HARARE -- MUTARE IN ZIMBAWE

From Durban we returned to the Airport Grand in Johannesburg, our home away from home.  We stay there once more before departing Africa.  On Tuesday morning we flew to Harare, Zimbawe and were treated to a bus tour of the city.  It is the Capitol of the nation, so we drove by the government buildings, and toured both lovely and poverty residential communities.  We got to take pictures of the city from a wonderful vantage point on one of the hills.  Most things were closed due to Heroes Day, celebrating Zimbawe independence.  We stayed at a very nice Holiday Inn and had a delightful dinner

 with our group.  Our guide is Thomas Harms and our host from Africa University is Victor.  Rocky was our capable bus drive on the 4 hour journey to Mutare Wednesday morning.  We arrived at Africa University and were greeted by the Vice Chancellor (President) of the University and he then hosted us at lunch and introduced several faculty and staff members.  We learned that freshmen were arriving on campus today, some 500 strong and that the student population is to be 1700, up from 1200.  There is not really enough housing for that many, so a new residence is desperately needed. 

The reunion with Shirley and Ted DeWolf was a bit marred by news that Shirley was home confined to bed.  Ted showed up to greet us and visit , so we hope to visit her at home tomorrow.  Ted gave us glowing news about Maria and Charles, now in Arizona.  I am always glad to hear such reports on couples  whom I have united in marriage. 

We then toured the lovely chapel donated by the largest Methodist Church  in the world, Kwang Lim in Seoul.  I had visited that church 15 years ago when I toured South Korean Methodism so was eager to see the chapel.  The pulpit and communion table were made by Zimbawa artists and they are beautiful.  Next stop was the Library (Marilyn insisted) and the archives of history surrounding Old Matare Mission and the development of the University in old farm buildings which we also saw.  The University buildings were up-to-date and modern with wonderful computer labs.  They are even getting in to online education so I may apply for a job!

The bus then took up to Old Matare Mission which my sister Anne had told me about.  It has long been associated with Methodism.  It contains a high school, orphanage and hospital, plus a beautiful church.  The cross at Old Matare is in direct line with the cross on the chapel and the one on the hill above the chapel.  Beautiful symmetry.  Fairview Orphanage is one supported by Christie Abdul’s family and Shirley DeWolf is on the Board there.  After group pictures at the University entrance we headed for our second Holiday Inn, an even nicer one, in new Matare, which appears to be quite a city.  We will explore it more later.  Stay tuned!

Joe

STREET RALLY

Many of our speakers emphasized that we must get out of our comfort zones to do ministry where we are needed.  The planners of the Conference planned a Street Rally to demonstrate to Durbin that we would not be confined to the Convention Center and so it was that thousands of us walked through the city streets ending up at the City Hall Plaza where we sang and prayed and heard the Word.  My favorite song was “Who can save our land and people?”  Guess the answer:  GOD. 

It has been good to share with Bishop Sherer-Simpson and her family throughout this Conference.

Joe

SUNDAY WORSHIP

We had opportunity to attend a local church this morning in Durban.  We chose Musgrave Methodist Church whose pastor Rev. Stuart Bosch, is a most intriguing worship leader and pastor.  He played guitar and led the singing, accompanied by a good praise team and preached a fine sermon.  The church is 118 years old and is of delightful architecture and is a racially mixed church in urban Durban.  There were a nice number of children and they were given instruments to assist in accompanying  one of the hymns.  The service was a blended one and we sang songs quite familiar to contemporary services in America and traditional hymns, including one from Charles Wesley.  A Bishop of Nigeria and his wife asked to share a song in the service.  They then served tea and goodies in the nicely landscaped garden area just outside the church.  A most delightful experience.  Of course, I had to jump in the pulpit! 

