Still sick.  Not too bad, but bad enough.

Dr. Pat called in some antibiotics for me last night.  My ears are still clogged up.  30,000 feet is not a good plan if your ears are clogged.

Bennett Ekandem and I had a great lunch with Aslam Masih–the coordinator for Muslim work for all of N. America with the North American Mission Board.  We had a lot of fun getting to know each other.  Aslam is a field operative, it’s always good to meet another partner.

I spent the morning working on the Birth Certificate applications for Ernest, Jouvens and Rosena Mocombe.  Had to UPS the request on to Bahamas this morning.  I sure hope they can find the birth certificates!  What a hassle for these guys.

Just finished up my email and calls.  I’ll head over to Azalea in a few minutes to check on my kids at the mission.

I’ll be speaking at Glover Baptist Church this evening.  They’ve had some of their youth group get involved with gangs in the area.  I’m going over to do my “Scared Straight” speech.  Hopefully it’ll help.  I’ve had a few of my young men get involved with gangs.  It never turns out well.  Pray for me as I talk to them.

Pray that I’ll be 100% healthy soon.

Peace.

I’m still feeling a bit sick.  Went by Eckerds to pick up my prescription that my Doctor had called in and alas it wasn’t ready.  So I’ll pick it up tonight instead.  Bahd luck.

Went to Marietta to meet with a new partner from Kennesaw–Keystone Baptist Church, a new church plant in the area.  I met with Bryan Taylor–he’s their Missions Pastor and Youth Director.  A really cool guy who used to be a Mission Service Corp missionary for NAMB too!  He also worked in Sports Ministry with the International Sports Federation.  I used to work very closely with ISF in S. Africa, Madagascar and in Zimbabwe.  One of my main mentors was Fred Sorrells.  He practically led ISF world wide.  Amazing how the Lord works!

We met at one of the missions on Franklin Road in Marietta.  We had lunch at the International Deli then drove around the area.  I’m really looking forward to working with his team even more closely.  It’s great to partner with other Field Operatives!

I’ve been at my office at FBC Doraville for the last two hours working on admin stuff.  We’ve already got 5 teams coming to help us this year: two during Spring Break!  EXCELLENT!  I always get excited to work with new teams.  It’s a life changing event for these folks experiencing the International Village for the first time.

Been helping Jouvens Mocombe with his immigration problems.  We’re trying to get his Birth Certificate from the Bahamas now.  What a hassle.  The form they faxed my office says you need to fill out a Birth Certificate application, but they don’t include it!  Typical of the Government.

Pray for my health.

Peace.

Hit the ground running this morning.

Another major fire at a sister property of one of our missions.  I collected donations from our mission at Huntington Ridge plus food donations from Campus Crusade and took them over to the property where the 16 families got burned out.  What a sad situation.  Left their apartments without even a toothbrush!  And we think WE have it bad!

I nearly had my house burn down last year.  That was one scary piece of business.

I helped a partner of mine, Deborah Hayes, relocate her office to the office across from mine this morning. She’s a dear friend working with a Pregnancy Resource Center. here in Doraville.  Any way we can help her we want to.

Still feeling sick.  My ears are still stopped up and my head hurts, but I’m better.

I need to go check on the kids at the mission.  Got most of my admin stuff done.  Never stops.

Peace.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

I preached to the Youth this morning.  We had a great time.  They are a sweet bunch of kids.  They are SO different than I who I normally work with:  ie all white.  I’m sure they’re; going to be goggle eyed when they come check out my end of the stick.

We also went over to my brother in law’s house.  He gave us a car to use.  Lord know we need it!  Kathy’s been driving our old van.  That thing runs on pure Holy Spirit power!  The mechanics still don’t know how it keeps on going.  It’s been a huge help to our ministry.  That’s how I haul our band’s equipment around, plus  all the table, computers and STUFF that keeps the missions running!

I’m still sick. But a bit better.

Peace.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Kathy and I rode up to Foothills Community Church in Marble Hill, Georgia.  We had a great time while we were there.  Even though I am still sick, I start preaching and the Holy Spirit just takes over and gets me GOING!  I hope to get many of them to come and visit with us here in Atlanta.

I’m still feeling weak.

I’ll call back the Niger embassy in a little while to verify they received everything.

I’m working on my email.  Then I need to write the newsletter and go get it copied.

I hope to also get the title transferred for a vehicle that my brother in law gave the ministry.  If I feel strong enough.

Pray for me.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Still feeling sick and weak. I had to cancel lunch with Todd Harrison–a big supporter of our ministry. I hate that, but I’d hate getting him sick even worse.

I called the Niger embassy about our visas. She asked me, “Did you send a return envelope?” I told her, “There was no mention of this return envelope on any of your forms or on the web site.” She said, “I know. But you still need a return envelope.” So I dragged myself out of bed to go get a money order for one of the visas and to UPS to overnight the request and include another overnight envelope for them to send the 4 passports for our team back to me. Welcome to Africa.

I went over to Azalea to check on the kids. They also helped me with the labels for the newsletter. Also picked up the tax return that Clatie Lewis had done for Ashley.

Then straight back home to bed. I enjoyed watching House with Kathy. Went to sleep early.

Pray for me.

Met with the Central Precinct police and the apartment managers around the Memorial Drive/Clarkston area this morning. The meetings are always informative, if not somewhat depressing when I hear all the bad stuff that is going on. It’s great to meet so many managers at one time. These meetings are a direct result of the amazing amount of outreach we had with Campus Crusade on December 30th in 62 apartment complexes!

