August 11, 2010

CHE (Community Health Evangelism) Update

Back row from the left: Darius Mwakodi (FGP), Emmanuel Baya (FGP), David Gathu (Nairobi Team Leader), Elma Achieng (Nairobi Team), Beatrice Mambo (FGP). Middle row from the left: Josephine Charo (FGP) and James Mburu (Nairobi Team). Front row (kneeling): Anderson Yeri (FGP), Tyson Mbitha (FGP), Mariam Charo (FGP).

I am filled with great awe of what God is doing here in Kenya. The CHE program has taken root. The FGP CHE Trainers are now fully equipped and will take over all future trainings at the end of this week. The FGP trainers have gone from not knowing what CHE is to being confident teachers (trainers) in one year. The Nairobi Team is very pleased with the commitment shown by the FGP Team.

I had a long visit with Josephine Charo yesterday afternoon when the CHE sessions were done. Josephine is part of the FGP women’s leadership group, as well as now being a CHE trainer for the FGP. She has attended all of the FGP/ReachGlobal/Canon City pastor’s conferences. I will paraphrase the report she gave me. I wish that I had recorded it.

‘Brother, many lives are changed by the teachings we have received since you started here; both men and women. My own life is proof. Edie helped me know how to approach my home-life. My husband is not a believer. I prayed for him, but did not know how to act. He has seen a difference in me. Even now, he is happy to let me have this week to work in the CHE training. The improvements to our home-life have convinced him that these are good things for me and the family. I continue to pray that he will believe, but for now our lives are better because of the teaching. Many of the women have learned so much. They all go away from the conferences with something new that makes life better. Now we have CHE and are learning how to help improve our lives and the life of the community. Some of the men are changing. You know we women have a heavy load here. The life of a rural woman is hard. It will take time, but we are started.’

Over the last few years, I have witnessed the change in people here. This week is defined in my mind by observing Tyson and Beatrice. They are both capable CHE trainers now. My friend Tyson the Lion (Simba ya Sayuni) was sometimes a fierce preacher. He says the pastor’s conferences and CHE training have given him what he needed to become a teacher. I have seen him change into a thoughtful teacher. Beatrice was reserved and now she is a bold and confident teacher. CHE trainers teach by facilitating discussion in groups and presenting biblical guidelines for community health and development. Tyson and Beatrice are very different personalities, but they have learned to present the same consistent CHE approach to teaching. The message is consistent no matter which teaches a given lesson and I have heard them both teach the same lessons. That goes for the rest of the team as well.

More to come,

Jim Watson

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