My AFLEWO Story

AFLEWO-Africa Let's Worship . I could stop right there because the acronym speaks for itself. The name precedes every story there is. Having said that, I am compelled to share my own story on my own blog. That has a nice ring to it. My first interaction with AFLEWO was in September 2004 in its first event. I was in the congregation that day at CITAM Karen (formerly NPC Karen). At a time when 'the word of the Lord was rare in my life' God used AFLEWO to jolt me back to Himself. Having been disillusioned by the christian life, I was tethering at the precipice of abandoning my faith and going back to 'fishing'. Pure authentic worship is what I needed and little did I know that this would begin a great journey.

As I sat in the beautiful sanctuary in Karen, I was mesmerized by the beautiful voices ensemble, I knew I was in for a great night. I had attended concerts before but there was something different. Then and now, your typical concert is usually a display of the might of the band coupled with beautifully blended voices and a lead singer with a powerful voice. It will occasionally get you to worship and sing along but just. More often than not, you will be left awed by the music, the arrangement, the beautiful outfits and how it all comes together and this in a span of two hours, 3 hours max. We all love concerts. They are relaxing to the soul and add meaning to this life. AFLEWO was more than a concert, it didn't leave me just awed, it left me yearning for more. It compelled me to worship, it provoked me to go deeper. I was left satisfied yet hungry after more than 8 hours of unadulterated worship and praise. Prayer was involved but worship indeed is the highest form of prayer.

All those who know me have come to associate me with AFLEWO. My life has been synonymous with AFLEWO. After that experience in 2004, I just didn't want to be in the pew, I wanted to be on the pulpit. I wanted to be in the choir. I believed God wanted me to serve Him in AFLEWO. I just knew it. In 2006, I got wind that there was registration for choir members but this wind didn't just get to me, I followed it. I had looked for information and then it found me. I tagged along one of my friends and there I was, part of the AFLEWO 2006 choir. If the night in 2004 enchanted me, the process left me ecstatic. The process was just that; a process. A process filled with music, prayer, networking and it culminates into one beautiful night where it all comes together. The process is like a symphony of sorts and one continuous AFLEWO event. I was singing tenor and it was interesting to discover how far your voice can be stretched. I thought I was ready for 'Idols' after a boot camp of sorts.

On the night of AFLEWO 2006, I could not believe that I was not in the congregation, I was on the coveted sacred pulpit!! I knew I had 'reached' and that was just the beginning. Song after song, the night ebbed away. Each song was a moment relived in the practice sessions, sometimes I would forget the harmonies but the mass choir of more than 200 compensated for my off key sound. After 8 hours, my feet were killing me, my body tired, my voice hoarse but it felt good. It was worth it. As the leaders disbanded us, it felt like I had just watched the final episode of 'Friends' and knowing that it was not going to come back. I fought tears. I felt nostalgic. I felt worse. It was exasperating as the kid in this video says it. You mean it was over? no more practice sessions? no more music? I wondered what to do with my Sunday afternoons. That feeling is what makes you go back to AFLEWO every other year just like I did in 2007.

It seems this story is longer than I anticipated but I will mention my highlights. AFLEWO 2007 will be remembered more for its cold than the music. Wow. That night at Nyayo Stadium was one of the coldest nights I have experienced except the time I climbed Mt Kenya. 2007 though for me was a night I got to share a testimony on that coveted, sacred pulpit. I was not just singing, I was now the one talking. The lights focused on me, I didn't see the crowd due to the dimming lights but I spoke. My testimony that night was about my mother. My mother had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer in 2006 and as much as it seemed like a death sentence, she got through to September. The doctors reports were encouraging and to me this was a major testimony. I spoke of God's healing touch and though she passed on in 2008, (R.I.P Mum) I believe that God was still at work. In the words of Job, though He slay me, I will yet praise Him.

Fast forward to 2010 and by this time, I had become part of the leadership of AFLEWO. This particular year was a difficult one but I got to meet Sylvia at the tail end of the process. Sylvia for those who do not know, is the wife of my youth, the reader of my blog. As it is for each event, the choir and band are disbanded after the night. A 'set down' for AFLEWO small group leaders was arranged at Safari Walk and having been part of small group leaders before, I joined in solidarity. There I met Sylvia and the rest as they say is history.

