From Spokane to Lynchburg
September 14, 2008
Today I am making a cross-country trek that starts in Spokane, Washington and ends in Lynchburg, Virginia. Because of three-hour time difference, I will get up about 5 AM and make it to my hotel around 11 PM. In between I’m flying from Spokane to Salt Lake City to Atlanta to Lynchburg. And yes, I’ve learned my lesson and have a change of clothes in my carry-on suitcase.
I’m going to Lynchburg to speak for the Alpha World Awareness Conference at Temple Baptist Church in Madison Heights. Since 1965 Alpha Ministries has been planting churches in Asia, with a special emphasis on India. The work was started by Dr. Mathews Cherian who had a burden to take the gospel to northern India. Over time the work spread to Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, and other Asian countries. At the MEF Conference in Colorado Springs in 2006, I met his son Benny Mathews who now leads the ministry. When I saw him in June, he and his family were preparing to move from Virginia back to India. He told me that many of their workers are suffering persecution at the hands of militant Hindus. Benny is a man of compassion and vision, and I’m very glad to be one of the speakers at this year’s conference. I speak Monday night and Wednesday night and then return home on Thursday.