Mourning and Remembering

This week we lost a great person. His legacy is remembered by thousands. Perhaps millions. Those who were touched by his performances were changed for ever. Though unique. Though perhaps not a classic handsome man he was loved and will live on in the lives of all who knew him.

No. He never moonwalked. To my knowledge he did not sing. His performances were anything but gyrations. In fact some might have deemed him boring.

When I was 18 years old and going to school in Portland Oregon I sat under Dr. Roger Congdon for only one semester.
I'm not sure what his IQ was but surely it was off the charts. He was a brilliant.

At a convention in Michigan this week someone mentioned Dr. Congdon had passed away. He evidently continued to speak and teach past his 90th birthday.

As I recall he had 11 children. If I am missing some details please forgive me. I only sat under his teaching for one semester. That was 40 years ago. I was a student. He the professor. Perhaps that is what makes this so meaningful.

The power of a teacher to impact a student 40 years later. A reminder to all professors, preachers, teachers, and coaches. Because you cannot see the impact at the time does not mean there is none.

I won't miss the moonwalking. I do miss solid men and women of character who pour themselves into an apparently inattentive and unappreciative college freshman.

Great Book

A couple weeks ago I was doing some training at Messiah College. The day before flying home Peter Greer, CEO of Hope International graciously allowed me to come and spend a couple hours at their headquarters.

For the past two plus years we have been dabbling in micro financing. By dabbling I mean one hundred percent trial and error. I realized GFA was over their heads and we desperately needed direction from an experienced and successful organization.

The two hours spent with Peter and Kevin in the office were immensely helpful to me. I discovered that we are at least now asking the right questions after finding out what either does not work or works marginally well.

Hope International has about $30 million out in loans now world wide. Believe they said around 250,000 loan recipients. The repayment for this MFI is over 99%. I judge that successful.

Before leaving, Peter handed me an 8.5 x 11 manuscript of his new book "The Poor Will be Glad." I sat down and devoured it in one sitting. It is a primer for all organizations who have the desire to help the world's poor by making loans available to provide sustainable livelihood.

Hope International is different from most MFI in that they intentionally address the physical and the spiritual components of healthy living.

Peter's new book will be published by Zondervan in the coming year. I will be giving a copy of "The Poor Will be Glad" to everyone we work with.

This morning we will gather with around 70 guests for our first GFA "Teach a Man to Fish" luncheon. If you have interest in knowing how you can invest any sum of money and see it work again and again, don't hesitate to contact me. Helping the poor is not easy but it is possible and for those of us who have been blessed - it is right.

Defining Glocal

Just finished a great planning meeting last weekend. About 23 of us spent some hours talking about the next year and setting some goals.

I asked each participant to write on a 3x5 what they felt "glocal" meant. Received 23 different answers.

Obviously it is a hybrid word combining global and local. Although at one seminar overseas one person looked at the title of my book "Going Glocal" and declared "that is so arrogant,"Global and California." That made me laugh.

No question the word is going to be around for a while. The fight is now how we will define it.

Most all agree it should define the shrinking of our world due to technology. Most agree we have a fresh responsibility to the entire world now due to: awareness, access, and ability to meet needs.

The word certainly cries out with the assumption that the difference between what we do at home and what we are doing overseas is more one of perception than reality. The globe IS our home now. We are inter-related in more than theory. Our economy, illnesses, air-quality, educational systems and religious endeavors are all one and the same. If we fail we all fail.

I wish to add a vital component for glocal practitioners. In this tiny world, we must celebrate the ability we have as individuals and local organizations to craft projects and events directly. The technology and accessibility is present so we are able to streamline the mission.

Even smaller organizations/churches/clusters can connect with others of like mind around the world. Communications technology make it possible now to create, strategize, agree, negotiate, evaluate, and recreate visions and achievements, which just a few years ago, was left to the mammoth agencies.

By working through local established churches and organizations already in place in strategic locations, we may accomplish what was unimaginable a short time ago.

Dream it, find someone already in place dreaming the same thing, do it.

How would you define glocal?

Glocal Comes Home

Been too long since I've talked to you here. Excuses? Plenty. Most of them are glocal. Been a busy past month.

Was in Pennsylvania for LTC training last week. Hosted by the national conference of the Evangelical Church denomination. . Wonderful group of people. Thoroughly enjoyed their company and good sense of humor. Perhaps that's why they invited me.

Had a chance to visit while in Harrisburg with former staff members from the distant past (Ez and Peggy Scheffel) and more recent past (Geoff, Susan, Connor and Baylyn Ellsworth).

Now my excuse for not sharing more often. We have had house guests for the past several weeks. Glocal guests.

First Richard Cai, CCC vice president from Sichuan China stayed with us. We hosted the the Hua Mei board meeting in the USA for the first time. Important step for a board made up of leaders from the East and West.

Admire Richard's courageous and wise leadership. Also proud to know he and his lovely wife named their son "little Gene" (at least his English name). He is a HANDSOME boy.

When Richard left a pastor from Manila, Val Natcher moved in for a couple weeks. We have developed a good friendship over the past years and he wished to spend a portion of his sabbatical here looking over what we are doing.

The day he left Ivy moved in for three weeks. She is a delightful and intelligent young lady. Student at Purdue University studying Pyschology. Her father, Mr. Gu is director of the RAB in Jiangsu Province and encouraged her to come to California for her summer break. We are enjoying her refreshing perspective on life.


This is glocal living. Travel is two way. We share business, conversation, food, and when relationships grow we learn to share one another's homes.

Enough excuses. Will write more often.