Jan. 7, 2004
Africa University breaks ground for peace institute
A UMNS Feature
By Linda Green*

Zimbabwe's economic problems have not eroded the confidence that United Methodist and U.S. officials have in Africa University's ability to move the continent toward peace.

The university recently broke ground for a $1.8 million building to house its Institute of Peace, Leadership and Governance. The institute, at the school's campus in Mutare, Zimbabwe, will focus on helping African nations build a sustainable culture of peace, improved management systems, security and socio-economic development.

Construction funds for the three-story building were donated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a longtime supporter of the university. Since the university was formally established in 1992, the agency's Schools and Hospitals Abroad Program has contributed $8.3 million for development and expansion at the university. This has included building and equipping the library, the faculty of agriculture and natural resources, and the faculty of health sciences.

The Institute of Peace, Leadership and Governance building will have academic and administration sections, an auditorium, 10 seminar/lecture rooms, a library, offices and a cafeteria. The United Methodist Church's Baltimore-Washington Annual (regional) Conference provided seed money of $15,000 to assist the university in its peace effort.

Joseph Sullivan, the U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe, was among those attending the November groundbreaking. "Africa University and the institute (are) well placed to promote critical values for the future development of Africa and the prosperity of its people," he said. "These include human rights, democracy and the efficient management of public and private institutions."

He said the U.S. government's financial and moral support for the institute "will go a long way towards achieving the vision to contribute to the building of a peaceful and prosperous Africa by providing a forum for debate, training and research, which actively promotes peace, good governance and responsive leadership to meet the challenges being faced on the African continent."

Peace in Africa is important, he said, as he reflected on his time in Angola during the last three years of that country's civil war. The war has ended and the country is working toward peace.

"Peace is critical for development," Sullivan said. "In order to make it possible, there needs to be leadership - leadership not just of politicians, but leadership of society as a whole to come forward."

Sullivan said the institute's title says what Africa needs - peace, leadership, governance. "If those three things can come together and these new students being educated at this institute can help provide that leadership for Zimbabwe and other countries ... Africa can realize the tremendous promise it has for the whole world."

The university's effective use of resources for 11 years and its clear vision for the African continent have continued to attract USAID support, he said. "We have confidence that it (the university) will continue to do this, notwithstanding the difficulties that Zimbabwe itself faces."

The United States has also provided resources to establish an American Corner in the university's library to increase knowledge and mutual understanding between America and Zimbabwe.

The institute received its first students in January 2003, when 14 people from seven African countries enrolled in its postgraduate programs. The second class is expected to begin lectures this January. The programs are aimed at responding to the major challenges facing Africa in the political, social and economic effects of globalization. In addition to offering conventional academic courses, the institute will run workshops, conferences and retreats for leaders, professionals and practitioners in public and private sectors and civil society institutions.

According to James Salley, associate vice chancellor for institutional advancement, the USAID money "says that the U.S. government has all the confidence needed in order to make an investment of another $1.8 million into Africa University."

"What it says to us is the people of the United States have not given up on Africa University or the country of Zimbabwe," he said. "What better way to support progress on the continent than invest in projects like the institute, which promotes and teaches good governance, leadership and peace - all the things needed to bring harmony to the continent of Africa University? It is worthwhile and speaks to the future."

Acknowledging that Zimbabwe's 2002 presidential elections eroded good will between the U.S. and Zimbabwean governments, Sullivan said it is the people of the country who need help. He said the country is undergoing multiple crises around economics, politics, an HIV/AIDS pandemic and a food shortage.

Despite the political problems, the United States is providing approximately $130 million annually in food assistance, which is 40 percent of the total of international assistance provided, according to Sullivan. The U.S. government is also providing $15 million for HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention and awareness programs, he said. "We hope to see progress in reducing what is a horrendous rate of infection."

In addition to the groundbreaking, the university celebrated the election of Bishop Nkulu Ntanda Ntambo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as new chancellor and chairman of the Africa University Board of Directors. Ntambo succeeds Bishop Emilio J. deCarvalho, who retired after serving the university for 11 years. He will be formally installed early in 2004.

*Green is a news writer with United Methodist News Service in Nashville, Tenn. Contributing to this story were David Manyonga, acting director of information for Africa University, and Hilly Hicks, staff member at United Methodist Communications.


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Jan. 8, 2004
Career ministry 'worth its weight in gold,' says jobless man
A UMNS Report
By Nancye Willis*

After Rick Kent of Atlanta lost his job as a well-paid sales director, he went to church. At Sugar Hill United Methodist Church, he found what he needed-not only emotional and spiritual support but also a free job search.

Kent knew about Sugar Hill's Crossroads Career Ministry for the unemployed firsthand. He had spoken to members of the support group a year and half earlier.

"I gave a testimonial, when I was still employed, about making a career change in a positive way and how God has worked in our lives," he says.

"Obviously, when I had the need for a search, I knew this is one of the best venues and paths to look for help," he says. "It's worth its weight in gold because it gives you some optimism."

Sugar Hill Crossroads director Sherrie Nacke agrees. "In addition to contacts and names of people, it also offers friendships and spiritual support. This Crossroads has helped numerous people find numerous opportunities," she says.

"Sometimes it's not necessarily through the job leads that get communicated via e-mail," she says. "Sometimes they discover they have a unique talent or a unique skill or maybe some education that they realized they could apply to certification and go in a different area."

Nacke describes Crossroads as "a church-based, formalized way of searching in a church environment-a Christian environment-during a crossroads in career."

The U.S. Bureau of Statistics estimates that about 8.7 million U.S. citizens are at such a crossroads, starting the new year looking for work. Fear can be their worst enemy, Nacke says.

"They have fears of not even finding leads enough to follow up on; fear of uncertainty of their skills. Maybe they're uncertain as to where they fit in the marketplace. Maybe they don't want to uproot their family."

At the Crossroads group meetings, Nacke says, she sees those fears dissipate. "This is a tremendous outlet for them. It's safe. It's secure. They know familiar faces. They can ask questions of professionals or volunteers: 'Hey, what would you do in this instance?'"

The dedication of the volunteers impresses her. "You have to have a lot of passion to want to help somebody and help them through those feelings. We want to instill in these people the love that Christ has for us through us to these individuals," she says.

"Some people come severely beaten down in their ego because maybe they were making that executive pay and maybe now they're not. It's up to us to show them the love that Christ has for us," she adds.

Unfortunately, Nacke says, with unemployment in the United States hovering around 6 percent, "many churches miss this element of helping their congregations in perhaps what is one of the biggest problems right now in American homes."

Founded by two executives in the search and recruiting field, Crossroads Career Ministries first involved a group of Atlanta volunteer business people who wanted to help others in career transition. The early marketplace ministry grew to the point that it began meeting in a local church, and is now an ecumenical, volunteer-led network with chapters in nearly 30 states.

Information on the Sugar Hill Crossroads Career Ministry is available at www.sugarhillumc.org/career.htm, and at the site of its parent organization, the national Crossroads Career Network, www.crossroads-career.net.

*Willis is editor for the Public Information Team at United Methodist Communications in Nashville, Tenn. This story is based on material gathered for a UMTV report produced by Lyle Jackson.