People are pouring into Cape Town literally from all corners of the earth. It was fun to stand in the registration hall today and watch people come in. Delegates were running up to people they had not seen for years because they live in different places. I think it must resemble what goes on in heaven all of the time. “So great to see you! I haven’t seen you for so long!” I kept hearing.
Cultures made the greetings very different too. There were Africans exuberantly hugging and slapping each other on the back. There were Europeans shaking hands. And over in another direction you would see Asians greeting each other with big grins and bows.
Unfortunately the China delegation has been denied permission to travel by government officials. However, one American working there was telling me today how God has already brought tremendous benefit from the Congress for these Chinese leaders. In the months leading up to the Congress, many of the Chinese church delegates (many of them significant leaders in some of the various church networks)began meeting and working together for missions in a way that has never happened before. People who had never joined their efforts realized that they needed each other. One person told me that some of these Chinese leaders have decided to hold their own conference since they were denied permission to come to Cape Town. God may want to do far more by bringing together the leaders of the growing, powerful Chinese church than in having them physically in Cape Town.
Pray that this time will be productive. Everyone is a little unsure of just what will happen and how they will be able to contribute. But there is an eagerness to see long-term effectiveness result.
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