BY KIMBERLY LUSTE MARAN
I met Lena Nozizwe more than a year ago during a seminar she conducted. I was impressed and intrigued. What motivated this warm, intelligent, humorous, and compassionate woman to work in an arena few Adventists penetrate? How did she show her values and beliefs in a secular entertainment world? What tips might she have for others interested in making a difference outside their local sphere? Here’s a brief account of an interview with Lena.
So, what’s keeping you busy these days?
Since getting the book deal with Simon and Schuster last year I have been working on the book full time. In fact, promoting the seminars takes me to Europe, where I have also been doing interviews with national media. Because of my background I have a particular interest in going global.
[Lena was born in a tiny village in Malawi, Africa. Her family came to the United States so that her mother, Dr. Alice Princess Msumba Siwundhla, could be featured on the television program This Is Your Life.]
I am also in preproduction for a vegetarian cooking video that costars my mother.
Where did you attend college?
I am an honors graduate of San Diego State University, where in February I was honored to give the keynote address for the Alumni Association.
You’ve worked on the show America’s Most Wanted for a number of years. What has been the toughest part of that job?
To be honest, it has always been a challenge for me to cover crime. Just because I am a reporter does not mean that I do not cry.
What are some stories you’ve done for AMW that you really felt touched people’s lives?
Stories I am proudest of include the New York Police Department reverend-detective—she believes the Bible is more powerful than ballistics; the first Black female homicide detective on the New Orleans Police Department—who overcame rape, incest, and teenage pregnancy; and a child abuse Swat team in Des Moines, Iowa, that mobilizes a crew of professionals within a half hour of getting word that a child has been abused. All of these stories are examples of what people can do.
Would you consider this work a type of ministry?
Yes, I believe what I do is a ministry, just as I believe that a teacher, a drugstore clerk, and a baker preach from pulpits from their prospective fields. And pardon me for saying it, but sometimes they can be more eloquent than the minister in the pulpit.
Do you believe that God has guided you in your career/life?
Do I believe God has guided me? Absolutely. Sometimes I am not sure what He has in mind, but it is clear that He has a sense of humor.
I also feel very strongly that He is leading me to exactly this place, to write a book that includes mention of so much of my journey. I love this book! It is the hardest thing that I have ever done, but the most joyful. And I enjoy nothing more than doing the seminars that I have presented to groups, including the Salvation Army and the Learning Annex.
Give five tips for churches and schools on how to get more coverage in the media.
