Time for a reboot

Well, it's been almost 5 years since my last blog post, but today, I'm giving it a reboot!

My main reason for rebooting is that I want to use this blog, "Speaking Hope" to record my thoughts and some pictures as I walk the Camino de Santiago beginning May 18, 2018.

The Camino de Santiago, known in English as the Way of Saint James, is a network of pilgrims' ways serving to the shrine of the apostle Saint James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, northwestern Spain. Many follow its routes as a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth.

I've been planning this pilgrimage for several years as I've been interested in the journey since my good friend, Andrew Collins, walked the Camino in 2008. Like Andrew, I'm walking the Frances route, beginning in St. Jean Pied de Port and taking 31 days to reach Santiago de Compostela.

I've been thinking about this pilgrimage for a number of years and, I've been planning my May start for about one year. As well, I've been training for about six months. Now that my start date is under a month, I'm getting excited to begin.

You can join me on the journey via this blog, and I'll post pictures on my Instagram account under my username, 'neilostrander'.

BTW, I shot the sunset picture on my phone while visiting my Brother-in-Law's, Boat Lake ON cottage.

Customer Service is Not a Department via Change This

Customer Service is Not a Department: Realy? 

It’s also not a complaint desk, or a website, or a phone number, or an option on a phone menu. Nor is it a task or a chore. It’s the responsibility of everyone in the organization, from the CEO to the lowest-ranking front line employee. In effect, everyone in the company is a customer service rep, because each of them has some impact on the customer’s experience.

As an executive, you may never see or speak to a customer, but you model how they should be treated with every interaction you have, with vendors, creditors, suppliers, and especially your employees. Treat everyone with sincerity and respect and it will trickle down to your customers.

For more insights check out Change This

Why You Need an Empty Chair at Important Meetings

Why You Need an Empty Chair at Important Meetings:

It’s widely known that Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, frequently leaves one open seat at the company’s most important meetings. It’s there to remind his fellow executives and managers of the most important person in the room—the customer.

Forbes reports that Amazon tracks its performance against five hundred measurable goals. Nearly 80 percent relate to customer objectives.
But if the people at the meeting don’t have cultural intelligence, it’s unlikely the chair will be of much benefit. The participants will simply assume the person represented by the empty chair values what they do. And if everyone in the meeting comes from the same cultural background, it’s going to be tough to get a grasp of preferences and opinions of the customer.
So go ahead and add an empty chair to your most important meetings. But don’t stop with that. To make the most of this creative practice, follow these “empty chair” guidelines:
1. Break the Golden Rule: Remind everyone in the meeting that their own values and perspectives can’t be applied to all customers. Treating everyone with kindness and respect is an aspect of the Golden Rule we can all embrace. But there are a thousand different interpretations of what kindness and respect look like, largely shaped by one’s cultural background. It’s an elementary point, but one that is quickly forgotten: Don’t assume everyone wants what you want.
2. Focus: Most of our organizations aren’t trying to become the earth’s largest retail machine (a.k.a. Amazon). So who is the primary target related to today’s conversation? Who isn’t? How much do you know about them? The days of mass marketing are long over. Every choice is a renunciation. To focus on one type of customer is to renounce a thousand others. What are the specific needs and desires of this target audience and how will today’s agenda address those?
3. Perspective-Taking: The empty chair assumes people in the meeting are adept at perspective-taking: the ability to step outside their own experience and imagine the perceptions and motivations of another. This means being able to predict:

• What does our customer (or prospective customer) value?
• What’s going on in her mind?
• What would she say about the ideas we’re discussing right now?

As you improve CQ Knowledge—an understanding of how culture influences the way people think and behave—your team can more accurately predict the perspective of culturally diverse customers. And this understanding needs to be based upon empirical research. Avoid letting meeting participants describe the behaviors of all teenagers based upon their child’s behavior or declaring what Indian women think based upon what their friend is like. What does research reveal about the dominant norms among these various subcultures?
4. Adjust Perspectives: Make this a dynamic, ongoing process. Based upon further observations, emerging trends, and real-life interactions with customers, move beyond broad assumptions to more specific insights about your target group. Norms about Hispanic men, Chinese-American women, or millennials provide a good hypothesis for predicting what these customers will want. But be open to adapting those insights.  And find ways to fill the chair with live customers from time-to-time to get their first hand input.
The obsession to understand the customer gives Amazon the confidence to innovate freely without fretting about short-term results. Bezos says. “We don’t focus on the optics of the next quarter; we focus on what is going to be good for customers.”
Without cultural intelligence, there’s little benefit from adopting this Amazon practice. But an empty chair + cultural intelligence is a smart, strategic way to keep your meetings focused on the most important people your organization exists to serve.

