McLeod Newsletter
December 2006

TEN-HUT!!!
 A mere four and a half years ago you would have found us at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro.  But at that time Tom, Troupe, and Roxie were not the family that they are today.  That was when a decade of friendship blossomed into proposal.  Roxie’s missionary work in Africa transformed to “homeland missions” as Tom and Troupe returned from their vacation with an unexpected addition to their family. 

MARCH!!!
Many fortuitous events in rapid succession appeared to us as a whirlwind of the miraculous. Of course in hind sight we observe the purpose of God unhindered as lives were prayerfully submitted to His will.  We landed in Florida as a family.  We clicked our heels and began in lock step.  Tom’s work at GE, Roxie’s development as a wife and mother, Troupe’s matriculation into young manhood were our combined focus.  We quickly found a church to call home and set about the business of obeying our received orders.  Blessings followed blessing. 

HALT!!!
Tom’s forth promotion in five years at GE took him out of IT altogether and landed him as head of his business’s international trade and compliance department.  He was also tapped as the business integrity focal point.  In essence he was chosen as a “missionary” of integrity to the corporate culture.  This realization stirred a recollection of a failed response to previous orders.  Twenty years ago Tom was made aware that he was called to missions.  Choices and circumstances prevailed instead. 

ABOUT FACE!!!
This past April we found ourselves on vacation in Mexico.  Nestled in the mountains at a friend’s cabin we wrestled with the question of whose missionary family we should become…GE’s or God’s.  Either way further cultural emersion would be required.  It was decided that GE’s requirements were too high to try to maintain any pretence of responding to both calls.  Clearly God’s call could no longer be ignored.  Tom’s recurring joke pertaining to “owing God two missionaries” (himself and the one he removed from the field by marrying her) proved to be more truth than levity. 

DRILL! DRILL! DRILL!
The rest of this year could be defined as the McLeod family finding as many ministry opportunities as possible in order to join God in his preparation and direction.  In preparation we have availed ourselves to a full spectrum of ministry ranging from evangelism of new believers to care for the elderly.  Teaching English, counseling new believers, discipling and becoming discipled together as a family has been our focus throughout the second half of this year.  Furthermore, we have been accepted as missionary candidates by Calvary International for a “Missionary Preparation and Orientation” in February. 

Waiting for new orders…