September Schedule
I spent the month of September at our Dallas, TX International Center. During the first three weeks I conducted certification training in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a personality instrument that is used widely around the world (it has been translated into thirty-two languages). The training was done as a master's level graduate course through Azusa Pacific University, a California institution that offers degrees for missionaries.

The participants came from a variety of countries where they are working for Wycliffe: Ghana and Togo-Benin in Africa, the Solomon Islands, Peru, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Russia, and the U.K. It was an interesting group, and they spent three weeks reading and studying for many hours, learning statistics, taking several tests, and then conducting a practice MBTI workshop here at our Center.

The last week of the month I spent two days training the above participants in the Myers-Briggs application that I use in materials I have developed called The Profile of Preferences, Characteristics, and Skills. It is a teambuilding process to use with persons involved in a language project, helping them work together more effectively and efficiently. After the two days of training in The Profile, the participants each worked with a language team under my supervision, putting what they had learned into practice-preparing them to return to the countries where they serve to work with language teams there.

I was pleased to have Dr. Donald May, director of training for our Eurasia Area, assist me with these September courses.

The October Reflection and Prayer Training
I am pleased that in October I will be doing another week of training leaders in how to do days of reflection and prayer and short retreats. This will be held at a retreat center near Greensboro, NC. Again, the participants will be coming from the various countries where they live and work: Cameroon and Ivory Coast in Africa, Korea, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, and Canada. Then we have several participants who are coming from our JAARS Center in Waxhaw, our Dallas International Center, and the Wycliffe USA office in Orlando. Two of the participants work with other missions: SIM and Mission to Unreached People.

The participants will have their own retreat time, using the topics that I have prepared for reflection and prayer days, and then will prepare themselves to offer these topics to others. The topics are: A Time of Personal Worship, Finding a Rhythm of Rest, Jesus the Servant Leader, Life Tasks: Finding Strength for the Journey, Our Time of Need, and Spiritual Inventory/Spiritual Markers. Then the last day each participant will develop a topic of their own.

Many of the individuals attending would not have been able to come without the generosity of many of you who gave financial gifts for partial or full scholarships. Thank you for your 'seed-planting' in their lives as they prepare to return to their places of work to minister to others.

November and December
During these two months I will be in Charlotte, preparing the materials that I will use as I go to India right after the first of the year. I will be working again with the Indian Institute of Cross-Cultural Communication (I was with them in 2002), and in addition will work with the faculty of two theological seminaries and another missionary training school. Also during November and December I have scheduled speaking engagements with various churches and groups.

Something to Think About
The following true incident appeared in our Dallas Center weekly newsletter several weeks ago (author unknown). It really touched my heart, and I wanted to share it with you.

A young lady named Sally relates an experience she had in a seminary class, conducted by her teacher, Dr. Smith. She says Dr. Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons. One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary and knew they were in for a fun day. On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts. Dr. Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry or hurt them, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture.

Sally's friend drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased at the overall effect she had achieved. The class lined up and began throwing darts, with much laughter and hilarity. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappoint-ment when Dr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats. As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target, Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall.

Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus. A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus. Holes and jagged marks covered His face. His eyes were pierced. Dr. Smith said only these words: 'Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto Me' (Matthew 25:40). No other words were necessary. The tear-filled eyes of each student focused only on the picture of Christ.

Are You Electronic?
If so, please send your email address to Susan Creech and we'll add them to our list to receive the newsletter that way. They will also be on the list to receive the electronic Prayer and Praise Updates that come out a bit more frequently.

Click here for photos from the newsletter

In Joy I Serve Him,