Graduation Speech by the Principal of KEST

By Rev. Dr. Solomon Nkesiga - Principal

We praise God for this great ceremony, an event so important in our life at KEST that we can humbly say EBENEZER, (thus far God you have helped us).

It has been a long and tedious walk for both the management and perhaps most sentimentally for the students. We praise God for whom nothing is impossible. He has given us this day let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Allow me to reiterate KEST mission in the ministry of the gospel in Uganda and the great lakes region: “To prepare and equip men and women for effective leadership. Ministry and service in church and in society”. We achieve this mission through our core values: modeling servant leadership, Transforming communities, pursuing a Christian worldview, offering professional service and keeping on the cutting edge.

Some milestones.
KEST was started in 1988 as an institution that dealt with pertinent issues on the cutting edge of society. At its inception it had no geographical location and the director moved with his office wherever he went. Something significant happened during this period. The first expository preaching conference took place under the name of Kampala Evangelical School of Theology.

Next year it will be 20 years since this important aspect of practical theology took place. Since then, expository preaching has reached over 12 countries worldwide and over 50 others are seeking to host such event to boost their preaching of the gospel. Therefore on this memorable occasion we salute Rev. Dr. John Stott for his ministry through Langham Preaching. May I also mention that it was John Stott who coined the name of the Kestrel (a type of bird), this KEST newsletter.

In the mid nineties, KEST acquired a home at our present premises. We are proud to be owners of such lucrative and accessible campus in the academic suburb of Makerere hill.
Many developments have taken place here.
  Rev. Dr. Solomon Nkesiga, KEST Principal

Following some renovations, an additional space for our increasing number of library books was built. A section attached to this library now being used provisionally for student accommodation was completed just a year ago. Thanks to donors, and to management for their vision and support in effort to make all who study at KEST comfortable.

With improved premises, and due to the demand for pastoral training within the emerging church, KEST embarked on full time courses in 2002. Since then KEST has trained hundreds both in formal and mostly in non-formal courses, many pastors and professionals now in ministry at various levels of our society and in the great lakes region.

We have attracted students from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda.

At this stage KEST has embarked on developing a curriculum for the extension programmes. This has been borne out of our interaction with students and churches in need of pastoral training. This review is based on the need of the church and current challenges on HIV/AIDS, globalisation and the challenge of Postmodernism expressed in human rights and freedoms and now the “emerging church”

In recent years,  KEST has acquired  over 10,000 library books. This is set to increase as we prepare for the arrival of a consignment of latest books from Baker a well known publisher..

A computer laboratory has been established with 12 units to assist students in their word processing. We look forward to receiving 20 computers from Calvin College soon. This will indeed improve on our current usage to include the internet.

With these facilities in place, KEST had an advantage when the assessors for accreditation visited us. On the list of achievements of this period we added on the provisional license to award diplomas and a promise to be assessed soon for the award of a degree. There are a few requirements which KEST needs to meet in order to reach this status.

Partnerships
KEST has established two partnerships one with the Centre for Apologetics. This partnership will engage in research on global and local cults as well as false teaching. We hope to create an information centre to be available for researchers and pastors who wish to learn and get up to date information on this problem. The other partnership is by a group of friends in USA raising funds for training of over 2000 pastors over a period of 4 years. We thank God for these friends and their commitment to support the vision of training pastors.

We are grateful to all our supporters both local and international. Most of them have contributed funds, scholarships and material for the running of KEST. May God bless them richly in their ministry.

We are proud to host Advancing Ministries of the Gospel (AMG) on our premise both as a partner in ministry but also as a ministry that expresses the practical aspects of integral mission which KEST stands for.

There are special people who need mention on this occasion. Members of the board of Trustees (founders of KEST). The Board of Directors, Associate Board members in UK: Rev. Mark Meynell and Mr. Grant Smith, Mr. Dan George Swanson who is coordinating associate board members in USA and Mr. Philip Wandawa  The first director of KEST and Mr. Colin Adams who worked hard to establish the core working policies for KEST. These have made varied contributions from the beginning, through KEST’s years of her growth pains. 
 
Some challenges
The introduction of formal programmes meant the increase of faculty and support staff. The operational costs skyrocketed because there was no corresponding source of income. The burden of operational cost has continued to rise. We particularly appeal to people of good will to support KEST vision by popularising its programmes and making a financial contribution.

The Council for Higher Education requires that we acquire more space for recreation. However the only space we have is the space upwards. KEST is embarking on a multi-storeyed construction in the near future. This facility will initially house a modern kitchen, a hall and faculty offices. We have offers of over 200M UGX in designated funds for this project. We hope to raise enough money to give this project a good start.