The Kenyan connection to the Boston Marathon via Gary Cymbaluck

The Kenyan connection to the Boston Marathon.:

Kenyan Rita Jeptoo reacts after crossing the finish line

From the Christian Science Monitor:

When it comes to the modern Boston Marathon, no country has closer ties to "Beantown" than Kenya. Since 1988, Kenyans have won the men's race 20 times and the women's race 10, gracefully loping across the Boylston Street finish line in what now seems a nearly automatic "first" for the East African country.

So it is not surprising in wake of Monday's unsolved bombings that the Kenyan public is slightly shocked, but also that Kenyan athletes and runners have rallied. In emotional statements and press events, the marathoner community here is urging unity against the attacks, and calling for participation in London's upcoming marathon as a protest on behalf of the human spirit.

“I urge all athletes to go to London with confidence. They should not fear. Sports are more powerful," said Paul Tergat, who held the marathon world record between 2003 and 2007.

Mr. Tergat told Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper that runners should not be intimidated and said the London marathon on Sunday should be turned into a display of the power of sports and its unifying factor. "Let’s pull together and shame the people who targeted innocent fans in Boston."
In Kenya, as has become traditional on the third Monday of April, citizens were glued to the television, keenly following and cheering the race as marathoners went down familiar grass-lined suburban streets before reaching the downtown finish line.

This year's defending men's champion, Kenyan Welsey Korir – now a member of Parliament – placed fifth in the race, while another Kenyan, Micah Kogo, came second.

Kenya's Rita Cheptoo took first in the women's race, her second victory since 2006, and celebrations broke out in Eldoret town, the hub of Kenya’s long distance running.

Nearly three hours later, after Ms. Cheptoo had left the scene, two explosions close to the finish line killed three people and injured 140 more.

“It is very sad some people decided to attack the world’s oldest marathon. We condemn the act," says James Kattam, Ms. Cheptoo's coach at the administrative police unit athletics team. "However, this is unlikely dampen our running spirit because Kenyans love athletics.”

David Leting, Kenya's national marathon coach, added that, “there is some fear among some of our athletes … but I want to assure all that we shall participate in all marathons as we have done before. We have already also been assured of security.”

He was referring to the London marathon set for next Sunday, which race organizers have said will take place despite the attacks in Boston.

The attacks have reminded us that we should give special interest to security during future international marathons, says Douglas Wakiihuri, the first Kenyan marathoner to win the world championship, in 1987.

“We never stopped competing and I would like to urge all runners not to panic [but] they should also remain very cautious about their security,” says Mr. Wakiihuri, who now mentors young athletes.

New Refugee House for Winnipeg

Winnipeg will soon be home to an International Teams Canada refugee housing community. Tim Nielsen of City Connexions Winnipeg says that the new house will provide much-needed temporary housing for many of the refugees expected to arrive in Winnipeg over the next few years. "We have a number of very strong private sponsorship programs going here in Winnipeg. Canadian churches won't be sponsoring any new refugees in 2012 due to a cap implemented by the government to try to clear up an application backlog, but we expect quite a few of the backlog will be coming here. The need for housing in Winnipeg is greater than ever."

City Connexions, along with a private foundation committed to paying the bulk of the mortgage, are in the process of making an offer to purchase a house that was formerly operated by another ministry as a halfway house. Tim and the rest of the planning team are confident it is an ideal fit for their needs. "It's a 9 bedroom house with lots of flexibility in its layout. The renovations on the home completed by the previous owners were all very well done in terms of safety. Right now, we're in the process of hiring a potential director. We're also in the process of developing our programs, philosophy of ministry, procedures, and budget. A lot of the details are still in development, but we expect the home will open in the fall."

Tim says that as they work out the purchase of the home and their strategy for the coming months, prayer and financial support are their greatest needs. "We're very grateful for the foundation's money, but still need to raise approximately $50,000 each year to support the costs above and beyond the mortgage, plus some additional funds to cover furniture, kitchen supplies, paint, and some renovations. We would also appreciate prayer for wisdom in developing the structure and programs, that our financial needs would be met, and that God will open the door for solid partnerships with local churches. We want to find churches to be behind the ministry, to send their people to serve at the house and be a key part of it."

