The Three Degrees

Meeting Matt tonight and Martin for breakfast has really brought it home to me about going. I think today, more than at any other time, it's felt real. It's strange seeing people, saying goodbye and really honestly not knowing when, or even if, you'll ever see them again. I'm not sure why today more than any other, and why Martin and Matt rather than everyone else we've said bye to already.

Maybe part of it is having a prospective candidate come in to the office today to discuss taking my role. And me talking to him for almost two hours about the role, and the company and the Research team. That kind of makes it feel real too. I am really being replaced.

I did get a bit of an ego boost today though, on a couple of occasions. Nice things about me, how I've handled the role since taking over and how I'll be missed professionally were said in my prescence. Things that didn't need to be said in the situations. They were a real encouragement to me and particularly that I will be able to find a job down there in the near future. Although, to be balanced about it, my boss did end one conversation by saying he gave me eight months down there. This was just before he offered me a job in New York.

Me and my MD phoned a couple of the Research team today, George in Ghana and Beto in Brazil, to tell them my news. That was difficult, especially doing it by phone. I think they were both very surprised and disappointed but we managed, in the end, to reassure them about the company's commitment to the Cocoa Division. George was quite distressed at first, but it was so great to be able to phone him later though, privately, and explain about St John's in Chch and wanting to serve the Lord down in Nuzziland, and having him understand Joanne and my priorities, that there are some things so much more important than careers and the real need for the Gospel down there. It's so reassuring to know that one more brother will be praying for us as we step out in faith, trusting our Father to provide for us - to provide a home and jobs and friends and a family in Christ.