Not Enough to do!

I got a ticket for my wife to come home on Dec. 14 and arrives on the 15th. I tried to get her to come home with Deniece on the 22nd of December, but there were no seats. With the travel agent we began to work our way backwards in time and finally we found one seat on the 14th. When I told her, she said she was so glad. If she would have had to wait till the 22nd, she said she would have cried. I told her to hold her tears. I've been crying for months and nobody cares.

On the way to Brazil, I read a book called "Left to Tell." It is the story of a girl who spent three months in a small bathroom with six other women during the Rwanda genocide. On the way back from Brazil, I watched a PBS documentary on the Rwandan genocide. So heart breaking. Yet, there was heroism among the few and a strong connection with God with some. It was both inspiring and maddening by fits and starts. I recommend both the book and the documentary.

Romeo Aggio is dead. As far as I can tell, he was having headaches for a couple of weeks. One day, he suffered a stroke while driving and drove into a field. Apparently, he never came to. He died in hospice. The conference secretary who told Patty LaVanture said that Romeo was in great shape and was very careful with his diet, et al. Go figure!

My dear energetic Vice-president, Leasa, organized for me to preach three sermons at the Nation ASI Convention in Sacramento, CA next August. The last time I preached at ASI, I told myself I shouldn't preach there again. It is just too stressful. But, how can a President say no to his VP? She wants me to preach on Righteousness by Faith and the Third Angel's Message. Her question a few weeks ago was: Why does EGW say the 3rd Angel's Message is R by F in verity and all our evangelists do is preach on the Mark of the Beast. Where is the R by F in the Third Angel? Now you must pray for me. It would be good if I could prepare the three sermons before Xmas. Then, I need them printed in a booklet to hand out at ASI. Doesn't that sound like a plan? (All Leasa's ideas. The Lord sent her because I didn't have enough to do.)

Brazilian Adventure

I'm home. I've been all the way to Brazil and back. I didn't think Brazil was so far, but it took me 33 hours to get there and probably longer coming back. That is as long as it takes me to go to my wife's project in Africa. I was a great trip, if you don't mind discomfort--overnight travel, long lay overs, extreme heat, fire ants, canker on my tongue, sleeping on a foam that gradually became nothing in about ten minutes, etc.

In the Sao Paulo airport, I could have rented a room to sleep called Sleep Fast. Not a bad idea when you have ten hours to spare and you flew all night, except that it cost $49. (Forty nine dollars for the first hour, that is.) I saw young couples coming out of there. Must be someone thought of another way to make renting the rooms worthwhile.

The project on the Amazon river was impressive. Not the project so much, maybe, the young people running it. They bought this beautiful property for $225,000 without a penny in their pockets, and paid it off in five months. The leader, Brad Mills, is married to David Gate's daughter, Lena. They have two little boys. I am wonderfully impressed with their dedication and balanced, intelligent approach to ministry. The Lord is blessing them greatly.

They operate three mission boats on the Amazon river. They've interested 200 Brazilian professionals--docs, nurses, radiologist, dentists etc.-- to volunteer from mission trips into the interior. Now they are part of OCI's network of missions and I deem them worthy of our support.

I went with the purpose of speaking at a convention-like weekend four times. I ended up speaking six times. I had prepared three messages on Medical Missionary work and preached only two of them. I believe the Lord led me to touch other subjects. The Lord gave us a very spiritual weekend. The people are very friendly, good looking, intelligent and fun loving. Of course, the Adventist involved in this project are upper-middle class professionals. Much of the country reminded me of Dar Es Salaam, or Santo Domingo--steamy hot, sewers running down the streets, tropical fruit growing everywhere, children playing soccer on every street corner etc. The young ladies are beautiful. The older ladies still dress like they were beautiful. I guess it is too hot to dress otherwise. Last year, the Amazon river experienced its biggest flood on record, something like 50 or 60 feet above normal. This year, they set the record in the opposite direction. The waters have never been so low.

All in all, the trip was worth it, even though, I left my cell phone, pen and little note book in a motel in Miami. It was still worth it. The cell phone is coming by UPS. It's still kind of early right now, but I think I'll go to bed anyway. Tomorrow, I must speak at assembly. Yuk! As in rare cases, I haven't a thing prepared and I don't even feel like trying. Tomorrow, God will fill my mouth, just watch.

Love to all.

Little Newsy things

In two days I fly to Brazil. I was asked by Markus Yaudas to take his spot in speaking at a small convention in Manaus. That normally would be a rest of sorts, except that I fly a red-eye overnight to Brazil and I get the privilege of waiting or sightseeing in Sao Paulo for ten or eleven hours the next day. I hope I am in shape to preach on Friday and Sabbath. I return on Monday. I've never been to Brazil. I anticipate an exciting adventure, maybe.

I was talking to Julie the other day. She's got all kinds of news, but hasn't got time to blog, so I get to scoop her this time. 1. Caleb was baptized on Sabbath. Ziggy would like to be baptized also, but his mom convinced him that he is too young still. Jacob is sure he isn't ready. Caleb is still looking forward to going to Africa next year with me. 2. Julie and Art bought a house north of Whitehorse, two and one half acres juxtaposed against a game park. 3. Janice Schnurr is visiting at Julie's for a couple of weeks. 4. Julie says the first Bruce's airplane was found. The only trouble is, they found it ten years ago and they tried to keep it quiet. Finally, the cat was let out of the bag. Go figure! 5. Julie says that Champ just got out of the hospital after having appendicitis surgery. I hope he contacts me soon about preaching at his church. I'm thinking of getting my wife a ticket for late November if he does.

