GHI Summer Newsletter 2026 – Rising Together: Leadership Rooted in Community

By Trudy Barsness | August 17, 2026

GHI Summer Newsletter

August 2026

Rising Together: Leadership Rooted in Community

In May, GHI had the privilege of hosting a landmark leadership training in Uganda, the first gathering of its kind in GHI’s history. The East Africa Leadership Development Conference brought together project leaders from Uganda, Kenya, and South Sudan for a week of shared learning, collaboration, and vision‑building. Along the way, leaders sharpened core leadership abilities, deepened relationships, exchanged hard‑earned wisdom, and strengthened the sense of unity that drives GHI’s work across the region. Training topics included strategic planning, fundraising, and ministry governance.

Watch highlights from the East Africa Leadership Development Conference

Watch highlights from the conference as Dr. Anna Muhovich-Bera shares the vision behind the week.
(Interview by Manas James Okony, journalist and ministry leader partnering with Healing of Nations, a GHI project serving in South Sudan.)

In addition to leadership training sessions led by GHI board members, a significant portion of the conference was dedicated to project leaders teaching one another in their area of expertise. The Navigators of Uganda team led sessions on “Discipleship for Development”, a holistic faith-based approach in which the community members themselves fully engage in identifying problems and solutions, thus creating long-term sustainable change.

To see this in action, the conference participants visited a community where the Navigators had been working. The community members proudly told their stories of how using these techniques has brought peace and how they are implementing strategies for healthy homes. In one community, misunderstandings between neighbors had escalated to the point where people were poisoning one another. After the Navigators began training community leaders and helping neighbors see one another differently, the practice stopped. Today, neighbors gather peacefully, sharing meals and working together.

Rev. Domnic Misolo, director of IFAGE, led a session teaching biblical gender equity and creating safe spaces for community conversations. A lively discussion followed about what biblical gender equity looks like, examining belief systems and cultural perspectives.

During the week, project leaders were encouraged to share their own expertise and collaborate throughout the sessions.

Beyond the training sessions, GHI's board members noted some shared cultural experiences that made the week memorable:

“It was amazing to see leaders come together, navigating across cultures to work together and network. Through the praise and worship music and doing community outreach together, there was a sense of spiritual renewal.”

“There was a respectful feeling during the handwashing ceremony, bringing out a jug of water and soap to wash before eating.”

“We were served Matoke at each meal, a traditional food. Its starchy green bananas steamed in leaves, mashed, and served with stews.”

Participants expressed overwhelming appreciation for the conference and asked for future leadership gatherings. Sessions on strategic planning, communication, fundraising, leadership training, and the Navigators’ site visit were identified as most meaningful. They also enjoyed the time to meet other ministry leaders and share ideas. Participants left with strategies they could immediately implement within their ministries. They shared how they plan to create sustainability measures, use new skills for reporting, adopt budgeting practices, improve training methods to include student exercises, and much more. It was described as an “eye-opener” to learning across topics.

There were some challenges along the way too. It was hot, around 85 degrees with no air-conditioning and the electricity went out periodically. During the week, concerns arose as the Ebola outbreak in neighboring DRC developed. The GHI team stayed informed and adjusted transportation plans for an additional level of safety.

We were encouraged to hear our project leaders describe GHI as a very caring fiscal sponsor. They shared how fiscal sponsorship builds trust, serving as a bridge between the project teams working in the communities and supporters who make that work possible.

❤️ Thank you to everyone who gave financial support for the East Africa Leadership Development Conference. We could not have offered this training opportunity without you.

Also, thank you to Ronald Mazune and the Navigators team for organizing the logistics in Uganda and leading sessions. Thank you to Rev. Domnic Misolo for leading a session, and we are grateful to each of the project leaders who made the trip to Mbale, Uganda, to attend.

Thank you to our board members who hosted the conference, leading sessions and volunteering their time: Dr. Anna Muhovich-Bera (conference lead), Dr. Nan Muhovich, Rev. Dr. Leon Rodrigues, and Rev. Colin Miller.

New Partner Projects

Our doors are always open to launch new projects. This spring we welcomed a local project into partnership, currently serving alongside a church in northern Minnesota.

Feed My Sheep - USA

Partnering with Mt. Rose Community Church in Grand Portage, MN, to disciple young women and build Kingdom-minded relationships with eternal impact through Bible studies, conferences, and retreats.

Visit: Feed My Sheep

News from the Office

Know someone launching a new ministry project or nonprofit?

Our team is happy to answer questions and help project leaders determine whether fiscal sponsorship is the right fit for their vision.

Forward this newsletter to a pastor, church leader, or someone who may find these resources helpful.

What is a Fiscal Sponsor?

7 Common Myths About Starting Your Own Nonprofit

The seed cast on fertile earth is the one who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond their wildest dreams.”

Matthew 13:23, The MSG

Thank you for your prayer and support of Global Horizons Inc. and our partners!

Questions? We'd love to hear from you.

Daan Klem, GHI President and Director of Operations, daan@globalhz.org
651-417-3138

Trudy Barsness, GHI Director of Communications, trudy@globalhz.org

612-294-0419