I think "methodology" means the study of methods. We've all heard that the WAY you do something is as important as WHAT you do. Well, I wonder whether or not we glibly agree, "yeah, yeah, nice advice for our children." But does it really work? Does it matter HOW we do things?
As you would imagine, I AM still talking about my Own Personal Growth as I grow through Africa. Since EAFC has now moved into "a new generation" I have had the privilege of being a bridge between the old, tried methods and the adventurous plans of the young. Not only does personality affect what our visions are and how we implement them, but the culture in which we are raised, the opportunities we have had and the experiences life has afforded us. Sarah and I work as friends, and we work as explorers, experimenting with ways to manifest and develop our friendship as we serve our God in this work focused on the continent of Africa.
Back to HOW we do things? Individuals and churches in the U.S. HAVE been involved in missions for a long time. We have a reputation for having "big hearted". In seminaries missiologists teach seminarians the history of missions, the tried methods, expose them to innovations. Books have been written for centuries as we explore how to fulfill Matthew 28:19-20 with the BEST methods.
As I explore EAFC, I've often asked myself whether or not we really WERE unique. Are we necessary? Are we just competing? Could we be folded into larger, respected, established ministries? Is there a way for like-minded groups to cooperate together? Am I just being argumentative when I try passionately to explain what I believe are the METHODS we are employing that we believe are BETTER than OTHER methods?
As U.S. Christians interact with future leaders in other parts of the world, often their hearts are warmly turned towards these incredibly mature believers. One by one, their stories are told, their ways are paid so that they can study, often in the U.S. schools. Many churches and individuals seem to be "going it alone" with little attention given to whether or not our methods are better than the way we've traditionally done things. EAFC has at times found churches with little interest in exploring any of these questions with us. They are "rich" churches with resources to do things "their" way. They already have relationships so learning about other methods just seems to complicate what they have going on.
When we suggest that it might be good to explore working with the African-led churches and working with African-led educational institutions, we often get blank stares from our friends.
So, once again, my friends, I come to you to help me sort out the conundrum in my spirit. Is our story worth telling? Do we keep trying to share it with those who will listen? Is one method really better than another? Is it just as good to go straight to a quality young person to help and bypass his/her church? Is insisting on church involvement just a messy piece that keeps us from being efficient? Thanks for your thoughts!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
What's BALANCE, and is it a good thing to have?
BALANCE! At my dance class on Monday's we talk a lot about balance. We're studying Embodied Prayer as we learn how to use our bodies to glorify God too! So, I think I get it, or at least it's not a hard concept to get, using one's body as well as mind and spirit as God intended them to be used.
But the kind of BALANCE that I'm asking about has more to do with PRIORITIES of how I USE my life. Am I to spend equal time with all 10 grandchildren? Is that balance? Am I to minister in Jackson, the U.S. AND Africa with equal focus? Are my gifts to be "balanced" between mercy and development? or am I to "not muzzle the ox that grinds" thus giving a majority for the support of pastors and missionaries? Is being balanced a goal for my life?
I'm not sure why I keep this blog going. I seldom get too much feedback from you my readers, but as someone told me, I PROCESS life though WORDS. I talk a lot; or in this case, I write a lot.
Yesterday a friend and I were talking about our perception of being a "bit weird" in that being balanced as we think most define it is not a goal of ours. I like John Piper's book Don't Waste Your Life. I try to follow Matthew 28:19-20 pretty seriously. GO and as you go, make disciples in ALL NATIONS.
One exception I find to most people's BALANCE is that giving to their own families seems to be WAY up there on the priority chart. There seems to be a willingness to be UN-balanced when it comes to lavishing time, attention, money and focus on one's own children. Another area I perceive of Un-balance is regarding sports.
I know, I've stepped on a land mine there. "You can only say that, Val, because you're not particularly good at team sports, plus you're not that interested in following sports teams." Maybe they're right. I know I say maybe a lot. MAYBE my writing this will spark some discussion with you, my friends, who read this.
