IAFR Dzaleka

Growth and development as leaders happens in different ways. It can come from formal education all the way through advanced studies and degrees, and it can come from mentors who guide and push us to grow and excel in our work. But it can also come from cross-cultural exchanges, where leaders come together around a table and talk about lessons they have learned, challenges they have faced, and how their own community is responding to modern day issues.

This kind of leadership exchange is a critical part of our visits to Dzaleka. Through these interactions, growth and development happens for both us and our refugee church partners. It happens through story-telling, laughter, and tears. It happens through formal times of training and discussion, where we share the responsibility forteaching and facilitating discussion together. And it happens between friends in one-on-one conversations, in the quiet corner of church in a forgotten part of the world. As we look forward to visiting Dzaleka again, we do so in part because of the leadership exchanges and the things we learn from our refugee friends.

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