Saturday, March 15, 2014

Coming Home (3-15-14)


Coming Home (3-15-14)
We are completing our work at Hope Africa University, and getting ready to leave.  This final week has been full: we have been part of many important meetings and events.  That is satisfying.  But we are weary, and ready to return home.  (As usual, we “leave it all on the field” when we are here.  If we were long-term faculty, we would have to pace ourselves better.)  Thanks for your prayers on our behalf: they have sustained us.
Among the activities of the week… 
Yesterday Darlene successfully defended the Masters of Nursing program before an external board of evaluators: PTL!  (She began working on this project the day we arrived 7 weeks ago, and it was only fitting that the defense and approval should occur on our last working day here!) 
On Wednesday, Wayne accompanied the Rector and Vice-Rector (President and Provost) in presenting two proposed PhD programs to the highest official in the government Commission on Higher Education.  That same day, he served on the jury for two of his Masters in Theology students, both of whom successfully defended their theses. 
On Thursday, we both made a day-long trip with the Rector to the Kibuye Hope Hospital campus, where Wayne was involved in a high-level Oversight Planning Committee chaired by the Bishop.  We then toured the campus and hospital, where currently we have 11 construction projects underway. 
Our work on behalf of HAU will continue as we return home.  Wayne has several phone calls to make, and a teleconference next week.  Thursday afternoon, while she is in Rochester, we will be meeting with Barbara Rose, VP of the Friends board.  Our next Friends board meeting, which Wayne is preparing, will be in Spring Arbor April 10-11.  So the beat goes on…

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

One Week Remaining (3-9-14)


One Week Remaining (3-9-14)

Today, our friends Norm and Nancy Wetterau return to the US (Dansville, NY).  They have been here three weeks, teaching a course in Medical Psychology to a large class of 70+ students. 

We continue on for another week.  It promises to be a busy one! 

Two of my Master’s in Theology students are submitting final draft of their theses on Monday, and hope to defend this week before I leave.  As their Thesis Director, it is expected that I will serve on both juries, alongside another faculty or two.  The defense is a public event.  I expect the two will be scheduled back-to-back, on Wednesday evening. 

Darlene will be participating this week in an external accreditation review of the Master’s in Nursing program (several other graduate programs are included in this evaluation review).  That event was scheduled for Tuesday, but now we hear (through the grapevine) that it has been postponed until Friday.

Thursday, both of us are traveling to the Kibuye Hope Hospital campus “up country” in the company of both the Rector and Bishop.  It will be an all-day affair: we will leave campus here early in the morning (probably ca. 7 am, and return after dark, hopefully, by 7 pm).  I will be touring the campus with the Rector, to survey the construction underway (some 11 projects) and discuss those on the drawing board.  At some point in the day, we will be meeting with several persons on-site in an Oversight Planning Committee chaired by Bishop Nzigo.  Darlene will be conducting rounds in the hospital with the medical staff, physicians and nurses.  We look forward to a nice lunch on-site, and the day of travel up-country.

On Wednesday afternoon, I will be involved in a meeting, alongside the Rector and Vice Rector (President and Provost), with the Executive Director of the National Commission on Higher Education.  This is a high-level meeting!  The topic is HAU’s proposal, on which I have served as the “Principal Consultant,” for two Ph.D. programs: one in Educational Leadership and Instruction, and the other in Theological Education and Leadership.  Your prayers are needed and appreciated. 

Elsewise(!), we both will be wrapping up the graduate courses we are presently teaching.  And my students are planning a “class party” Wednesday evening.  A concluding class party is tradition here: typically, a very nice affair.  Per usual, I am paying for the drinks and sweets; I expect the students will be presenting me thank you speeches and gifts.

We also anticipate this week a private farewell lunch with the Rector and First Lady, our friends Gerald and Marlene Bates, at their home.  I think that event is being squeezed in on Tuesday.

Arriving back in Rochester, NY next Monday (March 17) to a cold and empty house is likely to seem quite boring!

