GLUE

One Tender Moment

Tuesday, February 5 (continued)

While Jean’s in with the doctor, Bob tells me that together they have planned well and prepared for the future. In this regard, they’ve been greatly helped by some wonderful caregivers at a local hospice. As he shares the unique and comprehensive services these are already providing, I reflect on the very difficult task that has fallen to such individuals. Indeed, it takes people of great strength and determination to both find and deliver hope to others like Bob and Jean, despite the coming sorrow.

In light of such comprehensive preparations, I ask Bob if he thinks Jean might be interested, similarly, in talking about spiritual things. He thinks perhaps not, but invites me to ask her anyway. I wonder, When might God provide a moment?

Late in the evening and just before bed, Bob is on the phone with one of his mates. So I wade in to ask if she might want to discuss anything spiritually before I left. Indeed she does, and we exchange some thoughts. As we talk, she is clearly engaged, listening attentively and genuinely appreciative of my inquiry. Jean would later thank me twice.

In the end, we share a truly tender experience as brother and sister, and I ask if I can pray for her. I move close and take her by the hand, affirming the husband who loves her and a God who does, too.

Just as I finish my prayer, Bob comes out from their office and like that, the moment has come and gone ... but it has been one, nonetheless, divine.

Cairns, Day 2

Tuesday, February 5

I awake (again) at 4:30 a.m. local time, but this morning there’s a reason to get up. Just after 5:00 a.m., I do a ten-minute, morning drive-time interview with Radio Rhema, New Zealand’s premiere Christian radio station broadcasting live from Auckland where it’s just after 8:00 a.m. The morning DJ, Aaron Ironside, is engaging and informed. We discuss the segregated nature and coming integration of the local church, and he plugs the Mosaix Global Network Seminar I’ll be conducting the following Saturday in Christchurch. Too energized to return to bed, I spend the next few hours blogging.

Jean awakes more tired than the day before and encourages us to head for Port Douglas for the next few hours. About 40 km north of Cairns, Port Douglas is a quaint little town favored, Bob tells me, by former President, Bill Clinton. The winding coastal highway, scenic views and still pristine beaches are reminiscent of southern California in the 1960s before commercialization. Well take in the marina and enjoy a light lunch at an outdoor pub before heading back to Cairns. The return drive will be marked by our stop at an award winning animal sanctuary where we walk among crocs, koalas and kangaroos, the latter of which we feed by hand. Even the many exotic birds are used to human interaction and approach without fear. I take lots of pictures wishing that my children could be here, too.

We get home mid-afternoon and in time to take Jean to a couple of doctor’s appointments in before dinner. While she’s with the doctor, Bob and I head into the city’s center and we get some ice cream along the waterfront. Later, Jean will feel good enough to return here with us and enjoy some ice cream, herself. She even lets me take a couple of pictures with her and Bob; and for a brief moment, the three of us are free of the disease and its concerns. As we stroll through the souvenir market on the way back to the car, I can’t help wonder if this is the last such time we will ever enjoy.

Cairns, Day 1

Monday, February 4

I arrive in Cairns just before noon and am met by my brother-in-law, Bob Foot. Bob is part of the marine community in Cairns, a boat master who used to race sailing skiffs like those in the America’s Cup. As comfortable piloting commercial cruise ships as he is running cargo vessels throughout the region, Bob is a wonderful husband who for more than a year has devoted himself to caring for my sister, Jean. Over the next two days, he will model unconditional love for Jean and a commitment “’til death do us part” without complaint. Indeed, Jean is blessed to have him.

We head straight for Holloway’s Beach where we enjoy a seafood basket in a little dive right on the water. The palms are swaying, a gentle breeze is blowing and the waves roll into a near empty of people beach. It is an ambiance straight out of a Jimmy Buffet tune. Here we will wait for Jean to awake before heading home around 2:00 p.m.

Bob and Jean live in a very large duplex not far from the beach. When we arrive, Jean greets us at the door. She smiles and we embrace warmly, but Jean is clearly in pain. That aside, she is adamant – our shoes must come off! I guess some things never change.

For the next few hours, she will sit in her chair, eyes closed, while the three of us enjoy reconnecting and a break in the routine. Jean has a most amazing will, one Bob believes has kept her alive when others would have long ago succumbed to the cancer. Beyond this, Jean has always eaten right and taken meticulous care of herself, a fact that has extended her life perhaps as much as five years.

