Yesterday was rather calm.
No lemurs jumping on me, no bumpy roads, no long travel day, no night
fevers. We went to seminars, we ate
dinner, and then went home.
At the seminary, another American who is a missionary in
Kenya taught and I was a resource person.
His name is Dr. Mark Olander. He
is originally from Wisconsin, but spends most of the year in Columbia, South
Carolina. He was there because a
Malagasy student at the University of South Carolina, Nirandra Randria, met him
and invited him. Nirandra is a Fulbright
Scholar studying hospitality and tourism and wants to strengthen Madagascar’s
eco-tourism when he graduates. He also loves American college football.
Even though he is a USC Gamecock fan it was fun to have another SEC fan around and talk football with
him. Dr. Olander taught on how to
teach. These masters students said they
needed the training. Nirandra said the
Malagasy church leaders only know and use the lecture method of teaching. Dr. Olander taught that plus many other
styles that got students involved in conversations, role playing, debates, and
others. Very useful.
Kelly taught at the university this afternoon on risk management and when he was done he and I went to dinner with Pastor Kim to the same Korean
restaurant previously attended. Again,
the food was great. Pastor Kim had an
interesting perspective on the present situation in Madagascar. This country is in crisis. Their economic crisis makes ours look
non-existent. It is tough in personal
and business finances. Pastor Kim said Korea
was just like this 60 years ago and now many consider them a first-world
powerhouse. He believes it can happen
here. The important part is he is a
missionary here and can tell his own country’s story to them directly. There is hope for the future. It occurred to me that the bright, young, and
eager faces Kelly and I have seen before us in class are the agents of that hope. Their passion, their ethics, their teaching,
and their vision for a better future in every way will reach thousands of
people they are and will lead as pastors and teachers.
There is hope.
Today, I team taught with one of board members of the new
Reformed University of Madagascar, of which Pastor Laurent is the Chairman of
the Board. I’m telling you Pastor
Laurent is a rock star here…such profound respect. The subject was marketing and the
church. Pastor/professor Zaka taught
marketing concepts with the “product” to be marketed being the message of Jesus
Christ we Christians bear through the church (Pastors Zaka, Laurent, and me are having a panel discussion with students in
photo above). I taught the practical
ways to apply the marketing approach to church life. Pastor Laurent said of me to the students, “This guy is
marketing incarnate.” Between the formal questions in class
and the ones asked afterward the subject of the day seemed to be effective and useful.
After the seminar, we had a reception with the leaders of
the venue, the Institute for Political Studies of Madagascar. This institute is one of about ten institutes
formed by the denomination to build the Reformed University. This is where Kelly has
been teaching on business skills all week.
I asked Pastor Laurent why he and others wanted to establish this
university when there were already others in the country. He said there were four motivations. First, the demand is high. There are more students who want to get an
education that spots available for them.
Second, it will be a Christian university. This is important because there is such
corruption in society that he wants to be able to teach students to be leaders
with integrity. Courses on ethics will
be required every year. Third, this will
be an English-based university.
Madagascar is a Francophone country since they were a French colony for
60 years. Many want to lessen the ties
to France and strengthen the ties to the English-speaking world. Fourth, this university will be accessible
throughout the country. Travel here is
difficult and expensive. The approach of
the university up front will be to develop multiple campuses throughout the
country. This university is also part of
the hope for the future here.
Dinner was with Pastor Zaka, his wife, and Pastor Laurent.
Finished prepping for my last seminar tomorrow and heading
for bed.
Thinking of you.
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