Thursday, Nov 21.
Greetings from Ganta, Liberia!
Another great day! We finished up this morning by getting and giving some feedback on yesterday's teach backs. Then, I put them into their groups and had them spend about 3 hours going over the Facilitator notes to review and discuss the key (main) points, making sure that each person fully understood them.
After lunch, we discussed plans for them to teach Lead Like Jesus and I asked them to make a commitment as to the number of Encounters they could facilitate over the next 12 months. Most said that they could do 4, 5, or even more than that, but about a fourth of them expressed a doubt that they could do more than three. So, after much discussion, it was decided that each person would commit to a minimum of three (3) Encounters over the next year. We then set up the leader's huddle groups, selected huddle "captains" who would be responsible to coordinate the quarterly meetings and send in reports, and went over the recommended agenda and discussion topics for each of the quarterly huddles. We then reviewed next year's training and the task of recruiting their "3" leaders who they would bring with them next year. Finally, I presented each of the leaders with a Lead Like Jesus Certificate of Completion and we spent some time in thanksgiving and prayer.
Most of them will go back to their homes this evening, with a few of them leaving first thing in the morning. So, we said our goodbye's this afternoon. As Alex, my driver, started to drive off from the church, I waved goodbye and couldn't help but feel that I have been blessed with a tremendous gift. At first, I had trouble understanding why I had such a feeling as this, but I soon realized that this is what it feels like to accomplish something that will make a eternal impact. You see, it was the same feeling that Luke and I had last June, when we left Iganga, Uganda after we had completed our training with Pastor Daniel and the other leaders there. I cannot tell you how encouraging it is to see these 24 leaders truly excited about and committed to developing leaders who lead like Jesus!
I'm very grateful for the opportunity to serve our Lord by planting some seeds of servant leadership into the lives of a few of His servants here in Liberia. I can hardly wait to see what God has in store for them over the next three (3) years.
I hope that by the time that I come back next year, they will have finished building the new hotel in Ganta that is currently under construction. I understand that the living conditions here are not up to par with what we have in the US. I fully understand the power going off and on several times a day and sometimes for long periods, and that this is a very poor country. But, I really have a problem with poor service.
My hotel room is OK. The internet works, not very well, but its better than nothing and my room is fairly clean. But, try to get something fixed is not very easy. I've had a leak in my bathroom since Saturday and I think they finally got it fixed this afternoon. Each time I would say something to them, they would jump right on it and clean the water up but I'm not sure they did anything to actually fix the leak?
The restaurant is worse. It does not even open until 8 am each morning. So, most all of the people who stay at the hotel (UN and US government people) have to leave and go get their breakfast some place else. Most of the time, they really don't open until 5 or 10 minutes after 8 am. Then, to get a cup of hot water to make myself a cup of instant coffee (why I take Folger's singles with me) takes at least 15 minutes. If I would order an omelet or scrambled eggs, this would take at a minimum 30 minutes. And, I haven't said anything about their lounge that stays open until 1 or 2 am and plays the music as loud as they possibly can. It never kept me awake (ear plugs) except for last night, when they must have brought in some extra speakers or something because the music was twice as loud as it had been and the bass drum vibrated the entire building. Sorry for the rant. You can bet that I will be praying that the new hotel will be open next November when I (Lord willing) return to Liberia.
Tomorrow, I will meet with Alex (not my driver) and Fannia Freeman to make plans for next year's training and then on Saturday morning, leave Ganta and begin the journey to come home.
Thanks for your continued prayers. Please also pray for the Liberian leaders who are returning back to their homes. More to follow from Ganta tomorrow evening.
Blessings!
Fred
Sent from my iPad
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