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YWAM Africa Leadership Team meets in Bamako, Mali Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5
Today the Africa Leadership Team continued with their fourth day of meetings. Whilst working through a full agenda of business this week, the ALT have also discussed some of the big issues confronting YWAM in Africa. They have talked and prayed for wisdom and breakthrough in areas like finances, pioneering new works, and handling suffering and hardship. Today they wrestled with some of the giant issues related to the lives of women in YWAM and in Africa.
Often we are indirect and slow to confront people, not wanting to bring shame. The ALT recognized the need for leaders to help couples build strong marriages, whilst being wise to confront abuse and violence. They also talked of the need to remove the stigma surrounding counseling. Healthy couples talk about their problems. Unhealthy marriages hide them.
There was a time of prayer for the protection of marriages and for a growth in the number of those trained in family ministries, who are able to teach and counsel.
As part of the agenda, the team also discussed some of the difficulties facing women in particular. In YWAM, as in the rest of Africa, women are often deeply affected by emotional, physical and sexual abuse, patronizing and judgmental male attitudes, and harmful cultural habits. They may be added to leadership teams as tokens, but are rarely received as equals.
The ALT grappled with the pain of this subject, caught in the quandary of lacking sufficient time to make definite progress, yet recognizing that this is one of the biggest issues facing the world today. Leaders must speak out prophetically on this challenging issue, modeling Christ-like attitudes in their lifestyle, marriages and teams.
In the afternoon session the ALT continued to discuss important agenda items. The Executive team (Kobus van Niekerk, Garry Tissingh and Pete Thompson) gave reports on their areas of responsibility. The ALT also prayed together for Stefaan and Trudy Hugo and Heri Ramanantsialonina, in their new roles in regional leadership, in Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.
The group also spent time praying for Kobus and Rika van Niekerk. Since Kobus took on the role of Field Director nine months ago they have come under strong attack. The ALT recognized that with their new role comes an even greater need for prayer covering. In this light please continue through the year to pray for the leaders who carry much responsibility within the continent. |
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Methode and Mary Kamanzi, from Rwanda, began the morning session. They led a Bible study and discussion about marriage. There was honest reflection that many YWAM marriages are struggling. Some have married for the wrong reasons; others are placed under huge pressure by ministry commitments, and understanding of each others roles. Sexual sin and physical abuse is sadly not uncommon.