a barrier to humor and laughter. When you’re in a state of sadness, you have further to travel to get to humor and laughter.
• When you hear laughter, move toward it. Sometimes humor and laughter are private, a shared joke among a small group, but usually not. More often, people are very happy to share something funny because it gives them an opportunity to laugh again and feed off the humor you find in it. When you hear laughter, seek it out and ask, “What’s funny?”
• Spend time with fun, playful people. These are people who laugh easily–both at themselves and at life’s absurdities–and who routinely find the humor in everyday events. Their playful point of view and laughter are contagious.
• Bring humor into conversations. Ask people, “What’s the funniest thing that happened to you today? This week? In your life?”

Developing your sense of humor: Take yourself less seriously

One essential characteristic that helps us laugh is not taking ourselves too seriously. We’ve all known the classic tight-jawed sourpuss who takes everything with deathly seriousness and never laughs at anything. No fun there!

Some events are clearly sad and not occasions for laughter. But most events in life don’t carry an overwhelming sense of either sadness or delight. They fall into the gray zone of ordinary life–giving you the choice to laugh or not.

Ways to help yourself see the lighter side of life:

• Laugh at yourself. Share your embarrassing moments. The best way to take yourself less seriously is to talk about times when you took yourself too seriously.
• Attempt to laugh at situations rather than bemoan them. Look for the humor in a bad situation, and uncover the irony and absurdity of life. This will help improve your mood and the mood of those around you.
• Surround yourself with reminders to lighten up. Keep a toy on your desk or in your car. Put up a funny poster in your office. Choose a computer screensaver that makes you laugh. Frame photos of you and your family or friends having fun.
• Keep things in perspective. Many things in life are beyond your control—particularly the behavior of other people. While you might think taking the weight of the world on your shoulders is admirable, in the long run it’s unrealistic, unproductive, unhealthy, and even egotistical.
• Deal with your stress. Stress is a major impediment to humor and laughter.
• Pay attention to children and emulate them. They are the experts on playing, taking life lightly, and laughing.

Using humor and play to overcome challenges and enhance your life

The ability to laugh, play, and have fun with others not only makes life more enjoyable but also helps you solve problems, connect with others, and be more creative. People who incorporate humor and play into their daily lives find that it renews them and all of their relationships.

Life brings challenges that can either get the best of you or become playthings for your imagination. When you “become the problem” and take yourself too seriously, it can be hard to think outside the box and find new solutions. But when you play with the problem, you can often transform it into an opportunity for creative learning.

Playing with problems seems to come naturally to children. When they are confused or afraid, they make their problems into a game, giving them a sense of control and an opportunity to experiment with new solutions. Interacting with others in playful ways helps you retain this creative ability.

Here are two examples of people who took everyday problems and turned them around through laughter and play:

As laughter, humor, and play become an integrated part of your life, your creativity will flourish and new discoveries for playing with friends, coworkers, acquaintances, and loved ones will occur to you daily. Humor takes you to a higher place where you can view the world from a more relaxed, positive, creative, joyful, and balanced perspective.

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Ken’s new career as a clown enabled him to pursue his first love – missionary work. He often visited hospitals in deplorable conditions. The sick slept on the floor. Children lay on tattered blood- stained sheets. The laughter his “clown antics” produced made him glad. He prayed for all who gave him permission, but often left the hospital wishing he could help them in a physical way.

A encounter with a printer in Russia set in motion a series of events that fulfilled Ken’s desire. He was smuggling Bibles into Russia in the mid 1980’s when he met Anna and Jairo. Jairo printed gospel tracts in Asian languages. Ken worked with them for a season spreading the gospel in communist countries. After the Berlin Wall fell, Anna and Jairo moved to New Orleans. Their paths crossed again when Anna saw Ken perform at Hope Haven Manor, a home for vulnerable children.

Shorty after the performance at Hope Haven Manor Ken left for Eastern Europe.

 When his missionary work concluded in war-torn Bosnia, Anna invited Ken to return to New Orleans and teach them clowning. Halfway through their instruction Hurricane Mitch destroyed Honduras. Anna suggested using their clowning skills to encourage the people of Honduras but Ken was scheduled to return to Bosnia. He referred Anna to Patrick Ferrell, his long-time associate and friend, to assist them with the Honduras mission trip.

During an appointment at Children’s Hospital, Anna’s son told the staff his mother had become a clown and was going to help the people of Honduras. A nun working at the hospital learned of Anna’s trip and gave her medical supplies. Doctors added to the gift, and Anna soon had forty-eight duffel bags full of supplies.

