Transformation Training Week-by-Week Overview

Transformation Training (TT) is a 16-week wholistic health and discipleship course that is life-changing for women living with disabilities. Meeting one full day per week, the course addresses issues pertaining to physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, social, and economic health, and dignity and purpose. The weekly lessons on hygiene, health promotion, disease prevention, marriage and child-training, small business skills, conflict resolution, and God’s value of women, begin to challenge the narrative that these women have constantly heard about themselves, giving them a vision for a better life. The sacrifice is great for each woman who participates, as each day in class is a day she won’t be able to farm, do petty trading, or help provide for that day’s needs for her family. Through TT, she is empowered her with new knowledge and information to make a difference in her own life and the lives of her family members. Her newfound knowledge moves her from being an outcast in her community because of her disability, to being a leader.

Participants receive a manual containing pictures and brief text, allowing them to remember what they have learned, as well as share that knowledge with family, friends, and community members.

A week-by-week lesson overview

Week 1

Bible Lesson – Who is God? What is He like?
Participants will learn that God has always existed and He was not created like humans were. He is an eternal spirit, holy, sacred, and set apart from any other being. God is pure and cannot be in the presence of sin or evil. He is full of love, kindness, goodness, and mercy. He is all knowing and all powerful. God is the supreme ruler of all things – good and bad. God made man and woman as an expression of His love. And because He loves us and wants to be in relationship with us, He has made a way to forgive our sins.
The River Crossing
Together, through story and role-play, participants will learn the importance of what it means to gain knowledge and information, and then to share that knowledge with others in their own circles of influence – their families & communities, showing why it is better when people do things for themselves, instead of allowing others to do things for them. 
The Importance of Reading and Writing
Through a story participants can all identify with, they will learn about the importance of literacy and how it affects multiple areas of their lives – from not allowing others (landlords, customers, etc.) to take advantage of them, to improving their small businesses, to increasing their own self confidence as they interact with literate persons in their communities. Each participant will have the opportunity to sign their names, some for the very first time.
Lies and Truth – How They Affect Us
Participants will be able to identify some of the lies that are built into their worldview and articulate the ways that they see those lies affecting society. They will commit to a plan for challenging the thinking of themselves and others.

Week 3

Bible Lesson – God Created the World and Adam and Eve
The Bible lesson this week is the story of Creation. The teaching will focus on the creation of men and women, emphasizing how both men AND women are created by God and in His Image. They will hear how both man and woman were created without sin, and that God loved them and provided for all their needs. Participants will compare the biblical creation story to what they have previously heard about the creation of people that comes from other religious traditions. 
Female Anatomy and Physiology
In the second lesson of the day, the women will learn that another way we see how God values women is in the way He created women’s bodies to nurture and give birth to more human beings. They will learn about God’s intricate design of the female anatomy, and will be able to identify and name all of the parts of the female reproductive system.
Women’s Hygiene
Through storytelling, the women will understand that good hygiene is honoring to God as we take care of the body He gave us, His temple that He lives in. They will learn the importance of and health benefits for someone who bathes daily, brushes her teeth regularly, keeps her house and yard clean, and hangs her clean clothing on lines instead of the ground to dry. The women will understand how good hygiene leads to good health, and she will be able to name 3-5 ways to keep her body clean and healthy.

Week 5

Bible Lesson – Noah and His Family
The women will hear the story of Noah and learn about how God knows all the evil and wickedness that people say and do, and He is displeased when people, who are created in His image, dishonor Him. They will be reminded that God desires all people to follow Him and walk in obedience, which pleases Him. They will hear how He will save from eternal punishment those who follow Him.
Germs and Diarrhea: The Fly Story
Through the Fable of the Fly, the women will learn about germs and how flies carry diseases to the things they land on (food, dishes, hands, faces, etc.) because they have first landed on excrement. They will learn about diarrhea and the ways people get it. They will also talk about ways to prevent getting diarrhea, as well as learn how to treat it by making ORS (oral rehydration solution), and how important it is to seek medical help if the diarrhea does not improve. Diarrhea can be a very common problem in rural, African settings, so learning some simple prevention methods and easy ways to rehydrate, truly saves lives. 
Eating Healthy Food
The third lesson of the day will teach the women all about healthy nutrition. Through activities and games, participants will discover the nutritious value of the various foods they eat, as well as discover healthy, new ways to provide nutritious and balanced meals for themselves and their families. They will be able to categorize common foods into three main food groups – proteins, fruits and vegetables, and starches and grains, as well as identify foods that are not healthy to eat in large quantities.

