THE TEARS OF POOR LEADERSHIP IN AFRICA

3/27/2015

Last week I came back from Kenya where I attended a week long retreat conference with over 100 African leaders working in very hard places. Places like Goma Congo where gunshots are a normal part of life, Sudan where Christians need to watch their back daily, Uganda where the effects of war has left huge social needs.

Some of these leaders have been put in jail for their faith, others have fought in wars they could not understand. While still others have been left caring for the aftermath of such senseless wars—orphans, widows, women raped, emotional trauma, unemployment, lack of education, no basic food or clean water.

I sat in this room on one of our sessions where the leaders had a chance to voice out their grief as a part of healing. Like Jeremiah in the book of lamentation, I still hear the cries of my brothers and sisters. “I hate my government”, a powerful leader from Congo spoke in the midst of tears, “how can I forgive them…please help me forgive them! They have separated me from my husband, taken him across the country to fight in yet another war he does not agree with”. Another man from South Sudan stood up dark and tall, shoulders broad and proud, voice firm and steady he said, “I never thought I will live to see this day, let alone live to see my country find independence from the North after over 20 years of fighting”, you see he was a child soldier until he became an adult. “But just when I started rejoicing that finally South Sudan has peace, then in Dec 2013 another senseless war broke out”, sniffing he continues, “when are we going to have pea…..ce…”, unable to finish his sentence this man breaks down with loud sobs and wails, the room filled with silence overwhelmed by the mountains of his cries. I hear it now as I write and I ask the Lord never to allow me to forget.

At this moment I realized anew how the actions of the few impact the many, especially how the actions of leaders impacts a whole nation—this thought is sobering. It was then I renewed my vows, it was there I sealed my heart again to the calling of my life, to use the beauty and freedom of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to build, equip and empower leaders in Africa, to be servant leaders…ones who serve their people first with the fear of God in their hearts. At that moment, my heart stood like Paul in Acts 20:24, “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”

Yes we know that this world will always have trouble because our Lord says in john 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” but there are some troubles that do not need to exist, there are some decisions that never have to be taken, there are some laws that never have to be enacted, because of the desire to seek the goodwill of all men.

How do you make a difference in Africa? Develop servant leaders who will stand with God and abolish the tears of poor leadership that flow freely through the slopes of the African continent. Develop leaders who will wipe the tears of injustice, sickness, war and under development by being agents of change and transformation. Join the movement of leadership development in Africa.

With this, I ask you to join us at C-Life as one of the ways you can resolve to stop the tears of poor leadership in Africa and make a long lasting and sustaining difference in Africa. At C-Life we exist to develop the next generation of servant leaders in Africa by providing a residential environment for them to participate in biblical discipleship and professional training.

We need your partnership, read more about us on our website and then join us by donating to the cause, allowing us to launch C-Life in the Cameroon community in 2016.

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