Big changes

The weather continues to be warm here in Caraguatatuba - close to 30 degrees most days - which is a nice change from winter in Europe. Last night, we went out as a group - the international leadership team, and some of our Brazilian hosts - for a meal in a restaurant near the beach. This was an opportunity for some new taste experiences, as I sampled some fruit juices that I'd never heard of before. The pictures below show four of the juices we tried. (From left to right, they are caju, acerola, mamao and pitanga.)

The weather and the fruit juices haven't been the only big changes we've experienced this week; we've also been processing quite a lot of leadership changes in our KKI international ministry family. The regional leader for South Asia is stepping down from that role, and handing over to other leaders within the region. The regional leaders for Eastern Europe are stepping down due to illness in the family and are processing the leadership transition there. I was another of the resignations this week, as I shared my decision to lay down my role as regional advisor for southern and south central Africa - something I've been involved in for the past sixteen years. The regional director for Western Europe is also stepping down this year, and those of you who read my regular newsletter know that I am part of the new European leadership team that will be working together to fill his shoes over the coming years. We took time this week to honour and thank the leaders who are stepping down, and to pray over the new leadership appointments that are being made now and in the year ahead.

We've also been working on the final preparations for the ILA conference, and people have already begun arriving from all over the world. The arrivals will continue over the next twenty four hours and the conference itself will begin tomorrow evening. More about that in my next posting....