I remember Jack Willcuts coming back from attending the National Black Evangelical Association convention and sharing the story of one of the speakers. I don’t remember when this was, but it must have been more than thirty years ago. It was a glimpse into another world to hear the story of a Black man being beaten in a Mississippi jail and the powerful way he appropriated the power of the Gospel in his life.

A few years later this man, John Perkins, was the speaker at the annual conference for the Friends Church in the Northwest. Unexpected things began to happen as I felt drawn toward involvement with Voice of Calvary Ministries—the wholistic work John founded. Four months later our family was moving to Mississippi and beginning what would become two and half profound years of learning and development in my life.

On Sunday I’ll be seeing John Perkins in Corvallis. I’m really looking forward to it.