Raising Leaders in Sri Lanka
In a small town in Sri Lanka, a group of individuals hopes to reboot their economy in the aftermath of the pandemic. Poverty is high, abuse has skyrocketed, people are hungry, and churches are tired. Amidst a weary outlook, this group launched an initiative to collect and disperse dry goods packs to families in need. They expected a mild boost in health and wellness, but what they witnessed was far greater than they could have imagined. Individuals who could spare nothing, it would have seemed, turned around and shared their resources with other people in their community. A most-vulnerable group was paying it forward.
That group is part of an international association* that works to empower its community by raising up good leaders. One Haggai leader, Dee*, pioneered this branch and currently serves as its national director. The branch he leads provides high-level education, mentorship, consultancy, networking opportunities, and ministry engagement to students in leadership training.
“I believe that it’s not about how well one started, but how you finish the race,” said Dee, and through their efforts, they’ve been able to empower a community without stipulations and offer a ray of hope for the future of Sri Lanka.
To start, they’ve launched a sustainable development project to offer interest-free loans to small businesses that need help getting restarted, helped startups get off the ground to boost the employment opportunities for men and women there, encouraged and supported female entrepreneurship, and assisted abused women in breaking the abuse cycle through awareness and skills workshops. They’ve also partnered with a dry fish wholesaler who hired salespeople in the area to help meet the demands in the region.
Along with the economical initiatives, Dee’s organization spearheads several other compassion ministry projects including feeding the hungry, providing nourishment for pregnant mothers, assembling ration packs for pastors and their families, and operating the mid-day meal project serving families at least one great meal every day. They’re small efforts, but they make a big impact as the country recovers from a pandemic that wrecked its economy.
The magic behind these efforts, though, lies in Dee’s belief that the first step to solving any major problem in the world (like hunger, poverty, etc.) is having good leaders. Reshaping a community in healthy, positive ways starts with someone who has the drive and knowledge to lead those initiatives.
Dee’s passion for equipping leaders extends beyond his workplace. He is a pastoral and leadership trainer, Bible school teacher, and small group leader.
“I am passionate about seeing the rural church equipped and empowered with all the necessary tools to faithfully serve their calling, helping them avoid the common pitfalls and guide them to serve the Lord until they breathe their last.”
His thoughts reflect the greater vision of the organization he works for, which aims to revive the church in time to welcome an influx of those new to faith.
Dee feels a personal responsibility to this need and is committed to his professional capacity within the organization through its education program rooted in service to and compassion for other people; but he also knows the call is for him personally, too.
“I want to be actively present in all 25 districts of Sri Lanka in the next two years,” he said. “I want to identify global Christian leaders within Sri Lanka, Asia, and beyond and equip them to serve God in their sphere so that Jesus will be known in every nation.”
*Names redacted and/or changed for security.
Raising Leaders in Sri Lanka
In a small town in Sri Lanka, a group of individuals hopes to reboot their economy in the aftermath of the pandemic. Poverty is high, abuse has skyrocketed, people are hungry, and churches are tired. Amidst a weary outlook, this group launched an initiative to collect and disperse dry goods packs to families in need. They expected a mild boost in health and wellness, but what they witnessed was far greater than they could have imagined. Individuals who could spare nothing, it would have seemed, turned around and shared their resources with other people in their community. A most-vulnerable group was paying it forward.
That group is part of an international association* that works to empower its community by raising up good leaders. One Haggai leader, Dee*, pioneered this branch and currently serves as its national director. The branch he leads provides high-level education, mentorship, consultancy, networking opportunities, and ministry engagement to students in leadership training.
“I believe that it’s not about how well one started, but how you finish the race,” said Dee, and through their efforts, they’ve been able to empower a community without stipulations and offer a ray of hope for the future of Sri Lanka.
To start, they’ve launched a sustainable development project to offer interest-free loans to small businesses that need help getting restarted, helped startups get off the ground to boost the employment opportunities for men and women there, encouraged and supported female entrepreneurship, and assisted abused women in breaking the abuse cycle through awareness and skills workshops. They’ve also partnered with a dry fish wholesaler who hired salespeople in the area to help meet the demands in the region.
