Conference, newsletter, orphan care manual: losing mine for the voiceless

Last Sunday Grace Church Eden Prairie concluded it's weeklong missions conference. Mary Ann and I spoke in a Sunday school class that was new to us so we got to know several new people which was good. In the afternoon I preached in the Latino service which had people from 13 Latino countries, Japan, the US and Hong Kong. It was a great time! Also this week we wrote our 4th quarter 4-page hardcopy "Yes, Lord!" newsletter including a prayer card and I wrote the first draft of my assigned chapter called "networking and resourcing" for an orphan care manual ACTION's children-in-crisis task force is producing. There are no shortcuts in writing. It requires prayer, sitting down with a blank piece of paper and a pen (or a computer screen), having something to write then getting after it till it's done. After 32 years of writing newsletters it doesn't get any easier but it's well worth the time and expense. Since returning to Minneapolis from Tel Aviv October 28 I've had a bothersome cold. After last Sunday's ministry I had very little voice left so I hope I have a stronger voice for this Sunday's ministry which is speaking in Sunday school and preaching during the worship service. I'm losing my voice as I advocate for the voiceless.