• Africa University Fund: Pieces of the Dream DVD (600512) • We Are Africa University (600611) Order these and other resources from United Methodist Communications by calling toll-free (888) 346-3862. Hours: Monday - Thursday, 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Central Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.umcgiving.org or www.infoserv.umc.org. Learn more about how you can put your faith into action by contacting the Africa University Development Office at (615) 340-7438, audevoffice@gbhem.org or www.support-africauniversity.org. Visit Africa University’s website at www.africau.edu. Encourage your local church to set a 100-percent apportionment remittance goal! Sending a portion of your goal each month makes it easier to reach full remittance by year’s end. Africa University Fund apportionment receipts from local churches provide the basics necessary to operate the university, such as utilities, equipment and faculty salaries. Honor your friends or family by sponsoring an Africa University student in their name.
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who have a particular interest in helping a United Methodist institution committed to training leaders for Africa. “There’s a passion,” he said. Others point to Goodwin’s special passion, which has led him to become a champion Hockessin UMC members display AUF appreciation for Africa University banner. within and outside his home church. Sam Hodges Goodwin, a senior data analyst Hockessin United Methodist for DuPont Capital Management, Church, in Hockessin, Del. is a recalls attending General Confervital congregation conducting ence 1996, and hearing an appeal and supporting many ministries, for the school. one of which is Africa Univer“I had never heard of Africa sity. The Peninsula-Delaware University and wondered why Conference’s 450 churches fund they wanted my money,” he said. scholarships for Africa University “I had them send me some inforstudents, and Hockessin UMC mation. And in that information is the leading contributor to the was how an annual conference cause. That translates to about could endow a scholarship. In $40,000 of the $250,000 the ’97, when the conference passed a conference has raised. resolution to do that, I became the Kevin Goodwin, a longtime spokesperson. Our church chose member of Hockessin United to take the lead in raising money.” Methodist, points to strong clergy Goodwin and Hockessin Unitsupport and to church members, ed Methodist have been Africa including a Peace Corps alum, University champions ever since.
AU Graduate Serves continued from page 2
He’s been on the school’s development committee since 2000. That has him making several appearances on the school’s behalf each year. He’s appeals coordinator for the conference (which has him lifting up Africa University Sunday) and missions cluster chair for his church. This year, Peninsula-Delaware Conference funds are providing one full scholarship and two partials. The recipients are Banza Mutunda Mimi, of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who is studying health services management; Marc Kamuze, also from Congo, who has been studying English intensively before beginning a business management major; and Takudzwa Andrew Kaguramamba, of Zimbabwe, pursuing an education degree with a focus in history. Goodwin has not gotten to know them. But his visits with Africa University students and alumni – including translators at General Conference 2012, where Goodwin was a delegate – have left him ever more convinced of the cause. — Hodges is a freelance writer in Dallas
AU Graduate Serves as Church and Society Organizer in the Congo Barbara Dunlap- Berg In January 2013, the United Methodist Board of Church and Society conducted its first-ever grassroots organizing workshop to achieve social justice in Zimbabwe. Twenty-seven people gathered at Africa University for the three-day training. One participant was Ado Omakinda Odimba, a graduate of Africa University and now an organizer in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“I have long been interested in social justice ministry,” Odimba said. “I was recommended by another Africa Omakinda Odimba University graduate to serve as church and society organizer in Congo. I attended the training and started working
and possible concepts toward development and engagement to successful ministry as part of their faith and testimony as Christians.” At Africa University, Odimba studied marketing. However, a vocation on peace building, community healing and development piqued his interest. “Now that I am involved in it, I look forward to this being part of my life and continuing to work on social justice issues. It’s a new direction that puts (into) practice my academic skills, personal vocation and understanding of my call and faith for service.” Odimba credits Africa
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Neal Christie (GBCS), Omakinda Odimba (middle) and Pierre Omadjela (far right), both AU grads, at the State House in Kinshasa.
