Following a busy month of May conferences, the Create staff embarked on an invigorating journey, driven by the challenges presented during the Media4Movements meetings. We were honored to receive a strategic invitation to the annual “Movement Leaders Catalyst Camp” in Nairobi, Kenya. Eager to seize the opportunity, we assembled a team of experienced trainers for a Smartphone Filmmaking seminar. Our new team member, Issa from Cameroon, brought valuable expertise as a film producer and trainer, contributing to the seminar’s success with sixty enthusiastic participants in attendance.
The students embraced the chance to learn visual storytelling and film production techniques using only their smartphones and free mobile apps. They collaborated in teams, crafting stories, shooting footage, and editing indigenous short films that impressed both conference leaders and attendees during the premiere showing.
Following the Kenya training, we traveled to Uganda for the “Full Nets” YWAM Frontier Mission conference. Upon request, we conducted a four-day Smartphone Filmmaking workshop for Movement Leaders and field workers from various regions. Eliya, another new member from Malawi, further enriched the team with his passion for film production and captivating aerial drone footage.
Salmon, a leader in a large Disciple Making Movement Network from Tanzania and a valued partner with Media4Movement (M4M), joined our team. After completing our seminar in Kenya, Salmon eagerly assisted in coaching his five Tanzanian colleagues, whom we sponsored to attend the workshop. Their excitement to learn simple film production techniques using only their smartphones was palpable. To bolster their ministry efforts across Tanzania, we gifted them with mobile media players and essential equipment, empowering them to make a greater impact.
Together, they created and edited a remarkable short gospel film in Swahili, perfectly aligned with our ministry’s Vision 2033. This vision seeks to witness Unreached Peoples embracing Christ and using their own gospel media to reach their communities and beyond. We were thrilled to hear that this team committed to producing more gospel videos for all priority Unreached People Groups in Tanzania and beyond.
Upon returning to their village, Salmon acted promptly and organized a gathering of over 80 of his Disciple Making Movement leaders. With great passion, he shared all he had learned during the Media4Movements and DMM training sessions, ensuring that the knowledge and skills cascaded down to others within the network. This remarkable commitment to sharing their newfound knowledge and techniques promises to create a ripple effect of transformation in their communities and beyond.
The journey of Smartphone Filmmaking in Africa has been an inspiring one, showcasing the transformative power of technology and training. The accessibility and simplicity of smartphone tools have enabled individuals to share their stories effectively, leading to meaningful change within their communities. We continue to offer mentoring through several WhatsApp groups, and the participants consistently share exciting new productions. They are actively using the training resources and skills gained to train other movement leaders, creating a wonderful cycle of multiplication.
We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to empower these movement teams and witness their unwavering dedication to spreading the gospel through innovative means. Together, we embrace this inspiring journey, spreading the hope of the gospel to all corners of Africa.
