Tuesday at the Baptist World Alliance annual gathering, meeting in Santiago Chile this year, was given over to an opening worship service, a fine buffet lunch, and meetings upon meetings upon meetings.

The BWA includes a number of organizational committees (Communications, Promotion and Development, etc.), various “departments” (Men’s, Women’s, Youth), commissions (Freedom and Justice, Religious Liberty, Theological Education and Leadership, and so forth), plus a variety of affinity groups and other assorted collections of people with common interests. Most of them meet multiple times during the week.

Ken SehestedDuring the afternoon I attended a session on peace and justice in Latin America, which was moderated by Ken Sehested, a noted peace advocate and co-pastor of the Circle of Mercy Church in Asheville, N.C. It was one of many special interest groups underway.

Tuesday was also the first day we saw the sun, though hazy pollution from the city of Santiago — where more than five million people live in the larger metropolitan area — interfered with a clear view of the surrounding mountains.

On Wednesday, with no meetings on the docket for me during the morning, I’ll be in search of a clearer snowy mountain view …

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