Melvin Henderson receives dozens of messages from all over the world. Bit by bit, he’ll try to answer these in this column. Watch for new installments.

To Yuji:
Thank you for your best wishes, Yuji. People like you make me work even harder to achieve my goal. Please watch me in the in 2001. I am biggger than I was in the portfolio pictures.

To Jerome:
Yeah, I was lucky. But don't feel sorry about my lost leg. All I ask is for the same fair opportunities in life that the next man has. Two thirds of being "disabled" is in the mind. Thank you for caring.

To Mark:
Mark, I hope that you've learned that smiling will bring out the joy in life and help you understand that you are really blessed. Thank you for your e-mail. Please stay in touch.

To Mike:
Sorry to hear about Simon's accident. It is very important to show him love and caring. After Simon has trained for a while, please suggest to him that he come over to Oakland next year for the Internet contest and see if he can beat me.

To Alquirn:
I'm very sorry I took so long to answer your message. But please keep in your mind that God is good. And keep me in your prayers, too, and I'll keep you in mine. God bless me and you both. Please stay in touch. Let me know how you are doing.

To Cleo:
Thank you, Cleo for your beautiful comment. When I hear things like what you wrote, this inspires me to work even harder to make the best in me come out. Thank you for your nice comments. I hope this day is a blessed one for you.

To Francis:
Hello, Francis, how are you doin' today? Blessed, I hope. As we both know, you and I are blessed just to be alive. It doesn't make any difference what our situation may be, 'long as we're still living. We still have a chance to keep going strong. Keep your head up and stand tall.

To Peter:
Yes, you're right about how they never have a picture of a one-legged bodybuilder in the magazines. But just stick around. One day I will change that. At first I wanted to kill the person who shot me because of all the pain and problems that he caused in my life. But day in and day out, praying to God ghave me the strength to go on with my life. To continue on, I had to forgive the person who shot me. Believe me, that wasn't easy.

To Chris:
I'll have more photos soon. I'll be bigger than I was in the last ones, too. Just wait and see.

To Richard:
I really appreciate your e-mail. I keep telling people that messages like the ones they are sending really inspire me. Because of you and people like you, I keep going.

To Mike:
How are you doing? Fine, I hope. Thank you for your comment, which I really take as a lovely compliment. I'm straight, not gay, but I sincerely appreciate your admiration. I hope I have not hurt your feelings.