Life in the big D

We are adapting to life in Texas . This week we will able to locate two vehicles, each Toyotas, used but in great condition. We loved being able to get by with one vehicle in New Zealand but Dallas is not a public transit or walking city. Many of the major streets do not have sidewalks alongside of them and everything is very spread out. For my Auckland friends my trip to the office right now is about 26 kilometers one way and this would be considered very normal for Dallas. Three of the people that work in my office commute this far or further.

We hope to find a home a bit closer to the office but affordable housing in a good neighborhood is challenging. We are actively praying and researching this. We are looking for a house with the master bedroom and possibly an office on the first floor.

Friday was a day at the office and the beginning of a huge learning curve for me. Although I have been associated with ALARM for a long while, getting into daily operations and getting to know the many connections with people and organizations will take a good while. Celestin has done an amazing job of building networks and relationships. He has been great at informing, challenging and inspiring people to think beyond themselves. One of the churches with which ALARM is involved requires any aspiring leaders to take a trip to Africa in order to really know the DNA of the church.

Tomorrow we are visiting Bent Tree Fellowship where my friend, Pete Briscoe is the pastor. This next week, I will be in the office almost fulltime while continuing the settling in process. Hopefully our possessions are somewhere near South Africa now.