Network Gathering Next Weekend / Potential New Staff Member Visiting

A cool opportunity to attend a meeting of like-minded people - focused on a place I really care about - just dropped into my lap! I was invited to the meeting months ago. I kept the invitation but had no compelling 'excuse' to go. This week that changed.

The sending agency I'm now part of needed a representative; they want to begin work in this much-overlooked little country... one that it just so happens has a special place in my heart and history. I spent three months there doing research in 1994. Have tracked with developments in the years since, though not as closely as I would like.

Recent changes in the region may provide new opportunities to get in and serve these people.
Next weekend I hope to find out.

Managed to get a last-minute ticket from Denver to LA for just over $300. Our organization's leaders for the region are going to pick up the expense.

It is rather nice to have the freedom to do this sort of thing, to just jump on a plane and go. With Deb out of town I'll need to find someone to look after the dog and water the plants, but that's about it.

Another interesting ministry development:

I've had several conversations with a young woman who is quite interested in joining our staff and being part of the same kind of work I've been doing, helping out with ethnographic research projects.

This weekend she's catching a ride out to Colorado from the Midwest and will spend all day Tuesday in our office checking out what it would be like to be part of our team.

I'm a little reluctant, embarrassed, hesitant - after all we've been through, our community spirit has been pretty shattered! If she really sees how messed up we are, what is she going to think? I've tried to be honest with her about that but don't want to scare her away entirely!

Personality-wise, I think she's the type that could do really well in our kind of environment.

Pray for Emily's visit, that it might be encouraging and illuminating.