Later in the morning, I received a phone call from one of the men with whom I served on the board of Caleb Project. Last July, Caleb Project had joined with ACMC (originally the Association of Church Missions Committees, more recently, Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment) and the united organizations renamed themselves Initiative 360--findable online at TakeItGlobal.org.
Based on my understanding of what he told me, it sounds as if I-360, unless salvaged by a massively powerful organization, is in a death spiral and will close its doors at the end of this month.
We are in shock. We were staff members of the organization for two years. I was on the board for an additional six. Caleb Project began back in
Then this morning (early!), I could not sleep. I am so many hundreds of emails behind, and there is so much work to do: I got up and noticed an email with the name of Alan (Al) Groves, one of the guys I knew--and, with his wife Libbie, with whom Sarita and I were close--while we were in seminary. Without saying it in so many words, the subject line made clear that Al had died.
I have just spent some 45 minutes reading about Al's final year. He died of cancer--metastasized melanoma.
I don't know what to say.
Our days are short. I realize it more and more.
My "project" of seeking to pass on my vision, my life's work: I sense I need to engage in it with ever-stronger resolve.
