“The Blessing” Around the World, Part 2

Six weeks ago I shared with you how the song “The Blessing” has become an international phenomenon. Just a few months after its release, virtual choirs around the world were recording the song as a way to bless their countries during our worldwide pandemic. As the pandemic has continued, so has the creation of new videos. Since my post six weeks ago, I have often searched YouTube and discovered even more renditions of the song. Virtual choirs, solo artists, worship…

Around the World on a Mission: India Part 2

At the end of our first week in India my group traveled back to the city of Nagpur. Today the city of Nagpur tops 2 1/2 million people, but in 1971 it did not seem to be a very large city. We would leave behind the more rural environment of Yavatmal for city life. As we drove back to Nagpur, we passed a lot of the ox carts that were very common forms of transportation in the rural areas. What…

Around the World on a Mission: India

My first impression of India came at the airport. I remember sitting in the Bombay Airport (now known as Mumbai) waiting for our next flight. Across from us there was a counter that offered water to those passing by. From my perspective the attendant had two glasses. Someone would come along and grab one of the glasses, drink the water, and put the cup back down. The attendant would take the empty glass, dip it below the counter, and then…

Is Seeing Enough?

A number of years ago my wife’s niece got married in Paris. It was in May so I was unable to go, but she and my daughter went. They arrived a week ahead of the wedding to have the opportunity to tour Paris, and tour they did. I got reports each night about the churches, museums or other places they had visited and how tired they were after walking all day. They tried to see it all. A few years…