One Mission Society (OMS): Describe the scene of the India event.
Jim Hogrefe (JH): The temperatures rose to more than 100 degrees in Chennai, with
humidity making it seem even hotter during the four-day event. We had anticipated an
attendance of about 7,000, so the Evangelical Church of India had designed an environment to accommodate the masses. They constructed a five-acre area of tents to divide the
training between language groups and create simple avenues of access to different areas.
Nearly 5,000 people—men, women, and children—arrived in this 100+ degree heat
… and it was even hotter inside the tents. Sweat quickly drenched our clothes. In the
sweltering heat, the Indian leaders sat in circles, with the facilitators in the middle of
the groups. Despite the challenging conditions, the facilitators taught with authority and
energy.
One Mission Society (OMS): What’s one of your favorite memories?
(JH): There were breaks between sessions, during which many people stood in long lines
waiting for their turn at refreshment. To pass the time, many went to the stage to lead
praise songs. One little girl timidly looked to me for affirmation as she wanted to sing. I
smiled and nodded. She picked up the microphone and looked again, and I motioned for
her to sing. A flood of joy crossed her face as she began to sing of her love for Jesus. Her
pure, innocent love was a showstopper. All around the tent, people stopped and turned to
watch her, but suddenly her little heart overflowed with so much love that she began sobbing. She tried to continue, but finally just covered her face and sobbed uncontrollably.
Her father ran up onto the platform and took her in his arms. It was an emotional moment.
One Mission Society (OMS): How were you encouraged by the event?
(JH): There were several logistical problems. Besides the heat, there were set-up issues
and a shortage of food. Some people didn’t receive breakfast or lunch, and there was no
tea break, which is sacred in India. But instead of leaving, the majority of people stayed,
saying “We came to learn how to plant new churches; that is m