KEST is developing extension programmes to meet the training needs of the emerging church. However in order to achieve this demanding task, we need a Van to facilitate the transportation of facilitators. Use of public means is so tedious, wastes valuable time, while carrying learning materials becomes very difficult. We run extension programmes in Northern Uganda and Rakai. This programme in Northern Uganda prepares leaders in dealing with post-conflict counseling. More programmes are being arranged in Aringa, West Nile with Here is Life and the Baptist Church in Soroti.

Finally I pay tribute to the faculty members who have amidst many challenges worked unflinchingly to facilitate the learning experiences innovatively, with love and care in a muilti-denominational setting.

The staff have worked tirelessly to make life enjoyable at KEST.

To our graduates, KEST is very proud of you. You are our first fruits in the formal programmes, go out and exercise that servant leadership which you have received here. Preach authentic gospel, love God’s people and God will reward you.

Finally, we thank our Guest of honour Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael Senyimba for honouring this occasion. We acknowledge your contribution in Evangelism, leadership both in Church and in educational institutions. Your academic accomplishments have been and will continue to be an inspiration to many of us. May God’s name be glorified in the vision of KEST now and forever.  Amen.

Academic Dean’s Speech on the First Graduation Ceremony
By Peter Muriuki, Academic Dean

Dear brothers and sisters, tubaniriza, karibuni!  Welcome and thank you for coming to celebrate with KEST as she gives birth to her sons and daughters, the graduands in front of us.  I have

Graduands during the Graduation Ceremony at KEST June 2007

Just been a birth attendant on behalf of KEST Boards encouraging the students, to push . . . just a little harder! Giving birth involves travail, and if any has been hurt in the process, pole sana, sorry; but then look at what we have today, sons and daughters, beautiful, strong and well adorned.

To all who assisted in the process: the administration, faculty and staff, I am grateful.  I wish to mention, Rev. Mark Meynell my predecessor who developed most of KEST academic the structures, so that my task has been mainly implementation.  I also recognize the contribution by Mr. Francis Otim. Mr. Joram Kiiza our former Registrar is among the students graduating today. To the fellow KEST faculty and staff your contributions are recorded in heaven; but for now, thank you.
 
To our graduands, I say hongera! Congratulations! Rejoice and praise God with your family and friends. Let your heart swell with pride at what God has done in you.

Remember our motto; ‘equipped for every good work’ from Paul’s letter written to encourage Timothy to faithfully carry out the work delegated to him. God accepted Timothy as well equipped. He does the same to you today. What is the right response to such honor except humility?  In chapter 2 and 3 a well equipped man searches the scriptures to discern the masters will. His work was done in private before it became public. Never become too independent and busy for quiet time, study and reflection.

Graduands during the Graduation Ceremony at KEST June 2007

Be known for actual work. 2 Timothy 2 shows a loyal soldier, a lawful athlete, a diligent farmer, and a clean vessel; ones with sleeves rolled up working as assigned. And Paul asserted he had run the assigned distance. It is said that Africa is in trouble for too many wanton kings, chiefs, big men and women and few workers!  An approved worker works.

From the context of our motto an equipped person never forgets and slacks. Always recall who you were, think on what you have become; and span the likely future heights and depths. What a turning point did KEST become in your life and ministry!  Look forward to another ‘graduation’ in heaven, 2 Corinthians 5:10, for work done with who you are in Christ. But do you see that you and your work are link with the past and the future? In 2 Timothy Paul is a gospel infused man, never limited by situations. Whether free or imprisoned he remained a preacher, an apostle and a teacher, releasing the eternal life in Christ. Wherever you go, always release Christ’s life.

But also release good things about KEST.  Let us today launch linkages for those who have studied at KEST by an ‘Alumni Association,’ KESTAA, with the immediate Student’s Council as interim officials. Please give us your email contact. Regularly support KEST materially. Become KEST’s agent, sending your fellow workers and others to study at KEST.  Also invite KEST to walk with you in your ministry. 
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.

KEST – Langham Bible Exposition 2007 Bible Exposition conference

By Aggrey Mugisha, KEST Faculty

In April this year the annual KEST-Langham Bible Exposition conference happened again at the Jinja Nile Resort.  Some 158 participants were present to sharpen their skills in this badly needed area of Bible exposition. Like last year this time round there were participants from Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Korea, the US the UK and Uganda.

Wanyeki Mahiayini of the Philip Project was one of the two expositors that brought God’s word to the people. Then as usual participants would later ask him how he developed his sermon from the test asking how he made it relevant, clear and was faithful to the text.

