The Other 5%

It's been said that 95% of what you do today will be good and right.  Congratulations.

Now, what can you do to fix the other 5%?

That may seem a little harsh to some of you.  After all, anyone who is getting it right 95% of the time is beyond successful!  But this statement is not about achievement, it is about improvement and growth.  A person who not only wants to succeed but also wants to be their very best can never rest on prior accomplishments.  There is always another mountain to climb or sea to cross.

We are called to grow in our faith, and while our works don't save us, we understand that what we accomplish in our works subtly corresponds in some way to the level of our faith.  The greater the faith, the more we should be able to accomplish through it.  As we grow in our faith, our faith should be more and more evident through our works.

And so we strive to accomplish more, to get better at what we do, to improve, not for the sake of our own glory or fame, but because our growing faith demands it.

When things are going well and 95% of the time you do the right thing, you will be tempted to congratulate yourself and take a break.  As a leader of others and a follower of Christ, don't give in to that temptation.  Instead, think about what you can do better, not out of pride or a desire to impress others, but out of a burning desire to use your talents to the fullest for his glory and the growth of His Kingdom.

Somehow It Will All Work Out

"I am not sure what to do, God, but here I go.  Please make it all work out right."

Richard Kriegbaum in Leadership Prayers

Just move.  More than once I've heard God telling me that I could no longer stay put, no longer consider my options, no longer put off the inevitable.  I would have to act.  Perhaps it was true that I had not collected all the information I wanted or felt I needed.  Perhaps I wasn't at all sure what the right or best decision was.  But still I had to act.  I had to actually do something.

Leaders often do not have the luxury of waiting it out, hoping something good happens.  They have to move forward, all the while asking God to "please make it all work out right."  This is not a cop out.  Instead, it is an admittance that we are not in control of the outcome.  Neither is it laziness, (assuming we have done due diligence to the matter with our time and all other resources God has provided).  It is a sign of humble confidence.

Move ahead. Press on.  ACT.  Somehow it will all work out.   Not because everything will go according to our plan or wishes, but because it will always go according to His plan.  And that is the only plan that a Christian leader should ultimately be concerned about. 

Gaining from Loss

"...whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things."

Philippians 3:7-8

Loss is always hard.

We are always trying to improve, to reach higher goals, to move forward.  We are wired to gain, not suffer loss.   When we lose, we hurt.

Yet loss comes.  We lose jobs and money.  We lose friends, co-workers, and relationships.  We lose parents and even children.  We lose our memories and sometimes our minds.  We watch others lose their lives, all the while knowing that we too will lose ours.

In any organization, loss occurs.  We have experienced loss of jobs, loss of money, loss of friendships, and even loss of life.  Our organization will invariably change as we move ahead, leading to the loss of the comfort that comes from "doing things the way we have always done them." Simply changing the way we do something means we have lost the way we used to do it.

John Maxwell teaches that while we all fail, the trick is to fail forward.  Perhaps the same is true in our loses.  Can we somehow gain even when we lose? Can we learn from our loses?  When we gain and learn, even in our losses, we grow.  ECM is committed to growth, to moving forward even in difficult times, to taking the  risks that are necessary to fulfill our mission.  In doing so, we will invariably suffer loss.

Ultimately, both our worldly gains and our losses mean nothing when compared with the joy of knowing Jesus Christ.  May every gain and every loss spur us on toward a greater knowledge of Him and toward our goal of bringing hope to the most vulnerable in our societies.

Children: Precious Treasure from God

Our post today is written by Edward Owusu Sekyere, National Director of ECM-Ghana.

In Eph. 6:1-6 we find a clear description for Christian children and their Home. For them to have a blessed, fruitful and promising life on earth they need to abide by the Word of life in GOD, so that the end will glorify GOD.

Ps.116:15. Precious in the sight of God is the death of his saints. Paul said the HOLY SPIRIT bears witness with our spiritual that we are children of God. (Romans 8:15). As children of God we have to walk and behave as such. For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What gift or talent have we received, and from whom did we receive it? ln Eccles. 10:9 it states, "Rejoice o young man in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of their heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into JUDGMENT. "

1Cor.15:57-58 says "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord JESUS CHRIST. Therefore , my beloved brethren (father, mother, sister and brother) be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

We all need to preserve this precious and great gift of the Lord. Two precious gems from HAVEN OF HOPE came to the limelight this past May during Mother's Day when they won for themselves a certificate of recognition- recognition of their humility, hardwork , teamspirit , willingness to help to colleagues, friends and staff , and fantastic attitudes by Mothering the Nation Foundation. They are Miriam Manu and Godsway Asinyo from of Haven Of Hope.  Congratulations to both of them!

