AiG and the 10/40

NOTE: Dr. David Crandall gave an uplifting talk to the entire AiG–USA staff late last week about his recent ministry trip to Thailand and Cambodia. Today, he flies off in a different direction, east: to the Middle East, where, among other things, he will visit with long-time AiG friend and publisher Eitan Kashtan in Israel.

Here is Dr. Crandall’s thrilling report on his recent trip to Southeast Asia.

No, 10/40 has nothing to do with the tax form many U.S. citizens are filling out this time of year! The 10/40 here is what is described as a “window”—the “10/40 window,” a long swath of this planet that contains 60 percent of the world’s population, and the largest population of non-Christians in the world. It extends from 10 degrees north to 40 degrees north of the equator (stretching from North Africa to China). This window includes 12 ethnic people groups.

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit two of these countries earlier this month and met with Christian leaders from 12 countries. As the new director of AiG Worldwide, I had the joy of telling these folks all about AiG, and then they were especially amazed when I showed them photos of the exciting exhibits for AiG’s Creation Museum being built near Cincinnati, Ohio. Most of them had no idea that something this wonderful was being built in the USA. One Asian man was so thrilled to learn about it that he responded that the museum would be a great global witness for Christ.

After I would introduce the AiG ministry to these leaders, I then began sharing what AiG wanted to do in the 10/40. I told them of our goal to translate our resources into their languages, and that these materials would be provided free of charge so that the great masses of people would have access to them. Their faces often brightened as I continued to tell them about other related projects, including providing free libraries for their Bible schools and seminaries. One seminary president stated that he had nothing like our apologetics tools in his seminary library, and he was delighted that the next generation of pastors attending his seminary would have these materials for research and study.

While in Thailand, a pastor/educator from Myanmar (also known as Burma) said that he thought it was almost too late for Burma because the whole country had virtually accepted the theory of evolution completely. He told me, with a smile, that he wished AiG would make Burmese the first new language in our newly expanded translation ministry.

A Bible school president from Hong Kong met me one night and asked, “Sir, would you please consider me as one of the first to be chosen to come to visit AiG and the museum? As president of the seminary, I need to train our young pastors to think biblically, as AiG does.” He also shared how he and one of his students went into China to train and teach the so-called “underground pastors” there.

I then traveled to the neighboring country of Cambodia, where I heard the same mantra about our creation/gospel tools: “This is exactly what we need in my country.”

Please pray for AiG Worldwide. We have big plans to reach the 10/40 window. Sadly, it has been one of the most overlooked regions of the world by Christian missions, and so AiG wants to begin its newly expanded worldwide ministry right there where it is needed the most.