Goretti who was attending the conference for the first time remarked how she intends to use what she learnt in her church. The discipline of letting the text speak

At the end of the week members signed up to join preaching clubs. These are grassroots groups that meet monthly to encourage members in their growth as Bible expositors. They are accountability groups as well. Our prayer is that they will grow into a preaching movement. We praise God for our partners, the Langham partnership who have helped us with the literature and the funds to hold this growing event.

Anne Akia’s Days at KEST

By Ange-Michel Muhayimana (recent KEST graduate interviewed Anne for her story)

Anne Akia Fiedler’s life was changed after doing a course in communication Arts at Kampala Evangelical School of Theology (KEST). That was in 1993 after she came back from Denmark where she had been living. Anne is currently the Chief of Party with United States Agency for International Development (USAID’s) AIDS Capacity Enhancement Project.

Anne Akia in her office

Anne Akia Fiedler’s heart is for the welfare of humanity, After graduating from Makerere University, where she did a B.S in Chemistry in 1984, she went to Italy for a Master’s degree in Petrol Chemistry Technology.
After graduating in 1986 Anne decided to come back to Uganda. However, she had to face unemployment. She says, “After graduating from Italy, I came back to Uganda expecting to get a good job. However, wherever I presented my papers, I was told that I was overqualified. I then decided to relocate to Kenya and got a job as a teacher.” When she came back to Uganda in 1992, Anne says that she wanted to do something, but did not know what. She says, “When I came back to Uganda in 1992, I joined Kampala Baptist church (KBC).It was at that time that I came to know about KEST because KBC was ever advertising for KEST. After hearing about KEST, I wanted to know what KEST was. I was later on approached by an American missionary to Uganda called Jack Smith who happened to be a communication lecturer at KEST. He introduced me to KEST and told me to do Writing for Publication, a subject he was teaching.”
In 1993, Anne joined KEST in Communication Arts where she decided to do Writing for Publication. While studying at KEST, Jack Smith encouraged her to write articles and take them to newspapers for publication. She wrote an article, took it to The New Vision and that article was later published. That was to be the turning point of her life because she was later employed with the New Vision and began to write health related articles, especially on women and HIV/AIDS. She was later to become the first contributor to the women’s article in the New Vision.
In 1994,Anne was approached by Unicef and asked to begin a Magazine called Straight Talk. That was mainly because they had seen her health related articles in the New Vision. She took over the offer and became its (Straight Talk Magazine) first Editor. Straight Talk later on grew and became an independent Foundation. She was later on promoted and became its director Communications Director.
Asked how her studies at KEST have influenced her life, Anne says: “There is a creative part in me which I discovered while at KEST. KEST really provided an awareness to discover my potential and it is because of what I studied at KEST that I am where I am today.”
In 2006, Anne left Straight Talk and joined USAID where she was appointed as the Chief of Party in the AIDS Capacity Enhancement Project.
Among the many things Anne has done for the society, one is promoting the use of condom. Asked why she promotes condom use when she is a Christian, Anne pauses for a moment, leans back and then forward. She opens her eyes wide, adjusts her spectacles and looks at me straight in the eye, she then goes on, “ I lost a sister to AIDS, and as Christians we need to know that not everybody who is in the church is Christian and abstaining. My mandate therefore is to help people not to contract AIDS. That is mainly because even when we evangelize them, we have to make sure that they don’t contract AIDS as many of them are not abstaining even if they are known as Christians.” Anne Akia adds, “I tell people that I would rather preach to a healthy person, rather than preach to a dying one. I therefore still believe that the best thing is to use condom, if one is to stay healthy, especially when he/she is not abstaining.”
Anne Akia Fiedler is now committed to raising the awareness of the sad effects of contracting HIV/AIDS.

Sam the Development Worker

Sam Luzobe is a Veterinary Doctor now turned preacher. While at KEST, Sam studied Theology and Communication courses, which have greatly changed his sermons in church and speeches in public fora.  His studious nature earned him a degree in Veterinary Medicine from Makerere University in 1984. As one of the sixteen out of forty students who were admitted for the four-year course.  It took

Sam Luzobe the Development Worker
to KEST for Theology and Communication in 1989, then for a certificate in Human Resource Management (1997) at Uganda Management Institute, concurrently with a long distance diploma in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations before his MBA (2000 Makerere University Business School). 

However, his path to this excellence has not been easy.  Born in Luwero, in a polygamous family one of the thirteen children of his alcoholic father, he had a disadvantaged childhood.  Each day was stressful with quarrels in the home between either the different mothers or mothers and the father.  But that was not all. The pains of growing up as a child were intense when he started school studying on “credit” basis.  His father used to plead with the headmaster not to send the child home until coffee would be ready.  Unlike secondary school, which was tough, primary, was easy because the head of the school knew him well.

