I am in Lisbon for the annual CA leadership summit. Every year we gather for encouragement, training, relational connectedness and organisational development. It is a high point in my year: getting a healthy dose of sun-shine when winter in Northern Europe will still keep sun and warmer temperatures away for another to or three months; friends who understand exactly what you are going through because they are going through it too, and an ever-developing understanding of church planting are three things that make this leadership summit such a wonderful experience.
Unfortunately Sophie is not with me this year. Joshua, Judah and Joel have vacation -- and we could simply not find another solution. So, I am going, Sophie has our three boys, plus Bobby Dyck and Noah, a small infant we care for a couple of days a week. I have left a card for her for every day as well as some presents.
Someone who did come with me is Dave Hund. Dave and his wife Eef are getting to know CA. I invited Dave to come get to know us. It is one thing to understand the mission and vision and values of an organisation - but it is the community of people you either want to join or not. I think CA is an organisation just like any other: it has its problems and challenges, but what makes me want to stay part of CA is the community. I belong here: there are friends, comrades, brothers (and sisters!)-in arms.
Picture above: the hotel where we re staying. Nice, eh? The waves ome all the way around, creating some spectacular sights!
A public thanks Rogier. I've had a good week of getting to know CA (and yourself) better and I am impressed.
Who knows what might come of it eh? ;-)
One thing that came from it was the desire to grapple with the Gospel afresh (http://missionalways.com/journal/).
Oh, and the desire to have the ability to take pictures like yours... :-)
Other highlights include getting to know heaps of cool people and burning my skull in the Portugese sun...
Posted by: Dave Hund | Monday, March 03, 2008 at 11:07 PM