Cologne, Mission Conference, Transport delayed

Left last Friday for COLOGNE. Carsten Meissner, a brother who has helped us much with our Romania missions, began his move to Cologne to ge part of a church planting team. Carsten is helping Ina in a colletion drive in Kandern in this picture.

I had a 4000 lbs trailor to return - and so Carsten had plenty of room for the most necessary items. He has found an appartement in the mean time. Now we are looking for an adequate time window for the rest of his move.

Was part of the annual missions conference of our German partner mission near Hannover, northern Germany, to help them with their 25th aniversary celebration!
They had a large youth choir there that blessed us with their wonderful music and sincere commitment! My brother Matthew was there, too!
I stayed on a day longer for many briefings and consultations concerning details of cooperation. The founder of the mission is in his 70ies and is slowly looking for a "Joshua" to gradually replace him. I only have an advisory function in this matter! The founder is a close friend of my parents. So I have known him since 1961!!

Greatly enjoyed the fellowship, saw many long time friends, and received deep spiritual challenges from the messages and reports of the other missionaries.

On Monday I returned to Cologne to pick up the trailor, and was invited to attend the founding meeting of the Cologne church planting team. I was asked for input, and was glad to encourage and give a couple of pointers. It is a young team, and I am not aware of any far reaching church planting experience. But I detected great zeal and it is obvious that the team leader has put a lot of thought into this goal.

I returned the trailor we used for Carsten's move to relatives of my wife near Marburg on my way home. It was not much of a detour.
They donated a tomb stone for Maria's parents grave. The only hitch: Nobody was there to help me load it! Strong back - feeble mind? Got it loaded anyway!

Just received a phone call that the Romanian truck company will not be able to come on Saturday. He did not receive a load to Germany, France or Switzerland, and I do not have to money to pay for him to come and pick up my load!
But only this company gives me great conditions, so it will be worth the wait till they can make it here.