Learning to Lead in Kenya

I (Wayne) went to Kenya in June to attend an eastern Africa regional leadership meeting. This meeting provided an opportunity for leaders from our Book of Hope ministries and key partners from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to come together for training and fellowship.

Leadership training takes on many flavors. There is the aways exciting classroom lecture, where a topic expert gets up and tells everyone what they know about a particular subject. We had our share of lectures on topics related to leadership, partnership, collaboration, and even one from me on new techniques for using The GodMan.

Another flavor of leadership training involves team building exercises. Each afternoon, our team members would leave the comforts of our meeting room and venture into the cold misty outdoors environment. Out on an open grassy field, we participated in several different games designed to help us get to know each other as well as how to depend on one another. The photo above is an example. All the team members gathered in as near perfect a circle as a group of people can construct. Facing the center, they slowly stepped in together, drawing ever closer while maintaining the near perfect circle. When they had stepped in to the point that they were all overlapping their shoulders, each person turned to their left. They then placed their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them and again stepped in so the circle drew even closer. When each participant was only inches apart, they began to bend their knees and started the process of sitting on the knees of the person behind them. At this point they were all instructed to let go of the person in front of them. When they did, the entire group dropped onto the lap of the person behind them, but no-one fell and no-one felt the full weight of the person sitting on their lap. In fact, most people said if felt like a small book was placed on their lap. The purpose of this exercise was to physically demonstrate that when we all work together, we can accomplish a difficult (read that as heavy) task while individually only carrying a small part of the total load.

But my favorite flavor is the flavor brought by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Each day of the leadership conference started and ended with a time of worship, Word, and prayer. In the evenings, we would proceed the time of devotions with a report from one of our represented countries. Then, with the scope of ministry and associated needs of the country fully understood by all, we would gather around these leaders of the reporting nation, lay hands on them, and pray for the ministry. Our repeated prayer for every country was for the anointing of the Holy Spirit and protection of our laborers. Each team is trusting the Lord to provide for their needs and to protect them from attacks of the enemy. I encourage you to join us in praying for our leaders from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Pray for wisdom as they plan new ways to reach children and youth with the gospel. Pray for protection as they travel throughout their country and minister in situations that are frequently punctuated by violence. And pray for anointing, that the power of the Holy Spirit will always be with them and that all those they minister to will be receptive to receiving the good news.