One of the most gratifying aspects of our work is seeing people change their minds, and subsequently their actions. We see repentance, and the freedom it brings. As Jesus said, the truth shall set you free. Everywhere we go, we see this happen right before our eyes.
Recently, Pastor Frank Michael Tweheyo, our African Program Director, traveled to Mozambique and Kenya. He reported that the trip was a great success, particularly in Nairobi, Kenya, where he and his wife Phobice presented the New Man, New Woman, New Life seminar in a three-day seminar to 29 church members.
The following day, Frank presented a talk on “Understanding Family Collapse in Africa” to about 150 clergy members from the area. He explained what Empower is and what they are doing in Kenya. Participants from the three-day seminar also shared what they’d learned.
Frank explains that his presentation to clergy was was a combination of what Carrie Miles has written about Understanding Family Collapse World wide and Frank particularized it to the African context giving African examples. His talk prompted a lively discussion. They were honored to have the Bishop attend the final day of the training.
The seminar and subsequent clergy training was hosted by St. Monica Utawala Parish, the church of Rev. Captain Jackmoris Wachira. Rev. Jackmoris attended our training back in January at St. Paul’s University (read our trip report here) and asked us to return to teach it to his church and to area clergy.
Pastor Frank reported that this particular training was one of the most fulfilling he’s experienced. 
Highlights included a cake with the words “New Man New Woman New Life” written in frosting, and testimonies from a number of leaders attending the training.
Here’s an edited version of his reports:
Every training has its own uniqueness but of all the trainings we’ve been involved in, the one at Utawala was one of the most fulfilling.
The able facilitation of Canon Gideon, Phobice and Frank, as well as an occasional chipping in of Rev. Jackmorris gave a rich package for the participants to take home.
An Empower NMNWNL cake was cut in our closing session on Saturday. This was the greatest fun ever as the emcee (Irene, wife of Jackmorris ) kept the audience laughing by asking the facilitators each to feed the other!
The greatest highlight was in the Sunday English service where the Vicar, Rev Capt. Jackmorris invited all people who had trained in the last three days in front of the congregation and asked about five of the trainees to share surprises they learned in the NMNWNL training.
I was so humbled to see how much people can learn in a short time.
It was very humbling and exciting at the same time to actually see how deeply these people were transformed, how much they got out of the training, and their willingness to extend the ripple effect of transformation to others.
Some of the reactions from the training which Pastor Frank shared in his report include:
As usual, the first three studies (Gen. 1-3) were eye openers as many people found they had never understood the first three chapters of Genesis at all. One of them stood up and said: “I now realize that our Christianity and understanding of the bible has been shallow,” and everyone agreed. The fact that human beings were not cursed because God couldn’t have cursed His own image was a big eye opener, as it often is.
The second issue where we saw people really engage was when we discussed the struggle for power. This had great effect on the participants as the Kenyan (like the rest of much of African) societies are infected with tribalism, corruption and the like, and power struggles occur even in church circles.
Learning of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet and its effect was a great lesson.
One of the greatest lessons was the understanding of how Jesus has given women freedom, but in a way that is contrary to the modern feminism and woman emancipation. While secular feminism sometimes seeks to dis-empower the man, the freedom that Jesus gives empowers the woman while at the same time does not pull the man down. Both of them are empowered to empower each other.
Men learned that submissiveness is not weakness but a way of placing oneself under the other, not being subjected or subjugated but willingly, in order to make the other one better.
This was a very informed and engaging group, some of whom are big leaders in government and business world.
One businessman who owns petrol stations wanted to leave immediately and go but in discussion of Gen.3 (study three), after realizing that what he always believed was not after all true, he decided to stay, choosing the training above his businesses.
Another highlight is that an Empower chapter was opened. Jane Nganga was chosen to lead it a committee which will be responsible for overseeing the program as it spreads to the church weekly fellowships that meet every Tuesday in in communities called districts by the church. The committee members are: Lucas Amunga, Lydia Amondi, Charles Thuku Nganga , Rose Mureithi and Grace Karanu.
The Sunday presentation to clergy concluded with remarks from Bishop Waweru, who said he deeply appreciated the talk and Empower, and said it should have come earlier. He pledged to work hard to take up the challenge of implementing what they learned. The rest agreed with him. The bishop would like to partner with us in the future, be for now, individual churches in the area are already asking for us to come back.