I have learned and maintained over years of experience in a variety of vocational fields that meetings are a necessary evil. At best they accomplish some imperfect good. At worst they are a perfect waste of time. I like to think this attitude is not evil in itself, though I’m sure there are folks who… Continue reading Necessary Evils
Category: Current Events
Community in KL
Today I joined James, the young man I baptized about a year ago, for worship. He attends Good Hope Lutheran Church, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia. We were also happy to make a new acquaintance with Tiffany, a recent transplant to Kuala Lumpur from Taiwan. She’s moved to KL to work… Continue reading Community in KL
Oh, the People You’ll Meet!
I had the opportunity to meet an unexpected visitor this week! A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from a man at one of our first supporting congregations, Peace Lutheran Church Camarillo. Our connections with this congregation go way back – to my first pastoral Call just out of seminary. I was called to… Continue reading Oh, the People You’ll Meet!
Homeward Bound
My flight from Asia to the US was: Medan to Kuala Lumpur to Singapore to Chicago to Ft. Wayne. But tonight as I started back towards Asia my route is a bit longer. Tonight I flew from St. Louis to Chicago. Then tomorrow morning bright and early I fly Chicago to Los Angeles to Tokyo… Continue reading Homeward Bound
Renewing Old Connections
My wife was born in Papua New Guinea where her parents served in LCMS missions. I’ve been hearing their family stories about that formative decade overseas for over 30 years now, 20 of them as part of the family by marriage. And one of the recurring characters in those stories were their teammates on the… Continue reading Renewing Old Connections
Frigid January
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… Continue reading Frigid January
Parenting Wins
To be a parent is to worry. To wonder. It is a broad avenue to constant uncertainty and self-doubt. In a culture of experts bombarding us every moment through television and radio and the Internet with new or time-tested techniques and products for successful parenting, it isn’t humanly possibly to engage all of them, even… Continue reading Parenting Wins
Family Gathering in Taiwan
Part of the reason our kids could join us for Christmas is because our regional family gathering happened the week after in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Kaohsiung is the southernmost major metropolis in Taiwan. And while I’ve been to Taiwan multiple times to visit our headquarters in Chiayi, this was a new city for me to visit.… Continue reading Family Gathering in Taiwan
An Early Christmas
After my time in the Philippines I flew directly to Singapore for a meeting with Bishop Lu, head of the Lutheran Church in Singapore (LCS). He has been a friendly face and welcoming friend over the last few years and it was good to reconnect with him again to talk about how things with the… Continue reading An Early Christmas
Orienting Change
December began with a trip back to the Philippines. Normally I don’t go there this time of year but there is a special occasion – an introductory orientation trip for a missionary new to Asia but not to the mission field. Rev. Dr. Walter Steele and his wife Robyn will be transitioning from the Africa… Continue reading Orienting Change
The Nelson Family Indonesia 