Compassionate in our Evangelism - Core Value #6

In this post we will dig further into ECM's core values. Your team has been evaluating ECM's core values with the goal of developing specific steps that will guide you in fulfilling the mission and vision of ECM. We have now reached our sixth and last core value to evaluate.  Remember, there are no right or wrong answers. I ask you only to honestly, together with your co-workers, discuss what each value looks like with "flesh" on it.  How can we put each value into practice on a regular basis?  I look forward to your comments as together we grow as a staff.  Here is Core Value #6:

We will be Compassionate in our Evangelism: We will build and maintain a safe environment where children are loved, served, and valued, and can grow, ask questions, and hear the Good News of Jesus.

How can we, as ECM staff, be intentional about being compassionate in our evangelism?  Share your responses/ideas in the comments section on this blog, and discuss with your co-workers!

Winning the Battle

Our post today is written by Edward Owusu Sekyere, National Director of ECM-Ghana.

Joshua 5:9 and 1 Kings 18: 41-45

We need to break the yoke of Jezebel or Satan. We do not know what is in store for us this year but in the Name of Jesus Christ we shall overcome. Our Jesus went through trials and he overcame and won victory for us. Seven times the prophet Elijah sent his servant to go and look out for rain. One of the greatest enemies of our generation is the delay of time, which often drains our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is one of the greatest challenges of the Christian faith. This is one reason a woman of God said, "The Lord has removed my reproach."  We must continue to stand firm with our faith in the Lord. We have to allow the  spirit of God to lead. To sometimes let the finger of God appear to us to let our faith believe that there is abundance of rain.

The sign alone is a faith of abundance of rain. God Almighty will do it in his way, might and power and not by anyone's way (Isaiah 40). May God give us the enablement to achieve what we are not able to do. 

We need to be very very careful because we fight against powers of darkness and principalities. The Bible says He who thinks he is standing be careful less he falls (1 Kings 19:3).  God did a lot in the life of Elijah, but when it came to the battle of words, Elijah went into hiding. Fear not, that's what the Lord Jesus told us. We should not fear for the remaining months ahead of us in the year 2019 (Isaiah 54 :17).  We need to stand on the promises of God (Hebrews 13:5).  It is the power of God that will do it. It is the power of God that will win the battle for us.

Having the Courage to take Risks - Core Value #5

In this post we will dig further into ECM's core values. Your team has been evaluating ECM's core values with the goal of developing specific steps that will guide you in fulfilling the mission and vision of ECM. You will continue to do this as you evaluate the next value.  There are no right or wrong answers. I ask you only to honestly, together with your co-workers, discuss what each value looks like with "flesh" on it.  How can we put each value into practice on a regular basis?  I look forward to your comments as together we grow as a staff.  Here is Core Value #5:

We will have the Courage to take Risks: We will promote a culture of learning, dreaming, developing, and changing.

How can we, as ECM staff, be intentional about having the courage to take risks?  Share your responses/ideas in the comments section on this blog, and discuss with your co-workers!

Confidence

"Do not be afraid or discouraged..., for the battle is not yours, but God's."

2 Chronicles 20:15

Recently, the US office experienced significant upheaval, losing both our finance manager and our child sponsorship coordinator within the span of a few weeks.  Our Ghana office has experienced similar changes in recent months, and our Uganda office is no stranger to staff disruption. (Only our DRC staff has remained fully in tact over the years, for which we are grateful!)

The question is not, "Will change occur?" but "How will we respond when unexpected and unwanted changes come our way?"  Our answer to this question is vitally important to our ministry as we move forward with our God-given mandate to bring hope, help, and dignity to vulnerable children.  We must remember two things first and foremost as we grapple with change:

1. ECM belongs to God, and not to any of us, either individually or collectively.  God has made it clear that the battle is not ours, but his (2 Chronicles 20:15).  We forget this truth far too often, more than we would like and far more than we care to admit.  Each office, each project, each outreach effort, each goal, and most significantly, each accomplishment, belongs to him.  The battle is indeed his. When we face unexpected or even expected hardship, DO NOT FORGET that God is the owner, and we are simply the caretakers.  This is HIS ministry. Can you honestly reflect on any point during the long history of ECM that he did not provide?  Don't fear - he's got this!