Week 7

Bible Lesson – Jacob, Rachel, and Joseph
This week’s Bible lesson is about Jacob and Rachel and Joseph, the favorite son. Through the story of Joseph’s life, the women will learn how God has a plan and purpose for each person’s life, and even if other people’s evil plans change the course of a life, God is powerful enough to overcome any evil and fulfil His purpose and plan. They will learn that fearing the Lord leads to courage and obedience, and that God is able to bless a person in any circumstance of life.
The Stages of a Woman’s Life
This lesson will teach the women about the life cycle of a woman, and all the normal changes a woman’s body goes through, beginning with infancy and moving all the way through old age. Oftentimes, women in African cultures are told nothing about what will happen to their bodies as they grow up, which can create a lot of fear and even trauma for them. This lesson carefully walks through all the stages of a woman’s life, while also reminding them of the value that God places on women. They will hear again how intricately and wonderfully a woman is created. By the end of the day, they will be able to tell the process of menses, and will learn how to properly care for their bodies during that time. They will be challenged to share the information they are learning about female development and menstruation with other women who are in their lives, especially any daughters they may have.
Pregnancy and Childbirth
The last lesson of the day will center around pregnancy and childbirth. The women will hear a story about a young woman who experiences pregnancy and childbirth in a rural village setting with decisions being made following the strong influences of local traditions. The choices made end in tragedy for the young mother and her baby. They will be introduced to healthier choices for pregnancy and childbirth, and through acting out the story they had heard, but including the addition of a new character who has this new knowledge and information for healthier choices. With this character addition, they will see a different outcome for the young woman and baby in the story. Before the class is over, the women will be able to verbalize four ways to have healthier babies, and will then be challenged to share this knowledge and information with their families and neighbors, encouraging healthier pregnancies and safer deliveries for babies.

week 9

Bible Lesson – A Prostitute Finds the One, True God
Through this Bible story, the women will learn about Rahab, and how she had heard of God’s faithfulness to the Israelites. They will learn of how believed and helped the Israelite spies. The participants will learn how God loves and accepts anyone who believes in Him and wants to follow Him. They will also be encouraged as they hear how God used a woman to help accomplish His plans.
A Marriage that Pleases God
The next two lessons focus on healthy and godly family relationships. This first lesson looks at the relationship between husbands and wives, and how marriage can please God. The women will discuss the different roles a husband and wife have in their own culture. After hearing a story about two contrasting marriages, the class will hear what the Bible has to say about how husbands and wives should treat each other. The participant manual has pictures depicting healthy marriage and family relationships, giving the women a visual reminder of what the Bible teaches.
Biblical Child Training
This lesson focuses on biblical child training. Through some hands-on learning and discussion, the women will learn to think about all people, and children in particular, in a wholistic manner. They will discuss how five different areas make up a whole person – the body as their physical needs, the emotions and how a person feels, the mind and how they learn, the social part in how they interact with others, and the spiritual part being what or who they will worship. The women will learn that for a child to be completely healthy (his or her whole self), all five areas must be cared for. Through a poignant story about two friends and a gift given and misused, the women will understand the value of the gift of children. The Bible will be used to reinforce God’s value of children and in raising them. Using role play and discussion, the women will understand that discipline should be done in love and not in anger. More pictures in their manual will help them remember the principles learned and how they can be applied in life.

Week 11

Bible Lesson – Queen Esther’s Courage
In this Bible story, the women will hear about the courage of Queen Esther, and how she was in the right place at the right time to be used for God’s purposes. They will be encouraged, hearing that God uses women to bring about His good purposes, and can show His favor in a person’s life when they wouldn’t expect it. 
Malaria – Simple Treatment and Prevention
The first of two health lessons this week focuses on malaria prevention. Malaria is an extremely common illness, sometimes resulting in death. Though common, most of the women have no idea how a person gets this disease. Through a role play story, they will learn that the mosquito is responsible for spreading the disease. They will then learn practical ways to keep the mosquito population down in and around their homes. This lesson will also teach them how to recognize the early signs of malaria and teach them simple ways to treat it. They will also learn when to seek assistance from trained medical personnel.