If just a few of you get UN BALANCED enough to focus on one of 19 NEW students EAFC has just accepted from Liberia and Rwanda, then I'd be more confident that balance might be a bit over played on our culture.
What do you think?
There's another topic I'm mulling around in my head that I might write about in a few days. We'll see!
But the kind of BALANCE that I'm asking about has more to do with PRIORITIES of how I USE my life. Am I to spend equal time with all 10 grandchildren? Is that balance? Am I to minister in Jackson, the U.S. AND Africa with equal focus? Are my gifts to be "balanced" between mercy and development? or am I to "not muzzle the ox that grinds" thus giving a majority for the support of pastors and missionaries? Is being balanced a goal for my life?
I'm not sure why I keep this blog going. I seldom get too much feedback from you my readers, but as someone told me, I PROCESS life though WORDS. I talk a lot; or in this case, I write a lot.
Yesterday a friend and I were talking about our perception of being a "bit weird" in that being balanced as we think most define it is not a goal of ours. I like John Piper's book Don't Waste Your Life. I try to follow Matthew 28:19-20 pretty seriously. GO and as you go, make disciples in ALL NATIONS.
One exception I find to most people's BALANCE is that giving to their own families seems to be WAY up there on the priority chart. There seems to be a willingness to be UN-balanced when it comes to lavishing time, attention, money and focus on one's own children. Another area I perceive of Un-balance is regarding sports.
I know, I've stepped on a land mine there. "You can only say that, Val, because you're not particularly good at team sports, plus you're not that interested in following sports teams." Maybe they're right. I know I say maybe a lot. MAYBE my writing this will spark some discussion with you, my friends, who read this.
If just a few of you get UN BALANCED enough to focus on one of 19 NEW students EAFC has just accepted from Liberia and Rwanda, then I'd be more confident that balance might be a bit over played on our culture.
What do you think?
There's another topic I'm mulling around in my head that I might write about in a few days. We'll see!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Who's Paul?
It took a minute. Who's Psul _______________? I know someone in Jackson with that name, but the context of the email didn't seem to fit the man I know. THEN I remembered. He's the pastor in South Africa who worked with me several years ago when his church had adopted a Zambian studying in his country. The student had gotten into financial difficulties, "robbing Peter to pay Paul" in an attempt to stay in school and in the country. Finally, the truth began to emerge, and when it did, the student didn't stay under the authority of that church. Without church support, EAFC couldn't or wouldn't continue to send funds. We weren't there. If the church said, "no" then we said "no" too.
Fast forward to this past week. That's when these memories came roaring back, a letter from Paul about the student. The student is back in Zambia and is doing quite well. Paul gave me the student's email so I could write him. I'm still waiting for that response, but I'm rejoicing with Paul over how well our system has worked.
IF EAFC ONLY WORKED with STUDENTS and EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, we would have had NO MEANS of follow-up. We wouldn't have an email. We wouldn't have anyone who know what happened to this student.
Can you see the difference? I hope so, and I hope that you will feel led to help EAFC enter into more relationships with churches who have, not perfect men and women to recommend, but those with a relationship with Christ who DO RETURN BACK, REPENT and BECOME LEADERS.
Our address is:
PO BOX 5303
Jackson, Ms 39296
You can write exec@eafc.net for more information.
Fast forward to this past week. That's when these memories came roaring back, a letter from Paul about the student. The student is back in Zambia and is doing quite well. Paul gave me the student's email so I could write him. I'm still waiting for that response, but I'm rejoicing with Paul over how well our system has worked.
IF EAFC ONLY WORKED with STUDENTS and EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, we would have had NO MEANS of follow-up. We wouldn't have an email. We wouldn't have anyone who know what happened to this student.
Can you see the difference? I hope so, and I hope that you will feel led to help EAFC enter into more relationships with churches who have, not perfect men and women to recommend, but those with a relationship with Christ who DO RETURN BACK, REPENT and BECOME LEADERS.
