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We have been on home assignment since the middle of August. As part of our time in the northern hemisphere, we participated in the Global Summit, a gathering of leaders from all our North American Baptist mission fields. We had a great time reconnecting with our colleagues as we heard from missiologist Dr. Evelyn Hibbert, the editor-in-chief of Evangelical Missionary Quarterly and the director of the Angelina Noble Centre. She did a great job in leading us to think more deeply about why and how we do missions. We also spent extended time in small groups processing all we were learning.
At the peace wall in Belfast, Northern Ireland
This event took place at the YWAM base in Rostrevor, Northern Ireland. We also spent a day touring Belfast and learning about “The Troubles” between Catholics and Protestants. The evening before this tour day, we attended an open-mic night at the YWAM base, where local people shared their talents. A retired Protestant man shared a poem he had written about the challenges of marrying his Catholic wife amid the conflict. This made the next day even more poignant to see the wall – a symbol of both the divide and, at the same time, a source of protection, as the gates are still closed each night.
We have attended several missions conferences on home assignment this time around. We were at the Steer Conference in Bismarck, North Dakota, representing NAB missions at the beginning of October. Then, we participated in the three Alberta mission conferences. We really enjoyed being with our mission colleagues once again, hearing their reports. We have one more big trip to British Columbia before heading back to Brazil.
We look forward to being back home again, reuniting with our dog, Stella, and being back with our colleagues, church, and students for a few weeks. I, Lyndell, will be back in the new year for three more months of home assignment. Paulo will join me as he is able.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUING PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT!