How did all of this get started?

Good morning,
We thought you might like to have some additional details on this ministry. You may be wondering how all of this came to fruition. Why Burundi? Or, how did Watermark decide to partner with ALARM?

Burundi was a German colony during the early twentieth century, but it became a Belgium colony after the First World War (hence the use of French language). The population is about 85% Hutu and 15% Tutsi, which are tribes. Burundi gained independence from Belgium in 1962, and there have been power struggles between Hutus and Tutsis about once every 10-15 years, largely driven by extremists on either side often driven by economic disparity and thirst for power. More history is available on the internet. The current president (Nkurunziza) took office in August 2005, soon after peace was formalized from fighting that lasted about ten years. He accepted Christ as his Savior soon after becoming President, and he has a close relationship with Deo, the head of ALARM Burundi. That is how ALARM got involved.

The Watermark elders had been looking for potential partners for global ministry for a couple years, and in 2005 while hosting international pastors at Watermark homes during Ramesh Richard’s RREACH Global Proclamation Academy conference, the elders heard many good things about an African ministry called ALARM. When they learned ALARM’s US headquarters were in Dallas, they met with ALARM leadership and were encouraged. In early 2006, an exploratory trip was done by a few Watermark elders in Kenya and Uganda. They were very encouraged by the ALARM team and the ministry opportunities. As a result, the church sent another team to Africa for two weeks in October 2006. Their primary focus was in Burundi and Congo (DRC) though they spent some time in other countries such as Uganda. The focus of the teaching was leadership and conflict resolution, which are core competencies of Watermark and core missional purposes of ALARM.

After a year of investigating and “testing” with ALARM, Watermark decided to commit more resources (time, talent, treasures) into “learn and lead” discipleship/teaching trips in Central Africa with the potential that the partnership with ALARM could grow and last several years.

The rationale for expanding Watermark's partnership with ALARM is:

1. ALARM's mission is centered on areas where Watermark is both strong and passionate. Specifically, we as a local body are fervent about leadership and conflict resolution

2. ALARM has godly, gifted, equipped people on the ground in these countries that Watermark can partner with. This partnership is a win-win as Watermark can use its core skills while building on ALARM’s network of relationships and influence. We also know ALARM staff is competent in following up with people after leaving; thus increasing the likelihood that the impact is sustained, nurtured and maximized.

3. It's a high leverage equipping opportunity for Watermark. We can help train leaders in these countries (pastors, government officials, women leaders) who can, in turn, train, impact, and influence the thousands of people under their leadership in areas of the world where the church is poorly resourced; ill-equipped; confronted with overwhelming poverty, death, corruption, and godless leadership; and being threatened by organized advances from competing worldviews and beliefs.

4. It's a high synergy equipping opportunity for Watermark. Watermark can use this opportunity to equip/develop its own emerging leaders (members of the team) in addition to the leaders in these nations. Wherever these opportunities to “learn and lead” take place, we are confident that the impact will be even greater in those from Watermark participating than it will be on those being served. These leadership development opportunities are therefore effective in developing ‘fully devoted followers’ of Christ internally and externally

5. ALARM's staff are good stewards, and Watermark feels good about entrusting them with its time and treasure.

So, that is how it started. And since then the efforts have have expanded from the core focus on teaching to also doing orphan care, microloans for widows, water wells, lawyer training (to help develop fair laws and proper representation of the poor), a new trade school, and now a hospital! The primary country focus is Burundi and Uganda, though we are also working in Congo, Rwanda, Kenya, and beginning in January 2009...Sudan