Elsie and I returned today from Cincinnati in the USA. We have had a fascinating month in the US with a whole combination of different activities. It was partly designed as holiday but also very much a working trip. Here was what we were trying to do
- Pete and Fiona's wedding reception in Atlanta.
- A Kauffman family holiday at a ranch in Colorado.
- A one-week course in training for leadership matters at Minneapolis.
- A week with OM's International Executive Committee.
- Four days with Fiona in Cincinnati (Pete was away) where they'll be living for the next year.
Whenever we could we also wanted to squeeze in time with those who love and support us and believe in what God has called us to do.
Reception in Atlanta
The reception in Atlanta was a great success with many from the Hicks family attending and a good contingent from Elsie's wider family, many of whom drove down a full day's drive from Pennsylvania.
Ranch holiday in Gypsum Colorado
Through the wonderful kindness of OM supporters, the Wilson family, we were able to have access to a 18 bed ranch in Colorado for a week. We took full advantage of this and were able to put together a whole lot of Elsie's family from different parts of the US. 24 of us came together and had a great time of fellowship, walking, games of Scrabble and Risk. Since Elsie married me and we have chosen to base ourselves more UK than in North America, it means that we often do not get together with her family for long periods. Whenever there is an opportunity we grasp it with both hands. God is so good and his people so often demonstrate his generosity of spirit.
One thing which could have spoiled the holiday was an accident which happened to one of the little girls -- Tabitha Joy came off the road on her bicycle and hit a tree at high speed. She broke her thighbone and also a cheekbone and had to be airlifted by helicopter from the high Rockies town of Leadville to a major Children's Hospital in Denver in Colorado. By God's grace Tabitha well on the way to recovery. Although it made for a lot of extra work and worry and prayer, overall it did not in any way ruin the holiday together. We were just so thankful that it was not a spinal injury or brain damage. Bones do mend and remarkably quickly in young children.
Leadership Matters training in Minneapolis
As our children begin to leave home and move out to the regions beyond Elsie and I are looking at ways that we can do things together. For so many years I have had to travel alone and Elsie has been left with the children. Neither of us have particularly enjoyed this that it has been what God has called us to. Leadership Matters Course is just such an opportunity to work together. At the moment we are only doing one caution a year which takes approximately three weeks by the time we have travelled out and back. These courses are a fantastic opportunity to spend quality time with 36 young leaders, trying to share with them some of the lesson is that God has taught us. The aim of the course is developing skills in them rather than communicating knowledge. It is just the sort of course and I would have loved as a young Field leader. We were very much thrown in at the deep end and allowed to sink or swim as God-gave us grace. We will be going out to India for a two-week course in late November and early December. The skills of training well have to be learned. This course in Minneapolis was an opportunity to grow in the skills training. Wonderful!
International Executive Committee and Dedication of the New US Building
In the week of the 13th of September we were back again in Atlanta for four days of International Executive Committee meetings followed by the opening of a new wing of OM USA headquarters. It was wonderful to have Elsie able to attend one of these meetings with me. Almost inevitably I have not been able to communicate fully in the past what they are all about and she has not had the privilege of meeting a number of those that I work with in this way.
Four days with Fiona in Cincinnati
Fiona and Pete are settling in Cincinnati for the next year. They are making a new start for their life together and have decided to link up with a very good community-based church in Cincinnati. The unusual thing about this churches that many of the people involved have artistic talents. The Lord has given them a building that they can have such things as Art and Music studios - and it was remarkable together testimonies of a number of them who feel for the first time they are able to express the whole artistic side of their nature in worship to God. It was so good to see Fiona and to meet a lot of her new friends.
Alison heads for Iran
In two weeks Ali flies out to Tajikistan for some training before moving to Iran for six months. She is going to be based in Bam where there was a devastating earthquake a year ago. 90% of all the houses in Bam were destroyed. Almost everyone lost family members. Ali is really looking forward to this opportunity and continues to seek God from the longer term direction. The fact that she is able to go for the six months means that our work in Iran does not have to close.
Tomorrow I leave for Denmark for four days of meetings concerning financial development. These are our attempts to become better and thanking those who stand with us through giving financially strong . I hope after my return from that I will have time to catch up and get my feet on the ground.
I had very little sleep last night and so I'm probably not making a lot of sense. It might be best for me to close. For anyone who reads this and to praise for us we are incredibly grateful. Thank you so much for standing us.
Mike and Elsie
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