1. Second -and this is SO IMPORTANT to remember- God has equipped us for this work, and he strengthens us to handle the tasks and the difficulties that come our way.  Are you willing to put forth the extra effort to get the job done? To go the extra mile? To put in the extra time? To pray consistently and diligently for God's provision?  ECM staff, God has uniquely equipped you for this task.  Trust him!  Move forward with confidence!  I fully believe that we have been specifically chosen "for such a time as this," that each of us is exactly where God wants us do be, and that he will continue to use us to bring the hope of Jesus to those thirsty for life.

What a privilege it is to be a part of God's family, and to serve in such an incredible ministry!  Go forward with CONFIDENCE, despite any obstacles you may face, for God is on our side!

Helping the Hungry

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many

kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

James 1:2-3

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Hebrews 13:16

A few nights ago, while waiting to pick up my daughter from a late night school event, I watched a movie called The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.  Set in Malawi in the early 2000's, the movie chronicles the hardships a family experienced during a time of famine.

I couldn't help but think of how most Americans would never be able to understand the depth of the hunger pangs felt by families in the movie.  The kind of pain that causes a person to steal and destroy.  The kind of suffering that that makes a person forget all they ever learned from parents, church, and community about how to treat others.  The aching that brings out our animal nature.

Real hunger is something most Americans never experience.  When their stomachs grumble a little bit, they say, "I'm starving! I really need something to eat NOW!"  Honestly, we have no idea what hunger really is, and we've never been close to starving.

Many of my African brothers and sisters, on the other hand, understand all too well.  They have felt it. They have lived it.  It is, for them as much a part of living as the air we breathe.

All Christians are called to help those in need, and not understanding a person's trial is no excuse for ignoring it.  It is not something we are asked to do, it is something we are required to do.  You see, those going through a trial are called to endure it with joy, and those who see others going through a trial are called to walk with them, helping them to survive and thrive.  It is a beautiful plan laid out by a compassionate, ever present God, to help us overcome the trials of this life (Psalm 46:1).

There are rarely easy answers to the trials we face.  The problem of hunger won't end tomorrow or next month or next year.  Instead, the question becomes, "How do we walk with those who hunger, even when we cannot truly understand what they are going through?"  My desire is to see our ECM staff reach out with empathy and compassion, as we have been commanded, and also with creativity to help people out of poverty and hunger, and toward a happier, more fulfilled life.

Dealing with Diversity Part 3

Diversity is a beautiful thing!  So why do we let it divide us so tragically and painfully?  In the past two weeks we've examined three steps that we should take if want to turn diversity into a tool that can be used to build relationships. First, we learned that we need to humbly acknowledge that we don't always get it right, and that only by accepting that others have valid viewpoints are we able to grow.  Second, we were reminded that God created diversity!  It brings beauty to our world in countless ways, including through differing viewpoints.  Third, we were reminded of what we have always been taught: Love is the answer!  We must love others unconditionally, and believe whole heartedly that relationships are more important than our viewpoints.

Today we finish with one final step and some concluding thoughts.

4.  Based on what has already been mentioned, it is possible for some to allow the pendulum to swing so far that they are afraid to even have an opinion!  But actually having  opinions is essential to diversity.  You may think that to avoid conflict it is easiest to just "go with the flow."  In other words,, if you don't have any opinions, or if you don't express them, you will avoid conflict and all will be well.  This perspective is not helpful and will not bring about growth in you or in others.  It is also detrimental for society as a whole.  The trick, of course, is not to hide our differences, but to effectively manage the conflicts that arise from them.  Celebrate diversity, don't avoid it!


Don't fear differences of opinion!  Embrace them and allow them to bring about growth in your life.  It is almost never easy to do this.  Our human nature fights against it, in fact.  Some will see this as a cry for inclusivity, but nothing could be further from the truth.  Spiritually, we may think that if we listen to other viewpoints we are actually demonstrating agreement with the opinion, no matter how skewed it may be.  For example, if we genuinely listen to someone argue that abortion is acceptable, we are in some way condoning abortion.  This is where it becomes important to separate love and respect for the person from agreement with their viewpoint.  It is entirely possible to listen to an unbiblical viewpoint, have productive and respectful dialogue, and still agree to disagree.  If you abandon the relationship by showing anger, disgust, or impatience, you will NEVER be able to speak truth into the other person's life.  You will have lost their trust.

God does not call us to agree with each other.  He created diversity, including our differences in viewpoints.  But he expects (actually requires) us to interact with each other, no matter our differences, with love and respect.  Christians throughout the ages have had the strongest impact on their cultures simply by showing love, by demonstrating that the way of Jesus is good and life-changing, and by living out this Good News in every aspect of their lives.  In these times when lines have been drawn in the sand, Christians must be willing to step over the line, grab the hand of those we consider to be hopelessly far from the truth, and say, "My friend, let's talk about this."

