‘CRED Talks 2018’ – the highlights!

The CRED Talks conference 2018 ended today – and what a wonderful time it was.

Partners from 7 African nations, plus 3 trustees, 4 other ‘CRED-related’ mzungus and myself, all gathered under one roof for 5 days – sharing stories, learning from each other, building relationships, joining together for devotions, eating together, praying together and taking part in workshops: the perfect mix for all to be blessed in many ways.

None of the partners had met each other beforehand, and no-one in the group had met everyone, although I had met all the folks bar one at least once, but by the end of the conference you’d not know that – such a beautiful time of conversations and fellowship underpinned the week that as folks departed it was definitely a parting of friends.

During the week we visited some of the projects that CRED is linked with in Uganda eg Maya medical centre which incorporates biogas, solar, rainwater harvesting and ISSB bricks in the building, and so demonstrates massive sustainability; and Acholi Quarters, home of a number of programmes plus the stone quarry and bead-making.

We also had workshops on Whole Brain Approach to teaching and learning; volunteer support; and self-care – all incredibly important for folks who are heading up organisations that are working in the margins, supporting the marginalized, standing against poverty, and often in very resource-poor circumstances

The final session included a time of hearing highlights from everyone, and I think that a read through of those will underline to you just what a successful event it was.

So in no particular order, here they are:

Highlights

-       Meeting everyone, and being able to share and use what we know in ways that can support each other

-       Maya and all of the sustainability aspects

-       Self-care workshop which spoke so much into the lives of so many

-       Whole brain approach, and how it cascades into so many aspects of work and life

-       Having space to develop visions more through taking on ideas from others

-       Sophie and John and they way that they open up their home and their hearts to the nation and to the nations

-       Having the chance to reflect on relationships and how important they are within and across places of work and life, and to build new ones,

-       Connection and relationship – making new ones, deepening existing ones

-       The anticipation of where next, for individuals, and for CRED

-       Being in a totally non-judgmental and safe secure place, where we can just be ourselves

-       Having the space to rest and reflect and relax

-       Listening to each others stories and being inspired by them – hearing the acts of faith lived out by the partners

-       A real sense that the world has been changed by this conference

-       Seeing the dream behind the Link centre coming true – that it will be a place where nations come together

-       Having the opportunity to reconnect to our roots, through meeting people from other nations, (especially Ethiopia)

-       Partnering together to become more than we are individually

-       The determination that CRED will go forward, and must go forward, in some shape or form, and that this conference has helped to crystallise that

-       A recognition that working to common shared values and goals helps us to achieve so much more, and this is so much more possible now that we know each other

-       Space to rethink problems and how to address them, including learning from each other on different practices

-       The way the conference has been run – the informality of it compared to others, which has given space for other opportunities and experiences

-       The value added of bringing the partners together and enabling the networking across the circle, and developing links that can grow and grow

-       Gathering with like-minded people in the devotions, and share with each other with no hierarchy or razzmatazz but in ways that have helped to reconnect and deepen connections to God

Pretty good stuff huh?!

As the conference ends and the delegates travel home, it definitely doesn’t feel like an ending. Instead it feels like the start of a new chapter, and it’s exciting to see where it might lead us.