To learn more about City Connexions Winnipeg or to make a financial gift in support of the new refugee home, click here.

Kosova Albanians: By David Field

I saw this great post on David's blog and thought I'd share with you! 

Although there are not any Kosova Refugees in the camp (Refugee Camp in Austria) anymore I still have a special place in my heart for them. Following on from 'What people think I do' series. Here are the Albanians

The Sanctuary: A Place of Hope

For the former street kids living at The Sanctuary in Jinja, Uganda, a group home gives them more than just a safe place to sleep – it gives them access to education and vocational training with the power to truly transform their lives.

Founded by Henry Wanjala in partnership with Melissa Maertens and Tom Dale, The Sanctuary is a project of International Teams Canada's Impact Uganda program. In 2008, Henry was a high school student working at an internet cafe in Jinja when he happened to meet Melissa, a young Canadian woman volunteering in Uganda with Give International. During her visit, Melissa befriended a small group of street kids and was inspired upon her return to Canada to raise funds for them to attend school. After Henry met Tom, the idea for The Sanctuary was born, and the three worked together to make it a reality. Starting with just Henry and 5 boys in a 3-room house, the group home now houses 15 boys on a larger property.

Henry says the group home gives the boys a chance to break the cycle of poverty that traps kids who live on the streets. "For many of them, their parents don't believe in education. Some of them are addicted to alcohol or glue sniffing. If they weren't living at The Sanctuary, the boys would be marrying young and having kids they can't take care of, kids that would end up on the streets themselves. But our volunteers tutor them, advise them, and teach them about God. In addition to sending them to school, we are also training them in practical life skills so they can take over their own care at a certain point. They're motivated and transformed and our hope is they can turn around and transform their communities as well."

Tom, now Chair of the Board of Directors for The Sanctuary, says that their most pressing need is for regular monthly donors, which helps them to budget effectively in the face of Uganda's high inflation rate. "Food and rent have doubled in cost, and many of the boys are now in high school, which means higher tuition fees. Our yearly budget has almost doubled as a result. We're praying that God will send people who will catch the vision, and encourage us as well as encourage the boys we're working with in Jinja."

Henry's dream is to someday provide a home for 100 boys. To help make his vision a reality, visit their website and click How Do I Get Involved? in the main menu.

Give Hope - One Christmas Gift at a Time!

For many people in Canada, there is often a feeling of conflict between what Christmas should be about – sharing the joy of Jesus’ birth and the Christmas story, connecting with family and friends – and the reality of the season.

It is stressful and busy, and everything is further complicated by the need to find the time and money to shop for gifts that aren’t always needed or used. Last year, as a possible solution to this problem, ITCA created a Christmas catalogue filled with items designed to simplify gift-giving and support International Teams programs at the same time. The catalogue contained everything from ice cream for orphans and high school tuition for teenagers to vocational training for widows and bicycles for pastors.

Philip Sheldon, Canadian Team Leader for Impact Kenya (PACE), says that the catalogue allowed them to do something special for the large number of orphans attending PACE Academy. “The catalogue funds allowed us to buy special foods for the children in December. One of the most purchased items was the $5 gift of bread and milk at the Victory Nursery School in Maina. We were going to be short for January because of a drop in our regular donations, but these small gifts were enough to enable us to continue until our regular donors came back.”

One of ITCA’s regular supporters emailed to share how an article about the catalogue in the December issue of Momentum resonated with her. “I really loved your article. I’m at a point where I can honestly say that I hate Christmas. Last year, I hated it but still wasn’t able to say it out loud and this year I’m dreading it. I’m dreading the shopping, the wrapping, the decorating, the traffic, the noise, the people, the expectations, and the disappointments. It’s too much and I just want to close my eyes and make it all go away. Reading your article made me feel like maybe there’s hope... it inspired me to think of ways to simplify Christmas.”

Simplifying Christmas can be as easy as visiting our website at http://catalogue.iteams.ca during the holiday season and choosing one or more of the many unique items in the catalogue, such as Bibles for pastors in Sudan, juice for a family-style dinner at Welcome Home, tuition for a former street kid in Rwanda, or baby chicks for widows in Kenya.

