New Tasks, New Challenges

I have crossed my first hurdle.  I chaired my first Faculty meeting. There are 10 of us in the Faculty with 80 full time students including about 15 students with families. One student came with his wife and three children from Bangi Island, the northern island at the tip of Borneo. They came with nothing but a few change of clothes. So my first instruction to the Dean of Students was to visit the student and suggest how the College could meet his immediate needs. The student and his family were told to dine in the Dining Hall together with single students as students with families have their own quarters and expected to cook on their own. But the amenities are very basic in the family quarters and I was touched by the action of a church whose pastor enrolled to continue his theological education when they built a new kitchen for him.
I praised the Lord that the Faculty meeting went well. I think my colleagues most of whom I knew beforehand were a bit apprehensive as to how I would lead the College. The discussion of various matters went well. Two or three times I had to ask for more time to think through issues or problems that came up. There are 101 things to handle at one time. Staffing was something we could not delay. One clerk is leaving us as she got married last month and had to follow her husband elsewhere. We had to hire one clerical staff and she was asked to start immediately and should report to work tomorrow evening. The accounts clerk will also do clerical work until I have time to look at the College budget and see whether we could engage another support staff. There is one full time libarian and students go on a roster to assist in the library. And two chefs cook three meals a day for single students. And a part time staff manning the College canteen.

In the meantime, I continue to pastor my own church. I have signed off the letter to my HQ to request for an assistant pastor. It is urgent last year and it is even more urgent now that I am doubling up at College. Tonight I have go decide where to worship. College's orientation week continues with night time services but my church has its usual mid week meeting.