Farewell from Joyce and Alan

Back in 1995 I was working as the marketing coordinator for a small semi-conductor industry company. My wife, Joyce, had a strange job working for 'The Lama Link' newsletter/magazine. I had visited the offices a few times, but really did not know much about the industry when Jan Wassink approached me concerning a bid to operate the International Lama Registry.

That was almost 10 years ago. Since the first day of 1996 Joyce and I have had the privilege of working with Jan Wassink and the ILR Board. We have enjoyed the office staff and those we come into contact with in our duties. Joyce has become our 'customer service agent of difficult problems' while I try to keep the computer systems running efficiently and concentrate on publications (electronic and print).

Joyce and I have also enjoyed you, the members, a great deal. You have become friends as well as clients. With few exceptions, you have been patient, understanding and knowledgeable in your business dealings with the Registry. In turn, we have tried to respond to your needs as we would members of our own families.

The Registry has been a challenge, especially for me. It has been satisfying to work with other professionals in establishing a 'first-class' registry. With excellent input of the ILR Board of Directors and sage advice of individuals in the computer sales and programming business, the ILR has developed a robust data system, a completely digitized photographic library of registered llamas, improved DNA analysis, web site registrations and photographic upload, web site llama data searches, a cost-effective means of communication (ILRe-port), enhanced certificates, and now we are in the early stages of incorporating other llama industry registries on a contract basis. It has been exciting and rewarding.

But now we have a different challenge. We have been teachers and administrators for another non-profit corporation, Bible Study Fellowship (BSF - Joyce for 20 years and Alan for 17 years). In fact, from 1990 to 1992 we lived in central Nigeria teaching classes and assisting the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA). Now we have the opportunity, and have heard the call, to return to Nigeria. For the past 10 years men and women have been praying for BSF classes in the new capitol city of Abuja. Our plans are to leave the USA on March 21, 2005. We will be stationed there for the next few years as we establish classes for men and women, and then identify local leadership to take our places.

Abuja is an exciting place. It is not only the capitol city of Nigeria, but has become a hub of politics for the African continent. We are excited that God has seen fit to provide this oppotunity and even though we will miss all of you, but we know that you will be in good hands with Jan and the capable staff.

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