New Assignments!
I’d like to tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a little boy who woke his parents up in the night and told them he was supposed to go to Africa…. The end.
I know that story seems to end a bit early. Frankly, while I’m one who loves stories, and loves to tell them, I’ve never cared much for the ones that seem to have no ending – or rather, the ones which kind of leave you hanging… but that is exactly our story.
Just this morning, while I was thinking about the most recent chapter of our story, I received an email with the following quote from Oswald Chambers:
There comes the baffling call of God in our lives also. The call of God can never be stated explicitly; it is implicit. The call of God is like the call of the sea, no one hears it but the one who has the nature of the sea in him. It cannot be stated definitely what the call of God is to, because his call is to be in comradeship with himself for his own purposes, and the test is to believe that God knows what he is after. (My Utmost for His Highest, emphasis added)
Coincidence of timing? Absolutely not!
It’s been over 40 years since I woke my parents up that chilly night in Houston, and the story has taken many twists and turns. My parents have now lived in Africa, and I’ve been to Africa twice. But too many times I have sought to live in opposition to the call or, worse yet – to reduce it to a life of formulas, position, magical prayers and the relentless search for control, predictability, and guaranteed results. Yet the Author continues to write… and his sovereign hand is gentle and persistent.
What I am about to tell you is the beginning of a new chapter in our story – maybe even the beginning of an entirely new book…
This past weekend, we spent quite a bit of time in meetings discussing the growing work in Lesotho, Africa, which was founded by my parents, Ladell & Bettie Patterson and is being directed by Rev. Tsikane Pheko. Most of you know of this work – known in Lesotho as The Bana Project of Lesotho and known here in the US as Logos Global Ministries. This project is currently assisting over 2,000 AIDS orphans directly, through weekly food and clothing outreaches – but there are hundreds of thousands more. Under Tsikane’s excellent leadership, we are now poised to reach the whole country of Lesotho. It is time to grow.
My parent’s story is intertwined with my own. Their dream and vision of coming alongside these abandoned children has birthed an exploding ministry that is now reaching Chiefs and other leaders in Lesotho. Recently, dad said the words from 2 Kings 7:3 seemed to leap off the page as if the Author were reading them aloud and directing them to him, “Why sit we here while we die?”
Why indeed? Their passion is to be where God has called them. Our passion is to follow God. So, as of this week, and in order to stay on page with the Author of the Great Story, we are pursuing the following action items:
1. Allen & Canda will immediately move into a full-time administrative staff position to oversee the ministry here in the US. We are currently scheduling outreach and church events and have open dates available for events and/or missions services. We will have to raise a regular monthly salary for our support, in addition to raising funds for the AIDS orphan work. All of our contact information will remain the same.
2. Allen will be planning regular trips to Africa or other international locations to teach or facilitate events focused on discipleship and pastoral leadership.
3. Allen’s administrative tasks will include the oversight of all media communication and all financial responsibilities.
4. Ladell & Bettie plan to move to Lesotho full-time by early fall of 2010 to oversee our growing outreach to the 400,000 orphaned and abandoned children in Lesotho. As they serve in the capacity of International Field Development Directors, they will also provide encouragement to the local leadership, and be full-time grandparents to a generation of children without any family.
5. Roger will continue to network, speak and develop new ministry partners which will be shared with you soon, and is also available immediately for speaking engagements….
I am discovering that when we tell our story, the Author speaks truth into others, and the stories merge. Just this week, Roger was telling the story of baby M’Hao – who was found beside a dusty trail where he had been left to die inside a bag of trash. A young girl, hearing the story, told Roger that while he told that story, she sensed the Author telling her that while she has always thought of herself as a piece of trash, He saw her as a special treasure and wanted to write this truth in her heart.
You have been a part of our story. And we are asking you to help us tell our story, the Story of the Good News of Jesus in whatever way the Author leads you to help – whether through prayer, networking or with your financial support.
As you know, current world crises continue to impact personal economies, but God’s Kingdom has always grown during such times. This is no time to shrink back, minimize our exposure or reduce our giving. This is the time to step out into the battle. We can only do this with your help.
In closing, these words by John Eldredge seem especially appropriate:
The only way to live in this adventure-with all its danger and unpredictability and immensely high stakes-is in an ongoing, intimate relationship with God. The control we so desperately crave is an illusion. Far better to give it up in exchange for God’s offer of companionship, set aside stale formulas so that we might enter into an informal friendship.
Thanks so much for your partnership and for being a part of our story. We love you deeply!
