(KENYA) About two weeks ago, a breakthrough happened that I have looked forward to for many years. I had the humble opportunity to facilitate a two-day environmental strategic planning process for twenty selected stakeholders from different departments and geographic places of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), our main partner for World Renew Kenya for 25 years. The ACK is one of the largest churches in Kenya with approximately five million members, and it is therefore a key player in advocating for environmental stewardship at all levels of society across the country.

About two weeks ago, a breakthrough happened that I have looked forward to for many years. I had the humble opportunity to facilitate a two-day environmental strategic planning process for twenty selected stakeholders from different departments and geographic places of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), our main partner for World Renew-Kenya for 25 years. The ACK is one of the largest churches in Kenya with approximately five million members, and it is therefore a key player in advocating for environmental stewardship at all levels of society across the country.

The journey began back in 2005 when together with Care of Creation Kenya, Inc., an environmental awareness organization; World Renew facilitated a joint awareness raising conference on biblical environmental stewardship for forty or fifty ACK clergy. After that conference not much had happened in terms of impact other than occasional “environmental rhetoric” and a few clergy taking on a commitment to lead in word and deed with some insights they had learned during the conference.

During the recent strategic planning process, participants were asked to brainstorm about Kenya’s current and future environmental situational analysis, come up with a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis, prioritize the SWOT, identify key strategic themes and give those themes feet by putting the strategies into practical actions they would like to see accomplished over the following twelve months. Strategic themes included forestry, sustainable agriculture, rehabilitation and reclamation of landscapes, additional awareness raising, attitudinal/heart change, theological education, networking, advocacy, and policy shaping. The core team of twenty people is hoping to meet around the same time next year to review what has been done and make adjustments and changes where necessary and appropriate.

Finally, it was encouraging to have had the Archbishop of the ACK visit our process and voice his support for an environmental agenda for the church. Only time will tell how all of this unfolds, but I am optimistic that if the ACK’s will and commitment to shape the environmental agenda of Kenya is there, then it will only be a matter of time before we will see impact that will greatly benefit livelihoods in this country as landscapes and ecosystems are restored to the ways God intended them to be. 

Praises:

  • Health after bouts of sickness for us all in the family last month  

Prayers:

  • Upcoming deputation time for me- looking forward to seeing some of you and sharing what is happening in Kenya 

Blessings, 

Stephan Lutz

Program Consultant
World Renew Kenya