by Keith Bassham
A nother Graduation Fellowship Week and another school year is in the books. This was something like my 40th Fellowship Week (I missed a couple here and there since 1972), but of course the last 20 required no travel on my part. As a semi-official quasi-host (I actually do host friends in my home during the week), the meetings are more work than when I was a pastor visiting from out of town, but I enjoy the flood of memories that come with the meetings and worship and banter with friends in the halls and on the campus lawns. Those who missed the event can scan the photo essay in this magazine for pictures and highlights.
____________________
We had barely processed the information about the Vanuatu cyclone when word came of the Nepal earthquake. Nepal has been featured in the Tribune recently, and we had two Nepalese brothers graduating from BBC (photo, front cover), so we took more than just a glance at the news (see BBC President Mark Milioni’s column for a little more about the brothers’ experience). The Gospel is beginning to make some significant inroads in that nation “at the top of the world,” and though we cannot be happy about suffering and tragedy, they do create opportunity to do good and to allow Christians to shine. You can contribute with confidence to some relief efforts through the BBFI Mission Office (www.bbfi.org or www.bbfimissions.com), and we have some information on page 5 of this issue.
____________________
One other event took place during Fellowship Week. Our great friend and BBFI pioneer missionary to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Elmer Deal, was taken from us to heaven. Even at the age of 89, years older than a reasonable retirement age, he was making plans to return to Congo just as he had since this Fellowship was still in its infancy. Our first missionary to Africa, Elmer is part of a singular generation of spiritual giants, a group who went when the going was tough and stayed when it would have been more prudent and far safer to leave, who forewent the comfort of family and friends so that strangers could become part of the family of God. We will miss him — and others of his generation — greatly in the days ahead.
____________________
The Tribune publishing schedule changes a bit as we go from spring to summer. This issue’s publication is delayed beyond the usual date so we can report the Fellowship Week activities. And there is no Tribune published in June so we can do some housekeeping with our records (our fiscal year ends in June), update and upgrade, if necessary, any computer software or hardware without disrupting workflow, and we take our vacations in June. Someone is usually available to answer the phone, and we will monitor email, and we can always process subscriptions and offering checks of course, but after this issue of the Tribune you will not receive another magazine until sometime in July. Have a blessed and safe summer.