Monday, November 21, 2011

Season of Gratitude...A New Door Opens...



Our parents told us this past week they were putting up Christmas lights. I see people posting things online about baking pies and college football scores and chilly weather. Makes me think of turkey and the joy of this time of year. I look out my window here- and I see no cold weather. I see big birds flying, hear families walking down the street and neighbors greeting each other. I feel the warm sun streaming in...I see a cockroach dart across the floor, hear some dogs barking and donkeys braying (if that's what you call the sound they're making...ha ha)- it all mixes and today I feel nothing but sincere gratitude for it all and I have to smile.

There is much to be thankful for here. The past two weeks have been a whirlwind. There have been home visits and small group visits- where our hearts were touched by courageous faith.

A home visit

an amazing Mom and her daughters
There have been hair washes. Yep. HAIR WASHES. I'm convinced Ethiopians really know how to wash hair. Because of water issues at various times- we've had to go and get our hair washed- and that has felt more like an hour hair and head massage- and wow- we've felt thankful. :-)

We've felt so grateful for the recovery of Viktor, Noel's Czech co-worker. He's stable and his recovery- is nothing short of a miracle. We give thanks.

Viktor in Ethiopia

This past week, we had to process visas- no easy feat here. We faced long lines that really didn't have a clear direction and had us saying “chigger yellum” more than once. But, surprisingly, we were processed in decent time and we gave thanks yet again.

We also MOVED. Yep. We decided for our final month to stay in a nearby community at a different guesthouse that provided a bit more space. And this new place has been nice. It's more quiet. Just little dogs living in the compound gate that greet us in the mornings. And our room- gives us a view of magnificent sunrises- and we've felt grateful.

Our new "town"

Noel giving a "word of encouragement" to the little dogs :-)

amazing sunrises can be seen from our windows
And THE BIG thing I've been wanting to share about as well is about THE DOOR opening for me that I've been looking for. Many of you know that I've been praying about where God would have me serve next. The call to “use my life for Africa” is still there. But where was I to do that from and with who? Was it an Ethiopia base? A Kenya one? A Sudan one? A USA one? I didn't want just a good option. I wanted God's best option and waiting for that door- whew- took much faith.

I kept holding to these verses as I started to feel weary in the waiting...

...we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved (Hebrews 10:39)

...faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

...He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40: 29-31)

...I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future...(Jeremiah 29:11)

Well, just this past week, BAM...the door appeared. A new university was opening called: Hope University College. (don't you love the name) :-) And it is opening to give the poorest of poor students the opportunity to get a higher education. The staff called me and asked me to be a teacher for them. I love to teach, as many of you know and they asked if I would teach English and Communications. They want these young people to be able to represent themselves well and communicate effectively. As I met the staff and heard the vision- God confirmed through various details- that this indeed WAS IT. This was the next place God wanted to use me at. What an honor!!!!! It's back to school.... :-)


the campus

Now, shocking for me is the timing- I start THIS WEEK. :-) So, I've been getting ready, looking over books, and meeting my team.  This will be my main way of serving here in the time ahead. I will be teaching eleven classes a week. I'm excited for this because God called it. And when He calls it, He backs it. :-)

my fellow English teachers: Kume and Betty Lu


preparing for classes

orientation for students

lunch line

So, this is a big transition week for me.

I'm still trying to wrap up the stories I've been collecting and the interviews with NGOs I've been doing for and with Exodus and Hope in View- so pray I can do that well while also transitioning into this teaching post.

Please keep this and these other things in your prayers this Thanksgiving week:

-Pray for Noel as she begins to wind down her time here. She leaves Ethiopia in three weeks- will travel to the Czech Republic for a week, then to the USA for the holidays, then back to the Czech to begin in a new location. Pray she will stay healthy and will enjoy her final weeks here. Also- that we will enjoy these final weeks together, I'm not sure when God will cross our paths for this long again



-Pray for Ron and Carolyn Klaus, the founders of Hope in View. They arrived this morning in Ethiopia for a month. Pray as we meet with them and share notes that God will be honored and we will help encourage them and their team.

