Dear NDI Partner (or) Circle of Friends,

One thing I have found out about being 65 is – the doctors want to see you more often!  No longer are they satisfied with your annual “once a year check-up.”  And they don’t want you to just come in “when something hurts.”  They want you to come in ever 3 to 6 months!  So as I have had to see more doctors more often – I pondered the timeliness of a “6 months ministry check-up.”

As you know, as of January 1, 2007, I stepped down from being CEO of NDI.  My son Joseph was appointed to that position by our Board of Directors.  Now I am CMO, or Chief Ministry Officer – which means that I am anything but retired!  That word is not in my vocabulary – primarily because it is not Biblical.  The Biblical norm is that some of your greatest and most effective ministry is in the sixth, seventh and eighth decades of life.  That’s why people like Abraham, Moses, Joshua and Caleb are my spiritual heroes and ministry role models!

So being CMO simply means that I can stay focused as never before on my primary calling of traveling, preaching, teaching and mentoring.  And as you will see in this pictorial report, the first 6 months of 2007 have been some of my busiest and most diverse in our nearly 40 years of ministry!  I have literally ministered “From Kathmandu to Timbuktu!”  And it has all been made possible through the spiritual and financial partnership of friends like you.  Since you are receiving this report, you are numbered among our inner “Circle of Friends” who help sustain us monthly through your praying and giving.  God bless you for being on the “cutting edge” with us!

I am also sending with this report one of my most recent published books, What Time Is It?  Since summer time offers some liesure time for recreation, relaxation and reading – I hope you will take the time to prayerfully read through this little book.  You can easily read through it in one or two sittings – whether on the beach…in your hammock…in your easy chair…or in your bathroom – wherever your favorite reading place is!  And as you do read through it, I pray that it will help you evaluate your current use of time.  Most of all I hope it will motivate you to “…redeem the time” for the Kingdom of God in your life…in your marriage…in your family…in your business…in your church…in your community…in your sphere of influence.

In His Kairos,

NEPAL

As I often do, I started this year in Asia.  My primary focus was the “Abraham Conference” where we brought several hundred of the key pastors and leaders from across Nepal.  In spite of the political problems, God gave us a great time of ministry with all the denominational groups in the country.  One of the most humbling experiences was to honor some of the persecuted Nepali saints who had all spent time in prison for their faith!  In comparison to what they had been through, my faith and commitment seemed so small.

HONG KONG

After my time in Nepal, I flew to Hong Kong for a week of ministry – primarily in the business community and among the large Filipino population of domestic workers.  I first traveled to Hong Kong for ministry in 1964 after graduating from college.  God has been so gracious and faithful to take me back many times since then.  And he has given us many strategic friends and partners in Hong Kong, like James and Latika Paul, who are our NDI Ambassadors in Hong Kong.

MALI

After domestic ministry during February, I spent most of March in Africa.  I started in Timbuktu, Mali, an almost mystical city on the rim of the Sahara Desert.  As the 4th holiest city to Islam, Timbuktu is one of the greatest Moslem strongholds in the world.  So as we have done for several years, we brought strategic pastors and Christian leaders from all over Mali for a time of teaching and encouragement.  And we also had special sessions each day for the women and pastor’s wives, led by my wife, Patt.  There is no greater joy than to invest your life in strategic leaders like these!

GHANA

After Mali, we traveled to Kumasi, Ghana, where we focused this year on ministry for women in our “Dorcas Conference.”  This was a unique conference since half the day was dedicated to Bible teaching and the rest of the day to practical hands-on training in things like sewing, quilt making, home decorating and flower arranging.  And as we do each year, we bring 1/3 of the participants from the North that is dominated by Islam and the poorest spiritually and economically.

ETHIOPIA

After the Women’s Conference in Ghana, Patt returned home with our other teachers.  I went on to Ethiopia to teach two Conferences for the Kale Heywet Church – the largest group in the country with over 7 million members.  We have been in partnership with them for over 25 years.  I first did a Leadership Conference for their 60th Anniversary in Awassa, as well as one in Addis Ababa.

HAITI

My focus in April was Haiti – our oldest field of involvement.  I was invited there by our long-time friend and partner, Chavannes Jeunes, who has strategic monthly meetings in the National Palace, or “Haiti White House.”  It was my joy to be the key note speaker there for the second time, and meet with Haitian delegates from the Diaspora in America, Canada and Europe.  Then I went to the southern city of Cayes to preach at the annual convention of MEBSH, the largest indigenous church in the country.  I have preached this convention several times in the past – always attended by 15,000 – 20,000 people.  And as you can see, it is hot – physically as well as spiritually!

ZIMBABWE

In May we took a “new direction” with a new initiative called “Ministry To The Motherland.”  This was a ministry to African American pastors that Dr. Jim Seymour and I envisioned together.  We have 5 strategic Black pastors with us on this historic pioneer mission where we ministered with two of our key partners, Bishop Trevor Manhanga and Pastor Simon Mkolo.

SUDAN

After our Motherland Ministry, Dr. Seymour and I traveled to Yei, Sudan, for a Conference in this country that has been devastated by nearly 30 years of warfare.  The hostile Islamic regime in the north has killed over 2 million people and displaced 4 million more as refugees – the majority of whom are Christians.  And their genocide continues in Darfur.  So what a challenge and joy to minister hope to these leaders who have lived and fought through atrocities and hardships that we cannot imagine!  And we also spent time at the Eden Keeper’s Farm headed by Dr. John Nyikako, our key Sudanese partner.

KENYA

Before return home from Sudan, I spent a few days in northern Kenya visiting our “Samburu Sports Camp” and ministering there with our beloved partner, Stakwell Yurenimo.  I also got to meet my latest grandchild – “Wendy,” recently born to Stakwell and Francesca.

CONCLUSIONS

As I hope you can see from this “6 months check up” – I have been anything but retired since January 1st!  And by God’s grace – in partnership with you, I will continue to “redeem the time” as long as the Lord gives me breath, health and strength!  If I have anything to do with it, I intend to “die with my boots on” in some strategic part of the world where God’s Spirit is at work planting His Church!  I hope you will be there with me through your love, prayers and financial support!

In Him…through Him…For Him,

KINGDOM INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

$7,000 to sponsor our next Conference in Ghana the last of August
$5,000 for a solar system for a well just successfully drilled for the Samburu Tribe
$5,000 to build a house in Yei, Sudan, for Dr. John Nyikako
$2,000 to build a basketball court in Mali, West Africa
$7,000 to buy a used van for ministry in Gao, Mali
$500 to build Cabin for Sports Camp