Did I Forget Something?

Last Sunday our pastor talked about how we can get so busy that we easily forget
what is most important. Kind of the tyranny of the urgent over the wisdom of the
important. Being new to Bakersfield he did not waste any time getting himself and
his kids involved in the community activities. This one day was especially hectic as
his wife had to be someplace, he had to be at practice (he is a coach) and
one of his five kids had to be someplace. So he took all the kids to practice
with him, finished early and sped off to get his son to another practice.
You can imagine his embarrassment when a couple of ladies called asking
if he forgot anything at practice. Looking around he could not remember anything
he left until the ladies put his young daughter on the phone!

How easy it is for us to get so busy that we miss the basics of the Christian life.
Bottom line, if we are not taking care of our own walk with the Lord we certainly
will not be able to help anyone else. As you might guess I am pointing the finger
into my own life. Life is full of competing priorities, but our first and most
important commitment is to Love God. Matthew 22:29-40 (NLT) 35 One of them,
an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which
is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “„You
must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your
mind.‟ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

Lord grant me the wisdom to put you first in my life and commitments.

Tough Times/Tough Decisions

One of the first things I had to do upon my return was lay off our long-time friend
and Administrative Assistant, Bev Reaney. Bev has been a valuable part of the ICM
team and committed to the ICM vision. It was hard to tell her the funds are just not
there to keep her on. We have also cut back our offices, our IT, and just about
everything else. We are as about as lean as we can possibly get. Kaye Camp,
Patrice Bussell, Sheryl Giesbrecht and Debbie are all part time, but doing the work
of full time staff. P

East Africa – August 2010

Debbie and I both had great times in East Africa. Debbie started out by spending a
week with Deb Snell at their new home in Naivasha. From there she flew to
Tanzania to work with Melinda Peterson and James and Mary Kamau. She and
Melinda did Sunday School training in Dar es Salaam.

I spent my first week teaching an MA course on Strategic Thinking at the Africa

International University. The following week I was in Kitale teaching for the ICM
Kenya staff retreat. Finally I ended up near the Ugandan boarder teaching a
conference for one of our graduates, Gideon Wanyama who was part of the first
group that started at our seminary. After graduating he moved to the border town
of Busia and planted 15 churches. While at church I heard one of his young pastors
teaching. It was a poignant moment as I realized I was seeing 2 Tim. 2:2 in action.
2 Timothy 2:2 (NLT) 2 Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will
be able to pass them on to others.

Back to Africa – September 2010

Now it is time to return to Africa. This time I am headed to Kinshasa, DRC. Once a
year our country directors get together and seek the Lord as to
what we should be doing in the coming year. The Apostle James
(James 1) tells us that God will grant us wisdom if we ask. We
will be asking. On the one hand we see the continued expansion
and influence of ICM in Africa and beyond. On the other we see
resources dwindling. When donations are down, faith needs to
be up. Please pray for the International Leadership team of ICM
as we ask God for wisdom concerning the future. I feel in my
spirit that this will be a potentially landmark time as we seek to refocus on God’s
direction for us as a ministry.

Ethiopia: I will also be visiting Addis Ababa on this trip. I had been working with
a number of groups to bring a three year training (one training every six months for
three years) to two cities in Ethiopia. This required the coordination of five
different groups. The cornerstone was the funding from a
foundation. The missing piece was a church that would commit
to doing the training. The plan began to unravel when the
foundation turned down the funding. Now I was left with
several of the partners moving in the direction of the
conferences, but no church and no funding. But God saw the
need and opportunity. Unexpectedly a church in my home town
stepped up and not only agreed to do the teaching but is funding
the whole thing!!! I love those times when you completely run out of ideas and God
steps in. He takes the few fish and loaves and multiplies them.

Prayer

Travel will be a real trial. I will be spending way more time in planes than I want.
Pray for good seats and the occasional upgrade!

Patrice Bussell, Office Manager, will be traveling at the end of September to Kenya.

Debbie leaves the end of September to be with our daughter-in-law for the birth of
their fourth child (our 7th grandchild). Daniel our son is deployed (he was part of
the Marines that recently stormed a ship taken by pirates).

Pray especially for our leadership team as we seek God for the future.
Thank you, Thank you

For those who would like to join the Walker support team or give an additional gift, you
can send your donation to: ICM, Box 9071, Bakersfield, CA. Put a note in that it is for the
Walker support. Or you can donate online at: Donate just put a note in the comment box
that it is for the Walkers. Or you can donate to any of our staff or projects. All are in need
at this time.

On behalf of Debbie and I and the whole ICM team, thank you for being part of our prayer
and support team. We would not be doing the things we are doing without your partnership
of prayers and support.

By His Grace,

Phil and Debbie