Dealing with Diversity Part 2

Last week we began to discuss the steps we must take if we hope to learn from the viewpoints of others.  We learned that, much to our surprise, we are not always right!  This subtle acknowledgement is critical if we want to build the capacity to really hear others and learn from their perspective. If we think we are always right, we will rarely listen honestly to others.

Today we continue with two more steps we must take if we hope to come together with others in honest dialogue.

2.  We must understand that God created diversity, and that one of the most fascinating and remarkable aspects of his creation is how that diversity contributes to life itself.  If we acknowledge how the physical differences in the world, for example male and female, contribute to the uniqueness and beauty of the world, why do we struggle to accept that different viewpoints also bring beauty?  We should work hard to understand why others think differently, and then enjoy the spice that it adds to our lives!

3.  Approaching every difference of opinion with a spirit of love is like pouring a bucket of water on a campfire - it effectively puts out the fire and eliminates the chance that the difference in viewpoint will cause a "forest fire," potentially bringing life long separation between two people.  Our love for others and our desire to have a positive relationship with them must be more important than our opinions or our need to be "right."  When we love, we give up the right to have our way, to win our argument, and to always go home with the prize (see 1 Corinthians 13).  Simply put, relationships are more important than viewpoints.

Tune in next week for two more important steps we should take if we want to use diversity to help us grow.

Dealing with Diversity Part 1

It is said that birth order goes a long ways in determining how a person interacts with others.  As the 7th of eight children, growing up in a family with its fair share of conflict, my social and relational tendencies were affected in certain unmistakable ways.  For example, my aversion to conflict is strong.  I just want everyone to get along!  As I have gotten older (and wiser?), I have learned that conflict is not only good but necessary.  This understanding has also impacted how I approach diverse viewpoints, both within and outside of the body of Christ.

Over the years I have learned that the world is full of people who look at life differently than I do.  I remember my first years as a missionary.  I worked closely with people of all different backgrounds, experiences, viewpoints, and even religious perspectives.  And yet our differences were never our focal point.  The imprint on my life from this experience was clear: if human beings WANT to put aside their differences, they CAN.  In other words, it is not only possible, but it's really not that difficult to come together.

Coming together in this way involves a number of important steps:

1.  Acknowledge that I might NOT be right.

This is much harder to do than you might think, and much harder for some than others.  We're all flawed and sinful, and none of us are right about everything.   The problem is, some are so confident in their own thinking that they simply cannot see how anyone could come to a different conclusion.

However, if you cannot accept that you could possibly be wrong about any of your ideas, opinions, or presumptions, you will never be able to accept and learn from the viewpoints of others.  On the other hand, if you can have confidence in your own views but still accept that you could be wrong, then you will be genuinely open to other perspectives, and you will be able to learn, adapt, and grow.

To be continued...

Dealing with Depression in Uganda - Part 2

(This is the second of two blog posts from Brian Mukalazi, the Country Director for ECM-Uganda. Part one appeared last week.)

Studies have revealed that the prevalence of depression is higher in women than in men and is the main cause of disability in women. Some experts however believe that depression is under-reported in men, perhaps because men may be less likely to talk about feelings and seek help for mood disorders.

While some people idealize childhood, in reality, children may feel shaken by developmental changes and events over which they have little or no control. At Every Child Ministries Uganda (a local Non-Government Organization) we handle more than 250 children/teens and we have consistently observed that those with adverse childhood experiences including abusive family history, vulnerable physical health, living on streets and slums of Kampala, continue to face several episodes of depression.

In older people, depression may occur in conjunction with other illnesses that mask the depressive symptoms. Many times, health care professionals treat the medical illness and overlook the depression.

WHO Global Health Estimates have revealed that depression is the major contributor to suicide deaths around the world standing at 800,000 per year.

Worse still, majority of the people in need of treatment for depression do not receive it due to lack of information about the illness. By 2015, Uganda was reported to have only 30 practicing psychiatrists serving a population of more than 36 million people.

It is therefore important for the government of Uganda and other stakeholders to increase access to services and provide the necessary support for people with depression in communities. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) for example has gone ahead to create a Ministry of State for Happiness and Wellbeing which purposely oversees government plans, programs and policies to achieve a happier society.

While these challenges are substantial, there is an opportunity for a new kind of response to mental health need. This can be implemented at an individual, community, and national level. Thus, it is time to educate ourselves about depression and support those who are suffering from this mental disorder.