Dear Congregation at First Southern Baptist Church,
As you probably know, I wear many hats. Of course, my biggest hat is the “hat of pastor” at your church. God has called me to San Lorenzo; I receive a salary from First Southern; and Kim and I live next door to the church in the parsonage. I am happy and proud to be your pastor
However, there is a second hat that fits squarely on my head two times a year. That’s my Africa missionary hat. I am the president of a non-profit charity called “Come & See Africa International”. The picture below shows me wearing my “special” African hat. If you see me wearing this hat, that means I’m about to travel.
The first time I wore this hat in Africa, one of my Rwandan friends said, “That hat that means that you are the owner of many cows”. I suppose that as a child of God that’s a true statement.
I don’t think that I would be wearing this hat without the kindness and support of the good people here at First Southern. When I was first hired in 2006, your church leaders gave me permission to go on mission to Africa two times a year and to miss two Sundays on each mission trip. This is your grace extended to me. I thank you. Traveling to Africa in God’s service is something hard to explain. It’s exhausting and exhilarating at the same time.
By my calculations, I have about three more years of missionary trips ahead of me.
By 2011, I hope to complete construction on a “Christian Fellowship House” near the University of Rwanda and I hope to establish strong local leaders to operate the house into the indefinite future. Of course, this is my plan. God may have an altogether different future set before me.
As the fellow wearing the African missionary hat (not as pastor of First Southern), I want to thank and acknowledge First Southern for its financial support over the last year and a half. For the year 2007, Come & See Africa received $7887 from First Southern. To this date in 2008, Come & See Africa has received $3862.
These $11,751 in funds have included $200 per month from the church, $6251 in individual contributions given through the church, and $1898 raised at the parking lot sale (2007) and the yard sale (2008). Again, thank you for all of your help. My prayer is that sometime soon a member of this church will be going with me and Kim on mission to Africa
Blessings,
Dr. Chris A. Foreman, President of Come & See Africa International
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