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Business unusual by Andy Corbus ’91
▲ THE LESLIES:
Cooper, Brittany, Todd and Emmerson
Daybreak arrives a full eight hours before it arrives at Olivet. A hemisphere away, Olivet graduates Todd Leslie ’03/’07 MBA and wife Brittany (Driffill) ’05 are serving as missionaries — in a very untra ditional sense of the word — in Johannesburg, South Africa. Todd and Brittany were married in 2005, having met at Olivet in 2002. From the beginning, it was clear they had similar interests: both majored in education, and both shared a passion for international ministry. They had each independently completed some of their studies abroad, and both had ventured out on a variety of volunteer mission trips, from Europe to South America. It was on one of these trips that Todd began to understand that the plan for his life included missions. “It became very clear to me that God had a non-pastoral plan for me that would take me well outside my stereotype of a missionary. It also became clear that additional education would be needed. For me, Olivet was the natural and desired choice.” While Todd knew that his life experiences had been preparing him for the mission field, he also knew he needed to deepen his skill set. So he began the masters of business in administration (MBA) program in what he describes as a leap of faith. “I had not taken any courses in business since high school,” he explains, “and I showed absolutely no natural inclination toward business. Much to my surprise, once the decision was made and the courses were started, God blessed me with an amazing passion for business, strategy and leadership development.”
▲ Todd Leslie ’03/’07 MBA (3rd from right, back row) oversees daily operations of the Church of the Nazarene’s regional office in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Upon the completion of his MBA, Todd and Brittany, along with new baby Emmerson, accepted a ministry assignment, packed up their belongings, trained for the mission field, and moved to South Africa in January 2009. Todd is now the administrative coordinator for the African Region of the Church of the Nazarene. His responsibilities include property management, human resources, consultation, labor law consultation, and management of the regional office. When asked how his education and business degrees apply to the mission field, Todd is quick to explain, “Every course that was a part of the MBA curriculum has proven to be invaluable in my preparation and practice of ministry — everything from the understanding that was gained in managerial accounting and finance, to the teamwork and conflict-resolution required when working in cohorts.” Regarding his education degree, Todd adds, “I constantly find myself teaching or developing staff and leaders here in Africa, building on the principles and foundation of my undergraduate degree in education.” Both Todd and Brittany are actively involved in the ministry and local community. In addition to supporting the ministry, Brittany helps with curriculum development for their church and is a busy mom with two-year-old Emmerson and one-year-old Cooper. She will become even busier with the arrival of their third child in April. Todd and Brittany are enjoying the family oriented culture of South Africa. Brittany explains, “If there’s a meeting at work, the kids come. That’s been the biggest blessing for me: how understanding and open the church has been to me being a mom first.” Most functions involve family, which helps the Leslies stay connected in a busy time of their lives. When asked what advice he would give to others uncertain about their future, Todd quotes Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
“Every course that was a part of the MBA curriculum has proven to be invaluable in my preparation and practice of ministry .”
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