A Time For Baughnding: Central Asia Summit

Thursday and Friday, I was given a great opportunity to attend the Central Asia Summit. What was it? A chance for Christians to come together and find out more about how we can minister to the Muslim population and the wide variety of people groups in Central Asia (CA). You may be asking, why did I go? Well, a few months ago, I was asked to join a ministry trip to Southeast Asia. In preparation for that trip, the trip participants signed up for this conference. We knew that much of the information that applies to CA would also apply to South Asia. Unfortunately, due to various things, the ministry trip has since been postponed until further time.

I have to be honest, as last week began, I wasn't really looking forward to the trip. I had been very excited about heading out on a mission trip - the first time since Trinity was born almost seven years ago. Therefore, I was quite disappointed when the trip was postponed. The new dates have not been set and I'm not sure if I'll be able to participate in the new trip. (A bridge we'll have to cross when we get there.) So, as Thursday morning began, my prayer was that I wouldn't waste this opportunity to learn about a unique set of people groups.

Wow. What a conference. It was amazing to hear from people who live in the CA region. It was a privilege to pray for these people who I will probably never meet. It was enlightening to see the various resources out there to partner up with those who are serving. It was interesting to hear about missionaries who went decades ago. It was such a gift of a conference. At the end, I was just ready to go - anywhere. What I need to remember is that I have a mission field within my own house (with three small children who have not made decisions to follow Christ yet), within my own neighborhood and within many of my circles of friends. Missions is not just for those who go to far off places - it is for any of us who have made the decision to make Christ our our Lord and Savior.

One interesting story about the event. They conference had set up a prayer labyrinth - a room with designation prayer "stations" where you are lead through a prayer for a specific people group. We had heard great things about this and I was really looking forward to praying through this room. I got to the first banner with the first group to pray for and began reading and praying. All of a sudden, we heard this collective tapping. Not a quiet tapping, but what turned out to be a tap dance class right next door. Between that and the quiet worship music in the background (which had words) and a video leading you through one prayer section about 5 feet away, it was too much. I got up, walked out and sat in the hallway until the dance class was done. About 30 minutes later, I saw a little girl (probably about 9) walk out of the dance studio and sit down on a bench. Here was our conversation:

Me: Were you dancing in that class? I heard you and it sounded very fun. What were you doing?

Her: Yes I was. We were doing tap.

Me: Oh. Is that class done? Is there another one after it?

Her: Yes, we're done. The next one is ballet.

Yes!! I can pray during ballet. Tap, no. Ballet, yes. But that's not too far off from general life. I want to be focused on God throughout my day, not letting my time with Him end when I finish my morning prayer time, but too often, the outside distractions are just that - distractions pulling me away from what my heart wants. Just one more thing I'm working through.

Here are some pictures from the exhibits of the summit.

This exhibit was to remind us just how unreached the people of CA are for Christ. The one light represents the one evangelical believer for every 2,500 people (the remaining unlit candles). The room included so many people groups, their populations and how