Foreword
W
e were just coming for a short visit. My wife, Cheryl, and I arrived in Cleveland, Ohio, to spend a few days with some friends of ours who had recently started a new church. They had arranged for us to stay in the home of a family that was one of their members: a cardiologist, his wife, and their three children. Dr. John Hodgson and his wife, Dinah, warmly welcomed us into their home. During those few days, we enjoyed some wonderful hospitality and great conversations about things that were mutually important to us, our families, and the world around us. Little did any of us know that those few days would launch a friendship that is finishing up its third decade! Over the years, our kids interacted at youth camps, while John and Dinah joined us in several opportunities that our leadership group offered. They participated eagerly in events designed to build character, relationships, and leadership skills. As time passed, I learned more about my friend John. Between the depth of his education and the breadth of his experiences, he was certainly one of the smartest and most accomplished men I had ever met. Since graduating from medical school in 1978, he has served tens of thousands of patients in ten states around our country, worked for a year in Germany, been a volunteer physician in countries around the globe, and been a guest lecturer/proctor in many more settings. 13