Around 5:00 p.m., Doris arrives for her evening visit and glass of wine. Their neighbor and one who has occupied the other side of the duplex for the past twenty years, Bob refers to her as his second wife. Doris greets me with a hug and I am amazed that an 87 year-old woman can be so strong! Over the next couple of days, her rich life and personality will reveal itself to be much the same as the older woman, Rose, in the movie, Titanic. It is in Doris’ spare room that I will spend the next two nights. Following a wonderful meal prepared by Bob, Jean grows tired and we head to bed.

Travel Journal: Sydney

Saturday, February 2 (continued) - Following the meeting at the Jesus Centre, I was driven to the home of Mathew Kuruvilla, pastor of Parkside Church in Edensor Park, a community in southwest Sydney. Mathew and his wife, Savi, came from New Zealand, are of Indian descent, and have served the people of Parkside since 1989. I will stay in their home for the next two nights.

After gettiing acquainted and sensitive to jet-lag, they suggest I nap which at that moment, I am thrilled to do!

Later that evening, they take me out for dinner at - wherelse? - Outback Steakhouse where I see, but avoid the the temptation to endulge in the Kangaroo dish:-) After dinner, or tea as they say in Australia, and since we're in the neighborhood, we drive over to Hillsong Church. The Saturday evening service has long since concluded and the doors are locked. Nevertheless, I get a sense of the place - new sanctuary and wedding chapel, etc. Unfortunately, Darlene Zschech is nowhere in site and, by the way, it is pronounced, check.

Sunday, February 3 - On Sunday morning, I share the Biblical Mandate of the Multi-ethnic Church at Parkside. Like Mosaic, the flags that fly in the sanctuary represent the various nations represented in the congregation, at present some 45 or more. And from appearances, some 8-10 of these are on the worship team that morning! Later, I will meet people from Russia, Armenia, Iraq, Iran and China among others. As we depart for lunch, Mathew expresses an appreciation for the scriptural moorings of the multi-ethnic vision I have proclaimed. Like David Boyd, Mathew is a pioneer who has has been pursuing the dream for the past nineteen years within his own congregation and, too, is well-known in this regard among the Presbyterians, and Anglicans of new South Wales and within his own denomination, the Baptist Union of Australia. We begin to discuss the possibility of conducting a Mosaic Global Network Conference in Sydney in February of 2009.

That afternoon, Mathew, Savi and their 23 year-old son, Jason, take me into Sydney for lunch and we dine along the river, in the shadow of the world-renown Sydney Opera House. Designed by Jørn Utzon, a Danish architect, and Ove Arup & Partners, the Sydney Opera House is one of the world's most distinctive 20th century buildings, and one of the most famous performing arts venues in the world. Here is also the Sydney Harbor Bridge, site of what is widely believed to be the world's best and largest fireworks display on New Year's Eve annually. Across the bridge, I can see the amusement park featured at the end of the movie, Mission Impossible. It's been overcast and sprinkling all afternoon, but I take enough pictures to say I was there!

That evening, it's back to the Jesus Centre in Cabramatta where I speak of Pauls' prescription for the multi-ethnic church from the book of Ephesians. The crowd is larger than expected and energized. Again, more nationalities in the room that I can count genuinely reflect John's vision as recorded in Revelation 7:9, 10, in which "... a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and ... cry(ing) out with a loud voice, saying, 'Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'" Yes, here I experience "earth, as it is in heaven," and count it an honor simply to be a part of it all, the coming integration of the local church for the sake of the Gospel.

I spend the night at the Kuruvilla's and in the morning, board the two hour flight to Cairns to be with my sister, Jean.

Travel Journal: From Little Rock to Sydney

With apologies to faithful Gluesticks who know that my habit is to post once a week, I am at this very moment blogging from beautiful Cairns, Australia. It is just after 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, February 5, and I have just finished a ten-minute interview with Aaron Ironside on Radio Rhema, New Zealand's premiere Christian radio station out of Auckland. The interview was arranged in advance of my visit to Christchurch next weekend and to promote the first Mosaix Global Network Seminar ever to be conducted outside the United States.

