Last Sunday, Naomi and I took our friends the Keels (Tim was pastor of Jacob's Well in Kansas City) to church at St. Paul's and then for a picnic and walk. We went to our favorite park in Auckland, Cornwall Park with its amazing trees, volcano, flowers, sheep, olive grove, historic home, coffee shop and great trails. The couple on the right, Melinda and Brenden, are in from Canada with Brenden starting the Masters program at Laidlaw.

This week has been a very full week of meetings, sorting, packing. I have donated a big chunk of my library to Laidlaw's library in order to downsize some.

Last night was a "Barbie," a BBQ (everything New Zealand gets shortened--university--uni, a pick up-a ute, utility vehicle, mossie-mosquito and the like). It was with new faculty. It was lots of fun with some outrageous moments of laughter--the good for the soul laughter that goes all the way down to the tips of your toes.

I feel a lot of sadness in not being able to work with these new faculty (as well as our current faculty). Many in ministry here have expressed their regret that we will be leaving. There are many pastors and leaders who are faithfully serving in a difficult climate. Hope runs deep.

Monday and Tuesday I will be leading a retreat with a handful of leaders from around New Zealand to talk about the shape of ministry and theological education in the future. It will be a great time. Thursday is faculty retreat so next week is quite full.

Naomi and I have have loved the people time of recent weeks. In less than three weeks now we will be enroute to the U.S. It is all happening so quickly.

In recent months Naomi and I have been in conversation with friends, medical specialists and other counselors regarding my health. The past three years and particularly the past seven months have been extraordinarily difficult. As I grappled with such significant disability over the past seven months, post diagnosis of the spinal infectionn, we began to talk about the possible need to locate closer to more health care options as well as friends and family. It became apparent that it would be wise to move while I am healthy and to locate in a place that might provide better options for this next season of our lives.

Last week I reluctantly submitted my resignation to Laidlaw College, reluctantly as my leaving feels premature and I love the people with whom I work. We've met so many beautiful people here in New Zealand and discovered many who thirst for authentic life with God. There is a willingness to engage in hard, risky conversations regarding life and faith that is deeply refreshing. In too many circles in American Christianity, to question is to be regarded as suspect--in other words to raise particular questions about faith and the Gospel is viewed as dangerous, questionable. We have loved the open intellectual and spiritual climate of New Zealand though the country is only 5-10% churched. We have also loved the slower pace of life, the simplicity of life, the love of the outdoors and the engagement with relationships.

I am sad to leave the beautiful people that we know but at the same time both Naomi and I are deeply grateful that I have an amazing opportunity. This week ALARM, African Leadership and Reconcilation Ministry announced my appointment as International Director. The U.S. office is located in Dallas, Texas. Those who know me well are aware of my passion for church leaders globally, the continent of Africa and my work in social justice, forgiveness and reconciliation. Two weeks ago I was offered and accepted the position of International Director of ALARM (African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries, www.alarm-inc.org ).

This organization seeks to bring holistic restoration to villages, cities and countries that have been ravaged by tribalism and genocide in sub-Sahara Africa. The U.S. office of this organization is located in Dallas, Texas. I have served as chairman of the board of this organization for five years. My primary responsibilities will be providing leadership for the organization; building relational networks with like-minded churches, individuals and organizations in the U.S. and Europe; fund-raising and leadership/ reconciliation in the U.S. and in Africa. Serving in this position allows me to be near two of the finest spine hospitals in the United States.

Things will unfold rather rapidly. I arrived in New Zealand Monday morning and squeezed a couple of weeks of life into the past six days. (And I have had some great times watching the Australian Open). A big part of our lives is helping new faculty and their families adjust to life in Auckland. Just over two weeks from now, February 16-20 our home will be packed up and the container put on a ship. We will fly from New Zealand to San Francisco on February 26, spend a few days with Ben and then continue on to Dallas.

Thanks for your continued prayers for us as well as for Laidlaw College as they grapple with the changes in leadership.

