ORLANDO BLOOMS

I flew 44 hours last week.
Spent seven days in Orlando, Florida, to attend a conference and meetings at headquarters. Highlights:

1. Having the room at Merriot all to myself for three days (room-mate decided to stay somewhere else with friends). Spent wonderful "let's talk" time with the Lord, especially when I was wild awake and home-sick in the wee hours of the morning.

2. What fascinated me at the two-and-a-half-day Synergy Conference: Judy's daughter Michelle, who's like sunshine; Scot McKnight (he inspired me to study and think), Carolyn James (I'll never look at Ruth and Boaz the same), and Judy's final message on the Holy Spirit's power (that's what we must emphasize at every conference).

3. Staying with Hugh and Joanne Roberson: my old friends from Manila GCTC days in 1978. Through them, I finally discovered what keeps people forever young: passion for simple things in life and ministry.

4. Meeting up with the Lechliters (my colleagues from EAO) again. Just imagine: Evelyn (who's ABC) and I talking at the same time very loudly in an Italian restaurant, Jerry injecting dry witty words ever once in a while, and Jennifer, their wonderful daughter, trying hard to not look amused.

5. Attending the WR team meeting where everyone was tuned into Facebook, Thai take-in, and every topic under the sun.

6. Looking out from Judy's office window and listening to her talk about alligators in the lake outside headquarters. Cool.

7. Speaking at the wives' meeting on the last morning. Everyone's been so kind with their feedback on the "One Thing" talk.

8. Laughing and being serious, talking about nothing and everything with Jennifer, my Charlie's Angel, at Park Avenue.

9. Visiting with EAST alumnus Steve Ang Moh Cole and his wonderful colleagues at the prayer center. That was like tiramisu to my banquet at Orlando.

10. Sitting next to Fay - out of all the people in this world - on the long 14-hour flight from New York to Tokyo. She's from China, received Christ in the US, is now a dentist in Orlando, knows and likes Campus Crusade. Her five-year-old was sugar and spice to an otherwise very long and exhausting trip home.