Missionary Update: Jerry & Kathy Ball
Post Date: 2011-09-02 15:14:33
ILF Prayer September 2011
Thank God for the progress being made for AFREG 3 slated for September 24-28, 2012. The AFREG 3 program committee conference call that was scheduled to be held on August 31 went well as specific topics were identified. Please pray for wisdom for the committee in identifying the best people to write and speak on those topics. Pray too for Dela and Rev. Mamboleo who will be in Zambia on September 11 and 12 to meet with the Host Committee.
Praise the Lord that Cindy Mitchell has completed the revision of the ILF website (www.transformingleadership.com). We encourage you to visit our upgraded site.
Thank God for the annual meeting of the ILF Executive Board held in Orlando on August 26. It was very productive. The transition from Ed Bjurstrom to Tim Brandt as Chairman of the board went smoothly. Give thanks to God for the leadership Ed has provided and pray for Tim as he has now assumed this important role.
Hurricane Irene prevented the Harrisons from attending, but thank God that their ocean front businesses in Ocean City, MD suffered no major damage. Continue to pray for them and everyone affected by Irene. Pray for the economies of the affected areas all along the east coast of the US to recover.
Continue to hold Sue and John Roise and their family in prayer as Sue battles cancer. Praise God that the cancer has not spread, but it is not gone. Please pray as they begin a new regimen to allow the body to rid itself of the cancer altogether. Pray for peace, grace and the glory of God to be revealed as the Roises walk this path with the Lord.
Invitations for the ILF Briefing in Chicago, October 21 and 22, were mailed on August 31. Responses are requested by September 23; please pray that God would speak to each person He wants to attend. Our goal is to have at least ten couples attending. Appointments are being made for Dela and Emmanuel Bellon for the dates of October 10 -18. Please pray that by September 15, the schedule will be set with key partners and potential partners who will have a high interest in ILF and ILU.
Benin and Cote d?Ivoire
There is still interest in holding an AFREG in French-speaking Africa. This event was originally planned for last year in Abidjan, Cote d?Ivoire. For many reasons, not the least of these the civil war in Cote d?Ivoire, this regional forum was postponed. Pray for peace and stability to return to Cote d?Ivoire and for wisdom on how best to move forward with a Francophone AFREG.
Burundi
All the events in Burundi were well publicized, well organized, and fully funded from within Burundi. It was so well attended that the venue was filled to capacity and some who hoped to attend the TLS at the last minute were turned away.
Just over 100 high level leaders representing business, church and government all participated in the TLS from the August 9-11. The seminar went so well that the Chairman of the TLS Committee received calls from several people asking why they had not been invited to attend.
In response to our prayers for free translation equipment, God provided free high quality digital equipment and included a technician to run it!
The official opening of ILU Burundi took place as planned on August 12 with President Pierre Nkurunziza as the special guest of honor. This ?by invitation only? event had 200 in attendance plus the national media. The messages by President Nkurunziza and the Minister of Higher Education were excellent. These connected events raised the visibility and credibility of ILU and ILF in Burundi, as well as opened doors to many other training opportunities. Please pray for wisdom and direction going forward.
Cameroon
Cameroon is moving into a season of political elections. Pray for integrity and safety for all.
Thank God for the independent national prayer chain using SMS texting that has been established in preparation for the national elections.
Pray for the TLSs that are tentatively scheduled for November 22-24.
Some Members of Parliament (MPs) have decided to initiate regional prayer for transformation on October 1. Pray for more MPs to become involved and for favor as they call on churches to participate in this encouraging initiative.
Thank God for the design and production of a prayer brochure to be used as a guide for prayer leading up to, and including, the regional prayer events on October 1.
Chad
The newly elected leaders of ?Fondation Tchadienne pour le Leadership? (FTL - the name of ILF in Chad), a body of over 200 Christian leaders, are aware of the high expectations people have on them. Pray for wisdom from the Lord as this new team trusts God for their initial steps toward leading transformation in Chad. Pray for the best way forward as they consider hiring administrative staff to tend to the many details that these busy leaders are challenged to complete.
Support the FTL prayer department as they work to expand the scope of prayer at every level, which is needed to experience genuine transformation in this nation.
DRC
Please continue to pray for the TLS leadership team in Kinshasa as they seek to connect with the more than 500 people who attended TLS 1 and the 200+ who attended TLS 2. Pray the team will be able to connect with the majority of these participants and that they will be willing and able to join transformational project teams as a means of follow-up to their seminar experience.