Sylvia lurking behind me

Checking Sylvia out:-)

What I love about AFLEWO is that you get to interact with people from all walks of life and denominations and who knows what could happen when two or three meet together....After a grueling but exciting five months of practice, you are left with a burden for Africa and worship. Your focus shifts from your local domain to a continental mentality. That is a major paradigm shift. It has been exciting travelling to Mombasa, Meru, Nyeri, Nakuru, Dar-es-Salaam and Kigali and watch AFLEWO grow.

It is now 2014 and in a few days the 10th edition of AFLEWO will be going down at Winners' Chapel. What will your story be? You too can have your AFLEWO story. Words cannot explain the experience that is AFLEWO. It is better experienced rather than explained. I will not always be in AFLEWO as seasons come and go but when all is said and done, I will be happy to know I was part of the biggest worship event in Africa. What a privilege!

AFLEWO 2014-You better be there!

My Maiden Blog Post

Here I am doing my first blog post and I know I am Johnie come lately but I came nonetheless. I have always wondered how bloggers get 'material' to put up on their blog every other week and then it hit me: Blogging is an art and like all arts it can be learned. I want to learn and what better way than to just start.

I often get a rush of thoughts and ideas every now and again and when I am in this state, I would say I am in my element. I am a different man, a sage and more often than not, I even feel virtue flowing out of me:-) Today is not one of those days I must say but to be able to put my thoughts together on this space is a good thing.

I would imagine that when bloggers go about their blogging business, they enjoy it and while at it, they are in their element. I suppose also that maybe blogging is a coping mechanism for all those who would rather vent on 'paper' than throw tantrums out there. There are also those who possess brilliant minds and their every thought is worth to be out there in the internet space. These are the world changers, men and women who possess the next big thing in the faculties of their minds. It would be an injustice if we were denied their brilliance and in deed the world is a better place with these folks in it and not just in it but putting their thoughts out there. Then there are those that would rather just blog because hey, it is the 'in' thing. For these blokes, it is keeping up with the trends. It is like getting the next smart phone, the next phase of technology. When you read their blog, there is nothing to 'write home about' no pun intended but just words thrown out there. No idea, No comment, just words. In blogging, these group of people feel they are 'with it', I guess it feels good to have a web address with my name on it.

Then there is me, I wouldn't call myself a blogger, far from it. In any case, this is my maiden blog post. I would put myself some where in between the brilliant mind and the trend setters. I like to think of myself as a man who is not left behind in this fast paced world. I joined Facebook in 2007, 3 years after it was founded and in my sphere, I was one of the first guys. I joined Twitter 4 years ago, 4 years after it had been founded. I hope you see the pattern here. 2014 marks my first blog post. I am clearly consistent. The point here is it takes a while for me to join the bandwagon, but I eventually do. I forgot to mention, there is also whatsapp, viber, pinterest...I joined these too. Honestly, you cannot keep up with trends and so you have to accept that in this world, you must find what suits you and be okay with it. After all, life is not defined by how many blog posts you have out there, how many tweets you have on your twitter profile, or how many whatsapp videos and images you can share to your groups before the rest do, no..it is about the value you add to this life to make it better. When you are gone no one will remember your last tweet, your last post, it is what you did that makes a difference.

As I pen this, I must put it out there that I am a born again Christian. I love God, I am passionate about Him and I find my purpose in Him. That said, I often wonder, what would the disciples of Jesus' day do if they had social media. It would have been a crazy world there. Jesus would have the highest Twitter followers while Paul the Apostle would have the highest number of tweets. Perhaps, Judas would also have quite a number of followers. The controversy and curiosity about him especially after betraying Jesus would give him quite a following. God wrote on the wall in the days of Daniel making him the first Facebooker. Facebook is a godly thing in case you're wondering:-) While these men enjoy heaven (except Judas) they must regret the opportunity they didn't get with social media. I am glad I am in this generation, I now have the opportunity and thus my reason to begin blogging. I hope that my thoughts would somehow change a life, affect the atmosphere, shake the airwaves. Jesus walked on water in His day, what would He do today? I can only imagine.

Finally, I get it out. My first blog post. I am excited. I am hoping to get in my 'element' in future blog posts. As I conclude this post, I must admit there is some therapy in writing down your thoughts. Who will read this? I don't know but it is out there. Maybe my wife will...she is obliged to cheer me on anyway. Happy reading Sylvia:-)