Religion Department: Alumni Testimonials

MS. LUCY KIMANI (KENYA)

Program: Bachelor of Arts Christian Ministries-Community Development

Choosing to study at ANU was the best choice I ever made in relation to my academic choices. This has been realized in the years I have been at ANU. My desire in joining a university was not just joining a university for the sake of getting a degree, but I was looking for a place where I would be developed holistically. ANU has become that dream place for me. I have not only grown academically but also in other fields of life. ANU has also given me opportunities to serve the community through co-curricular programs like mentoring where I have mentored many young people through evangelistic ministry and charity to the needy children. It has also taken me places where I have interacted with people from different caliber. With all the exposure ANU has given me I can confidently say that ANU has brought the best out of me in terms of character and leadership and I will forever be thankful to God for making it possible for me to study at ANU.

MRS. AGNES UWIMANA IBANDA (DRC)

Program: Master of Arts in Religion 

After my undergraduate studies in Congo, I was looking for a graduate school. Meanwhile I had interacted with ANU alumni who were mainly my church leaders and saw the manner in which they interpreted the Bible and conducted themselves. It became clear to me that if I wanted good education, ANU was the best option. So I took a step of faith, and am glad to say I wasn’t disappointed, I met lecturers who impacted my life not only by their teachings but also their life. Nazarene University gives a holiness education which values both academics and spirituality. This has taught me how to love and serve God and humanity with love, humility and honesty. I have not only gained Education but also work experience through the work study program offered by ANU. I have worked in different departments Library, Registrars Office and now in the Religion department. From ANU I have been equipped to teach, as an Assistant Lecturer to Dr Reed first and to other lecturers in the Religion Department. I’ve learned also how to help students be honest during the Exam, from the Examination department. ANU Students are very respectful, in the sense that they are willing to be taught even by a fellow student. ANU is truly a different road to Higher Education.  

SAMSON RODRICK KALITERA (MALAWI)

Program: Master of Arts in Religion 

Words, definitely, will never do justice for what studying abroad at Africa Nazarene University has done for me. I had always heard and read about ANU and I knew it was a place I wanted to be. When the opportunity for the scholarship to study for my masters came up, I considered several universities in Africa and ANU was the one I felt offered the best opportunity for me to develop my skills in community interaction and development. ANU provided me with world-class education opportunities in close vicinity to my home in Malawi. I wanted to experience a culture different from my own without the expense of traveling too far from home and ANU was the perfect place.

When I reached ANU in 2009 for my Masters of Arts in Religion, I discovered that the method of teaching at ANU is different from the one I was used to and the efforts of the lecturers was to encourage interaction between students. Class lectures that were participatory in nature have challenged me to share my views and acquire different insights. ANU community life and field research visits to the rural African homes helped me encounter authentic experiences of African customs, ideas, traditions and worldviews and come up with a new authentic, unbiased, objective understanding of African culture.

I joined ANU to acquire intellectual understanding on theological issues and African cultural knowledge, however, I ended up not only becoming intellectually converted but also morally converted. ANU has helped me to understand that it is not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity. I now have a good understanding of community, I have a great appreciation of the importance of the community’s involvement in decisions for development and this is a skill I intend to put to good use.

My major, Masters of Arts in Religion, is far more than what I had expected. It has exposed me to contemporary issues in our world today and instilled within me a passion for change. The skills I gained at ANU have helped me to get a distinction in my master’s thesis. Indeed, ANU’s concentration on holistic education has prepared and empowered me to transform and serve God’s world with distinction of both the mind and the heart.  The Masters of Arts in Religion program is heavily grounded in all aspects of theological and scientific breakthrough in the world today. I had access to lecturers who are active researchers too. The visiting lecture series put on by the Theology Department and the ANU leadership is really excellent. Leading academicians from Kenya and the world come and give lectures and small informal seminars which are really excellent learning and networking opportunities.

I have made some wonderful friends here and right from the start I felt at home. If you are struggling with what to study, I believe ANU is a flexible university which allows you to choose from a number of courses; moreover the student advisors are brilliant at helping you choose and structure your course. I would say to other students considering studying abroad that Africa Nazarene University is a fantastic place to study. It has a myriad of interesting courses, student services, and skilled researchers on campus. ANU is indeed a unique university which will prepare you aptly with a strong foundation in your studies. For me, ANU has been best choice because it combines knowledge, Christian virtues and creativity. I’m so glad I came.