The 2011 Christmas catalogue – new and improved, with many options to give genuine hope in tangible ways – was launched in mid-November and we would love for you to join us in Giving Hope, one holiday gift at a time.

New Online Services Department Makes Online Giving Easy

Chris Fane

International Teams Canada's new Online Services Department is an exciting step forward for ITCA's head office infrastructure, one that Neil Ostrander, CEO, believes will provide increased opportunities for genuine engagement with ITCA's people and programs.

ITCA's total revenue has more than doubled in the past three years, an increase that he says was driven in large part by programs, people, projects, and teams leveraging online services as more donors choose the convenience, reliability, and security of donating online. "We created the Online Services Department this summer and gave it a focused mandate to grow our donor support and partnerships by simplifying the online donation process and empowering leaders and teams to tell their stories. We believe that the new tools we have access to can help engage our supporters and get them truly excited about giving."

The new team operates under the leadership of Chris Fane, previously a sub-contractor for ITCA who brings a wealth of real-world web, graphics, and branding experience to the role, as well as a unique perspective on user experience and usability.

Chris says that his primary focus in the new role is on making sure the stories of ITCA's missionaries, staff, and indigenous leaders are being told. He believes that leveraging online tools is a great way to supplement the various offline ways those stories are currently being shared. "This role helps both donors and fundraisers from beginning to end by streamlining our process. We can help people who are raising funds by giving them the resources they need to communicate their vision for the project, as well as the tools they need to come back to the donors after the experience and communicate that story effectively. We're also making better use of donor dollars and scaling back the number and frequency of print materials by giving our supporters the opportunity to receive updates via email, Facebook, and our website."

Chris believes the best barometer for the success of the new department is the comfort level of ITCA's donors with the new technology. "We'll know we've done our job when everybody has a great experience using the online tools, because we've made it accessible and easy to use for everyone, regardless of their familiarity with online giving. Everything is a work in progress, so we're always looking for feedback. We want our donors to tell us what works for them!"

Stay tuned to our website for further enhancements to the online donation system. To share feedback, please email Chris directly.

Strategic Partnership with Careforce International

Neil Ostrander, CEO of International Teams Canada (ITCA), and Philip Chester, CEO of Careforce International (CFI), are excited to announce a strategic partnership that will benefit both organizations as they work together to care for those in need in Canada and around the world.

Effective September 29, 2011, this partnership represents a bold next step for the International Teams partnership strategy, and one that will help ensure the long-term future of Careforce International. The agreement sets out a path where ITCA will run all the back-office functions, with a special emphasis on Online Services, while CFI continues as a separate charitable organization. CFI and ITCA will partner in program delivery and both organizations are expected to see an increase in participation and donor support over 12 months.

Philip says that the partnership will not only allow CFI to focus on the initiatives that are at the heart of who they are as an organization – providing resources to project partners, and sending short-term teams to assist those partners in the work they are doing – but will also assist in growing their constituency of supporters and establishing new programs. “Our research shows that sharing our resources will enable us to maximize and improve impact for our partners through increased efficiency in our operations. Biblically-based collaboration with ITCA will allow Careforce to transfer and share, to the benefit of both organizations. This will mean that Careforce and ITCA will be able to invest a greater percentage of donations directly to the programs and projects.”

Neil and the Board of Directors of ITCA have leveraged their experience, gained from ITCA’s other partnerships, to identify a number of benefits to this unique arrangement. “Nothing is being lost. In fact, we all have a lot to gain through increased efficiency. Partnering with Careforce allows ITCA to increase our program and operational capacity further and faster.  Together, we will help more churches who in turn help more widows, orphans and refugees.”

Both Neil and Philip are confident that the future of Careforce programs, partners, teams and overall vision is solid, thanks to a sustainable operational model that will be focused, lean and effective. They are available for more in-depth discussion of this partnership and encourage supporters of either organization to contact them directly with any questions.


Philip Chester
CEO, Careforce International
philip@careforceinternational.ca
905.639.8525

Neil Ostrander
CEO, International Teams Canada
neil.ostrander@iteams.org
519.669.8844

New Partner: Bongalon Christlike Community

Great re-post from Brett's Blog ...

