On Holy Ground

A few things on my mind and my heart this morning and I would like to share them for prayer. Here is a summary:

1. Bob Fukumoto in hospital again with post surgery complications. (He donated a kidney to his nephew)
2. Gerry Fowler taking the funeral for his mother-in-law today (Sat.)
3. Thankful for a good meeting with Stephen Freed and some of my leadership team
4. Thankful for good board meeting and great board members at ITCA
5. Thinking/planning/praying ahead of ILT meetings this next week

It is a beautiful summer-like Saturday morning and Yvonne is away with an old and dear friend, so I have some quiet time to reflect and pray. Once again, we have come through a very productive and powerful week of life, work, ministry and relationships.

We had our ITCA Annual Meeting and Board meetings on Wed. and, the Annual Meeting is when the audit of the prior year's books is reviewed. Thanks to some great work by our team, we had a good and clean audit which, is never taken for granted. With a lot of growth and mobilization last year, we find ourselves in the tightest cash position we have experienced in years. Again, thanks to good people, good leadership decisions and great teamwork, we are making adjustments that should reduce this stress but, it will take us the balance of this year to address these issues.

Stephen Freed (International Director) joined me and some of my leadership team on Thurs for a broad ranging discussion on organizational, philosophical and historical matters relating to our mutual commitment excellence in mission and effective missionary mobilization and deployment. It was a good time and my team said they learned a few things. Stephen and I both commented that it felt a bit like old times. Thanks Stephen.

Friday our team of business and ITCA leaders gathered for an Africa reunion and debrief. What a great group! We laugh easily, share our lives and even the tears come as we look at pictures, see names in print and remember the people who impacted us. We gathered for an evening presentation at Pastor Bill Horne's church and that too was meaningful. I positioned myself so I could see Enoch (former refugee) during the presentation and his face would light up with joy as he saw pictures of his old friends and former home. I was touched by his spontaneous response to go stand by Pastor Bill and ask if he could say a word of thanks to his church. With sincerity and elegance, he thanked his new church of brothers, sister, mothers, fathers and grandparents. We stood on holy ground last evening as we witnessed the transforming power of Jesus in this man. And, Bill's church has been transformed by the presence of these African 'former' refugees.

As the Africa presentation was ending I got a call from Gary Sharpe who was at the home of Bob and Jan Fukumoto. He said, "Neil, its not good, Bob is in rough shape." Bob will have more tests in hospital today, but he is in a great deal of pain post the surgery two weeks ago when he donated a kidney to his nephew. There are complications with the blood flow to the bowel and it is quite serious. Please pray with us for Bob (and Jan and family).

Gerry Fowler joined us for much of this week although, he had to get back home Thurs night so he missed the Africa Team reunion and, we missed Gerry. I'm amazed at the time Gerry gives to IT and thankful for his deep commitment and experiential wisdom. Those of us on the ILT will see Gerry next week, as he makes his next investment into our lives and ministry. Today however, he is with Betsi and the extended family, being husband, dad, grand dad, friend and pastor. Betsi's mom 'graduated' to glory this week and the family asked Gerry, the eloquent and sometimes emotional speaker, to conduct the funeral. We will pray with you Gerry and "give 'em heaven!"

Thanks for reading, thanks for caring and thanks for praying. I'm reminded this morning ... "No one does this alone."

Blessings today,
Neil