The Blessing of National Faculty
The Empowerment of Local Leaders
One of the keys to Asian Access’ long-term health is the ability of each country to sustain the movement under its own power. One of the most important contributors to sustainability is the development and empowerment of leaders from within each country who can serve as A2 faculty.
David Dayalan, national director for Asian Access/India and A2 vice president for program development, is a strong advocate for in-country faculty.
“Relying solely on foreigners to teach the A2 program is unhealthy,” he says. “It perpetuates the myth that only outsiders can effectively teach leader development. And it discounts the contributions that can be made by gifted leaders whom God has already raised up in our respective countries. These leaders are ready and able to teach their fellow leaders, right now.”
“The key is balance”, says Adrian DeVisser (national director for Asian Access/Sri Lanka and A2 vice president for Partnership Development). “Each country will have its own optimal balance,” he tells us. “But most of the time, a 50/50 balance of foreign and in-country faculty is ideal.”
Mixing It Up in Bangladesh
This ideal is already being realized in Bangladesh, Asian Access’ youngest program. In November, A2/Bangladesh’s third class held the fifth of what will be a total of eight sessions together. The theme was discipleship. And the faculty was a lively foreign/domestic mix.
Veteran faculty member Richard Brohier (who hails from Australia) led key sessions on how leaders can become disciples themselves as well as learn to disciple others. A2 vice president for leader development Noel Becchetti shared a brief devotional and updated the class on the overall Asian Access program, highlighting situations they could be praying for to support their colleagues in other countries.
Three gifted Bangladesh leaders joined Richard and Noel in facilitating the session. Bony Baroi led sessions that dug deep into the theme of discipleship. Lasar Banargee focused on how Jesus sent out his disciples as described in John 17. And A2/Bangladesh co-national director Leor Sarkar shared his testimony, highlighting his personal journey of discipleship.
Bony and Lasar are alumni of Asian Access, having participated in previous A2 Bangladesh classes. They are examples of how Asian Access’ strategic learning communities are producing dynamic, living fruit—capable, effective leaders like Bony and Lasar who invest themselves into the lives of subsequent classes of emerging leaders, all for the growth of the Kingdom and the glory of God.
Empowering Leaders on the National Level
We give thanks for the leadership of Leor (left) and co-national director Peter Debakar Mazumder (right) as they build a growing pool of leaders equipped to build into the lives of their colleagues in Bangladesh.
And we give thanks to God as He continues to guide the leaders of all of our A2 countries on the road to sustainability.
Noel Becchetti
VP for Leader Development
More Information
A2 on YouTube 
