Someone else's perspective...

In the month of March, we had the privilege of hosting our supervisor, Glenn Kendall, and his wife Kathy. s.They are sweet friends and valued mentors. We always appreciate their input into our lived.

We thought for a change, we would give you there perspective of the Schmidt's work in Mozambique these past 5 years.

Glenn and Kathy Kendall Update #216 March 18, 2010, Mozambique

Protocols, procedures, best practices, methodology and research are some of the thought processes we entertain as we start new ventures or as we pursue old ones. Most domains have sets of guidelines that we refer to so that we might minimize mistakes and learn from history.

Starting churches is no exception. There is much literature which has been written on this topic. These past days we have had the privilege to observe and participate in a newish church that has been started through a manner unique and unusual to us. It’s rather fun…the church and the method. It’s rather enlivening…the church and the method.

Several years ago, our colleagues in Mozambique had a multitude of ideas which they wanted to incorporate: internship for young men, discipleship for young men, leadership training, learning business skills, doing business with integrity, community living. These ideas and more coalesced into an egg project.

Reality is that this project became one with 8,000 chickens laying about 7,000 eggs a day; all of which means feeding a lot of noisy birds, cleaning up poop from lots of busy birds, collecting eggs from many laying birds, cleaning eggs, packaging eggs, delivering eggs, selling eggs…and that is only the surface big picture items.

A group of young men were nominated by their churches in Mozambique and Tanzania to participate in this project. In the process they continued their academic education, learned business, chickens and eggs, played soccer with neighbor boys, discussed and reflected on Biblical teaching. These young men also started two churches. It wasn’t the goal of the project.

It just sort of happened because these young men were making such a positive impact in their communities where they lived and worked and played soccer that people were drawn to them. People asked what they were doing, the purpose of their project, who they were…and finally if it would be possible to ‘do church’.

Last Sunday we had the privilege of worshiping in one of these churches led by some of the interns and neighbor boys who have grown into young men. The building in which we worshiped was donated by the community because they appreciated so much what the young men were doing. The worship was vibrant. The service was joyful. The people were full of life.

Chickens and churches: new partnership giving life in many delightful ways.

Glenn and Kathy Kendall