Joy, Tears, and Celebrating God

As the sun comes up over Kampala, Uganda, some of the African participants have gathered for a time of early morning prayer. Mid-way through our week with leaders from six nations, we have already celebrated much as well as shed some tears.

We joyfully listened to updates and reports from different teams as they described people being reached in remote places, baptisms taking place indicating that lives are being transformed, and thousands of lives being touched. We have been so encouraged by the overall enthusiasm to reach more, develop many more leaders with a heart to serve and love, and to see thousands of more communities find hope amid darkness.

And, yes, some tears are inevitable as the struggles of leading movements takes its toll. Specifically, one team leader felt the betrayal of several of his key leaders who became greedy for influence and the hope of financial gain. They saw his ‘position’ of leadership as something to be coveted and, therefore, they waged a campaign of slander against him. He is a humble leader and his heart is broken but God is restoring and the work continues.

So what happens in a day of ‘facilitated learning’ with a group of competent, capable movement practitioners?

After prayer and breakfast is a time of worship. No instruments, no drums, just voices. Africans love to sing, worship, move, and praise God. Harmonies come naturally and the room fills with their voices and exuberance. But today, the Congolese are leading worship and everything steps up another notch. Their gift of music and worship is famous throughout Africa and the joy and clapping and dancing moves to a new level.

Next, we hear reports from two of the seven teams, including Richard from Tanzania, who shared this inspiring story with us:

“My brother and a team of four went to an unreached group in a remote area that was far from our big-city home. We asked God for a person of peace. The bus dropped us under a mango tree where we sat for four hours in prayer. It was not until evening that a villager invited us into his home and said we could stay with him. For several days we went from house to house and shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No one responded. One morning, we felt that God was leading us to begin walking around the village in prayer. Soon, people began to come out and we began ministering to the sick. God did some miracles and healed and delivered some people. Everything changed from that point on and the work was established and has now grown throughout that area.”

And then… Bill Smith (our guest ‘coach’) and I begin to facilitate some learning experiences. As I write this, Bill is teaching by having the participants act out a portion of the book of Acts and then discovering key leadership and discipleship movement principles.

Finally, the real learning takes place in discussion groups and interaction.

Your love and prayers keep us going!