Karin created a colorful map of our recent training in Kenya. These are the countries with staff who now have been trained and equipped with the Mobile ConneXion toolkit.
Pamoja Africa participants:
Rob & Patricia have a complete listing of countries and participants.
I’m looking for great improvements in communication and collaboration to come out of this training.
Rob and I made it to Amsterdam this morning, then took a train for the 30 minute ride to Utrecht. We’re trying to stay awake until 7 pm or so. It’s HARD! We’ve walked around Utrecht.
We visited a cathedral that has become a protestant church, called Domkerk. We got there just as the service was ending. They have a massive pipe organ and someone was playing enthusiastically. A few people were still sitting in the pews but most were having coffee and fellowship. It was fun to see.
This church as an interesting past. It was designed in the 1200’s and 1500’s in the shape of a cross. In the 1600’s, a massive hurricane destroyed they main section, the long stem of the cross. So that all that is left today is a huge tower which was the church entryway, and was originally at the bottom of the cross. Also remaining today is the upper “cross” section. This is still a massive structure and is still a functioning protestant church. Look at photos of the three sections.
You can see all the photos from this trip also. I especially thought the Eten en Drinken restaurant and the Potten and Pannen store were interesting.
Then we had lunch at Broers restaurant. I had soup and a salad. Wanted to keep it simple until tomorrow.
We’re on our own today. Tomorrow morning, we’ll meet with Roger Vann, staff member who has lived in Europe for 25 years. He’s the organizer of the training. We’ll meet to finalize plans for the training. In the afternoon, we move to the training site, about a half hour’s drive away. Then we train on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday, we fly back to Orlando.
Today I leave for Amsterdam. Kay and I just returned from Africa, but I have an opportunity to help train staff in Europe in internet ministry. This is an exciting opportunity. These staff have some very innovative plans that will greatly increase fruitfulness in internet ministry. It’s fun to be around them and dream with them.
Please pray for our time:
It was our first time back to sub-Saharan Africa since we returned to the U.S. in 1992. It was a chance to renew old friendships. It was a chance to meet a new generation of leaders who have come after us. It was a chance to reconnect with the people and cultures of Africa. It was awesome.
In 1977, Kay and I were privileged to be a part of the first-ever continent-wide meeting in Swaziland. In 2007, Kay and I were privileged to be a part of the second continent-wide meeting in Kenya. What a fantastic blessing. What a privilege to observe first-hand the growth and development that has happened over these 30 years.
We were part of a team of 40 people helping serve the largest gathering of Africans ever assembled by Campus Crusade for Christ. In addition, we led a smaller team to help train 300 African campus staff in using our Mobile ConneXion toolkit.
Austin Okomohwo was just beginning as a staff member of Campus Crusade in Nigeria 16 years ago when we left Nigeria. He now gives leadership to the campus ministry strategy for the entire continent. At Pamoja, he was the overall Conference Director. 16 years ago, he asked me, “How long have you been on the staff?” When I told him 14 years (at that time in 1992), he said, “Wow. That’s a long time. What have you done for all those years?”
This time it was my turn. I asked Austin, “How long have you been on the staff?” When he answered 16 years, I asked him with a smile, “Wow. That’s a long time. What have you done for all those years?” Austin and I laugh at how both of our plans have been extended by God as he continues to call each of us into fulltime service. Both are captivated by the vision of everyone knowing someone who truly follows Jesus.
Pamoja Africa was dedicated to building a new generation of leaders equally captivated by God’s call to build a new Africa, an Africa that moves from desperately needy to fully participating in God’s plan to redeem the nations.
“I’ve been looking for a good way to improve communication around our area. The Mobile ConneXion toolkit looks like just what we need.” Kennedy is the campus ministry coordinator for the 17 countries in French-speaking Africa.
Our team trained 300 staff and distributed 300 toolkits.
Our purpose at Pamoja was not to teach computer skills, but to enable staff to communicate effectively with each other. So many staff are isolated in their assignments and unable to benefit from sharing ideas, vision, and strategies. Our mobile connexion project addresses this need.
The toolkit is engineered to enhance communication across Africa. For those without computers who depend on internet cafés, the toolkit allows them to move from their homes to their offices to the internet café and work on their email, send and receive documents or presentations, keep their bookmarked locations, and connect to our Global ConneXion communities to share ideas with others.
But the part of our mobile office toolset that caused the eyes of the African staff to light up is the Skype software and small set of portable headphones. They are now able to talk with one another from computer to computer for no cost. They are so excited.
The overwhelming experience for us here, on the field, watching faces, hearing excited voices, tells me that our current tools are powerful, useful, and helpful. When we show the list of 300 communities that have already sprung up, African staff are excited that they can join other staff from around the world in communities of interest. Some women were signing up today for the ComputingWomen community for women wanting to learn basic computing. It is truly becoming a Global ConneXion for the staff here in Africa.
Our mobile office toolset and Global ConneXion communities are helping build a new generation of leaders for a new Africa. We are taking steps toward our vision of building local movements every so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus.
Note: For more information on the Mobile Office Project, visit our website.
Kay and I have been on an adventure during our travel from Nairobi to Dallas, Texas so that we can drive back to Orlando, Florida. We were delayed a day in Nairobi due to technical difficulties. We finally made it to Paris last night. This morning, we learned that our flight to Houston, Texas was delayed 6 hours.
On Friday night after canceling our long-delayed flight, Kenya Airlines shuttled us to a hotel near the airport. Riding in the bus about 2 am, I recalled one of those critically-important lessons I learned from Henry Brandt. I had no choice about being on the bus. The flight was canceled. I was going to spend a few more hours in Nairobi, and I was going to only get 3 hours of sleep. I had no choice over those things. What I did have a choice about is my attitude. I am going to be sitting in a seat on the shuttle bus, but I could be sitting there full of joy or full of anger. I could sit there relaxing in God’s sovereignty, or stressing out because my plans where thwarted. The choice of my attitude is mine. “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13).
The herd rush to grab seats on the airplane about noon today caused me to rejoice that my place in heaven is secure. It’s promised. It’s guaranteed. I have no fear of missing my seat.