Monday, February 24, 2014

A Party for Our African Friends (2-24-14)


A Party for Our African Friends (2-24-14)

Yesterday (Sunday) we hosted a small party in our apartment for some African friends who have become especially important to us.  Our relationship with the two young men extends across the seven years we have been coming to Hope Africa University.  Both were Darlene’s students in Nursing, having completed their undergraduate baccalaureate degree and then their master’s degree under her tutelage.  I also served as faculty for them in several courses and helped advise them on their master’s theses.


 

Eric is now head (chef) of the Nursing program at HAU, and Denis head (chef) of Nursing at HAU’s Van Norman Clinic (a hospital across the street from the main campus).  These are very important positions.  Both are exceptionally fine Christian men, bright and hard-working.  Eric, though still young, is a gifted administrator.

Denis is married: he brought his wife Jeanette and their 13-month old daughter Charity to our party.  Charity was a delight!  Last week, we all shared lunch in Denis and Jeanette’s home.  At that time, Charity was quite frightened by us: it was her first time to see white people.  Today, she was totally comfortable around us. 

We included in our party today Eric’s younger brother (age 19), for whom he serves as guardian.  During the civil strife in the 90’s, their mother, father, and a younger sister were killed.  Eric was ca. 14 and his brother ca. 5 at that time.  The two boys escaped death by hiding in the woods.  After some months, they were taken in by two differing families.  Eric was able to resume his schooling, and because of his diligence, discipline, work ethic, intelligence—and by God’s grace—now holds a master’s degree.  His younger brother, however, has struggled through school, and at age 19, is only in his first (of three years) of high school. 

For the party, Darlene had fixed a number of small treats.  I had prepared a photo slideshow of our family and home in the US.  (As we concluded our lunch together in Denis’ home, he said, “We have showed you our family and home.  We would like to know about your family and home.”)  We usually do not talk about or show photos of our home and cottage in New York…because they are so grand compared to their humble dwellings here.  But we made an exception in this case….

I entitled our slideshow, “Our Home and Family in America…prepared for Our Friends in Africa.”  At the end, I showed two photos of Eric and Denis with their classmates in the master’s program.  I labeled the first (which included Denis): “Some of Our Extended Family in Africa” and the second (which included Eric): “Three More Wise Men in Our African Family.”  Our guests were thrilled to be included in “our family.”

The final photo, taken from the balcony of our apartment here, was labeled “A Beautiful Sunset on Lake Tanganika.”  Earlier in the slideshow, I had included a photo of “A Beautiful Sunset on Lake Ontario” taken from our cottage at Lighthouse Christian Camp.  These two photos—and the slideshow in general—reflected these two parts of our lives, in America and Africa.  While very different in many respects, they also mirror one another in important ways.

Special People: Visiting Faculty (2-23-14)



Special People: Visiting Faculty (2-23-14)


One of the features of our lives at Hope Africa University is living in close quarters and spending time with other visiting faculty on the campus.  They are special people. 


When we first arrived here at the end of January, Drs. Barbara Rose and Betty Overton-Adkins were still on-site.  Having come earlier in January, they were nearing the end of their time at HAU; we overlapped with them 7-10 days.  We know Barbara well; she is a special friend.  Before retiring, we worked together at Roberts Wesleyan College for 20 years; the past five winters we have taught with her at HAU.  Barbara is a mathematician and teaches Statistics and Research.  “Dr. Betty” (as we all call her) is past Provost of Spring Arbor University; this was her second tour to HAU.  Betty teaches Educational Leadership in the master’s program at HAU.  Both Barbara and Betty are very gifted teachers.


