If you’ve been connected with Seeds of Hope for any time at all, you’ve heard us talk about the incredible value of project teams that come to visit Jericho. They are integral to the work we do in the community, but more than that, they are a profound source of encouragement and hope for our staff team.
One of the ways we’re experimenting with new ways to reach our community and impact our staff is through business-focused project teams. We hosted our first project team of business leaders last fall and were thrilled to welcome back another team just last week.
This latest group of business leaders from Atlanta, Georgia, spent time meeting with government officials, hosting a career orientation for local high school students, and facilitating workshops for community members. However, some of our favorite time with them was the dedicated staff development sessions where the team poured into our staff and facilitated conversations around leadership growth and development.
“The Seeds of Hope team members are like sponges. They’re always so ready to learn,” shared Fran LaMattina, one of our Seeds of Hope board members who facilitated a session on The Six Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni. “In the past, we’ve worked on personalities and interpersonal relationships. This time, we talked about working styles to help team members lead from their areas of God-given strength and make the team stronger and more effective.”
PHOTO: We had so many great meetings and gathering with our staff and other community leaders while they were in Jericho!
This kind of training and insight is invaluable for our team and one of the many things that set Seeds of Hope apart in Jericho. We strive to keep growing as leaders so we can continue developing leaders in our community—whether it’s next-generation leaders in our After-School Program, local women in the Shine program, or adding value to local business leaders through trips just like this one.
One of the unique aspects of this trip were the workshops that Seeds of Hope offered to the community. They were centered around hospitality—one of the main economic focuses in Jericho—and entrepreneurship, plus a special gathering for the women of our Shine program to meet with the female leaders on the trip.
The project team was able to not only add value to local businesses by teaching business philosophy and leadership strategies but also include core values just like we do in our schools. Topics like love, mutual respect, and forgiveness can help us all in life and in business, and this was a great opportunity to start some of these conversations with our community. We hope this is the first of many community outreach events focused on local business leaders.
But like every project team, the real value is in the relationships, and this team was no different. Working at a place like Seeds of Hope in a predominantly Muslim community can be difficult at times and even isolating. The support and camaraderie of project teams breathe new life into our staff. For some team members, it was their first time in Jericho, but for others, they got to see the progress that Seeds of Hope has made since their last visit.
“This trip reinforced how God is working through Seeds of Hope in Jericho. I witnessed firsthand the new facilities for fifth and sixth graders and all the smiling faces filling those beautiful new spaces to capacity. One year ago, this same space was nothing more than a vacant lot!”
–Andy Hearn, Project Team Leader
Whether they were brand-new to Seeds of Hope or long-time visitors, we were fast friends with this incredible group of leaders. “Sometimes you meet people for the first time and feel like you’ve known them for ages,” said Seeds of Hope CEO Khader Ghanim. “That’s how the staff and I felt with this business team—like they were family immediately.”
These business-focused trips are evidence of how much Seeds of Hope has grown in our influence in the city and our own leadership and personal development. We’re so grateful for your support, which has opened doors to keep leading and impacting our community. “It feels like the Seeds of Hope family is expanding in Jericho and beyond,” said Khader. “We are so thankful to the business team for this!”