Our address is:
PO BOX 5303
Jackson, Ms 39296
You can write exec@eafc.net for more information.
What my sister says
My sister and I talked Sunday, as usual. I pondered with her about why I had such trouble winning hearts toward Albert, my Liberian friend that with a Masters degree in Communications would be prepared to do in that country what I went to Liberia to help with. After 14 years of war, there are just not enough trained people to teach on the college level or run radio stations, etc. Adding to my confusion is that people here gave for me to go over there for seven weeks, and I DO appreciate it!
Those of you that have followed this blog know that it was HARD on both professor and students. It is hard to learn a Southern accent, new expectations and complete all those assignments for 6 hours of credit in just seven weeks. It was hard for me to leave my husband and family for seven weeks, adjust quickly to a very different culture, get across the concepts that needed to be taught in such a short time.
But that doesn't have to be like that! That's what frustrates me. With Albert's training, radio proclaiming the gospel to a nation could take place 24/7, 365 days a yeat. With Albert trained, it would cost only a little more than it costs to send me there for SEVEN weeks. Albert's pastor yesterday sent a passionate plea for us to partner with the ECUL church in Liberia. They already have a radio ministry and are wholeheartedly endorsing both Albert and his wife Priscilla travel to Kenya for two years. Priscilla will pursue a bachelor's degree in Communication. This church partnership is so re-assuring to us who have tried for many years now to establish strong church partnerships.
"Tell that story", my sister said.
"But I have" I told her. " Remember the two stories I sent to you and all the others who have given to
EAFC this past year? There was a two page story about a women's empowerment propject, And Albert's story was just ONE page! It seems easier to me for someone to find time to read Albert's story than Ruth's, but Ruth's story seems to have touched hearts SO far than Albert's story has."
Can anyone help me figure out how to tell this story better? Can development in Africa touch lives like relief work?
Email me at vvickery@gmail.com if you have ideas or suggestions. I really do want to hear from my friends!
Those of you that have followed this blog know that it was HARD on both professor and students. It is hard to learn a Southern accent, new expectations and complete all those assignments for 6 hours of credit in just seven weeks. It was hard for me to leave my husband and family for seven weeks, adjust quickly to a very different culture, get across the concepts that needed to be taught in such a short time.
But that doesn't have to be like that! That's what frustrates me. With Albert's training, radio proclaiming the gospel to a nation could take place 24/7, 365 days a yeat. With Albert trained, it would cost only a little more than it costs to send me there for SEVEN weeks. Albert's pastor yesterday sent a passionate plea for us to partner with the ECUL church in Liberia. They already have a radio ministry and are wholeheartedly endorsing both Albert and his wife Priscilla travel to Kenya for two years. Priscilla will pursue a bachelor's degree in Communication. This church partnership is so re-assuring to us who have tried for many years now to establish strong church partnerships.
"Tell that story", my sister said.
"But I have" I told her. " Remember the two stories I sent to you and all the others who have given to
EAFC this past year? There was a two page story about a women's empowerment propject, And Albert's story was just ONE page! It seems easier to me for someone to find time to read Albert's story than Ruth's, but Ruth's story seems to have touched hearts SO far than Albert's story has."
Can anyone help me figure out how to tell this story better? Can development in Africa touch lives like relief work?
Email me at vvickery@gmail.com if you have ideas or suggestions. I really do want to hear from my friends!
Monday, June 6, 2011
EAFC's Women of Purpose
"Hearts burn" might be an expression that more accurately describes who we are than "passion." Originally we used the word"passion" to describe a new focus EAFC is experimenting with, but a godly man suggested we rethink the word. We went to the dictionary and discovered that the definitions are full of synonyms that hint of sexual connotation. That is NOT the message we wanted to get across. So April 10,2011 a group of women in Liberia renamed our project.