We were also privileged this year to overlap for 10 days with Dr. Colin and Barbara Meneely from Ireland.  This was their second tour to HAU, but our first opportunity to meet them in person.  Barbara is a nurse and midwife and gave sessions for the midwives and staff at the Van Norman Clinic.  Colin, who is a full-time pastor, taught the first course to a new cohort of 20+ students in the master’s program in Theology.  His course was Historical Theology; I have followed up the past two weeks with a course in Systematic Theology; and Tuesday will begin another, in the Foundations of Biblical Leadership.  Darlene and I thoroughly enjoyed getting acquainted with this couple from Ireland, with whom we shared so many interests. 


The day after the Meneelys left HAU for home, a new member of our visiting faculty moved into the apartment next door.  Larry Bucar is a surveyor from Denver.  This is his third visit to HAU; he will be staying here until the end of March (we leave for home March 16).  Larry is teaching Surveying to ca. 50 students in the Engineering department at HAU.  We are enjoying getting acquainted with Larry: every morning he brings us coffee and spends a half hour talking with us in our apartment before heading off to class.  He is a strong Christian, and has initiated a weekly prayer meeting among the “ex-pat” (expatriate) visiting faculty.


Our friends Dr. Norman and Nancy Wetterau arrived this past Sunday for a one-month tour of service at HAU; this is their fifth year.  Norm is an M.D. and teaches Medical Psychology; Nancy is a retired school teacher and serves as his assistant.  (Their class is always large, ca. 80 students this year, which they have divided into two sections.)  While Norm and Nancy do not live far from us in NY, the time we share at HAU represents the most significant part of our relationship with them.  We interact and share with them daily.  Today, Norm gave Darlene and me an informal “lecture” in alcohol and marijuana addiction, in which he is a leading expert.  The three of us also walked together to church, and shared in Sunday worship.  (Nancy was ill, and not able to go with us today.)  These are special times.


These are all special people, dedicated to serving God and people; that’s why they are here, at their own expense, teaching as visiting faculty at HAU.  And, you may have noticed, they all are “returnees.”  Moreover, all of them--including Darlene and me--plan to return yet again to HAU, probably “next year.”

Friday, February 21, 2014

Teachers at Work (02-21-14)


Teachers at Work (02-21-14)

 

We have had another busy week.  Both of us are now teaching graduate courses.  Darlene’s class meets 3-5 pm, and mine 5-8 pm (I eat dinner after class). 

 

This week, I delivered four “heavy” lectures: two in Soteriology = the doctrine of Salvation; two in Pneumatology = the doctrine of the Spirit. 

 

Pneumatology, Part II last evening covered four topics: the Person of the Spirit (OT & NT); the Baptism of the Spirit (in Acts); the Gifts of the Spirit (three major texts); the Fruit of the Spirit (three major texts).  This lecture took the full three hours; I covered four large blackboards with notes; I came home exhausted. 

 

Needless to say, a lot of time and work is involved in preparing such lectures.  Additionally, I am serving as thesis director to four Masters’ students, three of whom visited me today.  So we are being kept quite busy, as visiting faculty.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

What a Day! (2-16-14)



What a Day! (2-16-14)

We have just returned from the longest Sunday service we have ever attended!  We were left the campus at 7:45 am, and returned at 6:15 pm.  The service itself lasted 7 hours!!

The occasion was the “promotion” of one of the Free Methodist pastors to District Superintendent in a rural area south of Bujumbura.  Bishop Nzigo was present for the formal “installation” of Evariste Harerimana.  So too was the Superintendent of the Western Conference (one of two in the General Conference of Burundi) and 16 District Superintendents, plus numerous pastors.  We estimated the total audience at ca. 2,000.  It was a BIG event!

The honoree of the occasion, Pastor Evariste, has been my student for the past six in the Masters of Theology program at Hope Africa University.  More especially, I have served as his Thesis Director for the degree.  He personally invited us to attend this event as his “special guests” and even arranged for our transportation. 

The service was held outdoors on the church grounds.  It was all nicely “staged.”  We sat on plastic chairs under a canopy.  Midway through the service, however, a significant rainstorm blew in.  Several canopies got blown over.  Ours did not, but the wind blew under the canopy, and rivulets washed through.  We got thoroughly wet, from head to feet, and eventually (along with many other guests) ran through the rain itself to take cover in the church.  As the outdoor seating areas were a wet and muddy mess and it was already after noon, we thought the service might be terminated,  Not so, the ceremonies resumed and continued nonstop until after 4pm! 

