Many of the new Mahafaly churches were in close (or relatively close) geographic proximity. Culturally, they have a habit of working well together--cooperation is one of their strengths. As the churches developed and grew, we began meeting with the first generation leaders for ongoing discipleship.

 

These leadership meetings gave the leaders the opportunity to hear from one another and help each other with problem solving. Sometimes these problems were spiritual, as when the first village church to reproduce itself in another village encouraged the other churches to do the same. Sometimes the problems were more physical. One of our villages has a very effective system of upkeep for its wells. Another village has had success selling seeds from a moringa tree. A third village has very healthy fields. At the leadership meetings, we encouraged the leaders to talk about these issues as well, and the cross-pollination has helped some villages implement ideas where they are weaker, learning from the strengths of others.

 

One dynamic that deeply impressed us was the sense of responsibility that the first generation churches felt for the churches they planted (which they call their “children churches”). The first generation churches are truly burdened for the needs of their “children”--both spiritual and physical. They have been faithful to visit them in times of grief, and to share with them any help they receive. We did not create this dynamic, but we have been challenged by it.

 

As our leaders met together regularly, they began to sense a need in their ministry for deeper training. They knew that we, as missionaries, will not be here forever, and they wanted some of their number poised to fill that role. They chose two men to send to train with us for a year. They recognized the sacrifice this would be for those men and their families, so they took up offerings--from their own and their children churches--to send the men. They made arrangements to care for their families while they were gone. The leaders did all of this at their own initiative. As they’ve been transformed by the Gospel, God has taken their natural tendency toward cooperation and is now channeling that for His kingdom purposes.