Partnership in gospel ministry is tremendously important. We can’t go very far alone. We need to reach out to work with others in the body of Christ. As God’s gospel advances in Africa and across the world, it’s vital that Africans and foreigners partner together in healthy ways. In our previous article, the first of this three-part series, we considered the cultural realities that sometimes make relationships complicated but also delightful. In this second article, we will look at how to strive for partnerships that are truly reciprocal and fair.
See Each Other as Partners
Both Africans and foreigners should view each other as partners, irrespective of whether they are a financial giver or recipient. We’re coming together for a common good. We need each other for that good to be realised. The terms donor, sponsor or funder aren’t bad. But for some people they convey a patronage relationship, implying inferiority on the part of the receiver and superiority of the giver. We prefer the word “partner”. Because in our collective efforts both sides are giving and receiving. Ministry and development work involves more than giving funds. We need to value the contributions from both sides as one party may bring funds while the other may contribute ideas, labour, land, management and monitoring, prayer and relational networks. At times, it simply comes down to not acknowledging or even overlooking the value and potential that the other party brings.
Strive for partnerships that are truly reciprocal and fair.
It is very important to allow the host community and local leadership to participate in making decisions relating to their situation. Decision making power should not be based on who has the most money or the highest position. Many times we’ve seen foreign organisations or individuals come with the attitude of “I know what they want and since I have the funds, I’ll decide who to help, how to help, and when to help those in need.” Developing participatory and inclusive approaches, codes of conduct and an environment that allows for regular reviews and friendly discussions to ascertain their relevance can greatly help in mindset change and a healthy working relationship.
The Power of Collaboration
Chris Shiundu from Kenya shares his experience in this area, working disaster relief. When his organisation hired him, Chris’ plan was to intentionally change the program so that Kenyans were involved in the decision-making processes together with the North American staff. This brought about great results. The North Americans were willing to be corrected and advised and new plans were made.
Don’t overlook the value and potential that the other party brings.
As Chris says, “We stopped importing food from Canada, and bought the disaster response food locally in Kenya. Additionally, we started purchasing and printing other materials locally in Kenya such as uniforms, hats, and bags. These changes built up the local economy while also reducing costs for the organisation. As we discussed and brought our local perspective, we also embraced the idea given by community members to use our food distribution as a way to bring the community together to do projects for their own benefit, such as building a dam, or constructing a community hall. Last, we were able to help the organisation realise the importance of working with the local government officials on the ground which brought about opportunities to work in new areas.”
Work With Those Already There
When forming ministry partnerships or collaborations, it is advisable to consider established entities like churches, institutions or organisations rather than individuals. This will help avoid working with unregistered organisations or individuals (such as “briefcase NGOs”), which may eventually take ownership of the project or funds that were intended to benefit the communities. Conduct due diligence to verify each organisation, church or institution’s legal status and ensure that formal, legally binding agreements are put in place. This will protect both the foreigners and the African parties and help to prevent working with criminal organisations or individuals. Both sides should be careful not to compromise on their values and beliefs by rushing into a partnership without investigation.
We must recognise what both sides bring to the table, viewing each other as equal partners.
For healthy partnerships, we need to recognise what both sides are bringing to the table, and view each other as equal partners, who share the same goal and are on the same team. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,” so God exhorts us. “Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
Be Wary of Competition
It is common to find organisations, churches and individuals competing against each other at the expense of their target group or beneficiaries. Competition is only good if it promotes quality delivery of service. But the unhealthy competition to avoid is when those working for the same community are rivalling each other instead of coming together in a collaborative way. Sometimes we see a lot of secrecy between leaders and organisations on their source of funding, how much they receive for ministry, and individual payment for their work. Others go to the extent of speaking badly about other churches and organisations to cast themselves in a better position before the foreign partner.
Competition is only good if it promotes quality delivery of service.
Sometimes there is misrepresentation of the facts on the ground or giving false information to justify continuous funding and support. We often see competition for human resources between different organisations and churches. One organisation won’t allow their employee with a specific skill to support another organisation for the interest and benefit of the community.
We need to remember that our particular church or ministry is only one of many ministries that God is using to advance his kingdom in Africa or elsewhere. We therefore encourage other ministries not to be in competition but rather in collaboration because they are part of our family in the body of Christ. Thus organisations must avoid being too siloed off and ignorant of what other organisations are doing. The goal should be to work together with other organisations as much as possible, or at the very least to be aware of what other organisations are already trying to do in the same community.
Be Accountable
Good stewardship requires transparent accountability on all sides. Each one of us is called to account for the time and resources entrusted to us. Thus we must develop structures that are inclusive, affordable, easy to sustain and ensure that every category of person has clear and well-defined responsibilities along with expectations that enable them to be properly accountable.
Good stewardship requires transparent accountability on all sides.
Often, we see accountability being emphasised selectively, or on only one side. For example, a foreign financial partner might demand accountability from those receiving money, while there is less expectation of the foreign missionary or expatriates to provide accountability. In healthy ministry partnerships, accountability should be across the board. Olabode Olanrewaju from CAPRO in Nigeria puts it well. “When we value ourselves as equal partners, made in the image of God, we are each doing our part. Mutual Accountability and Reporting are vital. And transparency is critical and will encourage mutual understanding and support for each other. With foreign organisations, we want to know what is happening in their organisation, what prayer requests they may have, and see the reports of what the Lord is doing through them, so that we can rejoice together.”
Accountable in Every Direction
We should all be accountable to the communities we are trying to help; to the governments in the countries where we are operating; and to any foreign donors or organisations. A community and its local leadership have a right to ask questions of an organisation or missionary working for their benefit. Therefore, as Africans we need to be accountable for any foreign funding we receive, and hold foreign governments, development organisations, missionaries and sponsors accountable. There should be a system in place that protects those that challenge or speak up against improper financial use or abuse by any party.
As Africans we need to be accountable for any foreign funding we receive.
We advise foreigner entities not to place too strict of terms on grants that might not allow enough flexibility in African contexts. Further we discourage foreigners from imposing unrealistic standards of accounting or reporting. Putting too much pressure and focus on numbers as a standard for performance rather than impact or qualitative changes may encourage corruption and dishonesty at the expense of quality program delivery and impact.
Practice Equity and Justice
Equity and justice are critical in building a healthy working relationship between foreigners and Africans. This can be achieved by addressing systemic inequalities and promoting fair treatment of all people, irrespective of race. There will also likely be a need to eliminate discriminatory practices while creating a culture of mutual respect and promotion of equal opportunities.
Create an environment that ensures equal access to employment, fair wages, promotions and other benefits regardless of race. Challenge and discourage negative stereotypes and biases. Promote an inclusive work environment where every person feels valued and respected. Support and promote African led initiatives by investing in national and local individuals, businesses, institutions and organisations. Encourage diverse involvement and representation by ensuring that both parties are well represented in leadership positions and decision-making.
Frequently review your partnerships to ensure they remain healthy and responsible.
We should avoid the export and import of unskilled labour. Here we have seen some foreigners coming to Africa claiming to have expertise or knowledge for a particular position which sometimes isn’t true. This can greatly affect the relationship as well as ministry delivery. More often, foreigners may be paid by organisations to do work they have little experience in compared to more experienced Africans who’re able to do that same work. On the other side, organisations and churches should not discourage skilled foreigners from joining in the work just because they are foreigners. We can accomplish more together, in partnership.
It’s important to frequently review our partnerships to ensure they remain healthy, equitable, and responsible—just as we do with any other relationship. Our next and final article will examine how appreciation contributes to stronger ministry partnerships between Africans and foreigners.
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