Launching into a New Year
Can you believe it's February already? We hope you had a good Christmas season. We had a great Christmas at home and we enjoyed having our kids around at various times. We even had snow to celebrate Christmas.
Celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary, 2 and a half years late, was a real treat for us. We got to go away. We didn't go and do work and tack a couple days on the end. We went away to the Dominican Republic for a few days just to celebrate us and all that God has done for us! It was lovely to enjoy some sun and warm weather in the middle of Canadian winter!
Looking back
In the latter part of the year we mentioned that we had a variety of meetings and trips taking us to the USA for Board meetings, travel to the Middle East, visiting our team in France, connecting with the International leadership team as well as facilitating ministry planning in Kenya.
We are very grateful that each of those connections was profitable and we see God's hand at work in the many interactions and conversations that we were able to be part of. We are also very grateful for safe travel and good technology that allows us to remain connected while at home.
Andrea also had an extra busy few months as she had extra responsibilities while her supervisor Helen was on sabbatical. She is grateful that it went well and that Helen has returned!
The Kenya team we got to work with
2023 off and running
Following our anniversary vacation many things are demanding our attention.
In early February Phil participated in the World Evangelical Alliance Mission Commission Global Consultation in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It was great to meet with mission leaders from different organizations around the world and discuss 'Our Future Mission'. From there he took the opportunity to visit another of our teams in the region and provided some training and input to their leadership and Board.
At the end of February Andrea is spending a week with Helen in Ethiopia to help the leadership their work through their personnel team needs. A few days later Phil heads to Board of Governors meetings and other key leadership meetings followed by a visit with another team to help with strategic ministry planning before he gets home.
In April we are anticipating travelling together to spend time with a partner mission in Europe, our Middle East colleagues at their Spiritual Life Conference and then time with Phil's Executive Team colleagues at their annual retreat.
May sees Phil joining the Treasurers consultation as well both of us starting off a new mentoring relationships as part of SIM's leader development initiative.
In the midst of all that, there is a lot of routine work as we seek to serve our leaders through virtual connections. We are also engaging with the integrated global systems implementation that Phil is spear-heading that we mentioned back in September. That work is continuing and demanding our time, especially for Andrea as she has a significant role in the new people management aspect.
Family update
We remain thankful for the privilege of living close (ish) to our young adult children, Liam has moved about 75 mins away to London Ontario for his job as a Sustainability Coordinator but his girlfriend is still in Waterloo so we see him regularly. Cara is enjoying her co-op job (Jan through Aug) at the University of Waterloo and has secured housing close to campus that will serve her well when she again switches in September from employee to student. Kieran and Mackenzie are still living and working close by. Kieran is keeping busy working full time and taking courses as part of an online Masters of Divinity through Tyndale Seminary.
Prayer Corner
Praise God
for safe travels and very profitable connections through end of year travels.
that covering for Helen's sabbatical went well for Andrea.
for great family times together at Christmas.
that we could go away and celebrate our 25th anniversary!
for Cara's co-op job and housing.
Pray
for stamina, health and safety for us in travel.
that Andrea will serve other personnel coordinators well so that SIM's workers are well cared for.
that Phil will have wisdom to engage well with entities as they plan ministries.
for the Board of Governors meetings and other leadership meetings.
for our April retreats with Middle East as well as Executive Team colleagues.
for wisdom for Kieran as he continues his MDiv studies.
Thank you for journeying with us,
Andrea and Phil