3 Years!

I just realized that I missed an anniversary!  I began this blog on May 31, 2008, as a way for Jimmie and me to more easily stay in touch with those interested in our work.  3 years and 165 posts later I'm still blogging. 

My first entry was the story of our first foreign campaign in 1983 - the 6 weeks in Ghana that still spring to mind as our Campaign to Gehenna.  Even though the 3 weeks of traveling in the South Pacific that we just completed were physically more gruelling, it still holds first place on my Worst Ever list.  Fortunately, no other campaign has ever come close to it in terms of stress, although the aftermath of Hurricane Ofa in American Samoa was another experience I hope to never repeat . . . but we lived on the island of Tutuila then, so it wasn't a campaign.  Still, re-reading this post just a few minutes ago reminded me of two things. 

1. In the 28 years since Jimmie and I began doing mission work we have always tried to concentrate on the positive.  We don't normally report when things get bad or people get ugly unless it is necessary news.  Even in talking about the Gehenna campaign there was so much more that was distressing that I didn't mention.  At times I have thought that may be a mistake, particularly if it adds to the misconception that campaigns are just another word for vacation.  (I've definitely never been on that kind before!)  Then I read a mission report where the writer did nothing but complain . . . .  I'll stay on the bright side whenever possible, thank you.
2. When I began this blog I planned to include some stories from past mission days. Woefully, I haven't done much of that.  But we lived in the South Paicific for 5 years and Jimmie has been on a whole slew of campaigns - so stories we have.  Stories like when he got pelted with rocks by a Baptist preacher in Ghana or a man stuck a shotgun in his face in Samoa to try to stop a Bible study.  I really need to get him busy writing some of these down for me.

- Linda