Paul and Hildi are friends from Paraguay. I met Paul on my first trip to Paraguay teaching a grad course on leadership at the extension site in Asuncion. Paul came in to do some translating. While I didn't get to spend much time with him, we chatted. I also realized that Paul was one of the VERY BEST translators I had ever worked with (and I have had many very good translators in many countries over the years!).
The next time I was back in Paraguay teaching, Paul was there once again to do translation and this time Hildi also came in to work as a translator. We also spent more time talking about the content of course and I found out that they were both involved in working to develop leaders in Paraguay. We connected even more and Paul and Hildi invited me down to do a workshop on mentoring leaders for a group of about 12 senior leaders who were all involved in the work of mentoring and coaching. And to top everything off, they were wonderful hosts.
We have continued to develop our relationship at a distance with SKYPEing. Paul and Hildi were moving into a transition season of ministry and were looking for some retooling for their next season of life. They had a furlough scheduled and so we planned for them to come to the York-Lancaster area for three weeks.
Hildi is pursuing training in spiritual direction. Marcus Smucker is a long-time seminary teacher in this field as well as a practicing spiritual director who lives in Lancaster. He is resourcing HIldi in this. And Deb Turnow, Spiritual Director and trainer, is resourcing Hildi in this as well.
Paul is focusing on the area of leadership mentoring/coaching and I and a few of the LCI partners are walking him through the Focused Life model as a foundation for developing leaders.
It will be a great three weeks with them. I believe Paul and Hildi are a strategic couple for leadership development in Paraguay and it is privilege to be partnering with them and involved in developing them for their new season of training leaders.
Thanks for your prayers for our time together.
Brian Rice
Leadership ConneXtions International
