Kuala Lumpur – The Crossroads of The Planet

Traveling is a part of my life, and has been for the past 2 decades.  It is actually more accurate to say that traveling is my life, not just part of it, because my calling requires that I spend a great deal of time in places that are not my home.  This current trip to Malaysia is a landmark of sorts for me…as of last week when we landed here, I have now traveled in 30 different countries, with South Korea being #29 (a brief stay in the Seoul airport) and Malaysia clocking in at #30.  I have a feeling that I will break 50 before I turn 40.

Nonetheless, this has been a surprising trip in many ways.  The last several trips I have made to the Asian continent have been fruitful, but in a different way than this trip.  We have seen numerous conversions to faith in Christ by people of other religions here (more on that in the next blog).  But the real surprise has been this country itself, and more specifically, the city of Kuala Lumpur.

At the risk of overstating my conclusion, having been here a week now, I want to suggest that not only is the country of Malaysia the NEW CROSSROADS of the planet, but that the capital, it’s largest city of Kuala Lumpur, is the most strategic city ON EARTH to reach a generation of young men and women for the gospel.  This kind of statement requires “some explaining” so let me do so.

1. Malaysia lies geographically in an almost perfect location.  It is an Asian country close to China, Thailand, the Koreas, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, and not that far from Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific.  You can get to Malaysia easily from almost anywhere in the East.
2. Malaysia just celebrated 50 years as an independent nation and has miraculously transformed into one of the most vibrant economies in Asia.  It boasts the world’s tallest buildings (the Twin Towers of Kuala Lumpur) and possibly the world’s greatest religious freedom for a majority Muslim country (between 55-60% Islamic). 
3. It is a literal cultural stew.  The Chinese love Malaysia and form the largest minority, along with Africans, Europeans, Indians, and North Americans.  They are lured here by the economy, stability, infrastructure, and education.
4. Over 650,000 college students live in Malaysia, and they are among the brightest on earth.  I have personally met students from Saudi Arabia, Iran, the Sudan, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Thailand, and Libya.  Since 9/11, it has become almost impossible for international students from Islamic countries to get student Visas to study in America and it has become more difficult for students from those nations that have historically send us their brightest young minds.  Malaysia has taken over as the educational destination of choice worldwide.
5. A majority of the students live in Kuala Lumpur.  A majority of the tourists who visit Malaysia stay in the city.  The financial and political power structures are in KL (as it is called by the locals).  And EVERYONE here speaks a common language…ENGLISH.  There are vibrant evangelical churches in the city.  And everyone, even of other faiths, takes pride in being open minded and tolerant of other faiths (a statement that sounds troublesome to believers in the States sounds wonderfully inviting here in South Asia because it conveys an openness to the gospel, or at least conversations that might lead to the gospel).

I really do believe that if we want to reach the men and women that will be making political policies for their governments, discovering new medical breakthroughs, engineering the world’s buildings and bridges and nuclear power plants, driving the world’s future economies, and trailblazing technological and biomedical research, then we can do it by reaching them while they are in University in Malaysia.  They are here!!!  By the hundreds of thousands, and they are polite, intelligent, and honestly seeking truth with open minds.  The world is pouring into Kuala Lumpur, so if you want to reach the world with the gospel, this would be the most logical place to start, and you can start by praying for it.

I am personally praying about our involvement here with Crossroads, and I believe that this will be a place we will come back to over and over again in the years to come.  So pray for the nations that have sent their brightest students to Malaysia, and pray that while they are here, they will come face to face with the love of Jesus Christ and take that love with them wherever they go when they leave this wonderful place.

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