From the Director

Dear friends,

A lot of punch to this issue: I am still shaken by what I just read in the two book section on what is really happening at China's grassroots. Many of you will be stirred by the simple, wonderful facts about how God allowed us to clear the really tough • July 1st payment. (See box on page 20.) Thank you. 4 everyone! Thank you, Lord!

Don't miss the whole section on exciting remedies for the tragic "illness" called "retirement" (pp. 21 25).

Others will be electrified by the amazing walk-a-thon idea brought to us and being directed for us by a wonderful businessman from Portland. He's even in my wife's book, ONCE MORE AROUND JERICHO (See pages 18 and 19 here in this bulletin.)

My own proposal to pay off the campus by December 15th (p. 20) will perhaps at first glance ruffle a lot of fur, because it is an adventure that strikes most of us where it hurts, where our treasure is. While it shows a way to pay off this campus, it is 1000 times more important than this campus! Let me explain.

Almost unnoticed, thousands upon thousands of godly evangelical families are facing pink slips and pay cuts these days. When those things come, we deal with them. But how much better to learn to manage on far less before we have to!

Missionary families (and I know something about this) get along on a lot less, with great family fun, a close sense of teamwork, and high adventure. The drastic and stunning "pay cut" giving modeled by the pastor in Pasadena is 113 of his salary (see p. 20). Many families living on a missionary salary are in effect contributing even more than that. For example, my wife and I each get right around $7,000 a year. That's for 60 hour weeks full of excitement and challenge and a family of four children all by now just married, all four in missions. I still have a wonderful wife working closely with me in all things. How could I be richer?

But, our whole staff here is game to try this 1/3 pay cut thing too. Even with our already¬slimmed down missionary support level, EVERY MEMBER OF OUR STAFF has voluntarily opted to join the pastor in Pasadena, and my wife and me, in a liveon two thirds three month adventure. (Quite a few of our staff have been working along quite willingly even though they have already been below that level.) But the larger implications ... see you on page 20.