Pray for preparations to begin for a TLS 3 to be held in the same general time frame as a TLS 1 for the Prayer Breakfast group. The desired goal is to conduct both events in early December 2011.
Ghana
Thank God for AFREG Ghana held July 18-22. Approximately 350 invited leaders, representing the church, public sector and the government, including the former president of Ghana, H. E. John Kufuor, participated in the first national forum. The AFREG Ghana mission statement is as follows; ?To help catalyze the building of leaders of integrity to transform Ghana into a First World country, shaped by God-centered values, especially through partnership between the State and the Church?.
The plenary session topics included: Ethics and Integrity in Public Office, Christian Responsibility and Politics, Transformational Servant Leadership in Africa?s Development, State-Church Partnership in Social, Cultural and Economic Development, and Political Tolerance ? Managing our Differences and Nurturing the Youth for Positive Contribution.
Evaluations by delegates resound with the view that AFREG Ghana was very successful. AFREG Ghana opened opportunities, exceeded expectations, raised aspirations and now requires more involvement than the team?s ability to manage. This challenge calls for intensified prayer and extreme dependence on God. Pray for wisdom for the team to proceed as the Lord leads.
Thank God that all of the expenses for the forum have been met. Please pray for continued provision for ILF Ghana.
Please continue to pray for an atmosphere of unity and a sense of commitment to challenge the status quo. Pray for wisdom as these leaders initiate the process of societal change in Ghana.
Pray for boldness for the Church in proclaiming the Word of God (Rom 1:16) and that the Church in Ghana will take a bold stand against all things that dishonor God such as injustice, corruption, idolatry, oppression, greed, etc.
Kenya
The refresher TLS Administrators Training in Nairobi that Diana Langerock facilitated went well, as did the TLS 1.
Helpful discussions took place between the ILF Kenya leadership team and US- based team members: Jerry and Kathy Ball, Tim and Cathie Brandt and Diana. Please pray for wisdom as the ILF Kenya team considers how to restructure to meet the needs they face.
Please pray for a suitable ILF office where executives and government officials can come for meetings. The current office will be among the buildings that are demolished when a large-scale construction project begins at ILU Kenya.
Pray for the continued training of the 30 emerging leaders in leadership development issues using ILF principles. Dela and Mike Wicker will be teaching during the Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI) in Nairobi, September 2011.
South Sudan
Please pray for peace in Sudan. The new country of South Sudan stepped into independence on July 9, 2011, but there is still violence in the eastern state of Jonglei. This fledgling country faces many challenges as they move forward. A new cabinet has been announced to mixed reviews. The government is ethnically balanced, a new thing for this country, but former leaders, some of whom are known as corrupt, have accepted ministerial posts.
Positive steps toward development of this very poor country are moving forward. Solar powered lights are going up to illuminate public roads and a new airport is under construction.
Doors are opening for a TLS and other ILF involvement. Pray for God to continue to keep these doors open and for ILF to receive favor. Pray that the leaders of this young nation will be able to avoid the usual pitfalls of so many African governments and begin with a firm foundation on God?s truth.
Togo
Please pray for the Holy Spirit to continue to move in the hearts of leaders in Togo to bring transformation for the glory of God.
Uganda
Lift up Dickson Obwoya as he serves in his position as National Team Leader for Uganda and as the catalyst to reinvigorate the conversation with Ugandan leadership surrounding ILF and AFREG. Thank the Lord for the favor he found as he criss-crossed Uganda in August making contacts and sharing the vision. Dickson reports, ?We held a very useful preliminary meeting at which we set up an interim team to help set up our first vision sharing conference.?
Please continue to ask the Lord for favor, wisdom, and participation of God?s chosen leaders who are both willing and able to move forward God?s mission of societal transformation in Uganda.
Zimbabwe
Pray for the Zimbabwe team as they plan for a TLS 2 in October.
Thank God for the well-organized follow-up of the transformation projects that were conceived during the TLS 1 in April. Project proposals were made by each of the following groups: Church Ministry, Education, Professionals, Government, Business, and Moral Values. Please pray that most, if not all, of the projects will be completed before the next TLS slated for October.
Key to Acronyms
CCCI = Campus Crusade for Christ International
CEO = Chief Executive Officer
ELI = Emerging Leaders Initiative
FTL= Fondation Tchadienne pour le Leadership (the name of ILF in Chad)
ILF = International Leadership Foundation
ILU = International Leadership University
KNUST = Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
MP = Member of Parliament
NIST = Nairobi International School of Theology
NGO = Non-Governmental Organization
TLS = Transforming Leadership Seminar
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