After passing with flying colors as the only pupil of first grade in that school, he joined Kibuli Secondary his first choice and Muslim school but still money was an absent companion.  As his custom was his father continued borrowing money for fees. Unlike before he was required to borrow against property like land, a radio or a house the most risky one. “Our house almost went because the agreement had said ‘he has allowed me to stay in the house until the debt will be settled’ when the men came to remove the iron sheets, he (father) had gone to collect the money from the coffee buyer which he brought and paid”. That was a narrow escape, rarely could a father in the village go out of his way to dig people’s gardens and burn charcoal to educate his son.

 He was determined and he is praised for that.  But as habits hold, drinking is an addiction it made Sam’s life hard both at home and school. “Drinking would make life hard. My father once sold thirteen bags of coffee to bring money enough for my school fees, he went to collect the money in the morning to send me off never to return until late in the night totally drunk without a coin”.  After the episode he was sent to school but very late for the term, little did he know that his father’s determination did not stretch beyond senior four (S.4).

Thereafter, was Sam’s life nightmare. Time was pointing him to frowns of life early enough.  He was to finance his later time in school.  For him, not much was lost.  His father’s charcoal burning trade was a good start. He could get several bags though unfaithful buyers were not ashamed to cheat him. They went away with goods on partial payments pretending to come and pay later.

As all did not impinge on him, he succeeded through “A” level with his efforts and help from sympathizers, teachers, the District and above all God. “I will never forget God”. The zeal of those students who used to come to Kibuli from Kabanyoro and back on foot significantly changed my life”. He said passionately.   Since he received Him in a Moslem Kibuli Secondary School as saviour, he has been his source of hope, encouragement and success due to misery from poverty.

 As one with a reasonable mind, he volunteered to serve in his home District in 1996. It was in appreciation of a scholarship he received from them at “A” level.  That time the area had been ravaged by war, there were no houses, animal dips, drugs, transport and even animals were just returning.  “I mostly worked on pigs,” he recalls.  Driven by his passion for work, humility and courage, he endured that poor house, which he was aware he shared with snakes.  He was courageous until he found a big one had molted on top of his bed as if to say “ thank you for the bed, I have been here”.
Despite hardships of war aftermath like; lack of salary in Luwero, he continued serving with dedication until 1998.  In the same year, he started working with an NGO in Bukomero as a project manager on part time basis until closed six months later.  

Nevertheless the puzzle was not hard for him to solve. Since rewards from veterinary practice were hardly coming, his interest rose for Christian NGOs.  That is how he joined World Vision in 1989 as a University Volunteer Project manager through which he mentored over a hundred volunteers.  His gift did not leave; it made a way for him into the position of Program Officer for Northern Uganda from 1996-1998.  Later he was appointed the Executive Assistant to the National Director in 2000 and Human Resource Manager from 2000 - May 2007. His frankness, sincerity, independent thinking, not giving in to compromise against which you lose a deal with him determine his approach to issues
KEST Alumnus Rev. Dr. Samuel Luzobe married to Beatrice with two boys and a girl is re-locating to plant the fallows of Southern Sudan from May 2007. This comes after eleven years of dedicated service to World Vision and mentoring hundreds of volunteers.  In his objective view, his new appointment is another opportunity to serve rather than a promotion to “Dinka land,” Southern Sudan.

Touch the Children
By Mona Kikomeko, KEST faculty
I am sure you have read Mark 10: 13-16 where Jesus touches the kids whom the disciples would rather send away. Generations in Africa have grown with little meaningful touch: to encourage, comfort and guide them. This may have led to cycles of bitterness, cruelty and immorality that manifest through for instance,

Prof. Nydam of Calvin Seminary facilitates at the Touch the Children Training, KEST, May 2007

wars, abuse and HIV/AIDS. If these cycles continue, our nations are headed for doom as people  seek for meaningful touch in the wrong places.
Kampala Evangelical School of Theology offered a short training programme in May  called Dare to Care, to help children’s workers understand how to touch children meaningfully. Some of the concepts covered included:

• Issues of attachment in regard to children
• Parenting styles and behavior problems
• Grieving and trauma
• Coping though faith development

This training programme received an awesome response and was attended by more than 40 children’s workers from various organisations including Advancing Ministries of the Gospel (AMG), World Vision, African Evangelistic Enterprise (AEE), Agape Global Mission, Oasis, and Kampala Pentecostal Church to name a few. KEST organised the training. Prof Ron Nydam from Calvin Seminary was the main facilitator.

Coming Events

• The New Semester starts in 1st August 2007.
• Training  Christian ministries in Gulu, Northern Uganda, August and September 2007
• Cult Awareness Conference in 7th-9th November 2007