USA Launch Diary

ATLANTA, GEORGIA, OCTOBER 2008

(From John Keddie)

Travelled to Atlanta on Thursday 16 October. We were grateful for the kindness of the Rev Warren Gardner and his wife Valerie for putting us up for the duration of our visit at his home in Winder, a bit to the north-east of Atlanta.

Friday, 17 October: Christian Runners
It rained ‘cats and dogs’ all day in Atlanta and was still falling in the evening when I went with my wife, Jean, to Heiskell School to meet with Richard Hopkins and the Christian Runners group meeting in the School that evening. Their customised vests had ‘Christian Runners’ unashamedly blazoned over them and displayed the text from Hebrews 12:1-2. This gave a good spring board for a talk on ‘Running the Race’ and an introduction to the book. A gathering of about 50 or 60 listened attentively and quite a few took the book.

Saturday, 18 October: Fall Five Miler, Marietta
The ‘Big Peach Running Company’ (four stores in Georgia) held a sort of serious ‘fun-run’ on the Saturday morning (the weather had brightened and was dry!). The idea was that all sorts of people could run or walk, as they pleased, the money collected being donated this year to Muscular Dystrophy. $13,000 was raised. There were about 900 runners, including my wife Jean who walked the course very briskly.
In manning a book stall where the race finished there was good interest in Running the Race and many copies were distributed and signed. One lady who approached the stall told me that her late husband had been in the Weihsien Internment camp as a young boy and had been taught by Eric Liddell and had been part of his Boy Scout group there.

Lord’s day, 19 October: Church Services
On the Sunday I preached both services for Warren Gardner in the Free Church (Continuing) congregation in Atlanta. This congregation is part of the same Church of which I am a minister in Scotland! The services were at 11am and 2pm, with a congregational fellowship meal in between.

Monday, 20 October: Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Travelled to South Carolina in the morning for addresses at the Greenville Seminary. This is a Presbyterian Seminary associated with the Presbyterian Church in America. We met up with our other Free Church (continuing) minister in Georgia/South Carolina area, Rob McCurley, a graduate of Greenville Seminary who ministers in the city. We were warmly welcomed by staff and students. At noon I gave a talk on the 19th century Scottish theologian, George Smeaton. This served as a useful introduction to my book on Smeaton recently published by Evangelical Press (George Smeaton. Learned Theologian and New Testament Scholar). In the evening at a public meeting in the auditorium of the Christian Arts Centre among the Seminary buildings I gave a PowerPoint presentation on the story of Eric Liddell. Again it was good to have the opportunity to introduce an American public to the inspirational story of Running the Race.

Tuesday, 21 October: Berry College, Rome
Warren Gardner and I had a lovely drive from NE Atlanta to NW Atlanta and on to Rome (Georgia!). Berry College is a Christian Liberal-Arts College set in a 28-acre site. Apparently it is the largest University/College Campus in the world. There are around 2,000 students associated with the College. We were welcomed by Bob Pearson, a staff member closely involved with a wide range of students’ interests, mainly sporting, over many years. The visit involved a presentation of the Eric Liddell PowerPoint to a group of students at a ‘cultural events.’ About 80 or so gathered, including some parents/staff. Apparently this counted as a first-rate attendance. The presentation was well received by a fairly young sporty audience and quite a few books were sold.

Wednesday, 22 October: 2nd Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, Atlanta
Our last stop of the tour was at the 2nd La Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in down town Atlanta. This comprised a huge complex of buildings. We duly met the pastor, Dr David Sapp and were treated to a congregational lunch before giving the Running the Race presentation. There were 100 or so folks present and a good interest in both the presentation and the book. There was a couple there who had often been to Scotland, and even to the Isle of Skye!

The meetings were varied, with all sorts of situations and audiences. We praise the Lord for help with the schedule of engagements. I was thankful to have my wife, Jean, with me, and the help of Warren Gardner was invaluable. We thank Warren and Valerie for their kind hospitality in putting us up in Winder. It was good to have opportunity of sharing a message about a great Christian athlete and felt well received wherever we went.

Next stop - USA!

USA LAUNCH

16th to 23rd October - Atlanta, Georgia.

Author John Keddie heads to the USA to launch 'Running the race'.

Events and locations include:

- Big Peach Running Company ‘Fall Five Miler’

- Greenville Seminary presentation

- Berry College presentation

- Second La Ponce de leon Baptist Church presentation

- Local media coverage (Press, Radio, TV)

Please check back for more details on the events.

Interest from Christina Ohoruogu in 'Running the Race'

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/ohuruogu-needs-time-to-reflect-after-one-lap-in-the-chariot-of-fire-913170.html





http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.2436565.0.Ohuruogu_feeling_pressure_to_produce_2012s_iconic_moment.php

The Forbidden City - Final thoughts

Rapidly coming to the end of our time here, just met with Dengxing and Rocky and concluded our business with them relating to Running the Race in China. Encouraged by their desire to continue to publish sound Christian literature as a foundational aid to continue building the church in China. John and I then grabbed a cab and headed for Tiananmen Square....we walked for some time through the square into Sun-yat-sen Park, stopped in a Chinese tea house for a beautifully presented refreshing cup of blueberry and passion fruit tea, accompanied by preserved plum. We enjoyed these in a very tranquil setting surrounded by pomegranate trees, the waitress appearing from time to time to top up our drinks...we sat there for quite some time!




