Colaborers
All of the above have been developed with an array of colaborers. The forwards of each book note some of these but I am listing some here, lest the narrative fail to honor the commune. Not all were part of the academic progressions, but rather were the feet of outworking of the academic reflections.(Those that have contributed with academic writings are noted with an asterix).
Jun and Milleth Paragas, Corrie de Boer, Raineer Chu and 26 others were all professionals as part of our early Manila network of workers in the slums.
Peter & Libby Falconer, Colin & Janet Harrington were the core to launching Servants Among the Poor. Mick and Ruby Duncan* sustained leadership of the Manila team. Jenny Craig* wrote a sane reflection on the mission after ten years. Later, Craig Greenfield*, and Kristen Jack* gave international leadership. Alistair Mackenzie, also, who has written more on work as a vocation.
Peter and Jenny Vos* hosted me while writing Companion to the Poor and implemented these ideas in South Africa. Paul and Wendy Duncan, David and Margaret Allis, Sushanta Patra, Dr John Thomas were all part of sustaining us in Kolkata.
Bruce Patrick* gave leadership for Vision New Zealand, and encouraged publication and speaking. Glyn Carpenter expanded this in his role with NZ Christian Network.
Tom and Betty-Sue Brewster,* professors at Fuller Theological Seminary, were core to the formation of Servants Among the Poor in the US. Grant Power, John Shorack* and John Macy were mighty men pioneering new works, Robin Haines Merrill, a mighty woman among those sex trafficked in Manila, who grew from those days.
John Hayes* became a companion as he forged a parallel mission, Innerchange. Jude and John Tiersma* were part of that. Pr Waldemar Cavalho enjoyed teamwork, as he founded Siervos Entre os Pobres from Brazil. Dr Bob Linthicum* mentored and supported me as a board member for a decade while leading Urban Advance in World Vision along with Dr Thom Wolf* from Church on Brady, and Crol Davis.
In the AD2000 movement, Luis Bush* mentored me into international leadership dynamics, and Viju Abraham welcomed me to walk with him around India. He, Corrie de Boer and Jackie Pullinger* integrated much in a gathering in Hong Kong in 1996.
As Servant-Partners developed, Will Niewoehner became an anchor of wise executive leadership, then Derek and Lisa Engdahl* in international leadership.
Urban Poor City Networks developed around many, including Pr John Baptist Lukwago in Uganda, Pr P.K. Moses in Hyderabad, Pr Billy Graham in Delhi, Rev Viju Abraham in Mumbai, Dr Colin Smith* and his team in Nairobi.
The MATUL Commission built around Colin, Corrie, and Dr Bobby Gupta* of HBI in Chennai, with the anchor first of Paul Cornelius then Dr Saravanan. Dr Rich Slimbach* of APU contributed massive effort into the structuring of the degree and introduced it to APU. It flourished under David Weeks as dean of CLAS, and the Global Studies chairman, Rich Robinson. In Uganda, Rev Andrew David Omana became a bulwark of stability in launching the program at Uganda Christian University. And in Nagpur, Dr Hruda Ranjan Lahora, of MITS, remains on the forefront of creatively developing ideas. Dr. John Edmiston has been working with me in scaling to the grassroots.
There are many I have not mentioned, equally of significance, as this has focussed on those contributing to the academic fields, but not included pastoral care, and board members or my beloved wife, Ieda and vibrant kids, Monique, Leonardo, and Bianca. It is also always incomplete to write of colaborers and not mention those who have opposed, destroyed, sought to steal or bureaucratically tried to block, but such sins cannot be mentioned!!! However, a reflection would be incomplete without noting them, as one sees the hand of God in blocking this way or that way and redirecting one's course through such men. Each time a work has become viable, there are some, who have been after fame or success, or power, or leadership, or legal or bureaucratic niceties. The inability of creatives to understand such personalities and the structures they generate is well documented. As a work transitions from the man of words> to the fanatic, from the prophet to the apostle, the purity of ideas, the perfection of structures become twisted beyond recognition (Hoffer, 1966). The blessing is that it forces the creative back to the edges - which is where they create best.
That is the protected role of a professor, is it not?