Joe

NIGHT AT THE BEACH

Saturday night was a party on the beach, sponsored by the City of Durban in appreciation for convention business in their beautiful city with its wonderful convention center.  It was rainy, but no problem:  they had a huge tent  with walkways right on the sand and great food and drink and a band our son Tim would have enjoyed even more than we!  We grabbed a stand up table and were joined by two couples from our safari experience, Brad and Kay Phillips of Virgina and Randy and Emily Innes of North Carolina.  Fun time on the beach!

Joe

SHAKALAND ZULU EXPERIENCE

Marilyn and I elected to travel about two hours north for a tour of Shakaland, a traditional Zulu “Umuzi” or homestead situated in the Nkwalina Valley.  We learned of Shaka, King of the Zulu’s, saw tribal dancing and learned of their family life.  In the picture you see me with four unmarried virgins.  For 11 cows each of could have had all four, but Marilyn was with me and I was also out of cows!  Also pictured with Zulu chief.

Friday night was a full concert and presentation about the growth of Africa University which was delightful!  We look forward to seeing many of the people we met when we visit the University next week and have as our hosts, Rev. Shirley and Ted DeWolf.  We look forward to seeing them again, having first met them in December of 2009 when I did Maria’s wedding in Omaha.

Saturday began with worship and an excellent Bible study and I also attended Bishop Schnase’s workshop of Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, a model emphasized by the Nebraska Conference and practiced at our Church, St. Andrew’s United Methodist in Omaha.

Marilyn did a tour of Durban and you can see her pictures on Facebook.

Joe

WORLD METHODIST CONFERENCE OPENING SESSION

I wish my dad, Rev. Thomas J. Scahill, Sr. could have been at this opening session.  He loved the world-wide reach of the Methodist Church and taught me to be very aware that we are part of an international movement.  He would have blubbered, as did I, when the member churches came into the auditorium with their banners, demonstrating how John Wesley has affected the world.  We sang Charles Wesley’s , A Thousand Tongues in 1000 tongues!  Then we prayed the Lord’s Prayer in our “heart” language.  What a great sound. 

Two choirs sang, both wonderful, but I was especially looking forward to the Africa (Methodist) University choir and they were lively and inspiring.  We hope they perform for our group when we are in Mutare, Zimbawe next week.  Marilyn loved it when it was announced that a young women from her home town of Corning, New York designed the beautiful logo for the conference.  The theme:  Jesus Christ: For the Healing of the Nations.  Dr. John Barrett, President of the Council and a British pastor, gave an outstanding sermon on the outreach of our denomination.  There was a new wrinkle with the presence of the General Secretary of the African Muslim League who asked to come and greet us acknowledging that we descend from the same roots of the Abrahamic faith.  Those who think all Muslims are terrorists need to hear this man speak.

We look forward to the rest of the Conference with anticipation!

Joe

Durban, South Africa

It is my honor to be a member of the World Methodist Council.  We are meeting for 3 days prior to the World Methodist Conference, a much larger gathering.  We welcomed three new member churches into the Methodist/Wesleyan family:  Methodist Church of Nepal, Methodist Church of Tanzania and the Methodist Church The Gambia.  The General Secretary of the Council is retiring and today we elected Bishop Ivan Abrahams, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of South Africa as the new General Secretary.  He will move to Lake Junaluska, North Carolina to assume this post on January 1, 2012.  We are working on a new constitution and bylaws.  Now that is really interesting!

Tonight we had a lovely dinner with our Nebraska Bishop, Ann Shearer Simpson, her husband Wayne , his daughter and her grandson.  Fun to get better acquainted away from home!

The real excitement will be the opening worship on Thursday with banners of the churches and a choir from Africa Methodist University (where we will visit next week).  Marilyn and I are so grateful to be here and have opportunity to see old friends and make new ones. 

Some of you will remember Hung Yu Kim, who served with me in Aurora.  He is now pastor of the mother church of Korean Methodism in Inchon.  Seeing a Korean pastor, I wondered if Hung Yu might be at the Council meeting.  30 seconds later he came down the aisle and we had a wonderful reunion.  It is a small world after all!

More to come!

Joe