It has always been my desire to learn from every life experience. Sometimes it’s hard, when the lessons border on mistakes made in relation to dealing with people. Words are said that leaves the ear ringing and certainly now, can’t be unsaid; actions and reactions expressed that leave a mark, a scar or worse.
Every trip I’ve made to then Sudan and now South Sudan is distinct. Like a music CD with various tracks, each song having its own rhythm and message; each thrust into this land with great potentials and great pains, continues to teach me much.
There were several reinforced convictions and lessons too, from my last thrust. Here are a few.
- Leadership is tough and messy. Many platforms offering opportunities for influence with eternal consequence are grossly undervalued, making the blessedness of leadership in those areas seem like a curse to those seeking immediate return on investment.
As days turn to years and our children grow, we can’t force maturity on them or simply expect them to be emotionally and spiritually healthy, without deliberate effort in that regard. This thing takes time and it’s expensive!!
“Where no cattle are, the stall is clean, but much gain is by the strength of the ox.” Prov 14:4
Leadership is messy and carries a great deal of pain. But there’s gain down the road, if the oxen are well taken care of despite the mess they make. The future we seek hangs on our ability today, to identify divine opportunities in ridiculous places or people, nurture them and trust God for a flourish.
I learned that taking responsibility for errors or lapses in leadership can be hard, especially when it seems one gave it their best. Though devotion and incompetence can mix well, the resultant fruit of their union may leave a sour taste in the mouth. It’s humbling to ask for help in matters you are expected to be an expert in.
Lord Jesus, help me know and acknowledge sooner than later, the things I know in part and understand in part. Please teach me how to be more gracious to others while I hope for enduring fruit from relationships that have me in charge.
- There are no shortcuts to learning how to read. There are many steps involved. The first is- start with the alphabets, then reading and the last step is continue reading.
Building a Reading Culture; as a presentation topic has featured in our last two Teachers’ Conferences and intentionally so. I discovered a relationship between reading skills, assimilation and obedience.
Reading is better taught and perfected from formative years. Seeing that many here didn’t have that opportunity on account of the long civil war, it’s such a huge challenge resetting or should I say, refocusing mature minds on the basics of phonetics and its intricate yet, interesting forms.
There’s no backing down from this thrust here. We’ll continue to create platforms to help people develop a reading habit that can change their lives. If you have ideas that you believe could work, please let’s talk.
The video below has Jennifer, a Head Teacher in one of the nursery/primary schools here in Yei sharing her experience at this Conference, with respect to the topic on Building a Reading Culture. She has quite a story I’d be telling someday.
What Jennifer learned about reading from Uche Izuora on Vimeo.
- Investing in the training of school teachers in South Sudan is undeniably beneficial for national development and far more strategically crucial to the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom here, if purposefully and properly managed.
Our thrust in this direction has been phenomenal to say the least. Thanks to God and the determination of Rev. Yemi Ayodele. The testimonies of changed lives among these sponsored school teachers propel our convictions and deepen our resolve. They know and we know, life will never be the same for many of them.
What we are doing with those we are offering scholarships at the Yei Teacher Training College has never been done here before. Giving them opportunity to acquire perspectives beyond teaching skills, we’ve engaged them in marriage counseling, discipleship, missions and PTSD training, deliverance… I introduced Alemi Jackson here. I’ll be introducing some others on this space, when the first set of 25 In-service teacher trainees graduate in December 2016; God willing.
A fresh set of 18 trainees have been admitted this 2016 for a 3year certificate program. From their comments, it’s like they won the national lottery. The future will tell. We need partners who’d make this thrust more productive and enduring. Please ask me how.
- The best and worst of ourselves manifest while on a Kingdom adventure. The challenges waiting to be engaged on the narrow path where the Lord walks and works, are meant to squeeze out the greatness hidden within us.
In my blog- Made For Adventure, I alluded to this. On this trip, I met several folks who didn’t even know their gifts and abilities, needless to say how they’d make a difference with them, silently impact many. It was a joy, for example, to see how Ms. Mai and Mr. Scott Taylor from Water of Life Community School in California, made their gifts and years of experience count for the Kingdom.
We didn’t know how the grace they carry would thrive at the Conference in Yei as we prayed and planned their visit last April. But looking back now, I can testify with joy, convinced beyond doubt, that we all need an adventure to help us discover for ourselves, key components of the mysteries of the Kingdom Jesus was talking about.
Jesus said, “…these signs shall follow them that believe…” Mark 16:17 To follow, presupposes that there’s a going somewhere, by those that believe. Many are gifted with the ability to heal diverse sicknesses and diseases, to witness powerfully for Jesus in many ways and do much that they can never imagine possible, until they are going.
Don’t get me wrong. You need not leave your region and come to South Sudan. NO! You need of necessity, to leave your comfort zone to where the discomforts of life will usher the Jesus in you, to the needy world.
The trash within us come to light outside the church walls. God never shies away from the rubbish inside us, He’s laboring to transform them into treasures, to the admiration of His angels and shame of principalities and powers of darkness.
I’m convinced beyond all doubt, that God wants us to see His hands working in and around us, using everything the enemy is throwing at us as tools, to fix our past, steady our current steps, give us momentum for the duties assigned to us and finally, present us holy to Himself in the end.
End of Part 1 of 2
Kingdom Exploits With Uche 