Henry posing with the beautiful scenery

Last week Henry was able to make a trip south of Manila to a small fishing village and get some hands on experience with our newest partner, Anton. I have actually been seeing Anton around church for quite sometime, maybe even since I first arrived, since before JKKCC was planted, I was attending his home church. After hearing him make a presentation at church, I got up and left the service to talk with him - I new he would a perfect partner. After approaching him and telling him what Impact Philippines is about he was also quite excited. Finally, after about a month and a half of preparation, Henry was able to go and see his ministry.

After sitting down and looking at some pictures of Henry's few days there and chatting about the possibilities, I got very excited. Anton and his wife have done a very good job in ministering to this community. They have built a preschool which doubles as a church, and are working on building livelihood programs. Anton has had a powerful affect on this community, so much so that even local politicians have approached him to be on the board of tourism! I have been deeply inspired by Anton and what they have accomplished, and I believe God brought our ministries together, and I look forward to seeing what will happen!

A comprehensive plan will be laid out in the coming weeks, but for now there are some points to consider and pray about. The long-term prosperity of this community is dependent on the children getting a good education. But there is a huge hindrance - the school is 2km away, and the high school 4km. What makes it worse is that the children don't any food to bring for lunch so they have to walk back for lunch! So for the young ones its 8km of walking a day, and for the high schoolers 16km a day in the heat! It seems clear we need to get this community a way to transport the students to school to ensure everyone is getting there and actually able to function. Please pray that we will be able to raise the necessary funds to get a old jeepny (a jeep with an extended back fitted with two benches) to function as a school bus. Be warned that this has the potential to be a huge blessing or curse. If not done right it could create jealousy and divisions in the community, but I have faith in Anton and also Kuya Henry to prepare them for that kind of responsibility.

Another issue is the terrible poverty. This community makes the informal settlers in the dumpsite look like life in paradise. Earning money is very challenging, and we have to overcome a lot of obstacles for the community to become self sufficient. Urban poor have opportunities to earn money daily, one reason why so many leave the rural areas, but these people have so few options. A sustainable local economy needs to be developed, and that wont be easy, or happen fast. The encouraging thing is that people in the rural settings know how to work hard, are not dragged down with entitlement (feeling the government needs to fix their problems), and are generally much more honest. The potential is huge, the partners are great, and the plans are comprehensive and built on sustainability - I am very excited to get started.

On a personal note I am a little jealous of kuya Henry for being able to get out of the city and get hands on, but I know my time locked up in the library at school is also important. I am learning and growing exponentially right now, and though the papers and memorizing ancient greek vocabulary seems somewhat irrelevant, but I see its value and am trying to enjoy each day and learn as much as I can. Enjoy the pictures:

This is what the houses typically look like in this community.

Henry and Anton with the members of their church (Anton is the on the farthest right)

Life is hard, a mother is chopping wood for cooking.

A typically kitchen.

A fisherman working on his engine for his boat.

Houses are made mostly of wood.

When the students are lucky they get a ride from Anton.

Playing chess during the afternoon heat.

Henry sitting with a couple, probably hiding from the heat of mid-day 

Repost: Streams In The Wasteland

Ptrs Gani and Henry

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

Today, is a new day. While each day in reality starts afresh, more than that, today is truly a new beginning. New beginnings owe their significance to the fact that they are very liberating. Our human desire to move forward and chase after the light of hope is always hampered by the mud of the past that bogs down our progress to the future. If you have slogged through muddy paths, you know how frustrating and tedious it is. It can wear you down. It can immobilize you as you sink deeper into the mud. Therefore, to be free today from the things that bind us to the past liberates us to witness the wonderful fulfillment of God's plans in the future.

Streams in the wasteland will constantly remind me from this day onwards on how God brings freshness to the Calling He has for each one of us. Streams in the wasteland will stir up the sense of anticipation on what He will do among the people who waste away in hopelessness.

Today, I would rather be swept away in that stream to the wasteland than be bogged down and sink in the muddy past.

Well said Pastor Henry. Follow his blog Streams in the Wasteland.

CrossCulture Event Encourages Student Leaders to "Dream Big"

CrossCulture Event Encourages Student Leaders to "Dream Big":

HAMILTON, ONTARIO - Twice a year, 120 youth and young adults from the Hamilton area gather together at a CrossCulture event for a time of teaching and practical service at local ministries or community groups.

