Skype Call with Femi

With graduation behind us, our attention is focused squarely on our mission trip. It’s hard to believe that we will be departing for Accra in 16 days!

On Sunday we had the pleasure of having a Skype call with Femi Adeleye, IFES Associate General Secretary and our host for this mission trip. It was wonderful to interact directly with Femi. We feel blessed to work with someone so dedicated to making this a successful trip and, from what Dave and Sally Ivaska tell us, such a generous host. Femi has already put a lot of thought into our trip, with regard to projects, contacts and accommodations...and even recommendations of places to visit during our free time. (We hope to see the castles in Elmina and Cape Coast, two of the largest slave-holding sites in the world during the colonial era. While visiting these places will be hard, we feel it is very important.)

Our call was also helpful in building a better mutual understanding of how we can interact with Femi and his IFES colleagues, and how we can provide value. Based on our conversation, there seem to be several major projects where we can have an impact, such as understanding how national Christian movements in Africa can track and engage university graduates for community, fundraising and evangelism. We also look forward to helping Femi’s wife, Affy, with her HIV/AIDS work. And we hope to uncover ways in which Kellogg students can work with IFES in the future, through mission trips around the world and/or through independent study and pro bono consulting projects during the school year. Sam is meeting with Kellogg faculty before our trip to understand the school’s requirements for student projects. We pray that the impact of this trip is much bigger than the two of us.

Our call on Sunday drove home the importance of us being flexible and thinking creatively about ways we can add value. We need to practice humility, listen carefully and plug in where we can. This could prove difficult for two over-achieving, “Type A+” Americans, but it is absolutely critical...and will be a great life lesson for us.

Of course, Loralynne has developed a very elaborate packing list for us. (No, it’s not color-coded yet, but I’m sure it will be soon!) Dave and Sally have been very helpful with recommendations and generous. They let us borrow some very cool African dresses and shirts as well as two medium-sized suitcases we know will serve us well.