A giant of the forest has fallen

Dear Foster Family,

 

I am writing from New Zealand where, when a great man has passed on we say 'a giant of the forest has fallen' [in our case, a Totara]. In North American parlance, a mighty Sequoia Redwood.

 

Dr. Bob Foster has left a growing forest of his own - in his own children and grandchildren along with many saints in Angola and elsewhere.

 

My personal contact with Bob was brief but significant.In the wake of the merger of AEF with SIM. Bob could see the possibility of a long held vision of Brazilian Christians serving in ex - Portuguese territories moving closer to fulfillment. When he came to visit me in Charlotte, I showed him the entry in the Personnel Manual that long since had lain dormant of assigning the responsibility of nurturing  the mission vision of the non-Spanish parts of Latin America. We had wanted to see SIM Canada rise up and do what Australia had long since done in East Asia in guiding their mission potential.The merger had now given the opening to Portuguese fields. Awakening the Canadian office to the possibilities was the problem besetting us and Dr. Bob was just the man to do it. With our blessing,  he and Belva went to Toronto where their enthusiasm and experience sparked the flame.

 

Interestingly, it was the temporary appointment of son Stephen and wife Peggy to the Canadian staff that gave the language energy and practical skills to give feet to the vision. This proved to be a very useful and timely outcome of the enforced  absence from Angola. Looking back we see the Lord's sovereign hand. There were some missteps while the right formula was found, especially to overcome the dreadful attrition rates of early Brazilian missions. As in Asia, far more people went out with  strengthened indigenous groups than joined SIM and ironically they have gone in greater numbers to other fields. [Thank God for that open hearted approach of SIM]. In hindsight, we see the significant role that Bob played in this along with the energy Stephen and Peggy provided - even the significance of that Canadian connection forged so long previously!

 

Blessings on you all as you celebrate a life well lived and seeds sprouting and growing into great trees wherever Bob and Belva have served.

 

One time  SIM DID - Personnel

Gordon Stanley