Our Shade staff recently had the opportunity to attend the Community Health Evangelism Training led by PALM.M.M Foundation director Mrs. Josephine Kijabe, and her husband, Pastor Benjamin Kijabe. This four day training highlighted the principles of Christian community development. We are so thankful that our staff is always willing to increase in their knowledge of God’s heart and plans – our kids are truly blessed to be under their leadership!
The training began with an exploration of God’s great mission, as highlighted in Luke 4:18-19.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
With this verse as a foundation, the team was able to learn effective strategies for community engagement to bring about the promises in this passage of freedom and good news.
Key Takeaways
Our staff was encouraged to evaluate the key characteristics of successful community engagement projects. They found that for a project to be successful, there were a few key pieces:
- Prayer – The project, team, and community must be covered in prayer.
- Community Member Involvement – For projects to thrive, the community members being served must be actively included.
- Local Resource Utilization – Healthy communities utilize the resources they have effectively.
- Evaluation Based on Key Questions:
- Has God multiplied the resources?
- Have people been blessed?
- Has God been honored?
We are confident that our Shade staff will continue to grow in these areas and bring these lessons back to Shade and our students!
Hear From Our Staff
Here’s what a few of our Shade Staff had to say about this training:
“I have learned how deeply beliefs affect community development. If we want to bring real change in a community, we must address the root cause of the problem rather than just the symptoms. I also realized the importance of educating communities on how to utilize their local resources for long-term development instead of relying on external aid.”
“The biblical foundation of this training stood out the most. The emphasis on scripture aligns perfectly with our vision of using spiritual principles to bring systemic change. The strategies for community engagement and sustainable development—especially the focus on community ownership—will ensure that Shade’s initiatives remain impactful and long-lasting.”
“Through this training I have learned how to use material things that surrounds our environment to benefits ourselves and the community at large. I have also learned good ways to reach the community such as engaging people and using their local resources and all of this will be achieved by trusting in God and remaining humble before God.”
Thank you for being part of our Shade family. Together we are learning, growing, and helping to bring the Kingdom of God to Tanzania!
