"There are not many jobs where you can actually see a change or know you changed someone's life. That's how I see this ministry," said Pastor Randy Harwood. "We're giving people something that can change their lives and make a community better through what we do."
Harwood has been named as the new director for Solar Oven Partners (SOP), a mission ministry of the Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church. For 23 years, SOP has distributed over 12,500 ovens to families who helped build and learn to use them in the Dominican Republic, Sierra Leone, and, most recently, the Navajo Nation in Arizona and New Mexico.
The director position became open after the sudden death of Christopher Sylvah, the previous director. Harwood, a bi-vocational pastor serving part-time at Casselton United Methodist Church in North Dakota, learned about the opening from his district superintendent after he was downsized from his full-time job.
"I told Kris [Mutzenberger, northeast district superintendent], well maybe this is a time when I go more into full-time ministry, whether it's going to a different church later on next year or if you know of anything else," recalled Pastor Randy. "She said, 'You know they're looking still for a director of the Solar Oven ministry.'"
A call to Al Roll, the conference missional impact development coach who was working with the search team, was the first step, which ultimately led to a couple of rounds of interviews culminating in an invitation to step into the director role.
Harwood brings many gifts and experiences to the position that will be an asset to Solar Oven Partners' mission and ministry. In addition to serving as a United Methodist pastor for the past 10 years, Randy most recently worked as a recruiter for a talent acquisition firm, a vocation that utilized his people skills and ability to connect with a wide variety of constituents.
"I am very excited that Randy has extensive recruiting experience!" said Karen Workman, a lay member of the SOP Advisory board from Bismarck McCabe UMC. "His recruiting skills will serve him well when he builds Volunteer-in-Mission teams for SOP's mission trips!"
Harwood also brings experience in higher education career services—a job that involved training and educating others and equipping them with the skills to thrive.
"When I was an instructor and a career service advisor in higher education, I liked opening people's eyes to what the potential could be for them," said Randy.
Randy sees this passion for helping people realize possibilities for new opportunities and transformation as a gift of Solar Oven Partners' work with individuals and communities.
"It's that one person at a time kind of mentality," shared Pastor Randy. "If we can change even just one life to make it better for people, then there's no telling what that person can do in return. And if we can do that multiple times over in our ministry, then it's all worth it."
As Randy begins this new vocational chapter, he joins an active Advisory Board and committed SOP volunteer team that have been instrumental in the ongoing impact of SOP since its inception, especially during times of staff transition, including through the dedicated work of the search process.
"I want to say a sincere thanks to the search committee for all they did," said Rev. Phil Lint, retired Dakotas elder who chairs the advisory board. "They did a very good job for us. We're looking forward to having [Randy] as a co-leader with the rest of us, and we believe that we can have a good future together."
That spirit of collaboration and relational value affirmed Randy as the right person for the job and created excitement about the ministry's future potential and Randy's role in that.
"Empowering others through self-help is the mission of SOP," said Workman. "Building relationships, especially when it manifests in empowering others, is something Randy understands and is equipped to do well."
"We are really excited to bring Randy on board as our new director of Solar Oven Partners," added Roll. "His skill set includes solid relationship building, excellent training and teaching experience, and a very calm and welcoming presence that is much needed in mission-oriented leadership."
Gene Bethke, who runs the workshop in Raymond, S.D., and was a part of the search committee, echoed hope for how Randy's gifts align with the Board's hopes for the future, which include things such as teaching cooking schools and reducing dependence on wood and charcoal; making a way to have safe drinking water and cooking with no smoke that causes fatal lung infections; helping people experiencing poverty have an affordable way to cook food; and improving outreach and exploring expansion.
"Randy will bring his previous background experiences and a host of new ideas," said Bethke. "I am confident he will handle every branch of our needs and learn all the ropes it takes to lead teams, coordinate workshops, and help line up volunteers."
Harwood also shares this hope and excitement, believing that God has called him to this ministry for such a time as this.
"I am excited just to be a part of this ministry," said Pastor Randy. "It's one of the first times in my life where I've just given everything to God and said, 'OK God, you know I don't have a job. You've got plans for me. Let me know what they are. You know that I will follow and do whatever.'"
"I really feel like this whole process was very God-inspired and led."
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For more information about the work of Solar Oven Partners, check out their Facebook page.