Day Two: Amman, Jordan

Both of our flights into Amman had been delayed by almost 2 hours, both out of Philadelphia and Paris. By the time we arrived and were in a car on our way to the hotel it was after 10:00 pm. Our driver was a delightful Christian who encouraged us to stop at a "convenience store"- really a small open air market with a refrigerated section holding cold drinks. We wanted to buy bottled water. It wasn't that the bottled water at the hotel was bad; it was expensive. Bottled water at the convenience store turned out to be about 40 cents for 1.5 liters. By contrast the same bottle of water at the hotel was almost 4 dollars. Our group in the car included me, our driver and 5 others, also participants in the consultation. When we walked into the convenience store the owner of the store asked our driver where we were from. When he found out we were all Americans the owner said, "Americans? Obama!" accompanied by a smile and a big thumbs up, to our complete surprise!

After a few hours sleep were were up and attending the first communion service of the day, led by Bp. Joel Obetia of Uganda- a man of gentle determination. The opening hymn was "Blessed Asurance, Jesus in Mine." One will not find that particular hymn in the Episcopal Hymnal. The roots of the song go back to the missionary movements of the 19th century. It was a rousing Gospel acclamation: "This is my story. This is my song: praising my savior all the day long. This is my story. This is my song: praising my Savior all the day long."

Out of aproximately 100 participants there are only about 15 Americans. Most of the participants are from the continent of Africa, and as we began singing this hymn I could feel an inward emotional and spiritual adjustment taking place. The passion for Christ in the room was palpable- but it was more than that: there was an emotional tenderness towards Christ, a steely resolve to follow Him that came quietly out into the open as we sang and prayed. Many of these people had suffered for the Gospel. They faith had been forged in the fire of adversity. Even the Americans present who were serving overseas exhibited the same passion, the same fire. To borrow Eldon Trueblood's phrase, I knew I was in the company of the committed.

In spirit, this is a very different Anglicanism, if not in doctrine, certainly in spirituality and in missionary purpose than most American Episcopal Churches- even those like mine that are openly evangelical. Just through the worship of my fellow participants, I was being invited, even called, into a deeper, rugged and more resolute passion for Christ.