John will end with a few words. 'We moved from the tea house out of the east gate in the north of the park and came face to face with the southern gate - the Meridion Gate - of the Forbidden City. It impressed with its grandeur, but there was no getting in. It was reminder to us that there is a city which has a grandeur exceeding all earthly grandeur, eternal in the heavens in which all will enter who are found at the last trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. We returned home conscious of the Lord's goodness to us over these days which seemed so fleeting. May the Lord give some fruit to His glory, and may He be pleased to prosper our way.'

N.B As our promotion of Running the Race in China comes to an end we have proposed dates for the US promotional events starting in Atlanta, Georgia in October. Itinerary to follow shortly. Please pray for guidance for these arrangements.

Morning worship with the Beijing International Christian Fellowship

Today we had arranged for John to speak at the Beijing International Christian Fellowship. Arriving at 9.15 for a 9.30 service, we were met at the door of the 21st Century Theater by American Rob Tucker (Pastor of Operations). We had to pass through a security check and show our passports as the church is only open to foreign passport holders. John had the opportunity to speak at 2 services, each attended by at least 500 worshipers. The 9.30 service in English and Mandarin, 11.30 English only. John spoke for about 8 - 10 minutes on each occasion, giving a brief outline of Running the Race (English and Chinese versions), his message then centred on the impact of Eric Liddell. He contrasted the attitude of Eric Liddell to sport and fame with the present day. This was in many ways summed up in an interview by Liddell with a journalist in 1932. He was asked: 'Are you glad you gave your life to missionary work? Don't you miss the limelight, the rush, the frenzy, the cheers, the rich red wine of victory?' 'O well', said Eric, 'of course its natural for a chap to think over all that sometimes, but I'm glad I'm in the work I'm engaged in now. A fellow's life counts for more at this than the other, not a corruptible crown, but an incorruptible, you know.' John went on to speak of the influence Liddell had in his own life, coming to profess faith in Christ. Running the Race was the culmination of a long term interest in Eric Liddell's sporting and Christian life. He explained the title of the book in relation to Hebrews 12v 1-2 and 1 Corinthians 9. He encouraged the hearers to seek the greater prize that these texts spoke of rather than a merely earthly ones; to run the race of faith, looking to Jesus. He kindly thanked the congregation for the opportunity to share with them and prayed the blessing of the Lord on them in these days. Among those who spoke with appreciation to John afterwards was the 1968 800 metres Olympic champion Madeline Manning Mims.


We spent the rest of the day quietly with Joy before her overnight train to Shanghai.

In Tianjin, at the school where Liddell taught

Meeting planned in Tianjin for 11am with Tianjin YMCA. We were taking the new bullet train...so expected a swift journey...half an hour for the 100 miles reaching speeds of 335kph. However instead of making the 10am train, due to a series of delays on route to the station we eventually caught the 3.15pm! Met at the station by the General Secretary of the Tianjin YMCA, were taken to No 17 Middle School, the successor to the school in which Eric Liddell taught between 1925 - 1937 when it was known as the Anglo-Chinese College. We were warmly welcomed by the principal of the school and a crew from Tianjin TV.
We were shown some Liddell memorabilia it was clear that he was fondly remembered in the school. The TV crew filmed and interviewed John and followed us to the small apartment block in which Liddell lived for ten years. There were suitable memorial plaques outside the residence, which was largely unchanged from the time Eric Liddell occupied it. The apartment was not far from the Minyuan Stadium which Liddell had helped design in 1926. It is now surrounded by a strikingly western facade of many Corinthian columns. The track itself is in the same position as it was in Eric Liddell's day, but is now an eight lane all weather surface. We were than taken to a hotel for a meal with the Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of Tianjn People's Congress. The contacts were valuable and the friendship cordial. After a harassing day we were thankful to the Lord for a safe return on the bullet train at 9.50pm.

Meeting the British PM in Athletes Lodge and British Ambassador to China at reception

Two big events happened today. On what was an extremely hot day we made our way to the Team GB Athletes lodge with the prospect of meeting the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. The PM and his entourage arrived at 1.30pm to speak to the British athletes in the lodge...and we mingled with them on the couches provided!. In the foyer we had a stand with large display board of the book cover and several copies of the book.
Around 2pm the Prime Minister came up to the stand along with press photographers and spoke with John for 7 or 8 minutes. He said he had read the book and had long admired Eric Liddell's character and achievements. He spoke of Liddell as one of his heroes. John presented the PM with both English and Chinese versions, which he received with warm thanks. The British Ambassador to China, Sir William Ehrman, made himself know to John and spoke enthusiastically of Liddell as well.



Forty copies of the book had been placed in the lodge for the athletes use though only 2 remained when we left. We met with some former Olympic champions including Denise Lewis, who said she would read it on the plane home! and the Mexico '68 400 metres hurdles Olympic champion David Hemery.



















In the evening we went to a reception at the British Ambassadors residence hosted by the Principal of Edinburgh University Sir Timothy O'Shea. Signed copies of the book were given to Professor O'Shea and Sir William Ehrman and also to triple gold medallist Chris Hoy and Madam Dr Xu Lin, Director General and CEO for the office of Chinese Council International. In these events there were good photo opportunities and “casting bread upon the waters”. It was interesting to see how much Eric Liddell was mentioned during the evening speeches. John said Liddell must be considered as one of the best known of all Scotsmen in history, which is remarkable given his distinct Christian testimony.