Anna and Patrick delayed their trip to Honduras until Ken returned from Bosnia. During this time, medical supplies continued to pour in. Duffel bags of medical supplies grew into truckloads of supplies. They lacked the finances to pay for shipping, so Anna called the airlines. They agreed to waive the shipping cost for 300 pounds.

Ken, Anna, Patrick, arrived at the New Orleans International airport to learn Anna’s estimated 300 pounds was 2700 pounds short of the actual shipping weight. A flurry of negotiations later, an airline official decided the flight could handle the extra weight. The missionaries and their supplies boarded the airplane for an uncertain destination. No one had responded to the messages Anna sent to government officials before they departed.

A secretary greeted the missionaries as they exited the plane. The secretary had a van and list of orphanages and hospitals in need of their help. Mary Flake de Flores, the First Lady of Honduras had received one of Anna’s messages. She had started Foundation Maria, so she could do charity work without government funding and she welcomed the arrival of much needed medical supplies.

Six duffel bags were delivered to the first hospital. The hospital director looked through the supplies and named children who could now receive operations. Then she took Ken’s hand and kissed it saying, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“In all the years I had performed, people applauded but never had a beautiful doctor kissed my hand with such gratitude,” said Ken.

The morning after the missionaries returned to New Orleans, Ken opened the Times Picayune to an article about the closing of a local hospital. Anna called Jo Ellen Smith hospital. Her request for donations yielded thirty medical beds, forty wheel chairs, EKG machines, ultra-sound machines and items too numerous to count that were marked for disposal. They had five days to remove the items. Ken called a friend who agreed to provide warehouse space for three weeks. Medical supplies continued to pour in, and they used the warehouse for five years.

“The first trip to Honduras touched Patrick deeply,” said Ken. “We traveled to Honduras with medical supplies for the next three years. We hadn’t plan to start a ministry. Cheer Up Missions just happened. We have made sixty missions trips to impoverished nations. I continue to work professionally as a clown and magician but that is not where my heart is.”

Cheer Up Missions recently acquired a new warehouse. The ministry is in need of volunteers to repair wheelchairs, package medical supplies and sort clothes. If you can be of assistance, contact Kenneth Landriault at 504-421-0266 or 504-421-0348 or email him at cheerup777@aol.com

Ken Landriault is a missionary who works professionally as a clown and magician. He is the co-founder of Cheer Up Missions, which delivers medical supplies to impoverished nations.

Teena L Myers is a freelance writer, editor of NOLA.com’s Faith, Beliefs and Spirituality blog, contributor to Gatherings Magazine and credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God. She lives on the westbank of New Orleans and attends Hosanna Church with her husband who has ministered to children for thirty years. To learn more about Teena and read some of her longer teaching works visit teenalmyers.com

Instead of returning to college, Ken traveled to Puerto Rico. He worked at a school during the day and evangelized during his free time. During his time in Puerto Rico, he discovered a love for teaching and read extensively about education. The following year, the missionaries suggested Ken apply for a home-schooling job with a group of musicians. The group of fifty-six musicians were in Puerto Rico recording Musica Con Sentido (Music With Meaning). They were on the way to Peru to record authentic Latin American music and needed a tutor for their twenty-six children.

Ken applied for the job, but the musicians were reluctant to hire him. He had studied education but did not have a degree. They questioned his ability to teach the first through seventh grade in a one-room setting. Ken explained the difficulty of teaching various grade levels simultaneously and then offered his solution. He would teach the older children how to teach the children in the grade below them guaranteeing individual instruction. The musicians were impressed with Ken’s solution and hired him.

“I loved teaching their children,” said Ken. When the job ended, I obtained a position at a school sponsored by Alejandro. In Peru, the people are extremely poor or extremely wealthy. Alejandro was extremely wealthy. God used him to change the course of my life.”

After watching Ken play games with students that them taught math and spelling, Alejandro approached Ken with an odd request. “I’d like you to run my kid’s Birthday party.”

Birthday parties are a significant event in Peru often including clowns, magicians and bands. Ken had confidence in his ability to teach but was not sure about performing. “What do you want me to do?”

“Just do those games I see you playing with the kids.”

Two weeks before the party, Alejandro approached Ken again. “Did I fail to mention that I want you to come as a clown?”

“Yes, you did,” said Ken. “I’ve never been a clown. That is not an easy thing to do, just transform into a clown. I don’t think I can do that.”

