Once a year, all OM leaders worldwide meet to discuss new 
To appoint a field leader, to discuss and adopt decisions, to establish international contacts, or to freshen up. Connections between the different OM fields is an important thing for fundraising. (Some countries have the donors and other fields the projects that the donors want to support).
This year there was a lot of talk about structural reform in OM and proposals from the International Coordination Team (ICT) on how OM needs to change and adapt to global changes in order to still be relevant and have a place in the mission in the future. The International Leaders Meeting (ILM) was held in Panama for 6 days at the end of February with a good 450 delegates.
This year was the first time I was sent to ILM as one of the heads of OM South Africa. The off-flight from Johannesburg via Paris to Panama City was OK with 32 hours. The conference was held in a large hotel in the city centre, in which we have also stayed all OM ladders. (a Christian businessman from Panama who owns the hotel has heavily subsidized the conference and accommodation.)
At the first conference afternoon we also had a short time to visit the Panama Canal. The Government of Panama had donated free tickets to the visitors ' station to all conference participants.
Apart from that, Panama is an extremely expensive country. After arriving, my boss and I quickly bought three bottles of water (1.5l) in the store opposite the hotel, which cost us 10US$. :-S
The conference days themselves were crammed with meetings, committees and votes. The morning always began with praise, prayer time and Bible work. All coffee breaks, breakfast, lunch and dinner were used to arrange meetings with different people from other countries, or certain international OM ministries.
At the various workshops I was very interested in projects on farming, renewable energy and the latest IT trends in OM. So everything that could be interesting for us in South Africa.
The return flight was very tiring with 51 hours. We flew back to South Africa via Havana and Paris. Our travel agency assured us that we do not need a visa for Cuba if we stay in the international transit area. Unfortunately, the small airport in Havana has no transit area at all. Fortunately, we can still negotiate in Latin America. And since none of us could speak Spanish, the Italian had to be kept by my boss, which then worked surprisingly well.
After a 12-hour stopover in Paris, Charles De Gaulle Airport, we arrived home in Pretoria happy and tired after three days on tour.
A loving thanks to all who had accompanied the conference in prayer and also prayed for a safe journey for me. We were able to attend all meetings and also on the journeys of God.
Your
Stephan
