Our Hearts are Full as We Head Home

First, we are so full of appreciation that you journey with us, care and pray for us and the work, and keep us going. We never take health, safety, and logistics for granted. You have been wonderful partners during these past two months.

As I reflect back…

Working with leaders in Kampala, alongside coach Bill Smith, will pay dividends on the ground with the movements in six countries. Such meetings encourage, expand vision, and result in more people’s lives touched and reached on the ground. This encouragement is passed from leaders to workers in each country. Bahizi, from Burundi, already sent this message to us:

“Brother, pray for us as we plan to do training on leadership development next month, June 7–9. This will be an opportunity to share what we have learnt from Bill in Kampala.”

I also think of the day we spent with women house church leaders in the village of Busia. Each leader who came had started at least three house churches within the past year. We don’t always get to be on the ground in villages anymore, so we treasure these times to hear firsthand how the work is progressing. From one of the women:

“It has meant so much to us to have you come to our place, work with us, and encourage us. We will run far with God’s message because of the motivation we have received.”

Then there are the strategic planning sessions with national team leaders. This helps them to frame vision and goals for the coming year. They often surprise me with their measure of faith. At the same time, they do not just pull numbers out of the air. They think strategically, look at where and how the work is progressing, then make plans to move further and faster. The team from Kenya has set the following target:

“As of now we have 1,971 house churches. With God’s help we believe that we can see 5,000 house churches within the next year. We will do this by making the following adjustments and improvement to our work:

• Train leaders in every sub-county every month on the DNA of disciplemaking movements
• Unity of prayer
• Leaders empowered financially so that families and movement can be sustained
• Develop leaders who are ready to serve, who are faithful, and who have a call”

Finally, there was the opportunity to work with brand new leaders and others who are interested in stepping out of the comfort zones of the traditional ways they have been doing ministry in order to embrace the new wineskin of movements. This is the heart of our ‘basic training’ that we did in Malawi. This is not an easy change to make embrace! One pastor from a large church said this:

“I have never heard such things before. We have much to go back and change. If the Word of God is something that you eat, then I have become very fat during these three days together.”

We thank God that it is humble and hungry hearts, like this man, that lead the way in mobilizing new teams who go with fresh vision, focus, and methods to the least and the lost in Africa.

Oh, and let us not forget the children. We will not be able to be onsite at the school until October. But we receive updates every month letting us know how the sponsored children are doing. Precious as always…

Thank you, once again, for making all of this possible as we are only able to do what our friends back home enable!