ACTION Philippine Council Meetings

September 28, 2007

Our field's Council, made up of qualified missionaries, and I just finished a two day retreat at our new guesthouse located at ACTION's 2nd Mile campus. We tackled several items such as spreading out my workload, we tweaked our field's organizational chart, assisted Mary Ann think through several sending and receiving issues and discussed ministry plans for the future.

I told Mary Ann on the way home yesterday that it was a personal blessing to see, hear and feel the responsibility and love that each Council member has for the Philippines, ACTION's ministries and their team mates. We had rich fellowship with each other over meals and when we reached sticky points in our discussions we had a common mind to work together to find a way forward which we did.

David Huang, a member of our Board of Trustees and a long-time member of the Union Church of Manila, facilitated our deliberations and did a great job. David is retired from a career in business and is highly respected both in the business and church communities. David's years of business and church experience along with being a dedicated follower of Christ has earned him the respect of our team.

Mary Ann and I went to 2nd Mile early to visit with Carl and Lisa Loewen and their four boys so we had a delicious meal with them. They are a lovely family and doing a great job leading our Honest Hands discipleship ministry for former street boys. Our other supper was a pot-luck with the Council, the Loewens, Barb Burchert who heads ACTION's Mustard Seed discipleship-vocational training ministry for out-of-school young women and Ken Blader who teaches at CGM's Jabez Christian School. The food was excellent and the fellowship rich.

I've served as this team's executive field director for six years and now I'm in my third three year term. Prior to that I've served as Officer-in Charge and Interim Director so I have a unique and privileged view of our team's history and development. I can genuinely say I'm proud of each missionary and staff member and love them for their sacrificial love for the Lord, His church, the Gospel and each other.