We have been grappling with whether Dan should make a trip to Canada this year. Here is some of his thinking…

There are 2 reasons that I feel I need to come out at this time:

1. HopeShares Canada (Seed of Hope’s Funding Partner) is in a crucial stage in terms of its operations and strategic planning. While I am not a board member, missionary or employee of HopeShares Canada, Seed of Hope South Africa has asked me to attend strategic planning sessions of HopeShares Canada in September in order to bring the ‘in-the-field’ perspective. This has been deemed important by the Seed of Hope Board and they are willing to pay half of my plane fare to Canada. The request to be at this meeting in Canada was the final impetus that sealed my decision to book flights this month.

2. Our support is not where it needs to be, and is slowly declining. While our current support level is at 85% (based on a 12-month rolling indicator), this number is only as high as it is due to a very generous one-time donation of $10 000 given at the end of March. This donation was a huge answer to prayer. The fact is that we have been underfunded since January 2011, and we are in need of securing more monthly donor support. While I am grateful for one-time gifts, and they have been a significant part of our support, after 12 months the impact of that support drops off in terms of our percentage of support raised. I believe it is crucial to address the funding issue before it becomes serious, and there really is no substitute for face-to-face contact.

Regarding the issue of our support, it should be noted that we have not travelled to Canada for the purpose of raising our support level since moving to South Africa in January, 2010 (2.5 years ago). Our presence in Canada in May 2011 was at the request of, and paid for by, EMCC World Partners for the purpose of attending a week of meetings at EMCC conference and at Rivers Edge Camp.

I will also have the opportunity to come to Canada in February… which has further made this decision a difficult one. In February, the only thing that has been decided is that EMCC World Partners is flying me, and a few other missionaries, to southern Ontario for a week-long discipleship training put on by Key Concept (see http://www.keystoneproject.org ). Again, this trip is at the request of, and paid for by, EMCC World Partners. The training will greatly benefit me in the field. We value highly opportunities to learn new strategies for building leaders.

Kerry and I are still talking about when in 2013 we will do a 3-month home assignment. It may or may not begin in February. I see great value in joining Gareth Bowley on his trip to CSC for the MTO weekend (early Feb 2013), but that hasn’t been decided either.

For those who are concerned about travel costs, I share their concern — which is what made the decision to come out in September difficult, and what is making decisions about 2013 so difficult — in addition to the impact of me being away both from ministry and from family.

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1. It’s only me coming out;

2. We have been underfunded since Jan 2011, and my trip is an attempt to help rectify the situation before it becomes serious;

3. I’m also coming to attend strategic planning meetings of Seed of Hope’s partner agency in Canada;

4. Seed of Hope is paying half my plane fare, mitigating the financial impact on our support;

5. We may or may not be in Alberta in February, though we will be there sometime in 2013 (And I’m hoping to come out with Gareth for the MTO weekend);

6. Our trip last year May was due to a recall of all missionaries. The timing of that trip was not our decision, nor was it for the purpose of addressing support issues — though we were able to take advantage of proximity in order to meet with current and prospective supporters, and to report to supporters and constituents regarding the work in South Africa.

So as you see… making these kinds of decisions is never easy. We are coming to terms with the fact that living internationally has many challenges as we maintain 2 separate “home” bases. The necessity of travel is evident. We are thankful for our increasing networks all over the world and endeavor to steward those networks as is possible.