For those of you who’ve tracked with us the past X number of years, we’ve made a big move. Not just to Portland, Oregon. We’ve resigned ourselves to the reality that we will not be able to go back to China – the love of our lives the past couple of decades – and so have resigned from the organization which sent us there.

I’m very focused these days on writing and advocating in other ways for causes and concerns that remain near and dear to our hearts. I’m writing a book – will I ever get it published? – on what it means to be missionally cross-cultural and how to do that in creative ways that are often not only necessary but also more effective. And I’m learning how to use the “pulpit” of the day – the Blog.

As a family, we are seeking God to understand how we are to fulfill our vision (see the statement above and to the right) at the local level, which means right here in the greater PDX (Portland) area. As the saying goes, “Think globally, act locally.” Which so far has meant becoming respite therapeutic foster care parents, and volunteering with the Oregon Center for Christian Values as a co-chair for the Human Trafficking subcommittee.

There is one more missing piece to this whole equation in what we’ve been calling “The Next Chapter” – I’ve got to find some bacon to bring home. Meaning meaningful work, or at least work that pays enough. My desire is to be proactive in fulfilling that vision listed above-right and in bringing home the bacon, all in one neat package.  May or may not be so simple. But, regardless, vision and bacon are both essential to life. Stay tuned.