November 1, 2007

I left at midnight tonight for my annual pilgrimage to the Philippine Islands. I've been going there every year since 1998 to speak at Pastors Conferences for the pastors and leaders of our 2100 churches in the Philippines. Each year I travel to 2 or 3 venues to teach about pastoral leadership. Because of the 16 hour time change I left on Thursday and arrived on Saturday!. This year I am doing 4 Conferences. . After a brief visit to Cebu, I went to Davao where a strong group of pastors from our largest district registered. Because I've been to Davao in the Mindanou region so many times I have many friends there. My seminar this year was on How to Grow a Healthy Church. We had a wonderful time of learning and visiting together. Although I did teach morning, afternoon and evening I was able to pay a visit to a couple of squatter villages with one of the Bible college students. Its such an honor to walk through their mud streets and visit people in their shacks made of any scraps they can find. I am always greeted with smiles and invitations to eat or pray with them.