Today we wrapped up the training. Tim went over some points again, and I expounded on more free Web 2.0 applications. After Stephen's talk on photography, I showed the participants how to open and use a Flickr account. As with the You Tube account, I stressed the importance of including your Web site's address in the description area. Although we primarily use You Tube and Flickr as media repositories for our Web sites and blogs, many more people can access our media from the actual site that hosts the media. We need to make sure those viewers can access our site for more information.

I have to say how pleased I was to see George Arende, one of the participants, ask to assemble a plan of action... next steps, as it were. After sharing his plan for how he was going to train others in what he learned, assemble a group to start projects, and listing how many people he planned to assemble, George then asked each participant to state out loud what they planned to do with the training and equipment they had just acquired. He then wrote it down. I was very impressed. It was exactly what Tim and I had wanted to do, but I think it was a whole lot more effective, and more accepted, to have one of the participants spearhead this. George is a huge asset to the KELC, and to the family of God.

Labels: Africa, george, kenya, nairobi, workshop

I am pleased to introduce to you the participants of the 2008 ELCA Video for Web Workshop.

• George Arende garende@kelc.or.ke
  George Arende heads the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church (KELC) communication department. His responsibilities include the KELC website, print material, including brochures and newsletters. George also serves as the KELC HIV/AIDS coordinator implementing HIV/AIDS projects for the church. In an additional role, George works with Action By Churches Together (ACT) reporting on humanitarian concerns in Kenya. From 2004-2005 George worked for the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) at the Geneva offices where he helped implement a youth program.
  

• Abraham Data abrahamdata@yahoo.com
  Rev. Ato Abraham Data is from Ethiopia. He serves with the Evangelical Ethiopian Church Mekane Yesu (EECMY) in Yemisrach Dimts Communication Services.

• Rev. Andy Hinderlie Chempast@aol.com
  The Rev. Andy Hinderlie currently serves as the ELCA-Global Mission Regional Representative to East Africa. When not serving in this capacity, Andy loves to take photographs. Andy, his wife and children live in Madagascar.

• Christine Mangale cmangale@yahoo.com
  Christine Mangale, is a member of the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church (KELC). After seven years in the KELC head office, Christine moved in 2007 to a new position with a Media production company based in Tanzania. Her office is in Nairobi. The company records, edits and distributes Gospel music. Christine is deeply involved with KELC youth work in the areas of peer education. She has held workshops and seminars addressing negative effects of globalization. She also helps to organize the KELC national youth rallies.

• Rev. David Ntidendeza dntidendeza@yahoo.com
  Rev. David Ntidendeza is a pastor in the Lutheran Church of Rwanda (LCR). He is pastor at the Nyagatare parish. Rev. Ntidendeza is married to Mukundwa Rose. They have three children, Kaliza (7), Gikundiro (4) and Bahizi (2).

• Dr. Mammy Ranaivoson mamy_ranaivoson@wananchi.com
  Dr. Mamy Ranaivoson is the Program Assistant for Health Ministries of the ELCA-GM. He is based in Nairobi, Kenya since 2002. At the same time, Mamy is the Africa Regional Coordinator of HIV and AIDS for the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). Mamy and Noelisoa have five children, four daughters and a son. The first two daughters are in a Lutheran College in America. Mamy is a Medical Doctor. He worked for seven years as a missionary in Papua New Guinea from 1991 to 1999. Mamy has degrees from the University of Madagascar, University of Liverpool, University of Papua New Guinea, Wartburg Theological Seminary and Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

• Xavier Ravelomanantsoa, (MLC) ravelomanantsoaxavier.pierre@yahoo.fr
  Xaivier Ravelomanantsoa hales from Antananarivo, Madagascar. He is married and has two children, a son (16) and daughter (13) Xaivier began service at the Malagasy Lutheran Church Communication Center in 1992. He is a technician and public speaker.

Labels: Africa, nairobi, video, workshop

All of our participants have arrived. Three from Kenya, and one each from Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Madagascar. English is the common language that we all understand, although at different levels. But the communication is going well. We opened with devotions with Andy Hinderlie, who is a Regional Rep for ELCA who lives in Madagascar. We then went into introductions and expectations around the room. Almost everyone expressed the desire to learn more about Web technologies, such as blogs, building Web sites, online giving, and programming. So even though this is a Video Workshop, I think I will be quite busy answering web questions!

We then moved to introducing the equipment and teaching how to use it. Most of the participants were familiar with some of the technology, but some had not used a digital camera before. Once we all get up to speed, we'll get out there and start shooting!

Labels: Africa, nairobi, workshop

Labels: Africa, idp, nairobi, workshop

Today we were out scouting shooting sites for the participants to get footage to be able to use. We were taken to a Internally Displaced Persons Camp just outside of the Mathare ghetto. These people were forced out of their houses from the post-election fighting that took place in January. This would be a great spot for some videos, but we will leave it up to the participants to decide from a range of choices, including a huge Western-style mall (for contrast), downtown Nairobi hawkers, who are being asked to leave, and a drought outside of town. They are also free to come up with ideas of their own.

Labels: Africa, idp, kenya, nairobi, workshop

Today, we picked up Xavier from Madagascar and Christine from Kenya. They will be some of the participants that will learn how to shoot video and upload it to the Web, so that they can take this knowledge back to their churches and grow or even start a communication services department. This is very exciting work, and I am looking forward to meeting everyone and learning what there individual church needs are, and how I can help.

We dropped by the Kenyan Evangelical Lutheran Church Office and met some of the staff there including Bishop Zachariah Kahuthu. We will most likely see him Sunday, to video a greeting to his Sister Synod, Allegheny Synod.

Labels: kenya, nairobi, workshop

We arrived in Kenya after a pleasant flight. No loud child kicking me next to me on this leg of the flight! We were met by our driver and taken to the Methodist Guest House, a conference center and hotel type place. That is where we will be staying and holding the workshop. We were so very tired, that after some dinner, which was excellent, we went to bed to try go conquer the jet lag.


Picture: Nairobi Airport. 2130 hours.

Labels: Africa, kenya, nairobi, workshop

Labels: Africa, kenya, nairobi, workshop

Labels: kenya, nairobi, workshop

In January, I will be traveling to Nairobi, Kenya to teach Video Production for the Web to four Lutheran churches in Africa. I will have more info soon, but right now I am just making sure I am ready to go. I renewed my passport (it arrived yesterday, horrible picture), am checking on what I need to take, and setting up my means of communicating with you all while I am there. I just installed an app from Shozu.com that allows me to moblog from my phone, without using the laptop. (Photo: Wikipedia)

Labels: kenya, lutheran, moblog, nairobi, shozu, video, workshop