As part of Empower’s ongoing partnership with Teen Challenge in Kenya, our Africa Director Frank Michael Tweheyo recently welcomed more than 130 participants to a training at the Teen Challenge headquarters in Nairobi. Here is his report (the third in a series from his recent trip to Kenya).
Empower has been partnering with Teen Challenge since 2014, taking the ladies and gentlemen being rehabilitated from alcohol and drug addiction through the New Man, New Woman, New Life material for all the three campuses (the ladies’ campus, Nakuru and main center on Kiambu Road).
Over the years since then, this partnership has born fruit and now TC calls Empower “Family.” The Master Class training happened right after my recent Master Class and Training of Trainers at St. Paul’s University.
When I visited Teen Challenge in December 2021, I provided an overview of the New Man, New Woman, New Life training materials. After a conversation with Rev. Dr. Emily Obwaka, the new director of Teen Challenge, she graciously invited Empower to provide the NMNWNL training as part of their 2022 Spiritual Emphasis Week.
Due to the size constraints of the Kiambu Center, the training was held at the Kenya Assemblies of God New Beginnings Christian Center in Nairobi. They have spacious facilities and they are the spiritual oversight for Teen Challenge.
Due to the number of participants exceeding 130 (students, staff and some of their parents), we decided that it would be good to divide the group into three classes so as to get a manageable number per class. I asked some of our recent Training of Trainers graduates from St. Paul’s (read more about them here), and some others from previous Master Classes to join me as facilitators.
As such we had Elizabeth Ndabi and John Kabogo from the TOT, as well as Joseph Kajani and Nancy Wangiru from our previous MC. It was an honor to be with them, as well as to see them help put into effect what they had been taught in the MC and TOT trainings. Also among them were Bishop Phineas Mwiti-Murega and Dr. Campbell Mumbi.
We began with the entire group attending one plenary session, then divide into the three classes. From there we divided further into different study groups. We made sure we equitably distributed the three campuses as well as ladies so that all groups were studying together. We would then wrap up together as one plenary session in the evening to make sure we finish the day at the same page.
Listening to the stories of these dear saints as we grappled with cultural and social challenges was (and will ever be) the most fulfilling time in the NMNWNL seminars. To see these beautiful ladies get to grips with how patriarchal cultural practices have contributed to their street life, as well as what redemption and recovery through Jesus means to them, is totally gratifying! Many whose families had disintegrated when they ended on streets, saw a glimmer of hope for family renewal when they finish the rehabilitation program with Teen Challenge.
Several participants who graced the training had had the opportunity to go through the NMNWNL material on our prior visits to Teen Challenge. They testified that the seminar was one of those turn-around programs that helped change and re-shape their lives. Among them is Diana, who is back to work with Teen Challenge as a staff and goes back to the streets to help girls find new life, as well as Wendy Wangare, who is back to her profession as a lawyer as well as leading “Celebrate Recovery” programs around Nairobi.
Joseph Kajani, one of our facilitators, was also a student at TC and he was one of the first people we met at TC when he was already a staff member. He is now a member of the TC Africa Alumni committee and always makes sure to mention Empower and NMNWNL to all their meetings. He has also connected us to different directors of TC in some African countries, including Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria and Burundi. We’ve already done a training for the Uganda Chapter, and hopefully we will engage with others as well.
During the final session, Dr. Bundi and Dr. Mwangi from St. Paul’s University graced the training as well as helping to give out certificates. In this session, Dr. Emily and the staff of TC delivered a gift to me on behalf of Empower, to celebrate the partnership. The caption and the plaque signify Empower as family (DNA) with TC! The gift drove some tears in my eyes!
I was informed that due to the impact the NMNWNL material is having on the students, one of the bi-annual Spiritual Emphasis Weeks will always be handed to Empower.
Soli Deo Gloria!