Yes, our hearts are FOCUSED, and yet we want chapters to spring up all over the world, that have FLEXIBILITY to craft themselves with not just focus, but with wisdom, and goals that meet their felt needs. This is not a top down, highly structured undertaking, but is an attempt to share a vision with the church.
Women of Purpose want and need their Christian fathers, husbands and Christian brothers to rise up and encourage the advancement of these chapters in their own villages, churches and nation. We believe that Christian men have been silent too long. Women have attempted to bring up their unique issues, sometimes with a fighting spirit. This is not acceptable to Women of Purpose. We have no desire to fight anyone but to resist the enemy that would hold us down from achieving God-given dignity. Together we resist the second class status that has been strangling us since the fall in the garden. We believe that if we marginalize the need of the church in our effort we will be diminished. Just like EAFC refuses to grant partial tuition scholarships without the active participation of the local church's assuming its responsibilities, so this philosophy must permeate "Women of Purpose." To do otherwise would dilute our efforts.
There is no need to spell out all the atrocities women all over the world still endure on an hourly basis. If abuse is not one's present condition, then these ladies are blessed so that they can be a blessing to the widows and orphans around us all.
We are urging those whose "hearts burn within them" to learn of the plight of others, to communicate with sisters across the world, to raise awareness, to share skills, but most of all to pray for one another.
Pray for mercy, for compassion, for wisdom. Pray that chapter leaders will be well chosen. Pray that education will be available to women, formal training where needed, and informal too. Pray that women be creative in finding skills to support their families when they have been abandoned so that they are not tempted to sell their bodies. Pray that they be strong. Pray that their minds be reborn to see the dignity and worth in them. May each rest in the knowledge of how Jesus Christ showed a model of respect and love in a culture where women were very much second class citizens.
Would you think with me? Would you ask God to cause your heart to burn within you if you are to explore establishing a Women of Purpose chapter in your area? If interested, will you contact us at admin@eafc.net? We look forward to hearing from you!
We are or hope to become Women of Purpose.
Yes, our hearts are FOCUSED, and yet we want chapters to spring up all over the world, that have FLEXIBILITY to craft themselves with not just focus, but with wisdom, and goals that meet their felt needs. This is not a top down, highly structured undertaking, but is an attempt to share a vision with the church.
Women of Purpose want and need their Christian fathers, husbands and Christian brothers to rise up and encourage the advancement of these chapters in their own villages, churches and nation. We believe that Christian men have been silent too long. Women have attempted to bring up their unique issues, sometimes with a fighting spirit. This is not acceptable to Women of Purpose. We have no desire to fight anyone but to resist the enemy that would hold us down from achieving God-given dignity. Together we resist the second class status that has been strangling us since the fall in the garden. We believe that if we marginalize the need of the church in our effort we will be diminished. Just like EAFC refuses to grant partial tuition scholarships without the active participation of the local church's assuming its responsibilities, so this philosophy must permeate "Women of Purpose." To do otherwise would dilute our efforts.
There is no need to spell out all the atrocities women all over the world still endure on an hourly basis. If abuse is not one's present condition, then these ladies are blessed so that they can be a blessing to the widows and orphans around us all.
We are urging those whose "hearts burn within them" to learn of the plight of others, to communicate with sisters across the world, to raise awareness, to share skills, but most of all to pray for one another.
Pray for mercy, for compassion, for wisdom. Pray that chapter leaders will be well chosen. Pray that education will be available to women, formal training where needed, and informal too. Pray that women be creative in finding skills to support their families when they have been abandoned so that they are not tempted to sell their bodies. Pray that they be strong. Pray that their minds be reborn to see the dignity and worth in them. May each rest in the knowledge of how Jesus Christ showed a model of respect and love in a culture where women were very much second class citizens.Would you think with me? Would you ask God to cause your heart to burn within you if you are to explore establishing a Women of Purpose chapter in your area? If interested, will you contact us at admin@eafc.net? We look forward to hearing from you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)