Pray for me as I begin teaching this week; that I will have courage and favor; pray for the staff and for the students- that it will be a great start to a wonderful semester of learning and relationship building.

Pray for Viktor as he continues to recover.

Pray for my friend Katie and some of her family traveling to Ethiopia this week to pick up their adopted daughter, that they will have a safe trip and all will be well.

Thank you again so much for your prayers. They've been felt. I'm so grateful for our global family.

May you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

And if you're feeling down or discouraged, maybe weary in waiting for YOUR next door to open, know God hears you when you pray. He opens doors in His perfect time. Hold to hope. Hold to Him. Our God is faithful and is so worthy of our praise, our thanks, our trust, our ALL.

Running on with you in Hope...
Holly

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Guard the Flame...Thoughts on Leadership


What makes a great leader? What kind of leader am I? These thoughts have been running through my mind much since my arrival here in Ethiopia. Where have I been to in my life so far? In leadership, have I led others well? How can I be a better leader? All of these thoughts came to the surface last week when we had the privilege of being part of the Global Leadership Summit here in Addis Ababa, hosted by the International Evangelical Church in partnership with the Willow Creek Association. I was so blessed by the speakers, the fellowship, and the ideas given. 



I began thinking more of the leaders I've seen here. There are so many. My sister, Noel. What a lady- a barbarian- and I'm not just saying that because we're twins. She's a humble servant and I'm so blessed by her example and have been for years. There are volunteers who give their time, working in some of the hardest conditions imaginable. There are fathers and mothers who love their families and their churches. There have been Czechs like Viktor and Kristyna, their lives and stories have touched mine. There are those who serve quietly with excellence. And there are even little people, little kids that have taught me about leadership, like the little guy who shares the love of God boldly and courageously with those in his community.
my sister, Noel, she's a great leader with all ages

One of the volunteers we work with, at 7 months pregnant- she's still going strong :-)

Debelle- a dedicated dad, husband and leader

Viktor in Ethiopia
with Gette, one who serves quietly and with great strength and excellence

this little six year old is sharing God's love in his community
Is leadership dependent on size or gender? on education? on country of origin? I've learned these things don't matter at all. God is the great qualifier of leaders.

I was challenged at the conference to think about many other leadership characteristics as well. One of the big thoughts I've held onto was one that said the best leaders are those who "guard the flame"- God's presence in them. In their lives, their families, their churches, their workplaces, their communities, they continue to hold the flame, guard it, and they shine. Flashlights here are called "torches," , I think I've shared that before. These leaders are torches. They are present in dark places. Pointing the way. Giving light. And they do it with the right amount of salt, flavoring and preserving that flame in others. Great leaders are not perfect. But you know they're not acting. They are humble, teachable, hard-working, passionate for the cause.

Many scriptures came to mind this past week concerning leaders that encouraged and challenged me:

...“Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)

...guard what has been entrusted to your care. (1 Timothy 6:20)

...fan into flame the gift of God (2 Timothy 1:6)

For Christ’s love compels us (2 Corinthians 5:14)

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)
...let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

Leaders persevere and finish well. Amen.

All of these things and more have challenged me. And I wanted to share some of my favorite highlights from the conference. May these thoughts and insights motivate and challenge you as they did me.

May we be the leaders God has called us to be!

"HOPE OF THE WORLD"
Bill Hybels (Senior Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church)

-the local church is the hope of the world
-the best thing you can do to inspire your team is to come to the table inspired yourself
-a leader takes people from HERE to THERE (defines both the “here” and the “there”- and why the move is needed)
-"THERE" for churches should be: Acts 2: 42-47
-the church: people completely devoted to God: things in the early church were done in such a way that it was respected and attractive, so it grew; they were transparent; loved each other.
Do our churches look like the Acts 2 church?

