Women Empowered to Serve

Anna never had the opportunity to go to school. She grew up as an ordinary village girl amongst her Turkana tribe in Northern Kenya. Years later she married a police officer and settled into the quiet life of a housewife. Anna tried to set up a business, but with her husband being transferred from one town to another due to the nature of his job, she struggled to establish a stable business.

As she sought answers to life’s questions, Anna met a Christian evangelist who told her about the love of Jesus, and she gave her life to the Lord.

Newly passionate for the gospel, Anna visited her pastor and shared her desire to become an evangelist and witness for Jesus.

But Anna carried a secret. This secret had been carefully kept by Anna as she always carried a Bible, a pen and a notebook to church. But, this day, the secret was uncovered when the pastor asked Anna, “Tell me about your educational background. Then maybe I can recommend a training program for you.”

Anna revealed, “I have never been to school Pastor, I cannot read.” The surprised pastor told Anna, “Then I don’t think it will be possible for you to get training, so ministry life is just not for you.”

She, as a new believer, was disappointed, but still remained determined.

A few months later, she heard about a Simply The Story training in Kinango, where she and her husband lived. She attended the entire 5-day workshop and was so excited to discover that even non literate people like her could learn and teach God’s Word through the stories of the Bible. Her hope for ministry rekindled as she began to witness to others by sharing the Bible stories she had learned in the workshop.

The following week, an Oral Bible School was established in Kinango. Anna signed up! Anna attended the six months of classes that were spread out over the next year showing great determination to succeed.

On graduation day, Anna stood out as the best student having never missed a class. What's more, she had learned and internalized the most stories of any graduate; 210 stories!  She went on to establish a Bible study in her church, much to the joy and amazement of her pastor, the one who initially had thought that non-literates couldn’t lead ministry or teach Scripture!

By the time Anna graduated, she had already identified a new location for ministry and recruited students for an Oral Bible School in Nyahururu. Anna then began ministering fulltime leading the twelve-month OBS term.