coulstons AT THE LECTURES

For the first time since 1993, Darlene and I attended the Abilene Christian University lectureship. That time we met people who have become life-long friends. George and MaryJo Tolbert from Hamilton, Texas, were at the lectures to find someone who would meet up with friends of theirs from Japan (an exchange student who had lived with them) who were living in Nairobi!! I was director (or Principal) of Kenya Christian Industrial Training Institute at that time and a member of the Eastleigh Church. We made that contact and enjoyed the Japanese family very much, and they attended church with us regularly. Now the Hamilton church supports the street ministry.

We are all much older now, and our perspectives are different. And things have changed at ACU -- the library is a busy and happy place. Now there is a Starbucks on the main floor, with the network computers and lots of people having a good time. We sat there with our coffee and talked with Sam and Nancy Shewmaker (who are moving back to Africa) and Gaston and Jan Tarbet. We ran across Reg Cox and Tim Johnson (who knew an old friend of ours from ACU and the Bay Area, Mark Molloy). And we saw Jack Hicks -- he and I were in 2nd year Hebrew together, studying under Tony Ash in the M.Div. program back in '69. While we were talking with Jack, Chris Chesnutt, ACU student and last year's intern at Conejo Valley Church in Thousand Oaks, CA, showed up to talk to us. Jack noticed that I was taking my diabetes pills, along with something he recognized, vitatim b-12. Jack was telling me that he took his under the tongue, and Chris was looking at us with that funny look that the young give to strange older people. Jack said, "Chris, you'll be here some day." Darlene and Jack and I thought that was really funny. Ah, it's great to grow old.

The classes Darlene and I attended all had 12 to 15 people in them. But the "social justice" classes at 2 PM (not the best time for classes -- after lunch, nap time!) had between 70 and 80 people each day. These classes were all about practical ministries on behalf of children or oppressed peoples. Good indication of strong interest in the churches of Christ on alternative ministries that provide service to the desperate and poor.

may your service be given with unending joy, charles