There has been a lot of talk today of journeys. 

Hardly surprising, considering the many different routes that delegates have taken to travel to MRDF's first Strength to Strength conference.  But we have all now arrived at our destination, some later than expected due to delayed or missed flights, and found ourselves in a spacious, airy centre run by the Christian Relief and Development Association for community organisations to meet and learn together. 

The first session of the conference began this morning with remembering another kind of journey: that which MRDF has taken as an organisation in recent years.  A journey from simply giving grants to a new focus on supporting overseas partners to grow and develop into strong organisations.  As Kirsty, MRDF's Director, put it this morning: it was as if we used to give people maize, but now we help people grow maize for themselves.  However this is a journey where we haven't arrived at the destination, because this kind of learning and growing never stops being important.

Today's learning began right from the first session - as participants interviewed each other to get know one another better and to find out little known facts about their colleagues.  Through this I've already learnt who does 30 press ups before breakfast, who has been a national athletics competitor and who considers himself a fast and frightening driver!  The formal workshops have started too and groups are now engaging in aminated discussions on fundraising, participation and managing projects - with no sign of flagging yet.

As to where this journey will take us, who knows?  A conversation over lunch with a Ugandan participant provided one suggestion: "Next year's conference must be in Uganda..." she said. So watch this space....