My friends, my family.
What a gift it is to be your pastor, serving here on your behalf! We arrived early Friday morning and have already done a lot of connecting with the pastors here. By the time of this writing on Saturday night, we had already met with three of the pastors and stopped in at Lanka Bible College to pick up some materials for the class that Dan Sheffield will be teaching in Colombo in our final days here. We have a very full itinerary, but if you would join us with prayer I know that God will afford us the strength to see through these plans- our intention is to visit every church or in the Free Methodist movement while here... Good thing Pastor Jey got here a bit earlier, as the connecting he did during the week prior to our arrival makes this visitation goal attainable. Vonda has received the updated itinerary and will be happy to get it to you if you want to be specific as a prayer partner.
Please pray for unity within the movement here. There are some issues that have crept in which threaten to bring division between some of the leaders here. As can happen in pretty much anything where people are concerned, problems with communication and trust pose some threat to the foundation that has been lain these past five years. We are working very hard to listen carefully and share discerningly, and are very pleased to have the opportunity to meet with all prior to the Board of Administration meeting that is to take place on February 26, our final day in Colombo.
I have been asked by the denomination to write a chronicle of the Tsunami story, beginning on boxing day, 2004 and culminating with the handing over of the first relief houses. Although this is an overwhelming task, I consider it an honour to be asked to write it. We are also doing some shooting for an accompanying documentary film on this topic. Being that Northview has been so involved in this story from the beginning, I am very excited about the project.
The political climate here is cooler than it has ever been during my visits. I am grateful to God for this, as it represents the answers to many prayers on many different levels. As you pray prayers of thanksgiving for this, please continue to remember to lift this country and its people up. The civil war dragon still considers this place its realm and this people to be its subjects- we received some bad news again today, and although we continue to travel in the shadow and shelter of the hand of God, I long for a time when the whole country enjoys the same peace.
Tomorrow we will worship in the Nawalapathiya church where Jared, Shalene, Vonda, Devon, Mark and I served during the first days of our trip in August, 2007. I think it's fair to say that "Godwin says Hi!" to you all. Ask those who have been here what that means.
Bless and be blessed
d
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