Now in its sixth year, CrossCulture is run by TrueCity Hamilton's Youth Network in partnership with International Teams. The day-long event provides an opportunity for young leaders to gather for breakfast, participate in a time of worship and testimony, and then go out to pre-arranged service sites. Everyone returns at the end of the day for worship, a message, and a time of prayer.

Esther Dillabough co-founded CrossCulture while attending Redeemer University. 'I was part of a team that essentially operated as a think tank, providing a place for students to create outreach opportunities and get other students involved. The idea for CrossCulture came to me and another student and eventually spread to other churches in the city who had a similar vision: to bring people together for a day and provide teaching around how to integrate worship, service, and social justice into a lifestyle, and then provide practical opportunities to serve at local agencies and churches.'

??Esther sees the events as a great way to really connect people with their community. 'We wanted to see what it would look like to serve together and make a bigger impact in the city. We partner with existing ministries, so we can encourage them and learn more about them, ultimately exposing people to ministries they may not even know existed in their own community. Often CrossCulture serves as a catalyst that leads to long-term involvement with these ministries and with our community.'

For CrossCulture's student leaders, many of whom are students at Redeemer University, it is an invaluable opportunity to be stretched and to truly invest in the youth and young adults that come to the event. As they near graduation, students on the planning team are responsible for replacing themselves, a process that Esther says is exciting to watch. 'Our leaders do a really great job of identifying in their peer group someone who has leadership potential and would be a good fit to help plan the next CrossCulture. It is really fun to see the younger students come onto the team and develop those skills.'

The 10th CrossCulture event took place on March 26. As they look ahead, Esther asks for prayer that the CrossCulture team will continue to dream big. 'We hope and pray that God would give students big dreams, and that youth pastors and church staff around the city would continue to help them make these dreams a reality.'

Where the Sidewalk Ends (Repost from Rwanda Mama)

One thing that I love / live for / look forward to... are garage sales in Kigali.
Never really went to a garage sale when I lived in Canada but here - you can't keep me away!
Most happen when embassy or NGO people leave after their 2 or 3 year contract is finished. Oh the treasures they can have... chocolate chips, books, brown sugar, molasses, DVD's, fajitia seasoning, etc. etc.

I went to one last Saturday between gettting the team settled into painting one of our houses for former street kids and getting them lunch. One of the treasures I found... 'Where the Sidewalk Ends'!

I SO remember getting this book of poems read to me in I don't know what primary grade and then signing it out of the library to read by myself at home. Needless to say I snagged it and when I arrived home to my kids, I promptly sat them down for a poetry reading.

Nothing like the things that bring my two worlds together.

I am writing these poems
From inside a lion,
And it's rather dark in here.
So please excuse the handwriting
Which may not be too clear.
But this afternoon by the lion's cage
I'm afraid I got too near.
And I'm writing these lines
From inside a lion,
And it's rather dark in here.
By Shel Silversteien

Next garage sale... tomorrow!!

Lead with All the Senses

Lead with All the Senses from The Soderquist Center on Vimeo.

WHAT CAN I DO?! Making a Global Difference Right Where You Are

Guest post by David Livermore: Great leader and researcher. Great friend with a great challenge!

My newest book, What Can I Do: Making a Global Difference Right Where You Are just released. I wrote this primarily for Christian readers who want to make a difference globally but aren’t convinced that a two-week trip overseas or an occasional donation is enough.

I rarely meet someone who doesn’t give a rip about HIV-AIDS, freedom in the Middle East, poverty and disease, human trafficking, or any number of other global challenges facing our generation. But all too often, we’re shamed with another series of statistics about how sweet our lives are compared to most people around the world.

I’m all about seeing our lives in perspective. And I start the book out in that very place—seeing ourselves in light of our global neighbors. But all too often, global types like me stop there. We rant and rave with a global chip on our shoulder trying to get people to care about poverty, disease, and war and we don’t offer people practical steps for what they can actually do about it.

Having sometimes seen those tendencies in myself (apologies to those of you who have been subjected to my personal and public rants), I embarked on this project a few years ago. The book stems from research across many different disciplines and professions.

The main section covers dozens of stories and practical ways we can all make a difference globally—in our families, through our jobs (with chapters devoted to how individuals are doing so through business, art, education, science, health care, etc.), at school, in our communities, etc. It was deeply inspiring to work on this project because I learned so much personally from the many people I interviewed and the stories I encountered.