The service itself included dozens of choir numbers, and multiple sermons and prayers.  But the most interesting part for us came at the end, when the various churches presented gifts to Pastor (now also Superintendent) Evariste and his wife Goretti.  More than a dozen live goats and a dozen live chickens were included among the gifts, each brought in with dancing.  There were also numerous baskets of fruits and vegetables.  At the end of the service, these were all loaded into a big truck: goats, chickens, fruits and vegetables.  These gifts filled the entire bed. 

Following the service and these ceremonies, all the people were served a sumptuous meal in the church.  The Burundians had sat out in the sun all day without anything to eat or drink and very few had left the service to use the toilets.  (We had brought water, which we drank sparingly, and had used the outdoor, hole-in-the ground toilets mid-way through the day during the rain break.) 

Back to the meal….  The food was delicious and plentiful.  The main entrees, typical of the daily diet here, were rice, beans and peas.  But there also were lots of meat dishes: chicken, beef and goat.  (We both chose a skewer of beef.  Cooked over an open fire, it was quite tasty though a couple of pieces were too tough to chew).  The buffet included more than a dozen salads: most were made of cabbage and carrots, but also some of lettuce and tomatoes; all were beautifully arranged.  I chose from a plate of sliced cucumbers, since I had not had any since arriving in Burundi: they were fresh and very good. 

We did observe (as we have in the past) that while Burundians can go a long time without eating, when food is available they can really eat a lot!  At this meal most of their plates were piled three times as high as mine.  Seeing this, I was made to realize that Burundians do not get to eat like this most of the time and are really hungry.  

This was for us a long day but a special one, a uniquely African experience, and a first for us!

 

Saturday, February 15, 2014

We are New Grandparents! (2-15-14)


We are New Grandparents! (2-15-14)

This morning, our house girl Jenetta delivered a baby girl.  Her friend Fredrianna, another of the house girls, came to our apartment ca. 7 am to share the good news with us. 

Early this afternoon, we went to the Van Norman Clinic at Hope Africa University (across the street from the main campus where we are living) to visit Jenetta and see the baby.  Both looked healthy.  The baby was beautiful, and Jennetta radiant and energetic.  Her friend Fredianna was at her bedside, as well as her husband. 

Darlene took the baby into her arms and presented her gifts, while I took photos.  These were special moments for us.  We are glad to be new grandparents!

One BIG 20 Cent Avocado (2-15-14)


One BIG 20 Cent Avocado (2-15-14)

Yesterday, we sent our house girl to the local market to buy a few fruits and vegetables to eat over the weekend: 1 papaya, 1 mango, 1 pineapple, 3 potatoes, 2 tomatoes, and 1 avocado.  All of these were huge, and quite cheap (by our standards). 

The avocado (we just took several photos of it) is the largest we had ever seen.  It measures almost 15” around the girth!  And it cost less than 20 cents!!

Friday, February 14, 2014

Remembering Mark’s Birth Day (2-14-14)


Remembering Mark’s Birth Day (2-14-14)

On February 24, we will be celebrating our older son’s fiftieth birthday.  Across the past 50 years, Mark has been a source of many blessings in our lives.  He is a fine Christian man, whose primary career has been as a teacher and coach in Christian high schools.  We are very proud of him.

I (Wayne) remember the night Mark was born (I’m sure Darlene remembers too!). 

At the time, I was serving as Assistant Pastor of the North City Free Methodist Church in Seattle.  I had a committee meeting scheduled at the church the same evening Darlene began having contractions.  I began formulating a plan: I would take Darlene to the hospital, leave to conduct my meeting, and then return for the delivery of the baby.  However, she contended against that plan.  So I cancelled the committee meeting or asked someone else to serve as chair (I don’t remember which).  As an alternative plan, I brought with me to the hospital a briefcase loaded with books: I was a graduate student at the University of Washington and had an essay to write. 

