August 25, 2022

Still Rolling Along...

Greetings from Portland, Oregon on this beautiful summer day!

Tickets are now being sold in Oslo, Stockholm, Berlin, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, London… In a few weeks the roadies will set the stages. The band is already practicing. The “Never Ending Tour,”

 rolling for more than 60 years now, still travels the world. He is 81 but still sings “Forever Young.” “I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now!” Apparently Bob Dylan has not found the word ‘retirement’ in his Bible. We’re a few years behind him, but neither have we.

 A few days ago, we had our physical exams here in Portland. The doc said we might still have a few miles. So, we’re excited to share the doors the Lord has opened for this next season.


 IDEAS Global Conference 2022

The last week of July we had the privilege of meeting our colleagues with IDEAS in Estes Park, Colorado. Every three years the whole team gathers for a week of renewal and refreshment in the Lord. It had been four years since the last GloCo because of COVID. The timing was perfect for newbies like us to learn more of how the Lord is using our associates in building communities of contagious hope around the world through health care, community development, business, agriculture, and education. Mark had the privilege of giving the opening and closing messages from the Scriptures.

It was a blessing to lead our team in a commissioning prayer for a family we went through IDEAS Orientation with in February as they headed out for service in Argentina. 

 Our specific part-time assignment with IDEAS is becoming clearer. We met our new President, Gabrielle Thompson, and she has helped clarify our Church Ambassador role, writing recently, “We would love for you two to be IDEAS representatives beginning in Hawaii and then the greater United States, in sharing at churches and Christian communities. We are looking to expand our reach of awareness about the mission, vision and values of IDEAS, as well as helping guide others towards opportunities that IDEAS has to offer.”

As part of the Community Life team, we will lead two monthly ‘micro-community’ groups of our colleagues from around the globe. One group will focus on honoring parents through all of life. Many overseas workers struggle to know how best to honor their parents from the other side of the globe. We will discuss the book “The Thoughtful Caregiver” by Rebecca James Hecking. Our other group will read and discuss the book “Crazy Busy” by Kevin DeYoung.  Our groups will span the clock as we span the globe. Dayna and I will Zoom in at 6 a.m. from Hawaii while those in Thailand will be joining at their 11 p.m. – with colleagues in China, Bangladesh, Jordan, Tunisia, and Colorado representing their time zones! Crazy busy, indeed! 

 In the coming years we will be traveling for IDEAS to see and encourage our colleagues in their places of service around the globe.

Mahalo! – many thanks for your generous support to IDEAS to help us with these travels.


 From Oregon to Hawaii

Our trusty Kia Soul will get a new set of license plates soon. She will sail from Tacoma, Washington to Hawaii. We’re grateful to have a vehicle for the pastoral ministry we will begin in September.

Mark will pastor Kalāhikiola Congregational Church in Kapa’au for at least the next six months, Lord willing. Their faithful pastor, our dear friend Tom Fernandez has stepped down after 17 years of being their Kahu (pastor in Hawaiian). So, we gladly agreed to serve this church that has faithfully supported us for many years of our mission service in their transition.

“Kalāhikiola Church…has been in use for 164 years. Kalāhikiola translates to "The Day Salvation Comes" in the Hawaiian Bible, and is the name of the hill in the Kohala Mountains where the timber to build the church was harvested.” (Tom Morse;  Editor, North Hawaii News @ https://www.kalahikiolacc.com/ )

 Kapa’au is a special place for Dayna as she received Jesus as Lord and Savior at a church camp there at the age of 10…just a few years ago. We appreciate your prayers that we might be faithful in this great opportunity to serve the Lord and His people. May God save more 10 year-olds - and all their ohana (family)!

It seems the ‘Covid cloud’ has mercifully lifted. How has this pandemic left you? Perhaps your loved ones have been taken by this affliction. May the Lord give you His comfort. Perhaps your church has been shaken to the core. May the Lord give church leaders clarity of focus on Christ and the Scriptures above all else. Perhaps your own faith has suffered from too many Sundays of church in your pajamas. May you rise up and get out the door in Christ’s power to serve Him with new determination. It’s time to worship and work for Him with unveiled face! We have been reminded that life and death, mortality and eternity, heaven and hell are real. May you not fritter away the unrepeatable opportunities of each new day to make Christ known by word and deed. We are His ambassadors – sovereignly placed in spheres of opportunity where you alone can tell friends, colleagues, neighbors, and family His great news. Godspeed!


 Very Gratefully in Him, Mark and Dayna Blair


 
IDEAS (International Development and Educational Associates) is a 501 © (3) public charity. Contributions are tax deductible. IDEAS also receives Donor-Advised Funds, Employer Matching Gifts, Stock, Mutual Funds, and IRA contributions.

The easiest way to contribute - for you and IDEAS - is online.

https://ideasworld.org/associate/blair-mark-and-dayna-support-0471

This secured site protects donors and keeps track of your giving. Check it out.

If you would prefer to mail a check, no problem. Checks (no cash, please) made to IDEAS (our name should not be on the check, but attach a note: ‘Mark and Dayna Blair’) and mail to:

IDEAS, 7852 South Elati Street, Suite 202, Littleton, Colorado 80120  www.ideasworld.org

Our Phone Numbers Mark 808-218-4872 / Dayna 808-218-3698

Emails blairstan2@gmail.com / mark.blair@ideasworld.org / dayna.blair@ideasworld.org

Blog http://blairstan.blogspot.com/                            

Web Site https://pastormarkblair.org/

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