Panel of Elders

The International Panel of Elders was formed at the 1999 global consultation in South Africa. It consists of up to twelve individuals, with a wide background knowledge and understanding of IofC’s world fellowship, to encourage spiritual growth, and where necessary, work for healing and reconciliation within and around the IofC network.

The Elders are an informal 'resource body' supporting the world fellowship of Initiatives of Change and the International Council. The Elders are mandated to take proactive steps to preserve the spirit of IofC and its effective outreach, and also to strengthen the accompaniment aspect in of IofC’s activities. 

The Emerging Agents of Change programme is an international accompanying-mentoring initiative launched by the Panel of Elders in 2021. 

Barbara was born in Brisbane where she initially came across Initiatives of Change when she was 21. She experienced a personal transformation to a new and constructive direction in her life and in her large family.  She went on to work on a full-time voluntary basis with IofC 1970-85 in Europe, India and Australia. Barbara has over 20 years’ experience in Human Resources and Industrial Relations in two of Australia’s largest media organizations in Sydney (retired from Australian Broadcasting Corporation in June 2011) where she attained a Master’s Degree in Business (Employment Relations). She relocated from Melbourne to Brisbane in April 2017.

Since 2003, Barbara has been particularly inspired by many visits to Indonesia and to Timor-Leste, working with IofC’s young team.  She has a calling to build bridges of trust and friendship between Australia and its neighbors. She feels Indonesia has much to give the world through its struggle for democracy and through its sound and true Islamic leadership which in turn builds bridges of trust across the world’s divides. 

From 2010-2014, Barbara was IofC Australia’s National Coordinator. This was followed by roles in a new organizational structure for IofC Australia; and currently in a transitionary role of Convenor, Network, Activities and Connections. She is also the Queensland representative on the Creators of Peace National Advisory Group Australia. 

Barbara is passionate about supporting IofC’s ongoing transition and growth as a channel of transformational and empowering values needed in the world, bringing its dynamic and unique approach of connecting the personal with the global. 

Megumi was born in 1952, and brought up in Tokyo and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Tamagawa University and a Master’s degree in Human Security from the Dept. of Political Science, Doshisha Graduate University. 

In 1974, she attended her first IofC International Conference in Caux and subsequently trained with IofC in the UK. In 1975, while touring Europe and Canada with the MRA musical Song of Asia, she made lifelong friends from Asia and the Pacific as well as other continents. Through their life stories, Megumi learned what Japan had done to other people in Asia and around the world, and decided to dedicate the rest of her life to spread the message of IofC.  She worked full time for three and a half years with IofC in Brazil, alongside Latin American team.

Returning to Asia, Megumi worked for five years with Cambodian people, Korean Buddhists, and Japanese Christians. She assisted in developing a support team for the younger generations of Cambodians to have access to education, but also helped to encourage farmers to play their part in building a better society. 

In Megumi’s words, ‘As an ordinary Japanese I have sought to build bridges of trust within Asia and the world.  I live by the belief that by learning together everyone can discover more of their own strength. Wherever we are, and whatever situation we are in, people around the world will be able to fulfill their unique potential and have the strength to bring light into this needy world.  This part of the world [Japan and Asia] has yet to be able to offer its own unique strengths to respond to the world’s needs.’

Daphrose was born in 1956 in the Kayanza province of Burundi.  The only child of a modest Christian family, she grew up privileged.  She shares her life with her husband Angelo Barampama and they have 3 sons.

Her strong political stand in Burundi pushed her on to the path of exile in 1988; then on to Switzerland which offered protection and political asylum and where she became naturalized Swiss in 2001.  Daphrose is proud to be a good Swiss as well as Burundian. Winner of the ‘Woman in Exile, Committed Woman’ award from the city of Geneva in 2007. She served as the President of Creators of Peace International from 2013 to 2016.

In the 1990s, she joined Initiatives of Change through GRETA (Group for Research and Engagement in the current Turmoil) based in Geneva.  It is from there she became involved with Creators of Peace (CoP) after participating in their international conference in Kampala, Uganda in 2005.

Undertaking training in order to support CoP she became a certified facilitator of peace circles in 2009. By becoming a Creators of Peace international volunteer, she has promoted peace circles to multicultural audiences in Europe (Switzerland and France) and francophone Africa: Burundi, Cameroon, Mali, Mauritania, Democratic Republic of the Congo.  She was able to use the methodology of CoP to facilitate honest dialogue between the leaders of the various political and fighting factions in Casamance/Senegal.