So ... Since New Zealand is three hours ahead of the time here in Cairns and I'm up, I thought I'd get started on this travelogue before heading back to bed and a trip later this morning to Port Douglas. I'll add pictures later when I can. Enjoy:-)

Thursday, January 31 - Arrived in LA with about five hours to kill and spent three of them at Chili's in the International Terminal awaiting the midnight flight to Sydney. Unremarkable, other than the fact that a woman (young mom, early thirties) bellied up to the bar around 10:30 p.m. ordering a glass of wine and shot of tequila. After casually drinking the wine, she slammed the shot expressing her determination to get some sleep on the red-eye to NY. No sooner had she downed the tequila, that she realized her plane was at that very moment boarding. She rushed out to catch it and as she did, one of the men standing near her expressed to the rest of us that it would take about ten-minutes for the tequila to kick-in; "God help her!" And then, no sooner had she left and she was back - with, still, a line boarding the plane - for one more shot! Again, she slammed it and left in a hurry, this time for good. "Poor girl," the man said. "She thinks the first glass had no effect and just about the time it kicks in, she'll think it was the second. In about twenty minutes, though, she won't know what hit her! It's not sleep she's ordered up, but sickness."

Friday, February 1 - My lost day! Darkness for nearly the entire 15 hour flight. The back of each seat on the Qantas flight, however, is equipped with a tv/video monitor and I'm able to watch premier movies on demand at no charge! Two meals will be served, fresh fruit and other goodies throughout. If you ever fly in this part of the world, you'll be well provided for by the folks on Qantas. And at some point during the trip, I heard a song entitled, Warm Whispers by a young Australian singer/songwriter named Missy Higgins. It's a very intimate tune sure to keep my heart home and missing my beautiful wife, Linda for the next twelve days.

As the crew begins to prepare the cabin for landing, the chief steward on the 747 asks me about American politics and the current race for the White House. He is interested in the individual candidates, patitcularly Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama, and, as well, as the primary process, i.e., how does it work. This is a line of questioning that will be repeatedly put to me throughout my time in Australia. Finding out I am from Little Rock, Bill Clinton naturally becomes part of the conversation and I tell him something I heard one of Hillary's detractors recently say, that "The last thing America needs is Bill Clinton back in the White House with nothing to do!" He immediately gets the subtle point and laughs out loud. Later, I'll use this with similar success in churches here to break the ice before I speak.

Saturday, February 2 - I arrive in Sydney, Australia 10:30 a.m. local time and realize in Little Rock, it is - at that moment - 5:30 p.m., Friday, February 1. While still trying to get my mind around this concept, Pastor David Boyd of the Jesus Centre (no website at the present time) welcomes me to the country he has called home for more than twenty years. Of Scottish descent, he is originally from New Zealand (a "Kiwi," as the Australians say). David is warm and personable, a man with keen insight concerning the coming integration of the local church. It does not take long for us to recognize the kindred spirit that connects both as brothers and champions of the multi-ethnic vision. In fact, he tells me that his first book, You Don't Have to Cross the Ocean to Reach the World will be published in August 2008 by Chosen Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Later, he will invite me to endorse it, as well.

Leaving the airport, it does not take long to realize that Australia is so very much like the United States. David confirms this, as will my brother-in-law, Bob Foot, two days later who describes Australia as "just another state." Seemingly at this point, the only difference is the side of the road on which the Australians drive and as a passenger, I will more often than not head to the wrong side of the car throughout the trip!

We arrive at the Jesus Centre around noon and I am greeted by associate pastors from Burma and Vietnam. A meal is being prepared by volunteers for the more than 30 leaders from the church now arriving to spend time with me in advance of Sunday night at which time, I will share with the entire congregation. The Jesus Centre was founded by David and his wife, Chih (Chinese) in 1990 and originally intended as a mono-ethnic church plant among Chinese nationals living in Sydney. Today, it is a church of 400-500 people comprised of men and women from more than 40 nations and located in Cabramatta, a richly diverse, though desperately needy area of the city inhabited largely by Asians of varying nationalities. This is evident by the many signs I see on the street immediately surrounding the church advertising businesses in multiple languages. Following the meal, I share of my background, personal journey into the multi-ethnic church, of Mosaic and more generally of the growing interest in the emerging Multi-ethnic Church Movement. Following this, I field questions from a very informed and committed group of believers who, themselves, are passionate to plant such churches throughout Australasia and beyond (i.e., Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc.). Indeed, this church and these people are already doing so!