I went to Marietta to meet a new partner that wants to work in the international area on Franklin Road. I waited at the office for him for about 45 minutes before I left. White people are normally right on time! Turns out, he was waiting for me at the front gate! Bahd luck. Chalk it up to spiritual warfare. We got it sorted out and I’ll meet with him next week.

Since my appointment didn’t show up (I thought!) I went on to lunch by myself and one of my favorite restaurants in Marietta–the International Deli run by a group of Turkish folks. After eating, I went to my car and this really fancy blackChrysler pulled up to me. The driver rolls down his window and says, “You don’t  know me, but I know you.” I thought, “Hmmm. Another example of being secretly famous.” I pulled out a card and introduced myself. He said, “You eat at Madina don’t you?” (Madina is a Somali restaurant I take guests to regularly in Clarkston–about 45 minutes from Marietta.) I told him I did. He says, “My name is Pastor West. I’ve seen you there talking to people about mission work with Muslims. Got time for lunch?” I told him I’d just eaten, but I’d drink coffee with him. Turns out he’s really interested in missions and in particular with what I’m doing in the International Village.

I thought, “Well I guess this is why the Father wanted me in Marietta.” Later, it turns out my other partner was there the whole time too!

This sort of stuff happens to me so much, I’m not even surprised by it any.more.

We serve a miracle working God!

I’m feeling a little under the weather. I don’t usually get sick, just feel a little weak. Pray for me. I need to be 100% all the time, but in particular before I head to W. Africa.

Peace.

I had a great meeting with a new partner today: Ray Vaughan with International Teams.  Ray has been working with refugees for over a decade in London.  He is back in the USA to start a new team and if all goes well he’ll be a major source of manpower.  It’s exciting to think about!  Terri Earl was also with us.  Terry has been one of our best Mission Directors and has worked with us for three years.  She’s also interested in serving with our refugee population.  Pat Maddox with Friends of Refugees and Bennett Ekandem were also there to welcome our new team members!  It’s fun to see the excitement in their faces as they see this incredible mission field.

Ray couldn’t believe what open access we had to the population here in Clarkston.  In London he legally wasn’t able to walk up to kids and invite them to our ministries.  He was elated!

After our recon of the Clarkston areas, I went back to Chamblee to check on my kids at Azlaea.  I helped several with their their math and geography projects.

Also talked with Clatie Lewis who is our main computer guy.  He’s such a fantastic partner and it was fun to talk with him about how the ministry is going and how important his service is to our ministry.

I’m glad my tooth isn’t hurting although my tongue keeps going over to the back of my mouth checking out the damage.  Bizarre.

Peace.

Monday, January 22, 2007

This morning I had the pleasure of doing the invocation for the new Walmart that opened on Chamblee-Tucker and Peachtree Industrial.  I gave them a super enthusiastic, somewhat capitalistic, prayer!  They told me they were giving us a donation, but gave it to the special needs kids at the center across the street.  I was disappointed with that, but I’ve had some of my kids go there, so I felt better about it.  The city of Chamblee told them “Give the money to Tim.” I appreciated their support.  The mayor of Chamblee is a friend of mine and went on and on about how much they have appreciated what our team has done in what I consider “my” city.

For lunch I enjoyed hanging out with MY mentor: Sam Bandela.  Sam is from India and has had a HUGE impact on me and how I do things.  He is a true field operative and is currently in charge of reaching India for Christ with the help of about 100 indigenous Indian pastors!  Bob Speer from Shallowford Gardens also was with us.  These guys are two of my longest term friends on the planet!

My brother in law David Doverspike is donating is used car to our ministry.  We spent time yesterday working on transferring the title and going over legal stuff.  Jesse is helping him develop his web site.  I took some pictures of the location, he and his wife and the office to put on the site.

Went by Azalea to check on the kids at the mission.  They have a bunch of dioramas due soon.  We were cutting and pasting like madmen yesterday!

I had the job of breaking off a piece of my back molar last night.  What a drag.  It doesn’t hurt, but what a hassle.  Going to the dentist is like being in a car wreck–it ain’t ever cheap.

Peace.

Friday, January 19, 2007

I “babysat” my mother in law most of the day.  Did some reading and watched a bunch of episodes of “7th Heaven.”  It’s her favorite show, along with Waltons and Little house on the Prairie.  I bought her sets of the DVDs so she has something to watch when nothing else is on.

I also went to see Apacalyto–Mel Gibson’s new movie.  I liked it.  I’m into that anthropology kind of stuff.  More evidence of how the human animal is so messed up.  Can you imagine any other species on the planet doing that kind of stuff?

Ran 4 miles on the tread mill.  That’s new for me.  Harder than street running.  Takes a lot more concentration.

Peace.

I had a great time this afternoon with new partners from Parkview Church, Daniel Boot and Carol Washburn.  We met up with Tito Ruiz and met the managers at Westwood and Huntington Village.  Parkview will start work at these two complexes once a month.  Tito and his team from Stone Mill Church and Youth Outreach United will be working at H. Village.

After meeting the managers I dropped off my friends at Parkview Church I went over to FBC Doraville to check on mail then on to Azalea to help the kids with their homework.

Rainy, cold day today.  Worked out with weights early this morning.

Peace.