Currently, Daphrose is responsible for project Muntunuwundi - circles of peace and development, based on the value of universal Ubuntu, accessible to the public of the Region of Great Lakes.  She also serves as a mentor to the many Initiatives of Change teams in Africa.

Roy was introduced to Initiatives of Change at the MRA/IofC Centre in 1985 at Coolmoreen Farm, which is in Gweru, Zimbabwe as student on industrial attachment.  Upon graduation, he taught Agriculture in secondary schools in Harare and Bindura for two years and during this time he maintained links with IofC.  In January 1988, he and his wife Tafadzwa were invited by the Council of Management to Coolmoreen Farm and Conference Centre in Gweru to run the farming units which comprised of a dairy, poultry breeding, and cropping enterprises.  

Roy learnt a lot about both IofC and commercial farming from the late Peter and Jean Loch together with the late Professor Emeritus Jesse Williams, who was a specialist in Dairy Science from the United States.  Due to his experience of IofC at Coolmoreen he decided to live a life guided by the values of IofC. It was during his tenure that the farm experienced its most productive years in the post-independence era. After five years at Coolmoreen, a new calling drove he and his family to Botswana. He worked for 15 years for the Government of Botswana where he was involved in various capacities introducing Agriculture in secondary schools throughout the country.

After teaching Agriculture in secondary schools in Zimbabwe and Botswana for nearly 20 years, he retired from active employment but maintains interest in sustainable farming methods and rural development. Roy was part of the cohort Workshop for Africa in 2013 which led he and his teammates to South Sudan for peace mobilizing efforts. He is currently the Secretary General of MRA/IofC Zimbabwe and is involved with efforts to reclaim the IofC Centre in Zimbabwe which had been taken away by the government for resettlement purposes. He is also Convener for the African Coordination Group (ACG).

Florence was born in 1952 and spent most of her childhood abroad in USA, Lebanon and Algeria. When she was 12 years old, she became aware that she was French, but hardly knew her own country. At 15, she moved to France and one year later, she discovered Moral Re-Armament (now Initiatives of Change). One of her first changes was to open herself to France, which she had longed to discover, but which she found difficult to adapt to.

She realised that ‘big doors turn on small hinges’ and that inner listening can lead to personal changes. These changes, which seem small at first, can have far bigger consequences. Her first ‘small hinge’ moment was to follow the thought that she needed to apologise to someone. In doing following this inner guidance and seeking forgiveness she began to walk on a new life path.

After her secretarial studies she worked full time with Initiatives of Change for 13 years. She worked in Europe, took part in two itinerant shows: ‘Time to choose’ in Europe and southern Africa, and ‘Poor man, rich man’ in Europe and northern America. She also lived a few months in Latin America with Jean-Louis, whom she married in 1983; they have had four children. After several years teaching in primary school, she retired in July 2018.

Lorne comes from a Mennonite Anabaptist tradition. That immigrant and faith upbringing have helped shape his worldview and informed his life choices.

With training in theology, linguistics, building technology, and political and ethnic conflict analysis, Lorne’s work experience has included building inspection, teaching, and non-profit management: working and consulting with NGOs, the private sector and the Canadian Government.

He has travelled extensively, including three years working in Ethiopia. His various work situations have included coaching and mentoring, some of which he continues to do on a volunteer basis.

Lorne has been active in IofC for over 30 years, alternating between a domestic and international focus. He has been on the IofC Canada board at various times, and also served for six years as Treasurer on the International Council.

Having recently ended his international humanitarian consulting work after 24 years, Lorne and his wife Joyce are part of a community which operates Rivendell Retreat Centre on the west coast of Canada.

Fung Ming associated with the MRA/IofC programs in Australia, Europe and India in mid 80’s.

A production engineer by training, she taught in the higher education in UK for 5 years, then in Hong Kong’s vocational education for another 23 years until her retirement in 2018.

Since 2001, the "Action for Life" and the "Chinese in Action" program participants would come to Hong Kong as one of their outreach services.  Fung Ming has actively helped organizing visits and activities for these two programs. She now serves as a Life Worker focusing in the area of Life Sensitivity Training and Deep Healing.