My Managing Partner October 26, 2009

The Lord is my managing partner, I need no insurance against loss,

He leads me into lucrative ventures,

He keeps from stress and disorder

He restores me to complete wholeness

He leads me in making ethical decisions, so that the God brand receives full recognition

Even in the face of global economic recession

I will not fear inflation

For You are with me

Your guidance and insight steer me right

You award success and favor to me, in the presence of my detractors

You give me unmerited favor, so that I always have a surplus,

Surely goodness and love will chase after me all the days of my life

And my every waking moment will be spent joyfully in God’s presence

Spread The Love October 20, 2009

On Sunday after a phenomenal service, a team from Mavuno moved over to the Industrial Area Remand Prison, a large prison with a population of 3500 inmates. Mission: to deliver 275 beds for the inmates as well as commission the newly painted and refurbished juvenile dorm and sick bay (plus sanitary areas).

Here are some facts about Kenyan prisons that you may or may not know…

• There are currently around 51,000 inmates in all our Kenyan jails combined
• Out of these, a full 20,000 are in remand (i.e. are awaiting trial and have not been proven guilty by a court of law)!
• Of the remaining 31,000, the majority (around 28,000) are in for petty offenses that should normally warrant community service as opposed to hard time
• Okay, get this… The major reason the majority of the 20,000 haven’t had their cases fast-tracked or the 28,000 are in prison instead of our doing community service is that they couldn’t afford a lawyer to make their case.
• In other words, over 90% our prisoners are in prison because they are poor
• Because of overcrowding in our prisons, petty offenders and non-offenders are forced to mixed with hardened criminals (the minority). What do you think is the result?

Okay, I had to get out of the way. Someone asked me a while back why anyone would waste resources on prisoners (I guess what she meant is ‘people who don’t deserve it’). These are just some of the reasons why.

I think someone once said that if you want to know the level of civilization and humaneness of a society, visit its jails and prisons.

Many teams from Mavuno have already instituted other projects in the prison, such as a newly refurbished toilet block for the warders, rehabilitation of the prison academy etc. This is the second prison we’ve been engaged in after the Nairobi West Prison.

I thank God for the compassionate fearless influencers He’s raising up to lead our prisons. These include the deputy senior commissioner of prisons and the officers in charge of the two prisons we’ve interacted with so far. They’re teaching us that when we treat prisoners like human beings, those who are there wrongfully at least get some humane treatment. And those who are there rightfully have a better shot at rehabilitation.

So, a great time was had by all. Including a special prison edition of the ‘Spread The Love’ concert by some phenomenally talented artistes led by Kanjii. You can read about it here, and see the photo gallery here.

Of course all this is just a step in the right direction. We need people who will commit time and resources to engage the justice system to ensure that it is not biased against you for the crime of being poor.

A big thanks to all of you who gave and came. And to the media, including Mwangi Kirubi & mwafrika.com for giving the day some great coverage!

It’s Raining! October 16, 2009

I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see rain! Thank you Lord! It’s been so long since it last really rained here that none of my friends remember where the umbrellas or raincoats are and of course the windscreen wipers need replacing because they have been too rarely used. But who cares! It’s raining! Yeeah!

So like I promised, I’m planning to plant my 30 trees this coming Monday.

Thanks again Lord for the rain. We may may not deserve it but we surely need it. You are truly the gracious Father who ‘sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous‘ (Mat.5:45).

Impunity October 1, 2009

Should Kenyans cheer as the US and other European powers dress down our government and tell it what to do?

If we don’t, our politicians will continue in their culture of impunity. And set us up for Armageddon in 2012. If we do, then we empower other nations to treat us with disdain – yes they say all they really want to do is help the common Kenyan, but you try and visit one of their embassies and you’ll see the real view that they have of this common Kenyan!

A little story: We had a fire expert come to the office to teach fire management skills to our staff. He was of British descent but has lived in Kenya for the last 30 years. His presentation was quite helpful. But during the entire time, he kept making disparaging remarks about City Hall, the way things work in Kenya etc. You could tell he didn’t mean to offend. He’s probably made these comments before to other Kenyans and they laughed and agreed with him. And so he felt safe repeating them to the thirty of us.

In retrospect, I should have taken him up on it. Maybe I still will.

