November 01, 1980 by

Dear Faithful People,

Last Friday a truly momentous event occurred. We thank you for your prayers. Rejoice with us¬ on that day our property doubled and our financial net worth tripled. We formerly owned $8.5 million assets owing $8.7 million liabilities. Now we own $14. 5 million assets and owe $9.8 million. Our 'Net Worth' is the difference between what we own and owe, now $4. 9 million. On that day an additional 18 acres of residential properties (85 parcels, 135 rental units) cleared escrow so as to make us now owners of the entire campus and off campus housing we originally sought.

The details leading up to this constitute a truly cliff hanging series of dramatic events, in which we must recognize God's Hand at every point.

Although the strain humanly speaking has been enormous, we have been at peace through it all. "We are troubled on every side,' said Paul, "yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair." (IlCor 4: 8). (I will be glad to send you a detailed report if you wish to ask  tear off the back page and drop it in the mail.)

Please do two things:

1. Pray that you personally might discover how to share your grasp of the challenge of the Unfinished Task. Do you need another half dozen Jericho books to lend around?
2. Pray that now, as this goes to press, and as the scene for many of us shifts to Edinburgh, that this precious meeting will succeed. No use being the largest meeting of mission executives in history, or the.. first to bring mission executives from East and West together, or the first to incorporate a sister conference of youth leaders  if through it all there is not the radiant presence of the Holy Spirit illuminating new steps forward to share the blessings of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with all the families of the earth.