CBM-LSESD Peer Assessment in Process

Following being assessed by their partners [LSESD included] in 2010, the Canadian Baptist Ministries [CBM] began a three-year process of meeting with and assessing their global partners. This week it is LSESD’s turn. A CBM team consisting of the Director of International Partnerships Terry Smith, International Programs Manager Judy Webb, Human Resources Manager Sharlene Craig, and Director of B.Ed. Program at the Tyndale University College Carla Nelson arrived in Lebanon over the weekend and teamed up with a Lebanese team consisting of the Director of Operations of Life Agape International Edmond Georgi, Bible Society’s Tom Hoglind, the Beirut Baptist School’s Principal Pierre Rahal, and its Chaplain Tony Haddad, forming together the CBM-LSESD Assessment team.

The assessment process is intended to assist our two organizations [LSESD and CBM] move forward together in Kingdom service through better understanding of LSESD’s vision, mission, values, resources, skills, management and planning process. As Rev. Terry Smith puts it, “It is intended to enable both LSESD and CBM to lay out a road map for capacity building and greater effectiveness through our partnership. CBM has already conducted similar assessments in Bolivia, El Salvador, Angola, Rwanda, Kenya, Congo (DRC) and India. The LSESD assessment is the final one of this cycle.”

The Assessment team launched the process this morning in a meeting with the LSESD leadership represented by the Chairman of the Board Samir Abi Shdid, and LSESD’s Executive Director Nabil Costa who had himself served on the team that assessed CBM in 2010. Also present were the heads of the LSESD divisions and ministries that are included in the assessment process. The process will continue for several days and will include meetings with various ministry leaders and staff, also with representatives of the wider constituency.

The CBM-LSESD partnership agreement was officially signed in April 2008 with the objective of providing an environment for mission that will enrich Lebanese and Canadian Baptists Churches and allow their members to engage in integral mission. Over the years, this partnership facilitated the secondment to Lebanon of LSESD’s Director for Relief and Development Rupen Das, and LSESD’s Program Officer Greg Matthews.  Also, the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary’s president Elie Haddad.

As we complete five years of partnering together, the assessment process is a very healthy and engaging excercise that both partners – LSESD and CBM – are looking forward to learning from as they develop plans for the years to come.