Friday, April 06, 2007

Deep inside Lahore, Pakistan

I arrived in Lahore, Pakistan on a red-eye flight from Qatar (and London) early this morning. When I stepped out of the airport I was in a whole new world - a world I hadn't seen since leaving Pakistan as a child with my family 16 years ago. Noisy rickshaws, brightly-coloured trucks, seatbeltless Suzuki vans, donkey carts and people (almost all men) competed for space on the dusty road.

Although I had only slept three hours the night before--it was 8:00 am now--I was told upon arrival that I would be delivering a short sermon in a few hours' time. The topic: the thief on the cross (Luke 23). Addtionally, I am to speak three or four more times in the next two days - in the more northern part of the country. (Going to Murree tomorrow.) Of course, this was news to me, but as George says (and he is not with me on this trip), the gopher program is "anywhere, anytime, whatever it takes." Furthermore, I have been praying for the Pakistani church all these years, so it is an honour to encourage believers here through God's Word.

I am writing this from inside the little church where I will be getting up to speak in a few minutes. Eastern-flavoured, drum-beating music fills the air as the Lord receives praise in song.

Please pray. Pray that God would use me in the less than two weeks that I am here to accomplish His purposes. Pray for Pakistan. There are great spiritual walls here--centuries old--that need to keep crumbling and fall down. May we see this happen in our generation. Lord, we pray for an outpouring of your Spirit. Amen.

Update: I wrote this on my Blackberrry mobile phone, but the email function isn't working so far, so I am sending from my laptop (through a dialup connection). PTL, the sermonette went well.
ar TORONTO, CANADA | 2023+

APRIL


MAY

27 Sat (1) 11am Commencement speaker at R. University, (2) ~3pm+ time w/ V/AR+
29 Mon (1) 9:30am VT prayer, (2) 3pm mtg DerCh - Mississauga
30 Tue (1) 10am ph call (AA), (2) 5:30pm video mtg (IsTan), (3) 8pm neighbourhood prayer mtg

JUNE
1 Thu (1) 11:30am Zoom mtg (LM), (2) 4pm mtg (VS,KBr)
2 Fri (1) 10:30am ph call (PVDW; SL w/ boys; ~J working)
3 Sat SL w/ boys and MG
5 Mon (1) 9:30am VT prayer mtg, (2) 2pm Europe call, (3) 5pm mtg/walk (YM)
6 Tue (1) 11:30am lunch (GD) - St. Jacobs, (2) 4pm mtg (AF) - Cambridge, (3) 7:30pm worship night
9 Fri ~J's b'day
10 Sat North Bay trip
13 Tue 11am mtg (DAy) (~J school trip w/ ~Co | text BD)
14 Wed 9:30am time w/ BD
15 Thu 4:30pm video mtg (Paul T.)
16 Fri (1) 9am video med appt, (2) 15-km run (Prayer Journey "warm-up")
17 Sat Prayer Journey (my own: 50km GTA bike-ride; Jessie's: 5KM) and speaking at GTA after-party
23-25 Fri-Sat poss. SL
26 Mon 2pm Europe monthly call
29 ... July 7 Thu-Fri poss. holiday in Arkansas

JULY
... 7 Thu-Fri poss. holiday in Arkansas
~8-17 SA+ in Toronto; P/H Bell likely visiting too
15 Sat aft+ baptism (Saj; NaB may be coming)
17-21 Mon-Fri Kids Kapers camp
24 Mon 2:45pm med. appt
26 Wed (1) 11am video mtg (SM), (2) 3pm Zoom mtg (SMa,SB), (3) 7pm ~J speaking at Greenhouse/Zoe - UofT downtown
27 Thu 10am video MVT board mtg
31 Mon 3:05pm med. appt
July/Aug CCWM board mtg / AGM

AUGUST
2 Wed 11am video mtg (SM+)
6-12 Sun-Fri Cottage w/ O/DN+ and UB/AC - Windermere; plus Muskoka
19 Sat poss. ~J fam beach day - Brighton area
25-29 Fri-Tue MoveIn staff retreat - southern Ontario

2023+
Sep 21 Thu - MVT board mtg
Sep 23 Sat poss. date of GV memorial
Sep 24 Sun ~Ch's b'day
Sep ~26-28 Poss. time in Lushnjë, Albania
Sep 29 - Oct 6 MoveIn Europe Conference+ - Durrës, Albania
Oct 21 Sat poss./unlikely date of GV memorial
Oct 21-27 Dollar-a-Day week
Early Nov Poss. fundraising event - Niagara
Nov-Jan Poss. time in India - Goa; Philippines - Manila+; Indonesia - Jakarta/Bali; LA/San Diego