The campsite at Prophetstown S.P. north of the city was very new, very well laid out, with gorgeous showerhouse. Pricey, but no worse than many such places.
The armory on campus, where the ministry fair with all the displays was laid out, was hotter'n hell -- just to show the Devil how tough the Men are, I guess. NAUMS did a brisk business of schmoozing.
Just around the corner, I ran into an old friend and classmate of
stryck's -- Mark H. -- a Wesleyan pastor's son who got married while in college and now has FOUR kids. Now working for his dad's new venture, a ministry that helps churches raise large amounts of cash for capital campaigns. He was there to schmooze, too.Phred was about, as well as the usual NAUMS gang. My old buddy Lane B. from Kansas was there, too, but we kept missing each other. (So near, and yet so far.) Last night, I finally got to eat at Outback for the first time. (Yum!)
I managed to sit up on stage and behave myself throughout an entire, loooong worship service/pep rally/plenary -- whatever we're calling it. Out of 18 or so folks who had seats up front, no fewer than FOUR were from South Indiana Conference (me,
that_guy_zach, Karen H-B, and Phil H.).The NAUMS Annual Meeting went well. We had 29 present -- nearly a record. AND, I got to talk with Jim S., the Vice-Chancellor of Africa University, about my concerns RE next year's mission trip. So it may happen, after all, though it looks like I'm going to spend all fall fretting over raising money instead of having fun with kids and developing richer pastoral relationships. (Ugh!)
Here in the Midwest is where hurricanes come to die. Dennis hovered over Indiana, pelting us here, there, and everywhere, with brief but intense showers. As I drove up to West Lafayette, I passed through about four rain belts; I drove home through about the same. It's nice to get the rain, but I wish Dennis would hurry up and expire.