"GOOD TO GREAT"
by Jim Collins (Management Consultant and Author)

-good can be the enemy of great
-you need to get the right people "on the bus" ; and the wrong people "off the bus"
-it's first WHO, then WHAT
-the type of leadership is key
-what moved companies from good to great in their study?
-he said the difference was what he called "Level 5 Leaders"
-these leaders had two key characteristics: true humility and a terrifying will on behalf of the cause
-shared an analogy of the window and the mirror, I'll blog more about this in another post...

"ON COURAGE AND LOVE IN BUSINESS"
by Eleni Gabre-Madhin (CEO, Ethiopia Commodity Exchange)

-courage is the ability to face fear and overcome
Joshua 1:7
-work is love made physical
-there is a call for leadership that is courageous and principled in love
-love-centered business is about adding value to people's lives

"FIVE DYSFUNCTIONS OF A TEAM"
by Patrick Lencioni (Founder and President; Table Group Inc.)

this guy was hilarious!

Five dysfunctions:
  1. absence of trust
  2. fear of conflict
  3. lack of commitment
  4. avoidance of accountability
  5. inattention to details

"LEADERSHIP"
by Haile Gebrselassie (famous Ethiopian runner)

-you first have to manage yourself- lead yourself, before you can lead others
-before you tell someone to do this or that, you have to show them how
-three keys for him to leadership: discipline, commitment, hard work

"A LEADER'S GREATEST FEAR"
by John Ortberg (Senior Pastor- Menlo Park Presbyterian Church)

-falling to a “shadow mission”
-a shadow mission is your actual mission hijacked by your own ego, wounds, separated from Jesus
-a chronic sense of soul dissatisfaction is a sure sign you're living your shadow mission

"RISK TAKING, BARRIER BREAKING, BOLD LEADERSHIP"
by Catherine Rohr (CEO, Prison Entrepreneurship Program)

-if God is passionate about it, He's responsible for it
-God can use you if you just show up and get your assignment, then execute it
-don't pity, but give dignity to those you're serving
-if you don't accept your mission; you're the one who will miss out
-you need to be able to say: bring it on God

-the graduates from the jail system in this program brought us all to tears- as they graduated with dignity

"TRADE NOT AID"
by Andrew Rugasira (Founder CEO, Good African Coffee)

-handouts is not what Africa needs
-we need to see Africa differently: as a place of entrepreneurs, consumers, a place full of potential
-the greatest kindness you can show is to help us help ourselves

"DEAD LEADER RUNNING"
by Wayne Cordeiro (Author and Speaker)

-you will only reproduce what you are
-suffering will change you, but not always for the good (1 Peter 4:19); sometimes radical pain needs radical change

-to not be a “dead leader running”...
-you need to find out what fills and drains your tank
-learn to understand a balance in life
-learn to lead out of rest (schedule your break points first)
-find a lightning rod (someone you can dump to and they can ground it)
-have discipline in your daily devotion

-you need to be a leader who is not concerned about getting their the fastest or in the greatest way, but your goal is guard / protect the flame

-----

THAT WAS IT. Yep, and those are just the highlights too. There are tons of nuggets to ponder on in the time ahead.

Am I the leader God wants me to be? How can I be a better leader from this time on, guarding the flame entrusted to me?

May I run on guarding the flame and holding it high!

Thank you for praying for me, for us, on these things!

Prayer Requests for this coming week:

-another volunteer training will be this week
-for wrapping up my research
-for Noel's work with the Exodus-Czech families
-for God's leadership for what's ahead
-for Noel's pastor-friend-teammate- Viktor (see the update below)

Viktor baptizing a girl in the Czech Republic
*Viktor Glier was in a motorcycle accident on October 28. He broke his shoulder, his leg and his thigh and also had internal bleeding. He has had three surgeries as of now and is stable, but his recovery will be long. He is married and has two children. He is a dedicated young pastor with a heart for the world. He has been to Ethiopia three times and is leader of the Czech-Exodus project. Please keep him and his family in your continued prayers. *