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If you would have asked me 5 years ago about training leaders in under-resourced countries I would have endorsed the idea, but I probably would have put it at the bottom of priorities in countries where food, shelter and basic needs are at a premium. And this is a confession…for some reason I equated a lack of resources with a lack of leadership capacity.
In 2008, I had been involved with the Global Leadership Summit(GLS) provided by the Willow Creek Association for a few years by participating in one of their North American sites at Bethel Temple Church in Evansville. We kept hearing about the international sites and wondered if WCA would consider connecting with a country where we had a significant mission work with orphans, a Bible College and a process to mobilize church planters. The country was Myanmar and through various contacts, WCA agreed to connect a team with funding from Bethel Temple and launch the GLS in a country where resources and Christian freedoms had historically been limited.
Year one-2009
A team of nationals came together with help from the WCA international team and launched the GLS at a church in the heart of Yangoon, the capital city of Myanmar. The team reviewed and provided Burmese translation of sessions from previous GLS events in North America. We rented a projector from the states and worked with the Myanmar team to produce the event. Conditions were primitive and electricity was unstable to the point of requiring a generator to run the projector…but it worked. About 300 pastors and leaders packed the little church and listened intently to world class speakers teach on how to improve their leadership skills.
But did they understand what they heard?
Two things convinced me. First, the discussion was vibrant. After every session there was a local Burmese pastor and facilitator who would walk them through a GLS workbook provided in their language. Then they would discuss the material in small groups and the room was buzzing with dialogue. But in addition to their discussion, I found that the topic at every meal and meeting was a result of their learnings. It connected, they loved it and they wanted more.
Year two-2010
A highlight for me was to watch the local team of nationals get a vision for growing the impact of the GLS in their country. In 2010, they rented a ballroom at a downtown hotel and prepared for their vision to grow. The hotel actually had air conditioning, stable electricity and they added a young worship band to the event. About 500 came as a result of the local teams efforts to spread the word and build on the momentum of the first year. Promotion and marketing was very limited, but they got the word out and they came on buses and the back of trucks from the city and the surrounding villages. This team of nationals was organized as well, if not better than any event I had ever worked with. Red shirts were event volunteers, black shirts were the media team and the white shirts represented the leadership team.
Year three-2011
With two years of experience, this team of veterans was able to go back to the hotel and provide the Myanmar GLS in 2011 with increased passion and excellence. With the first year of 300 and a second year of 500, we were all hoping that maybe we could attract as many as 800 leaders to the 2011 event. I should add that they would rehearse the details of the event for an entire day before the first day of actual sessions. Music, transitions, emcees…all was rehearsed and rehearsed to make sure it was their best.
And they came. They filled the chairs…they put out more chairs and eventually they had to close the doors. In fact, 1100 leaders came and we heard estimates of 200+ that were turned away.
And now it’s 2012. They want more. Leaders that barely have an education are wanting to learn how to better lead their churches and impact their country. We found there are hundreds and potentially thousands of them.
I heard Bill Hybels share this idea several years ago, but it took root standing in a hotel ballroom watching under-resourced leaders pour in the doors of the Myanmar Global Leadership Summit(a little paraphrased for Myanmar):
Change a leader…Change a church…
Change a church….Change a village….
Change a village….change a country.
Bob Seymore, One Life Church
There are over seven billion people on this planet, seven billion different minds, seven billion different interests, and seven billion different passions. Although we may be divided by a few states, a whole continent, or maybe a whole ocean, there’s one thing every human being has, and that is a heart. Some, have a heart for global exploration. Some may have a heart for saving the Giant Panda, or getting rich quick. My heart is a little different. My heart, is for Myanmar. Ninety percent of people in the US probably have never heard of “Myanmar”, much less have known that it was a country. Why would anyone have a heart for this? Because every child, every mother, every father, every son, daughter, aunt and uncle, should see the beautiful things in life. We have it pretty amazing. The most we worry about when waking up is which shirt to match with which pair of pants. They worry about if they will have a next meal, or if the bugs will be bad that night. They worry about the unknown dangers that constantly surround them, and even if they’ll get a bed that night. That’s unacceptable for any human being to go through, whether in Myanmar, China, Afghanistan, the US, or any corner of the globe. As followers of Christ, we are called to be radical, care for other nations, and passionately help the poor, homeless, and widowed. We need to see change in these kids’ lives, spreading hope for them, their parents and guardians, and every soul there. 
We need to allow Christ to work through us, be his hands and feet, and show them the unconditional love we have to offer. We aren’t going to accomplish this by worrying about our pants matching our shirt every morning. The one thing we need is compassion. Through Christ we can move mountains, see a difference in Myanmar and every country on this planet. I’m wanting to go there for weeks or even months, knowing that Christ will have a plan for me. The smallest impact on these kids can be miraculous. We can all take part in some shape or form to help this cause, become radical Christians, and do what we are called on this Earth to do. I know my heart is for Myanmar, what’s yours for?
