January started with a delightful trip to Hanoi, following the All Asia Family Retreat in Taiwan. Gena and I were blessed to worship with our LCMS brethren in Hanoi and bring devotions to the staff of Concordia International School Hanoi (CISH). There were also times of fellowship with staff and leadership there. All of this was made even better by the continuing cool weather we first enjoyed in Taiwan. It’s not yet the dead of winter in Southeast Asia, but we were on the fringes and enjoying every moment of it!
Gena and I returned home and had a few days to relax, unpack, reflect on the busy-ness of the past month, and generally catch our breath. And then I was off and running again, this time to *actual* winter. The kids brought my winter coat and scarf with them in preparation for my trip to Ft. Wayne, IN. I had my first taste of winter in a brief stopover in Chicago en route, where I was blessed to reconnect with a good friend and seminary colleague, Rev. Michael Brown.
How cold was it, you ask?
Just the week prior a massive ice storm struck much of the upper Midwest. It was snowing lightly when I debarked in Chicago from my direct flight from Singapore. The change in climate was noticeable, to say the least. Piles of snow littered curbs and blocked sidewalks. My coat was good and the scarf was nice, but I lacked hat and gloves. I’m too stubborn to spend money to buy a hat I’ll only wear for a few days, but managed to improvise.
Michael and I enjoyed breakfast together and another almost 24 hours of fellowship before I headed off again, this time the short flight to Fort Wayne. I got to meet his new dog, Phoebe, and catch up on his ministry in the Chicago suburbs. It was a bit surreal to be back in the States, but a surrealness muted by our recent home service last year. The cold was something new and different, but it was a nice change from non-stop sweating!
The Nelson Family Indonesia 