Wonderful! Inspiring! So helpful! These were just some of the comments said during our goodbyes after the Cord Supporters Gathering at St Mary’s church in Leamington Spa on Thursday 5 September.
It was very special to meet in the same church where Cord was founded in 1967. During a prayer meeting led by Rev. Pat Ashe (pictured), people were so moved by the suffering of children during The Vietnam War, that they wanted to do something to help. Read more about the journey from that pivotal moment.
We were honoured that Brian and Wendy Green could join us at the gathering. Wendy recounted how her mother helped serve coffee at the original prayer meeting alongside Marion Ashe, Pat’s wife. Brian was also present at the prayer meeting and shared wonderful stories with fellow supporters about those early days.
It was a joy to have Lois Boullier, one of Pat and Marion’s daughters with us, to share her own memories. Lois and her husband Ken visited Cord teams in several countries during the 1980s, and Ken eventually became a Cord Trustee. Several other current and former Trustees, staff, and volunteers were also present to reflect on their experiences. We were delighted to hear from Martin and Georgina Lee. Martin worked at Cord for 25 years, during which time he served as CEO. It was wonderful that Angie Archer, Cord’s former Administrator, could attend – her friendly voice greeted many of you when you phoned the office during her 30 years with Cord.
It was equally encouraging to meet newer supporters of Cord, some who discovered our work through their church and others through friends.
Andy, Cord’s current CEO, spoke about our peacebuilding efforts, sharing insights from our latest annual Impact Report and his recent visits to Southeast Asia.
The word “privilege” was echoed throughout the evening. Whether from Brian, reflecting on the founding moment 56 years ago, or from someone who only learned about Cord in 2020, everyone expressed joy in being part of this unfolding story. As one attendee put it: “It’s just wonderful that we get to be part of this journey.”
I hope you feel the same! Thank you for being part of this mission and for the difference you make to people like those you’ve read about in this edition – people like Nestor, Sanchon, Etienne, and Phon!
