Empower Trip Report January 2015 Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, India

Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, and India

Carrie Miles, Donell Peck, and Mary Dee Foft

By Carrie Miles

Africa

Americans ministers: Carrie Miles, Donell Peck, and Mary Dee Foft

African team: Uganda, Burundi- Pastor Frank Tweheyo, Canon Gideon Kwizera

Kenya- Frank, Pastor Phobice Tweheyo, and Mr. Stephen Olang

Empower’s reception in Africa has changed. I had a strong sense this trip that we are in the right place at the right time. We have always been well-received, but in the beginning, participants came not knowing what to expect or why they needed it. The organizers of the programs certainly knew, but there was a bit of the sense of, “Come look at these Americans bringing us a new teaching.” The excitement came at the end, when the message of God’s love, even for women, had soaked in.

This year, there was excitement before we even began. Over and over again, the people we worked with gave me the sense that this message was something for which they had been looking. As Stephen Olang, our Empower partner in Nairobi, explained it, many African governments were working hard to improve the treatment of women. Kenya, like Uganda and Rwanda, have reserved one-third of the seats in their parliament for women MPs. Moreover, Africans are very concerned about the family deterioration they see. But they are at a lost as to what to do about it.

Empower offers a Bible-based tool to raise up women, a tool that the Bible-conscious Africans can respect, and one that lifts up men and family as well. Time and time again, we heard, yes, we want this program. It will heal our nation.

The quickness with which some people picked up the ideas was also exciting. There was an archdeacon in Nairobi who had studied these issues on his own and had obviously come to the same conclusions, often citing relevant scripture just before we got to them in the program. A professor at Mekane Yesus Seminary in Ethiopia also caught the vision quickly: “Oh,” he said, after we discussed the Creation ideal in Genesis 2, “so equality is necessary, but the point is really about unity.” Yes!

In chronological order:

Bishop Cranmer and Peace (translating) program in Kisoro

Kisoro graduates

Anglican Bishop of Kisoro, Uganda – Sent his archdeacons and Mother’s Union leaders to receive the training, and charged them to take it to the whole diocese.

Frank Tweheyo and a fellow who “photo bombed” us as we stopped to look at the view.

Anglican Bishop of Kigezi, Uganda – Decided that this will be their program for the Year of the Family.

Meeting with bishop of Kigezi — Canon Jovahn, Bishop George, Carrie, Frank, Canon Gideon

Kabale, Uganda — Meeting with Bishop George of Kigezi Diocese. Canon Jovahn, Bishop George, Carrie, Donell, Frank

Canon Jovahn, Carrie, Donell, Principal Manuel, Frank at Bishop Barham University College

Part of Empower team at Bishop Barham University College

Principal (president) of Bishop Barham University College (Uganda) – This should but taught in all our school and go to the whole country.

Kijiji Guesthouse, Africa International University

African International University, Karen, Kenya – Wants to integrate the material throughout their curriculum and partner with Empower in doing research on the African family.

Meeting with professor Bundi, St. Paul University

St. Paul University, Limuru, Kenya – Wants to offer the program to their whole campus and in their satellite campuses as well.

Archbishop of Burundi – Asked for his bishops to be trained, and directed that this message be taught in the entire province of Burundi.

Canon Gideon, Donell, Mary Dee, Archbishop Bernard, Carrie, Bishop Ernest, Frank

Rt. Rev. Ernest Bicgirimana, Anglican Bishop of Bujumbura, Burundi

Certificates, Executive Session, Bujumbura

Chantal, Laurent, and family plus some extra children

Bishop of Bujumbura, Burundi – This will heal the country.

Faculty at Mekane Yesus Seminary in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Want to integrate the material into their curriculum.

INDIA

American team: Donell Peck, Carrie Miles

India: Koki and Johnny Desai

This was our third trip to India, so Empower is still very new there. The situation for Christianity in India presents a strong contrast to that of East Africa. India is 2 – 3% Christian and facing persecution at this time, whereas some countries of East Africa are 85% or more Christian and Christianity and the Bible are well-respected. The people we are working with in India are just wonderful, however, with amazing connections throughout the country. We treasure our relationship with the Evangelical Fellowship of India, its General Secretary and his wife, Rev. Dr. Richard and Mrs. Sunita Howell, and Empower partners Mrs. Koki and Mr. Johnny Desai.

Delhi participants

New Delhi – participants excited and eager to teach to their home communities.

Johnny and Koki’s daughter, Manna, had gotten married shortly before we arrived in India, and the groom’s family held a wedding reception in Delhi while we were there. Such good food!

Desais with granddaughter, Manna’s wedding reception

Guwahati – we met some really extraordinary people in Guwahati, including organizers Ben Longkumer and his wife, Apokla Ben. I love it when people ask me if I would “mind” if they translate the study guide into their local language. Everyone was excited about introducing New Man, New Woman in their communities and churches. Ben is starting a master’s degree program in Christian Education at Evangelical Fellowship of India’s new center in Guwahati and asked Empower to help with the curriculum.

Guwahati Participants