Old Friends in new places

Man, WHAT AN EVENT! Jason and I have been at the "Leadership Summit" at the Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. Bill Hybels, James Meeks. Wayne Cordiero and many more were absoultely AMAZING! It will probably take weeks to process the information!

We experienced an unexpected blessing and connected with old friends. On Friday night, as we came out of the service, we connected with my brother and sister in law - Dan and Reenie Bickel. While they waited for me, they ran into some of my old friends. When I rejoined them, it was time to greet dear friends that have been off our radar for about 12 years.

Dave and Leann Gormong brought their daughter Kristen with them to the Summit. I had been on staff with David in Bartlesville, OK for 2 years. They were some of our dearest friends in Bartlesville. We rejoiced with them when Kristen was born in May of 1990. They rejoiced with us (and stood by us) through the whirlwind adoption of Jason after he was born in September that same year. Both Jason and Kristen were dedicated on the same Sunday.

We worked side by side when our Senior Pastor was ill and ultimately died on Christmas of 1990. Then, we both left for other ministries in the spring and summer of that year. We kept in contact for awhile. We even made it a point to meet once when we were both in the Chicago area. But, as sometimes happens, we lost track of one another.

What a blessing to have friends from all over who love and serve Jesus! I always enjoy seeing friends and renewing connections. What a blessing to connect with old friends in new places. Of the 6000 + attenders, God allowed us to cross paths and renew our friendship.

We exchanged all our pertinent contact information. I'm guessing it won't be another 12 years before we connect again!

Looking forward to attending Rob Bell's church, Mars Hill, in Grand Rapids tomorrow morning. We drove on to Grand Rapids from Chicago following the final session this morning.

GETTING THE "RIGHT" WRONG NUMBER

I had a series of interesting phone calls yesterday. It seems the church’s second phone line’s number is only 1 digit different from another family in Rapid City.

That’s not necessarily that unusual, except when you get a wrong number phone call from a family in Kyrgyzstan!

They called several times. Their daughter Regina was coming to Rapid City as a foreign exchange student. They hadn’t heard from her. They dialed a number they THOUGHT would connect them with her host family. Instead, they got First Wesleyan.

Lyz (our office manager) and I tried to find the host family and help connect this young lady with her loved ones in Kyrgyzstan. Our hearts went out to this family. Having a child far from home in a strange land and, up to now, no contact had to create anxiety!

The city’s school administration put us in touch with Betty, the foreign exchange coordinator in Rapid. Betty helped us connect with the designated host family (sure enough, their phone # was only 1 number different).

PROBLEM! The host family wasn’t sure they were going to get a student. On top of that, the coordinator wasn’t expecting students to arrive yet.

To make a long story short, Betty ended up heading to Rapid City Regional Airport and picking up Regina. Regina had arrived with no one to greet her, but help was on the way. No one was secured to house this girl, but help was on the way.

HAPPY ENDING!

I hope to meet Regina at some point during her stay in Rapid City. Mostly though, I’m glad we didn’t simply disregard a wrong number from people that didn’t sound like me!

I don’t believe in coincidence. God must have been holding an anxious family close to His heart when they “accidentally dialed the “right” wrong number!