Basic First Aid
A basic first aid lesson will walk the women through four types of simple first aid practices, covering situations that can be common in their lives – burns, wounds, broken bones, and choking. Accidents can easily happen in rural, African settings. In these settings, homes are generally used just for sleeping, and most living takes place in the outdoors. Cooking takes place over open cooking fires or on coal pots, and children are oftentimes supervised by other children who are only slightly older, making it easy for accidents to occur. These women have all been witness to these common place accidents. In this lesson, they are introduced to first aid care that is oftentimes counter to what is typically done in their setting. Learning simple steps that provide appropriate care for themselves or others in their communities when someone is injured, enables the women to feel more confident in helping others, as well as have less fear when these situations occur. These steps promote better methods of treatment for the injured, as well as encourage the women to seek treatment from medical professionals and not implement traditional methods or seek out help from a native doctor, which oftentimes causes more harm than good. Pictures in their participant manual will remind them of things they learned in the lessons, and enable them to talk about these new methods with others.

Week 13

Bible Lesson – The Woman at the Well
This Bible story shows Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well. Through the story, the women will discover that Jesus seeks out people who need His love and healing, even when a person is an outcast. They will hear how Jesus searches hearts, knows each person, and by accepting the living water Jesus provides, all people who seek Him are accepted by Him. 
Fear and Worry
In the lesson on fear and worry, the women will be able to identify circumstances that cause fear or worry in their own lives. Through participation in (or watching) a Trust Fall activity, the women experience and verbalize how fear of the unknown makes them feel. They talk about how fear isn’t always a bad thing, but can be good – fear of touching a fire, stepping in front of a vehicle, or not going into water if you can’t swim. They talk about how worry is similar to fear, and how it affects life. They listen to, and act out, the story from the Bible of Jesus walking on the water through the storm to the disciples. They look at the ways the disciples showed fear – not knowing who/what Jesus was as He came near, and how Peter began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus. The key takeaway is how Jesus is God and how nothing is outside of His control. They go away from this lesson with three practical ways to deal with fear and worry – read/listen to the Bible; remember that God cares about all things (Mt. 6:25-34); pray and talk to God about the things that bring worry.
Grief and Loss
In this lesson on the topic of grief and loss, the participants are introduced to the five stages of grief. Death is a common occurrence in poorer countries across Africa. Infant and maternal death rates are high, the life expectancy is the mid-50s for both men and women, and disease is common. Oftentimes these cultures don’t allow for the stages of grief when someone dies, making this lesson helpful for the women. They are given the opportunity to do skits representing the various stages of grief, and listen to a story that clearly shows one of the characters going through the five stages of grief after the loss of an infant. The lesson shares the truth that followers of Jesus can find comfort in words from the Bible, and that when they grieve, they can do it with the hope of knowing that if their loved one knew Jesus, they will see that person again in heaven. 

Week 15

Bible Lesson – Lydia; A Follower of Jesus
This Bible lesson introduces the women to Lydia, a well-respected leader who loved God. Through her example, they will see how she was an honest businesswoman, well-known in her community, and how she used her resources to help others know more about Jesus.
Being a Follower of Jesus
This lesson will help the women understand that Christianity is not like other religions, but it is a relationship. Through contextualized stories, they will hear how Jesus came to have a relationship with EVERYONE, and that each person can make the choice to follow Him – regardless of the religion they were born into or grew up in. The women will be able to identify ways to grow in relationship with Jesus. With pictures in their participant manual, the women will be reminded that they can choose whether they want to follow the path that leads to Jesus.
Supporting Each Other for Transformation
Using a story about a stick that thinks he will burn brighter when he leaves the bundle of fire sticks to burn all alone, the women will recognize and understand the importance of staying connected to a supportive community, so their transformation journey will continue. They will talk about specific ways they can do this with the other women in their class.