Along with the economical initiatives, Dee’s organization spearheads several other compassion ministry projects including feeding the hungry, providing nourishment for pregnant mothers, assembling ration packs for pastors and their families, and operating the mid-day meal project serving families at least one great meal every day. They’re small efforts, but they make a big impact as the country recovers from a pandemic that wrecked its economy.
The magic behind these efforts, though, lies in Dee’s belief that the first step to solving any major problem in the world (like hunger, poverty, etc.) is having good leaders. Reshaping a community in healthy, positive ways starts with someone who has the drive and knowledge to lead those initiatives.
Dee’s passion for equipping leaders extends beyond his workplace. He is a pastoral and leadership trainer, Bible school teacher, and small group leader.
“I am passionate about seeing the rural church equipped and empowered with all the necessary tools to faithfully serve their calling, helping them avoid the common pitfalls and guide them to serve the Lord until they breathe their last.”
His thoughts reflect the greater vision of the organization he works for, which aims to revive the church in time to welcome an influx of those new to faith.
Dee feels a personal responsibility to this need and is committed to his professional capacity within the organization through its education program rooted in service to and compassion for other people; but he also knows the call is for him personally, too.
“I want to be actively present in all 25 districts of Sri Lanka in the next two years,” he said. “I want to identify global Christian leaders within Sri Lanka, Asia, and beyond and equip them to serve God in their sphere so that Jesus will be known in every nation.”
*Names redacted and/or changed for security.
Raising Leaders in Sri Lanka
In a small town in Sri Lanka, a group of individuals hopes to reboot their economy in the aftermath of the pandemic. Poverty is high, abuse has skyrocketed, people are hungry, and churches are tired. Amidst a weary outlook, this group launched an initiative to collect and disperse dry goods packs to families in need. They expected a mild boost in health and wellness, but what they witnessed was far greater than they could have imagined. Individuals who could spare nothing, it would have seemed, turned around and shared their resources with other people in their community. A most-vulnerable group was paying it forward.
That group is part of an international association* that works to empower its community by raising up good leaders. One Haggai leader, Dee*, pioneered this branch and currently serves as its national director. The branch he leads provides high-level education, mentorship, consultancy, networking opportunities, and ministry engagement to students in leadership training.
“I believe that it’s not about how well one started, but how you finish the race,” said Dee, and through their efforts, they’ve been able to empower a community without stipulations and offer a ray of hope for the future of Sri Lanka.
To start, they’ve launched a sustainable development project to offer interest-free loans to small businesses that need help getting restarted, helped startups get off the ground to boost the employment opportunities for men and women there, encouraged and supported female entrepreneurship, and assisted abused women in breaking the abuse cycle through awareness and skills workshops. They’ve also partnered with a dry fish wholesaler who hired salespeople in the area to help meet the demands in the region.
Along with the economical initiatives, Dee’s organization spearheads several other compassion ministry projects including feeding the hungry, providing nourishment for pregnant mothers, assembling ration packs for pastors and their families, and operating the mid-day meal project serving families at least one great meal every day. They’re small efforts, but they make a big impact as the country recovers from a pandemic that wrecked its economy.
The magic behind these efforts, though, lies in Dee’s belief that the first step to solving any major problem in the world (like hunger, poverty, etc.) is having good leaders. Reshaping a community in healthy, positive ways starts with someone who has the drive and knowledge to lead those initiatives.
Dee’s passion for equipping leaders extends beyond his workplace. He is a pastoral and leadership trainer, Bible school teacher, and small group leader.
“I am passionate about seeing the rural church equipped and empowered with all the necessary tools to faithfully serve their calling, helping them avoid the common pitfalls and guide them to serve the Lord until they breathe their last.”
His thoughts reflect the greater vision of the organization he works for, which aims to revive the church in time to welcome an influx of those new to faith.
Dee feels a personal responsibility to this need and is committed to his professional capacity within the organization through its education program rooted in service to and compassion for other people; but he also knows the call is for him personally, too.
“I want to be actively present in all 25 districts of Sri Lanka in the next two years,” he said. “I want to identify global Christian leaders within Sri Lanka, Asia, and beyond and equip them to serve God in their sphere so that Jesus will be known in every nation.”
*Names redacted and/or changed for security.