“Ken, with God all things are possible.” Alejandro scribbled on a card. “This is the address to my seamstress. She will make you a costume.”

Ken reluctantly took the card. “What am I suppose to do as a clown?”

“You are a smart man. You will figure it out,” said Alejandro as he walked away.

Ken had his costume, but he spoke limited Spanish and did not have clown make-up, books on clowning or even a clue where to find a magic store. His girlfriend solved the make-up problem with a tube of Desitin Diaper Rash Cream and her red lipstick. Ken covered his face with the bright white cream, accented his lips and eyes with the lipstick and presented himself to Alejandro for approval.

“I don’t want your first performance to be at my birthday party,” said Alejandro. “An orphanage I sponsor is having a Christmas party. You can practice there first.”

Ken walked onto the stage at the orphanage with his Desitin covered face and heard kids shout, “You are the ugliest clown in the world.” Taken back by that first comment, Ken realized he had a “fight on his hands” to win their affections. With enthusiasm and some hilarious “monkey business”, Ken won their hearts.

The next day, Alejandro asked Ken to emcee the orphanages Christmas presentation at a shopping mall. Alejandro had hired an opera singer from Argentina to teach the children how to sing and invited the Minister of Peru to attend. “You did great at the Christmas party,” said Alejandro. “I want you to open with your act, and then emcee the show. They will get a kick out of a gringo who can hardly speak Spanish dressed as a clown. It will be great.”

Two thousand people attended the orphanages presentation. Ken opened the show with what he thought was an appropriate greeting. “Hola Todos” he shouted with bad pronunciation. The crowd was strangely silent. Ken saw a red-faced Alejandro running toward the stage.

“How dare you? That is not funny.”

Perplexed by Alejandro’s anger, Ken exclaimed, “All I said was, ‘Hi, everybody.'”

“No, you said, ‘Hi, you bunch of Indians.'”

Ken leaned forward in his chair and explained to me why Alejandro was angry. “The people in the mall were not Indians. My mispronunciation turned my friendly greeting into a racial slur. Alejandro realized my faulty Spanish was to blame and let me continue. At the end of the show, he told me that I was ready to do his kid’s birthday party.”

The parents loved Ken as much as their children did and gathered around after the party.

“Do you have a business card,” said one of the women.

“No, I don’t do this,” said Ken.

“But you were great,” said another woman. “I would hire you for my party.”

“I don’t do this,” Ken repeated. “I’m a teacher, not a clown.”

“I will pay you $100 an hour.”

Ken had been telling me his story for more than an hour. I handed him a bottle of water. He took a sip and set it on my table. “I was way out in the jungles of Peru where people made $80 a month. I could do one party a month and live comfortably. The offer was too good to turn down.”

Alejandro’s party created a lucrative side business for Ken. To meet the commitments of his flourishing side business he partnered with David, a teacher from the school. David witnessed a impressive performance by a magician at a small circus in the jungle. Believing magic would add another venue to make money, he asked the magician if he gave magic lessons. At one time, the magician had been world famous but lost his career to alcoholism. He told David to bring $100 and a lot of alcohol to his home in Lima, and he would teach them.

Ken and David arrived as excited as two kids attending their first Saints game to discover the magician was drunk. They politely sat in the living room for their first lesson. The magician instructed Ken to cut a piece of rope in half. He then took the rope from Ken and tied it together. “Just like God heals us, I’m going to heal this rope,” said the magician. He wrapped the rope around his hand and blew on it. “You are healed.” The magician unwrapped the rope from his hand; it was still knotted together. Ken frowned at his partner, disappointed by the magician’s performance.

“I’m sorry,” said the magician. “I didn’t say the right words. Give me another chance. “In Jesus name you are healed.” This time the rope was whole. Missing the trick was part of the magicians act, but he did it so well Ken and David thought they had been duped.

The blue-eyed gringo clown who did magic became a phenomenon. Ken traveled all over South America performing for corporations and making commercials. He still uses the rope trick and lipstick. The Desitin Diaper Rash Cream has been replaced.

Ken Landriault is a missionary who works professionally as a clown and magician. He is the co-founder of Cheer Up Missions, which delivers medical supplies to impoverished nations. Email: cheerup777@aol.com

Teena L Myers is a freelance writer, editor of NOLA.com’s Faith, Beliefs and Spirituality blog, contributor to Gatherings Magazine and credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God. She lives on the westbank of New Orleans and attends Hosanna Church with her husband who has ministered to children for thirty years. To learn more about Teena and read some of her longer teaching works visit teenalmyers.com