A more complete review of the book will be available on this website soon.For now, you can download the introduction and a couple sample chapters here: What Can I Do Sample. Feel free to share them with others or use them however you wish. And I’d love to hear your own stories of ways you’re learning to play your part in our global village. The book is available at Amazon and bookstores everywhere.

Global PartnerLink hires Wayne Johnson as new President and CEO

Former Head of Opportunity International Joins Forces with Global PartnerLink
Calgary, Alberta - March 5, 2011

Global PartnerLink announced the hiring of Wayne Johnson as the new President and CEO. Johnson brings over 25 years of sales, marketing, fundraising and international development leadership experience to Global PartnerLink from both private industry and the non-profit community. 

“We are thrilled to have Wayne join the Global PartnerLink team. His proven leadership, creative and innovative style, and international program experience will help us grow to the next level as an organization”, says Ned Benner, Chairmain of the Board, Global PartnerLink.

Johnson previously served as the founding CEO of Opportunity International Canada, Executive Director of a large Christian children’s camp in a major turnaround role, and as the Director of a niche marketing consulting organization, which served over 50 non-profits across Canada, Asia, Latin America and Africa.

“Bible translation is foundational to effective evangelism, church planting and discipleship. It is the missing key for many people groups who are marginalized and often the poorest of the poor. Literacy skills are also crucial, leading to improved education, health, job training, and cultural stability”, adds Johnson.

Keith Pickerill, Executive Director, Seamless Link, of the Christian and Missionary Alliance of Canada sees growth at Global PartnerLink, “…Two years ago Global PartnerLink was launched as a spin off from Wycliffe Bible translators. The objective was to dramatically accelerate the rate of scripture translation by working alongside organizations led and staffed by nationals, not westerners. There are still over 2000 languages around the world that still do not have the scriptures in their own mother tongue, or heart language,” explains Pickerill. “Wayne will help us as Canadians do our part in ensuring that people from every people, tribe and nation will be able to worship God in their own heart language… ”

Global PartnerLink works in 13 of the world’s poorest countries with 16 nationally led and staffed Bible translation and literacy organizations. They fund and facilitate 60 translation and literacy projects involving 80 indigenous languages spoken by over 3,000,000 people. Within 8 years Global PartnerLink plans on being involved in an additional 140 unreached languages and people groups.

www.globalpartnerlink.ca

Congratulations Wayne ... you will do a great job!

Hope in Forgiveness

I came across this quote from Miroslav Volf recently, and its challenged me to think and act! Read it slowly or perhaps a few times as I did.

"Forgiveness is the boundary between exclusion and embrace. It heals the wounds that the power-acts of exclusion have inflicted and breaks down the dividing wall of hostility. Yet it leaves a distance between people, an empty space of neutrality, that allows them either to go their separate ways in what is sometimes called 'peace' or to fall into each other's arms and restore broken communion.

Much more than just the absence of hostility sustained by the absence of contact, peace is communion between former enemies. Beyond offering forgiveness, Christ's passion aims at restoring such communion--even with the enemies who persistently refuse to be reconciled."

The truth is, this forgiveness thing has been on my mind for some time. If I'm honest, I have to admit that I've got a lot of work to do in this department! So I've built a daily habit of "forgive - release - bless". Simply put, I reflect and pray about people, situations, conflicts, etc., and then ask for insight on who I need to fully forgive, then release them and ask God to bless them.

Note that in all these cases, the presenting issues or conflict are over. Where needed, I've asked for forgiveness and in some cases, I've been asked to extend it. What I'm working on now is finishing the job ... doing the remedial work in my own soul so that I can truly "release and bless".

As I've practiced this simple ritual since December 2010, I've been surprised by:

1. The number of people I've needed to "release and bless"
2. The cumulation of negative stuff that needs active attention to dismiss
3. The freedom and "more positive" outlook in my own soul

Recently I was prompted to add one more feature to this soul work. That is, in the case of a very old wound, I needed to call a trusted friend and tell him that I had forgiven, released and blessed someone we both knew. It felt good to bless and be blessed by my friend ... by healing the old wound, not reopening it! 

I wish I could say, "follow these three simple steps and you'll be fixed for life", but I can't. Somehow God cherishes us in our journey away from brokenness, so I imagine that people like you and me still have a lot of work to do in this soul area.

