leaders like Moses

We need to hear God's voice clearly and accept his invitation to practice our leadership with integrity, both before God and our community, even if this comes at a high price

Students - what are you doing in those precious days of holiday between terms? Members of CCU Bolivia will not be working extra hours to earn money or simply hanging about with friends. They’ll be attending their National Training Institute (INCA), from 30 December to 6 January.

We talked to Carina Rojas, General Secretary of the Bolivian movement. ‘This year we’ll study Moses’ example of leadership. Unlike other years, this INCA is especially aimed at students who are beginning to get involved in the movement. I intend to share the leadership style that we long to see developed in students.

‘This leadership style is a counter-leadership model that is guided not just by results, success or efficiency, which are so important in academic circles. Rather, it’s leadership based on a relationship of dependence on God, on the transparency of their behaviour to their Christian brothers and sisters and in a constant fight against our personal temptations.’

We also spoke with Vilma Almonds Ortuño, who has been involved with CCU as staff for 11 years since her student days and is in charge of organising INCA. ‘Mark Paco, a third-year psychology student, is a good example of the kind of student leader that we want to develop. What makes him special is that he is firm and secure in his faith, working hard to maintain integrity in his daily life. We hope that through INCA many students will be transformed by the word of God and committed to advance the good news of Jesus in their universities.’

Lucy Mamani Laura, a graduate student in Architecture, grew up in a Roman Catholic family but came to faith through CCU. Trained through INCA and other CCU events, she is now part of the leadership team in her church and is helping organise INCA. We asked her how she thought her fellow students would benefit from the event. ‘There are several workshops and each one provides tools they can use in their daily lives and in their CCU small groups. But there will also be time for participants to interact with each other which is crucial because each faces challenges as a student and as a missionary at the university. We want students to be both challenged and moved to make changes in their city, but especially in their personal lives.’

How can we pray for this event?  Vilma asked prayer for herself and others who are in the final days of organisation, that they would have wisdom in decision-making and work together in good fellowship. She also mentions the need for God to provide students with the financial resources they need to attend – as well as their parent’s permission!

Lucy asks us to pray for God to confirm and support her in the important decision to become a staff worker, and that the event will reflect what God wants to say to each person as well as encouraging growth in each student’s commitment to the movement.

Finally, Carina says ‘We need to hear God's voice clearly and accept his invitation to practice our leadership with integrity, both before God and our community, even if this comes at a high price. This is a challenge for us because in our context it is possible to have large differences between our private and public lives.’

May we all, by God’s grace, live lives of integrity before a watching world.