Fowlers’ Update for February 2016

FOWLERs IN TRANSITION
Transition? What transition?  
After a missionary ministry of over 50 years, we (Harold and Enid) are announcing our intention to transition to the States. Hopefully the transition is from one degree of service to another. So we are not “leaving the ministry”; just changing places where ministry can go on at a hopefully slower pace.
The key word here is effectiveness. If we could be effective in Italy, we would stay in Italy. However, there are some issues that, by themselves, are not critical, but taken together in combination, strongly recommend a return to the States. So we would like to share with you what is on our hearts. 
Health issues
Harold has Parkinson’s disease. This by itself does not require many serious changes in our activities. It certainly brings with it a constant fatigue that cuts into his energy level and it is not unusual for him to rest for long periods. Parkinson’s is a malady that affects the coordination of nerves and muscles, as well as production of dopamine in the brain.
In terms of bodily motion there is a loss of coordination that creates some loss of equilibrium and stumbling.  His feet do not always walk right.
This malady affects also his fingers and, consequently, his choice of activities such as writing books and typing at the computer, which he was doing before this came on. He must type at a slow pace because his fingers no longer work right and the high-speed typing, suitable for a writing ministry, is a thing of the past. Were it not for our faithful spell-checker, even this would be a nightmare.
Taking seminars to the churches is hindered, because he sometimes forgets what he is trying to say when he teaches. So we are seeking a more limited ministry in the States where we can be effective by making that transition. 
Enid’s health is basically good but she faces the prospect of a hip-joint replacement, perhaps this spring or summer. She is at least on the list for inclusion for this surgery. Some time may be needed for her recovery. She too needs your prayers because she has undergone months of stress as Harold’s caregiver at home.
Age Factor
Harold and Enid will both turn 79 this year, and they need to get their affairs in order while they can still manage it. This means breaking up housekeeping after a period of over 50 years in Europe. This will involve hard choices about what to take and what to leave.
The involvement of our children as caregivers
Half of our six children live in the Colorado Springs-Denver area; the other three are scattered between Michigan, Georgia and Virginia, each being more than 1,000 miles from the others. They all warmed our hearts by offering to assist us in making the transition.
What will change?
Not a lot at first, because we hope to do some preaching and teaching until the day we get on the plane bound for the States. In the meantime, we will be packing what we want to take with us to the States. Then there is distribution of Harold’s library among these who can make good use of them—in English or in Italian.
This is a letter we would rather not have to write, because, emotionally and strategically, we belong in Italy. In America, there is a relative abundance of Christian workers; but in Italy there is a scarcity. Our brothers and sisters in the Italian churches are dear to us as old friends. Logistically, we would need for our children to be closer to us when we need them as caregivers.
How soon?
 The transition will depend on how soon we can get the English books moved to the English library in Berlin and the Italian books to libraries here in Italy. So this may mean sometime later this year or early next.
We do not take lightly this decision to move back to the States, because it will involve some just plain hard work. Your prayers for us will certainly be needed for this transition. So, we wanted to share with you some of our personal concerns for this coming year.
We send you our love and thanks for your loving concern.
Harold and Enid Fowler