Our recent training in Rwanda at East African Christian College brought life-chaning truth to participants. Africa Program Director Frank Michael Tweheyo reported on this successful training (read Part 1 here) of New Man, New Woman, New Life. Here is part 2, which includes a few highlights of responses to the training:
Felicien, one of the community leaders in his parish, said that knowing these truths sets us free. He understood for the first time that children are not a commandment, but a blessing, and that marriage is complete even when children are not there. He understood that both culture and western civilization has obscured the original intention of God in creating man and woman. He said he came to see that only understanding the bible in the framework of creation, fall and redemption will bring transformation.
Clemantine said that women have always been taught (and believed) that they were created last and were cursed by God. She was so relieved to know that in God’s original intention, both men and women were created in His image and they were not cursed. She always believed that labor pains were curses from God, now she knows that all painful sorrows are a consequence of human’s disobedience. She was happy to learn that the woman was also given dominion alongside the man and that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head, a prophecy of Jesus at the cross.
Clare, after studying through the “curse” section, was shocked that man and woman were never cursed but received the consequences of their disobedience. She also saw a great need for reading the bible deeper than has been, especially not reading it from lenses of culture.
Thomas, one of those who participated actively in the class, has always believed that the woman was cursed but not the man. He had also believed athat it is the man (male) who was created first and hence the biblically justified superior posture of the man over the woman. He now got to know that they were created at the same time and both of them were created in the image of God. He also got to learn that husband and wife don’t only complement but complete each other.
Aloys, another dynamic participant, learned that culture has closed our eyes to biblical truth. He encouraged participants to begin putting on biblical lenses.
Bishop Dr. Emily Onyango, the First Woman Bishop in Africa, (from the Anglican Diocese of Bondo) who had come to lecture on church history at the EACC, visited the training. She knew all the facilitators of Empower and has well met Dr Carrie Miles. She reintroduced all of us at a more personal level which spiced the class. She mentioned that gender equality is one of her areas of interest and research and encouraged us to dive deeper into the NMNWNL message. Receiving the first woman Bishop in Africa when having such discussion really capped the day positively.
Some of the surprises from the Genesis material were a deeper understanding of Ezer Kenegdo. (see this post for more info on that). Being in the rural Rwanda where oppression of women is part of the bride-price culture, many participants were shocked and thrilled to learn that the Bible actually teaches that woman is not inferior to man but is a strong help to him. Several women had come in with young breastfeeding babies and kept listening while attending to their kids. It was thrilling to see them clapping and singing after hearing these truths.
Genesis 3 (The Fall and Curse material) surprised almost all the participants, because they have been taught a different interpretation of the creation story. Ivone, reading from her bible, was left speechless with her mouth open, having read for the first time that the man was in the garden with the woman when the human was being tempted. Others were shocked to know that the fruit talked about in this passage of the bible is not sex (contrary to popular beliefs and teachings of several biblical institutions).
Others were shocked to learn that Eve was not the original name of the Woman, but Adam named her Eve not because of companionship (which had been lost in the Fall), but because she had a new identity, valued because of her ability to produce children. In the culture where producing children (especially boys) gives value to women, this was a very strong pill to take. From bone of my bones, a naked and unashamed relationship, to Eve, valued only for producing children, was a downward journey that is still affecting cultures all over.
Bishop Louis Muvunyi of the Anglican Diocese of Kigali as well as the Chaplain of the College said that if he had a microphone that could reach the whole country and indeed the whole world, he would shout the message learned today, so as to facilitate biblical transformation. That comment sent us home anticipating more for the next day.
When the Bishop, Rt. Rev. Ngendahayo, Bishop visited, he gave the following remarks:
1-He thanked God for connecting to Frank and thereafter Dr. Carrie Miles and the Empower teams. Knowing and working with Empower has added value to what the Diocese stands for, to help in healing the wounds of the past and to transform communities holistically.
2- He used the scripture in John 15:15-16, urging participants to be friends of Jesus and each other. That is the whole essence of redemption: Love of God and love of each other. That is what gives husband, wife, children, co-workers biblical equality. Any sense of superiority is against the biblical teaching of love because love is a caring concern for one another.
3-He challenged participants to live what they had learned and make sure that the people they represent heard and understand the message.
4-The diocesan staff, especially Archdeacon Ven. Discimus would be following up the teachings and report on the impact.