More news:

a) Apparently, Jason Aggio called Patty LaVanture to tell her that his dad, Romeo, had a major stroke. Not expected to live.

b) I attended a meeting by Lewis Walton at Campian last Sabbath afternoon. Very good. I'm convinced the economy will not rebound. I believe we have entered the beginning of the small time of trouble.

c) We have a doctor from Poland with us at EVI. Yesterday, I invited her and Mavis Nusser to the Zoo in Denver. It took four hours to go through that Zoo. It was 80 degrees. Summer persists in Colorado.

A few minutes ago, I rec'd a phone call from Kim Busl. He sits on a search committee looking for a president for the EBS school in Norway. The call was for Leasa Hodges. She doesn't think God calls a person to one place only to uproot her to another before the job is done. Amen!

There are several search committees busy these days. One for the president of OCI, EVI, Kibidula, and EBS. Want a job?? Apply here.

Talk Too Much

Easy week. We are in the middle of a good lifestyle session (fifteen guests). One little scare: A lady slipped in the fever tank and her son threatened to sue?? The next day, she was fine. Leasa hurt her back. Sometimes she can hardly walk. We can't afford for her to be hurt. The weather has turned cold, but not unseasonable. Leasa, Leonard, Roger Hatch, the Maranatha Chief builder, and I went to visit a retirement center in Denver. We wanted to see what our new Lifestyle Center will potentially look like. I was suppose to wire my wife $20,000 and I misfired. I'll send it Monday. She needed it sooner than that.

In 12 days I leave for Brazil. I'm stressed a little over the fact that I still need three more sermons. On the other hand, the Lord never lets me down. So, I'll see what He does.

Today, I drove the lifestyle guests to visit the Celestial Seasoning factory. It'a beautiful place and quite enlightening--Canada is its biggest foreign market; Sleeytime Tea is its hottest seller; this one factory supplies the whole world.; and white, green, and black tea are all bad for you, because the difference is only in the amount of caffeine.

I learned something, being a leader. The only way to win a war is to avoid one. Because of the Board Meeting, things necessarily need to get adjusted. When people are asked to leave, it is always painful. People are not asked to leave without a reason, but the discussing of it can easily turn into an accuse and counter accuse situation. Why do we think in terms of blame? It isn't always someone's fault. In any case, there are adjustments to be made. Now, here is what I learned: "Where there are many words, there is no want of sin." This is a paraphrase of a Bible verse in Proverbs, I think. It's so true. I had to apologize this week because I am not faultless in my dealing with people. I talk too much. Do you?

So says the Preacher to his tribe.

Bummer

I hate to extend the time between blogs too long. If everyone is like I am, then everyone gets frustrated when they hear little to nothing.

We had a Convention on the weekend. Pastor Peter Neri from the Paradise Church in Las Vegas spoke. I believe he is the best speaker we've had. Very, very spiritual and his messages are wonderfully applicable. The attendance didn't seem to be as many as last year, nevertheless, we had a great group of people. I sensed the Lord's blessing.

On Sunday, we had a Board Meeting. It is perhaps one of the most stressful boards I've attended. I usually find a board meeting stressful when I get beat up, but this time I didn't get beat up. It is just that I came to the place where I felt I couldn't go any farther with one of my departments, and it meant asking someone to leave. With some people, esp. the people you appreciate the most as friends, it is so hard. These kinds of situations do not promote good relationships. In any case, I dug in my heels and did what I genuinely felt I had to do. I prayed so much about this and I saw no other solution.

Afterward, we drove to DayStar Academy. The board there was a breadth of fresh air. The new leader has arrived on campus. This year's students are beautiful and easygoing. The farm invested $31k and expects to gross $110k when the 12,000 bales of hay are sold. I am greatly encouraged. Daniel Butler and Stephen Leach were on the board as invitees. They were both voted in as members. Daniel wants to pray about it. I enjoyed the contributions they made.

We have a new Lifestyle Session going on. This group seems so quiet compared to the group we had last month. This will be a rest for us.

News:

Linda Horner is courting Michael "Tigh-tee". He is a Wildwood-ite. I had breakfast with him last April. He is very well groomed, looks like a businessman, and gives me the impression of being just a little exacting. Perhaps I'm wrong. I wish them well.

Michelle and Yuli are with me one more day. We've had a good time. The kids and I are the best of friends, i.e. the big kids and the little kids too. We were talking this morning and Yuli says he's like to come back and stay too months next year. I appreciate the whole gang. I think Yuli is convicted that he needs to do something more than he is doing for Jesus, besides leaving the big city.

Talked to my Lover this morning. She is sorry that she can't come in November. Some woman is coming from the Yukon to be with her. She was doubly sorry when I told her I might be doing a series of meetings in the Soo, in November. Boy, what a bummer. Otherwise, all is well with her and me. Bummer!