Abstract:
The Church today in urban Africa is faced with rising increase of divorce and
broken homes. The church has developed material for premarital counseling in a bid
to forward discussion on issues on marriage. However, a lot of the material that has
been used has been adapted from the west. The contribution of the African system in
relation to marriage and what went into marriage education is largely unexplored. The
purpose of this study was to take a look at the Kipsigis community and how it
prepared members for marriage.
The seven participants were drawn from Kericho district. The data collected
from the interviews were analyzed using qualitative methods of open, axial and
selective coding. The study uncovered a cycle of influencers and educators, with the
core being family and widening to mentors and the community at large. The context
of learning was imbedded in everyday life and moved from unstructured to focused
learning, as one approached adolescence.
The recommendations for Lifespring Chapel involved seeking points of
integration in the curriculum so that from an early age, within the context of God's
community, children, youth and adults learn and value the place offamily life. The
preparation must be within this community finding in it influencers that will speak
candidly and positively for family life.