You see, I may be fully aware that my family has issues. But when an outsider comes in and starts to tear them down because of said issues, then I take offense. All they said may be true, but that’s for me to say, not them! And shouldn’t there be a quid-pro-quo? An opportunity to point out their dirty laundry?

Anyone feeling me?

So is there a different way? Maybe the reason outsiders can comment so casually about our affairs is because we don’t do so ourselves. We foster impunity by doing nothing about it. Whether its matatu passengers not speaking out when the driver picks up too many passengers or cuts traffic. Whether it’s not standing on principle when a cop asks for a bribe. Whether it’s not speaking out when a close friend makes a disparaging remark about people from another ethnic group. Whether it’s shrugging our shoulders when those in leadership act without integrity.

Impunity is all around us. We are all responsible for it.

Maybe we need to stand up and be counted.

Ideas & thoughts for or against welcome; from Kenyans and non-Kenyans alike!

Deutschland September 23, 2009

Guten Tag!

Have had an amazing time so far in Germany. Over the weekend taught at a conference for church leaders and this week I’m visiting various church leaders and speaking in different churches. It’s been great to meet people who come from such a different background from myself and yet who share the same passion – to start innovative churches that will engage their generation and their transform society. I’ve learnt a lot but also been amazed how much the Mavuno story and strategy have been appreciated here. I have also enjoyed hanging out with the ‘Mavuno Germany’ team, Daniel and Nancy Fleschig.

Walked in a German forest yesterday. Awe-inspiring! Makes every Kenyan forest I’ve ever been in feel puny by comparison. I pray my kids will one day experience Kenyan forests of that scale. Also visited a huge cathedral in Cologne. Planting forests is like building cathedrals. It takes a different way of thinking. It can only be done by people who can see a future beyond themselves. It demands we move from thinking only about the here and now. It means we move away from simply thinking about replanting the Mau and envision a Kenya with 30% forest cover. A Kenya that we may not see but that God-willing, our children’s children will enjoy.

`So… are these El Nino rains really coming to Kenya? I feel inspired to plant some trees!

Opium Or Opportunity September 17, 2009

“So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not.

And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you? You have so little faith!

“So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” Mat.6:25-33

The Matrix tells me that these words of Jesus cannot simply be true. Cows dying, aquifers drying. Politicians playing their jingoistic harps while our forests disappear. Inflation, fuel and food prices rising.  Power and water rationing. Layoffs and job insecurity everywhere. How not to worry when there’s so much to worry about? Is this the opium of the masses they talk about?

Absolutely not. Jesus’ words are as practical today as they were when he spoke them. And rather than opium, they provide us, His followers with an opportunity. An opportunity to be purveyors of hope rather than gloom: An opportunity to serve God to the fullest and leave the results to Him. An opportunity to live lives that say ‘I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow’.

Remember, it’s when its darkest that the light shines brightest.

Grace is spelt ‘9.58′ August 17, 2009

I had to stay up and watch it. It promised to be the fastest race in the history of mankind. And it didn’t disappoint! Tyson Gay (2nd), actually broke an American record while running the third fastest time ever; yet he wasn’t even close. I’ve never seen anything like it. I mean, the thunderbolt even slowed down to look around at the end!

There’s something about watching genius at work, whether it’s Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods or Uasin Bolt that makes you glad you were alive to see it. To me it speaks of the nature of God’s grace or undeserved favor. Grace defies logic or formula. It has an attrocious unfairness to it – at face value. Anyone who watched Salieri complain to God about the young, undisciplined and totally undeserving Mozart in the movie ‘Amadeus’ knows what I’m talking about. Why them? Why would you bless this person so overwhelmingly? What have they done to deserve it?

[On a side note, as Kenyans, we too are recipients of much favor. Almost all our neighbors (except perhaps Ethiopia) would have called a public holiday to celebrate a Linet Masai win. Few can dream of the kind of medal haul we're anticipating.]

The bible answers the grace riddle for us. I spoke about this at Mavuno a while back. We are blessed to be a blessing. Gifting carries a huge element of responsibility. Genesis 12:2 says ‘I will make your name great and you will be a blessing’.

I thank God for His grace in my life. For a family I love, for a vocation I enjoy, for a purpose worth living for, for numerous material and spiritual blessings. I do not deserve any of these things.

