By Jeff Brumley
The 21st Baptist World Congress will convene as planned in Durban, South Africa, next year despite disease and travel concerns in Africa, Neville Callam, general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, said in a news release Oct. 27.
The decision was taken after “a broad canvass across the worldwide Baptist family” was conducted by BWA leadership.
Reconsideration of the location of the July 18-21 event was necessitated first by the ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa, especially in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Another was dangerous travel conditions in some parts of Africa.
“Yet another concern was the fact that many persons already hold hotel reservations and are finalizing flight arrangements for their participation in the Congress,” Callam said. “These people needed to know whether to proceed with their plans.”
He added that, in order to help members attend the Congress, the Baptist Convention of South Africa has canceled its 2015 assembly and the Baptist Union of Southern Africa has rescheduled its annual gathering.
“South African Baptist conventions and unions are breathing a sigh of relief,” Callam said.
Meanwhile, the BWA continues to channel money into efforts to fight Ebola in Africa, he said.
The decision to go ahead in Durban also reflects the BWA’s faith in the power of God “with whose help the tide of destruction in [Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea] can be turned back,” Callam said.