University with providing a strong foundation. “I acquired a lot of skills by engaging in extracurricular activities in the chaplaincy,” he said. “More than that, it was the multicultural experience, understanding others and being ready to serve others. AU prepared me (for) a life of service, valuing the good of the community
and seeking to make the world a better place as we all benefit from it.” The lessons he learned outside the classroom, he noted, were just as important as those he learned inside the classroom. “The mere fact of living with people from different cultures, developing new relationships (and) exploring faith beyond our background and reality beyond our cultures transformed me,” he said. “I take pride in being an Africa University graduate because I believe I have had the best education one would have desired that is complete, from academic to social.” — Dunlap-Berg is internal content editor at United Methodist Communications, Nashville, Tenn.
Baltimore-Washington Conference Shapes the Life of a Nation
Bishop Marcus Matthews (middle) and Rev. J.W. Park, dean of the BWC Cabinet, greet Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa, of Zimbabwe in Mutare.
Melissa Lauber
on several plans for church and society ministry in the Congo.” Transforming communities into “safer havens, where peace, justice and self-realization is made possible with good health” is important to Odimba. “The country has gone through a lot, and I feel that solutions need to be developed and implemented locally,” he said. “Thus our work in organizing workshops and seminars to enable people to grasp positive
Clayton Childers
Order a family of resources to help tell the story of the Africa University Fund apportionment:
Hockessin UMC Supports Endowed Scholarships for AU Students
Melissa Lauber
Give Faithfully. Give Hope.
This summer, a diverse team of 33 people journeyed to Zimbabwe to deepen the partnership of the Baltimore-Washington Conference and the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area and unite in common ministries. Bishop Marcus Matthews, episcopal leader of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, led the team. “The partnership between the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area and the Baltimore-Washington Conference was forged 16 years
ago by the Holy Spirit,” said Greater Washington District Superintendent Joseph Daniels, who now leads the Africa Initiative Project for the conference. It was “designed for long-term learning and spiritual blessing.” One of the remarkable successes of this partnership has been a focus on HIV/AIDS education at Africa University and throughout the nation that has dramatically raised awareness of the causes of the disease and helped stem its spread. “The BaltimoreWashington Conference has been involved with Africa University from the very beginning and still is,” Jim Salley, associate vice chancellor for institutional advancement, said. “That is a God-given gift to us. We can’t say thank you enough for being the church, not only in the U.S., but also in the world.” For Bishop Marcus Matthews, episcopal leader of the Baltimore-
Washington Conference, whose ministry emphasizes education, living in the fullness of God often involves learning. As the vice chairperson of the board of directors for Africa University, he was excited about the potential the pastors’ school has to ripple throughout churches and communities, shaping the life of a nation. “This is a spiritual thing for me,” said Bishop Matthews, “because every time I see the students, I see the face of Christ in them. Their stories … touch the heart. Many of them have lived lives that have been broken. But the university helps put them back together. This is a place of transformation – for the students and for the continent.” —Adapted from a blog by Lauber, Baltimore-Washington Conference director of communications. She was part of the delegation that visited Zimbabwe.
How You Can Help Africa University continues to be the evidence of faith, hope and belief in the visions of dreamers. We are counting on you! Your church’s 100 percent apportionment remittance means 100 percent support of Africa University’s operational budget. Consider these additional ways of helping the university to educate new leaders for the nations of Africa: Planned Gifts – Planned gifts are the foundation for the long-term survival of Africa University. For many, a bequest offers an opportunity to make a more substantial charitable gift than would be possible during one’s lifetime. As you make your estate plans, consider leaving a gift to Africa University in your will. If you already have included Africa University in your estate plans, please let us know so we may welcome you to the Richard E. “Dick” Reeves Legacy Society. Usahwira – This word in the Shona language means “a beautiful friendship.” Encourage your local church to become a partner with Africa University by supporting one student at the university for four years. The cost to support one student annually is $5,400. Local churches may provide full or partial scholarships. Endowment Fund – Give to the Africa University Endowment Fund (World Service Special Gift #03-01-88). The interest income from the endowment is used to provide scholarships for our students. Africa University is supported by congregations and individuals across The United Methodist Church. Let’s work together to continue the transformation of lives and of Africa. For more information, please contact:
Africa University Development Office
P.O. Box 340007 Nashville, TN 37203-0007 (615) 340-7438 (phone) (615) 340-7290 (fax) audevoffice@gbhem.org www.support-africauniversity.org
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