Lord help me to see and celebrate your grace in my life. And to be a blessing to others around me this week.

Africa Rising July 28, 2009

Haven’t read this book by Vijay Mahajan but was very inspired by the author interview (read here). Somebody find me a copy! In the words of the song…

‘Africa, rise up stand up, this is your moment, this is your time…‘

I believe!

In the face of the TJRC, yet another commission of inquiry that has little hope of achieving real justice. In the face of the politicking about the Mau, while our taps run dry. In the face of rising crime and unchecked vigilante armies.

Fearless influencers like Megan with ZanaA, Nzilani with Bawa, Kijiji with the Mabadiliko Tour, Mukuria with REFUGE (restoring forests for future generations) and many others… tell a different story. One that’s not yet making the news… but soon will be.

I choose to believe.

Speaking of Africa rising, had a really great weekend in Kampala.

Looking forward to this coming weekend when we celebrate Mavuno’s anniversary. It’s been a great 4 years!

Oh, I’m away this week on a much-needed study break.

Will You Be My Mentor? July 22, 2009

We are a generation that longs for good mentors. For people who’ve gone before us and walked the walk. For people whose  mistakes we can learn from and whose successes we can emulate.

And yet walking up to a person and asking them to be your mentor often won’t yield the best result. It’s almost like asking someone to be your girlfriend before you’ve gotten to know each other. Too close too soon. Acceptance followed by awkwardness. Now that he said yes, where do we go from here? Keep in mind that many of those we want to mentor us haven’t been trained to be mentors!

Often we think of mentoring as a process whereby this wise sage spouts off wisdom while we sit at their feet and soak it all in. In reality, the best mentoring is life-on-life, where we not only listen to this person we admire but we also watch and learn from their day-to-day life and from proximity to them. And you might need several mentors depending on the life stage you are in or the different areas of your life. Examples are professional, business, ministry, marriage and leadership mentors.

So how do you enlist a mentor? A couple of tips I’ve found helpful…

a. Serve – find ways you can serve this person. Do they need someone to do errands for them? Volunteer. Do they need someone to pick their kids from school? Offer to. Sometimes we can’t see what they might need from us. But are you good at something that could be of benefit to them? Offer to do it for them. I remember one young lady who got an excellent mentor because she offered to cook her fine chapattis for her family every month! Serving gives proximity. Proximity provides opportunity. Opportunity to learn by watching your mentor respond to life situations.

b. Treat – invite them to a concert, offer to buy them lunch or coffee, buy them a book you know they’ll like. I often treat my mentors out for a meal, and even if I’m the one who buys each time, I remember I’m the one who needs their wisdom!

c. Be Specific – when you have an opportunity to spend time with your mentor, think through the questions you’re grappling with or issues you’re thinking through. And then ask their opinion. You benefit a lot more from a mentoring relationship if you’re prepared beforehand!

d. Appreciate – remember to thank your mentors regularly. An sms to say what a blessing they’ve been to you, a thank you card etc

While we’re at it, you learn most from a mentor if you’re also mentoring others. The knowledge we keep the most is that which we apply, and the easiest way to apply is through passing on to others.

Maoni?

P.S. A lifelong reader was asked by friends, ‘How do you get time for it?’ He replied, ‘I don’t get time for it; I take time’.

Keeping It Simple June 25, 2009

I’ve come to realize over my years as a leader that one of the greatest impediments to personal and organizational effectiveness is complexity. The antidote is one of life’s unknown little secrets. KISS (Keep it simple, saint )! Simplicity though only comes with a clear vision. The organization (or person) must know what it exists for and do only do those things that enhance the accomplishment of that vision. And say no to everything else.

I read an amusing little story somewhere (don’t quite remember where)…

The famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson went on a camping trip together. After a good meal, they lay down for the night and went to sleep. Some hours later, Holmes awoke and nudged his faithful friend. “Watson, look up and tell me what you see.”

Watson replied, “I see millions and millions of stars.

“What does that tell you?”

Watson a little miffed by the inconvenient timing of the conversation pondered for a minute. “Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, I can see that God is all-powerful and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. Why, what does it tell YOU?”

Holmes was silent for a minute, and then spoke. “Watson, you idiot: Someone has stolen our tent!”

Have a simple and focused rest of the week!