Many of you have seen Chevy Chase in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. He plays the part of Clark Griswold who leads his family in a disastrous search of Wally World, a theme park. Today on the plane from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, I sat in front of a family of four headed to Disney World and they could have been the Griswold family. The husband was a friendly aw shucks kind of guy and his wife a plump, pleasant doting mother with children, son 14 and daughter 7 who fought over who sat next to the window. I was exhausted and so slept about 2 1/2 hours of the 5 1/2 hour flight. At one point in the flight, mom "griswold" cuts loose with a sneeze that would tear the hair off of a bear. I was sleeping deeply at the time and was so startled, I woke up with arms and legs going all kinds of directions which greatly entertained the "Griswold family." Mama laughed so hard she just about wet herself. The businessman sitting next to me was not amused.

It has been a life-giving trip, from the beginning, November 30 to Perth, then South Africa, the UK, to Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Boise, Weiser, Dallas, Abilene, Dallas, Philadelphia, Dallas, Philadelphi, now to Los Angeles today and Auckland tomorrow. Almost 60,000 kilometers, 14 flights total. I have experienced the deep, abiding, wondrous grace of God--I have traveled better than I could have hoped, had a few medical issues but stayed in good health, most importantly have had great connection and community with family and friends.

Life really is about community, about people. I am richly blessed by great friends and gracious, gifted children. Naomi is amazing, my best friend and life companion. Our daughter, Rebekah, starts her new job in Dallas, Texas today. Ben continues at his job in San Francisco. As young adults they are growing and developing. It is exciting to see them in this stage of life.  Walt and Denise Coyle have generously kept me in their home the past several weeks, which has become my home away from home.

I look forward to seeing my friends and colleagues at Laidlaw although it is bittersweet with greetings and then quick goodbyes. Two weeks after I arrive, I lead a conversational retreat with select faculty and pastoral leaders regarding the future of ministry training in a post-Christian context. The following week, I lead a pastoral training event, February 17 in Auckland. That same week the relocation company comes in and packs our home with the loading taking place on Friday, February 19. Naomi and I will stay in a small studio apartment on campus the next two weeks.

Friday evening, February 26, we fly to San Francisco with a couple of days there with Ben (and to break up the journey). Then March 1 we arrive in Dallas for the start of this new chapter in life. Again, more on that later.

I have not blogged regularly in the last month . . . . more of a vacation from the blog. My return to New Zealand was delayed by dental surgery and the precautions taken regarding my risk for infection. I have been cleared for travel and will begin my way back to New Zealand on Friday, overnighting in Los Angeles then flying out Saturday night, arriving strangely on Monday morning (with the international date line).

I visited Calvary tonight and was encouraged to see many friends. This visit has been a good process of bringing closure or working towards closure in a number of ways.

Over the past several months Naomi and I have been in conversation with trusted friends, colleagues and medical personnel regarding my long term care with a neuro-stimulator implant, my increased disability and risk of infection. We have made the decision to leave New Zealand, reluctantly leaving Laidlaw College and the many wonderful people at the college and at our church, St. Paul's Anglican. Naomi and I have always stayed in places for a long while and our departure honestly feels and is premature. The medical difficulties of the past 7 months in particular but realistically the past four years have taken a significant toll. We felt the need to relocate while I am able to work fulltime and get insured versus potentially having another debilitating episode overseas.

God has been so kind to us in this season of life. The deep struggles have been a refining fire for both of us. We are looking forward to moving to Dallas, Texas, a warmer climate than Philadelphia though we would love to live near friends and family. I have an opportunity that will become public in a few days. We are both praying for God's grace and strength in the days ahead. The next five weeks will pass quickly. Our home will be packed up in mid-February and at the end of February, we will fly to the U.S.

We ask for prayer during this unexpected time of change and prayer for Laidlaw College as my leaving leaves a gap right at the beginning of a new school year.

An unexpected joy is that Rebekah, independently had decided to move to Dallas, so we will be close by each other. We are excited about that.