One afternoon of November 1989, the personnel director informed me that my next assignment would be in North Africa but did not give further details. Now, in the lexicon of the foreign service, North Africa stretches from Somalia to Western Sahara.
One thing that appeared to give me consolation was the fact that I would be out of church work for some time. I felt I needed a vacation.
You can well imagine my surprise when, on arriving in North Africa a year later, I received a request from the Clerk of The Mother Church, seeking my permission to give my address to students of Christian Science in the countries of the Maghreb who might wish to see me. 'Again!" I "could" not help exclaiming.
