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Alpha USA > Running Alpha > Alpha Connected > Connecting > Testimonies > Mulit-Cultural Training Break Through

Multi-Cultural Training breakthrough

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This story was sent to us from Dave Housholder, a passionate Alpha pastor and leader in southern California.

We had a one-day Alpha training event in the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs Area) on Saturday, Sept 22, 2008. It was hosted by Grace Church in Desert Hot Springs, a multi-cultural bi-lingual church on the "wrong side of the tracks" where sagebrush grows and tumbleweeds bumble through the parking lot. It was 102 degrees in the shade.

We were so blessed to have Jose Garrigo down from Denver, the new Latino Alpha ambassador. He is a Cuban from Spain. First time ever I've done a local training event with almost half of the people being non-English speakers. We had simultaneous translation into Spanish with headphones. I pity the translator who has to work with my idiomatic quirky English...

We had 57 guests, about the same as we had in the San Fernando Valley two weeks ago. Marti Clark and I both feel that this is the most effective way to start new courses out here--low maintenance, revenue-neutral free events hosted by local churches.

We did a main session in the big room with parallel tracks for ESOL and Advanced Alpha in other rooms.

The big breakthrough for us was the Latino Churches! Finally! Denn Denning and his team from Palm Desert Presbyterian have been amazing.

Continue to pray for us as we Reach Emerging California.

Photos courtesy of Bruce Montgomery.

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