People I Follow [ Learning the art of Followship ]
Matt Hammett- He is at the top because I honestly would not have been where I am today if it was not for him. Matt believed I could do more than play soccer and he was right. Talk about futuristic thinking. Check out www.diveintoflood.com for more.
Jason Russell, Laren Poole, Bobby Bailey-These three gents are some of the most amazing thinkers I know. I know Jason and Laren more than I know Bobby but they have all influenced a lot of my thinking about people. www.invisiblechildren.com
Palmer Chinchen- The first American I felt a connection to. Palmer is not only a great communicator but he is also a great listener. Check out thegroveaz.org
Shane Claiborne- I have met and talked to Shane twice but I love this guy. I honestly have a faith crush…Check out www.thesimpleway.org
Melissa Musicha- Because I am intimidated by her faith. Melissa is the founder of The Chisomo Idea with me. Check out www.chisomoidea.com
Linsey Wildey- Because she has shaped my leadership. Check out www.diveintoflood.com
Dr John Perkins- One of the civil rights movement leaders. I talked to him once but read many of his writings and sat under his teachings. Check out CCDA online.
Bono- Strange choice but Bono really speaks for the poor and I love that. Check out the ONE Campaign
Elwin McManus- Elwin is a man of great faith. I have never met Elwin but I would love to. Check out www.mosaic.org.
David Beckham- David is really humble…David is humble, you know? In many ways I would love to be as humble as he is…
Chim Musicha- Chim is my older brother. Him and I grew up like twins because we are so close in age. Chim is simply my hero.
Ashley Hammett- Ashley is so kind. My wife and I always say we have never met anybody that is so Kind. Ashley is in our youth group and she is in middle school but my wife and I think she is one of the finest examples of Christ that we have ever met. Ashley is Matt Hammett’s daughter.
Idrissa Walesi- Idi was one of my best friends growing up. Idi is Islamic so he is an interesting addition into the mixer but I remember following his lead in many circumstances. Idi is my hero because he RULES when it comes to loyalty.
Above all, I follow Jesus. I only follow the above people to as much as I see the character of Jesus in them.
Noel
“Do Small Things With Great Love” – Mother Theresa
This week I was part of a CCDA conference in Cincinatti, Ohio. The conference was an opportunity for me to learn from some of the globe’s finest leaders. Among many people that spoke at the conference were two of my heroes of faith- Shane Claiborne and Dr John Perkins.
Shane is an extraordinary man of faith and has written such books as Jesus for President and Irresistible Revolution. He had an opportunity to serve along side Mother Theresa in India.
Dr Perkins, on the other hand, is considered by many to be the modern day Martin Luther King Jr. He was one of the influential figures in the Civil Rights Movement.
Among many things that I learned from these fine thinkers and visionaries is the idea of DOING SMALL THINGS WITH GREAT LOVE.
…So would you do small things with great love today.
Speak to you soon,
Noel
ps: Pick up their new leadership book FOLLOW ME TO FREEDOM…Leading and Following as an Ordinary Radical on The Simple Way website, www.thesimpleway.org
Prayer Still Changes Things…You Think????
We have a few projects coming up:
-A Young Women’s Leadership Conference run by ABC and Bunda students and graduates in Lilongwe, Malawi
-A Theater of Dreams Soccer tournament for Under 14 and Under 17 at CIVO stadium
-A surprise program that we are launching in December with students from ABC, Johannesburg- South Africa, and Blantyre International University.
To help us pray please add your prayers as comments.
Thanks friends,
Noel
Prophetic Imagination
Forget possibilities, we live in a world of many impossibilities. It is impossible for all of Africa to be freed up from poverty in my lifetime. Extreme poverty, YES, but just everyday luck of resources, NO. It is impossible for me to play basketball in the NBA. I would love to, but I don’t have the basketball skills to even be a Laker ball boy. However, it is possible for us to give one of our brothers and sisters an aha! moment. A moment where he or she realizes that his or her dreams can become a reality…
When I started The Chisomo Idea, I was well aware of the many things that would be impossible for us to do. I was aware that we would try some things and fail measurably at them. But I also knew that our brothers and sisters that are stuck in poverty are worth my every piece of failure. The Chisomo Idea was not an attempt for me to live out my dreams, it was an attempt for me to get out of the way of Jesus’s prophetic imagination [OK, NOW THE TEARS, I HATE WHEN THAT HAPPENS]- the broken restored, the weak defended, the voiceless spoken for. The only dream I get to live, is the dream of what Jesus continues to do in me as I step in the turbulence of his work of restoration.
…you can live that out together with us if you do more than read my broken ENGLISH.
Speak to y’all soon,
Noel Noxy
CHANGING LIVES THROUGH SPORTS: Theater of Dreams Soccer Tournament, Lilongwe, Malawi.
The Chisomo Idea is putting on a tournament that will bring together 6 teams from our 3 training centers in Lilongwe, Malawi. The tournament will be facilitated by Lusekero Mwathengere our Theater of Dreams, Sports, Director. Luse is working with our counterpart, Thom Gallagher, a UK citizen living and making an impact together with us in Malawi.
Tournament Dates: Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 2009.
Location: CIVO Stadium in Lilongwe
More information or to help out: Thom Gallagher, tomandjo@me.com and Lusekero Mwathengere, lmwathengere@yahoo.com. You can also contact Aly Sampite, aksampite@gmail.com in the US.
Exciting News: A referee from the UK is coming in the country so he will facilitate the games and also coaches from local SUPER LEAGUE teams will be there to scout out players.
Students from University of Joburg, South Africa, catch The Chisomo Idea
Today I spent about an hour talking to Declan Berndt, a college student from University of Jorbug in South Africa. In many ways our conversation reminded me of the common thread that binds humanity together. Declan is working on taking a group of his friends from Joni [as we call South Africa] to Malawi on an impact trip with The Chisomo Idea. This group of dynamic South African students will work on putting on a Christmas Party for one of our Children Centers, help us facilitate our Party With a Purpose Campaign’s BIG NEW YEAR’S BASH and- more excitingly- help us with a launch of our new kick-*** program. We will unveil the new program very soon so stay tuned.
Love and Peace!
Noel
ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO!
“Fuel beneath our wings” is all we can I can say at this point. I am really inspired by these friends from Malawi that have chosen to STAND UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN. Students that have chosen to live a life of impact by stepping in to lead the next generation of women. Students that understand that they are leaders of the future and that the future in NOW.
I love the seminar title: ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO!
Speak to y’all soon,
Noel
MALAWIAN Students Leading by Example
The Chisomo Idea was built on the premise that there are young people out there that care enough to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. The idea is speculative if it only expresses itself in words and does not translate into action. This is why students from Blantyre International University in Malawi were inspirational to our movement when they took time from their tight schedules to make a difference in the lives of kids in The Chisomo Idea’s Thyolo village center.
May be we are not crazy after all. May be this could actually work. May be our ideals can actually become a reality.
The Malawi Launch Party
What was amazing at this event was that all sorts of people showed up. People from literally every race, creed and color all coming together for a common purpose. It was amazing.
One guy from Lebanon came just because we printed flyers at his Dad’s shop…that was his connection.
So encouragement to you is: Stay personal, stay CRAZY!
The Official Launch Party of Them Chisomo Idea
The post for the official Chisomo launch party is coming as soon as we organize ourselves.