However, I can say that in each situation (or person) that I've released and blessed ... I feel much less blame or self-justification and ton more compassion. I've begun to feel that 'neutral space between', that is peace. This is a huge reward in my own soul.

So join me in changing the world, by finding hope in forgiveness. Try the ritual of "forgive - release - bless" for a week and see what happens in your own soul.

Rejoicing and Rebuilding in South Sudan

Rejoicing and Rebuilding in South Sudan: February 18, 2011: Gord Skopnik, Program Leader for Impact Southern Sudan with International Teams Canada, was in Sudan in 2005 for the signing of the Naivasha Agreement, a comprehensive peace agreement struck between the north and the south in order to end the Sudanese Civil War and develop democratic governance country-wide. As part of the agreement, a referendum was scheduled for January 2011, giving the people of South Sudan the opportunity to vote on the issue of succession from Sudan as a whole. Gord remembers the 2005 agreement as a great cause for celebration, and feels that the referendum results (98% in favour of succession) is an even greater reason for the people of South Sudan, many of whom have been displaced, to rejoice.

With the referendum on the horizon, many people began over the past few years to return to Sudan from refugee camps in Congo, Kenya, and Uganda to re-establish and start life over again. The returnees, some armed with supplies provided by the UN, have been faced with the difficult challenge of rebuilding their lives in their homeland, as thousands and thousands have returned to a devastated country without an infrastructure in place to support them.
Still, Gord says, the refugees continue to move forward. 'It is very exciting for them, that they can come back to their homeland and find it relatively safe. With the exception of some disputed areas, the country has been fairly peaceful, and the peace was maintained even throughout the vote. With the results of the referendum, they feel more secure to start work on the reconstruction of their country. Outside countries can now get involved due to the end of the embargo on Sudan as a whole, and the Southern Sudanese will receive aid to help in the reconstruction of their country.'

Gord says that his personal prayer for Sudan, and what he has been preaching to both the local people and government and community leaders, is that they would maintain their integrity in Christ, and abstain from corruption. 'These things have destroyed much of north and east Africa. Because the governments are full of leaders without integrity, countries break down and fail. I don't want to see that for Sudan. I'm excited to see the rebirth of a country that is built on Christian integrity, morality, and principles.'

An excerpt from South Sudan Oyee, the proposed national anthem of South Sudan:

Oh Eden! Land of milk and honey and hardworking people,
Uphold us united in peace and harmony.
The Nile, valley, forests and mountains
Shall be our sources of joy and pride.
So Lord bless South Sudan!

Life in the slow lane

If you know me, then you know I'm an Eagles fan. While I love the guitar work in the song, "Life in the Fast Lane", I'd never want to live the lyrics.  As it turns out, I may not be the only one who doesn't connect with them ...

Life in the Fast Lane drains my will to live. I abhor this one. I loathe this song with every fiber of my being. (Music critic from the Louisville Examiner)

And hey, as an adult with ADHD, Dyslexia with a little OCD thrown in ... I have my share of "brain in the fast lane"!

But this post is about a leadership discipline that could be called, moving to life in the slow lane. It something I recognize but really struggle to put into practice. To be honest, I'm working on it these days and getting some traction, so its easier to write about it now.

The truth is, there is a huge set of encouragements, even rewards for being a "manic leader". You know, on the go, productive, involved and busy! And if you are like me and you love what you do ... and you love the people you do it with ... why not just keep up the manic pace?

Any sane person can recognize a bunch of reasons to slow down the pace, but let me suggest that you'll never be the leader you were called to be unless you take time to reflect.

Whether you lead a small group, a department or an entire organization, there are insights and directions that can only be discovered "away from the action." And, if you lead other leaders, they will observe your style and emulate your best (and worst) characteristics.

The more significant decisions require the most reflection. That means, looking through the lens of past performance, present reality and future possibility. Of course, no matter what the circumstance, this must be done with a sense of hope.

When we embrace reality and look honestly at what could be, we meet our God who continues to create and transform. As leaders, we regain the sense of hope that what is, can be changed and it can be change for good.

For me, this sense of hope comes when I move into the slow lane and take precious time to reflect. So I take time every day to reflect on major decisions, then each week I take some extended time and every quarter, I take time away from the action ... mostly to be reflective.

Lots more I could say, but this is a good start ... so, join me in the slow lane!