At the hospital, I had the entire waiting room to myself.  Thinking I would be there all night, I proceeded to spread out (in an orderly fashion!) my books and notes on the nearby chairs and over half the floor…and set to work, “redeeming the time.”  (Those of you who know me well are no doubt laughing by now.  But this was 50 years ago!  J) 

In ca. 15 minutes I was interrupted (I had barely got started on my essay): a nurse entered the waiting room; she escorted me in to see Darlene for a few minutes.  Ca. 15 minutes later, she interrupted me again…to announce that Darlene had already delivered and I was the father of a boy!  I was delighted to hear the good news.  But I was surprised “it had happened so quickly”…and quite honestly, disappointed that I had been allowed so little time to work on my essay…which I had planned to finish that night. 

From time to time, I have felt sorry for Mark that he was born to such a father as this!  Happy birthday, son: I love you.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Bright, Hard-Working Students (2-11-14)


Bright, Hard-Working Students (2-11-14)

Across the seven years Darlene and I have been working at Hope Africa University, we have met some bright, hard-working students.  We had three of them in our apartment today. 

One of the Master’s students with whom I (Wayne) am working is Senior Pastor of the nearby/campus Free Methodist Church and District Superintendent for 31 other churches in Bujumbura.  This morning, Ephraim came to get my final input on the Questionnaire he plans to use in his thesis on Effective Preaching.  I called in Darlene to help with some of the research methodology involved…and we “went at it.”  I was impressed—even somewhat amazed—how Ephraim was able to keep pace with both of us.  When he left, Darlene and I commented to one another: he is not only a good preacher, but very intelligent.

Later in the morning, a graduate of Darlene’s Master’s program in Nursing paid us a social visit.  Edouard is now employed by the Burundian government as a researcher in Public Health and currently serving as Acting Director of that department.  As Edouard talked with Darlene about substantive matters in Nursing Education, and I sat by and listened, we both were impressed not only by his knowledge but also by his analytical and administrative skills.

The third former student to visit is now the Director of the School of Nursing at Hope Africa University.  Eric and Darlene have been working daily, long hours, on multiple drafts of a self-study for the Master’s program.  We see him daily; and Eric never fails to impress us.  He is a hard-working young man (perhaps too hard-working), very bright, and blessed with good administrative skills and savvy.  I recently asked him where and how he learned to be such a good administrator.  He responded, “Just by observing others.”

Can you imagine the satisfaction Darlene and I experience in having a small part in the education of persons such as these three (and there are many others)?  It is good to be here: We are fulfilled; we are blessed!

Monday, February 10, 2014

The Power of Hope (2-10-14)


The Power of Hope (2-10-14)

The title on this blog refers to an autobiography we both read this past week.  The author is the First Lady of Burundi, Denise Nucumi Nkurunziza.  Denise is a “born again” Christian (her own words), an ordained pastor and a student in Bible and Theology at Hope Africa University.  (Two of her children are also students here.) 

This book tells the story of Denise’s upbringing in Burundi, her life during the civil strife in the 1990s as the wife of a prominent “rebel,” as well as her current (significantly improved!) circumstances as First Lady of the nation. 

This autobiography, throughout, gives testimony to the power of prayer and the reality of divine protection…as well as the power of hope.

 

P.S.: Denise was on campus today!  We watched her entourage arrive from our third floor apartment.  From the positioning of her security detail, we concluded that she spent several hours in the library. 

Busy, busy, busy (2-7-14)


Busy, busy, busy (2-7-14)

Obviously(!). blogging is not high on our list of priorities.  We are too busy—doing more important things!  That, plus frequent interruptions of electricity and internet access, make blogging challenging.

Darlene has spent many hours working on a self-study for the Masters in Nursing program.  Final approval is anticipated before we leave.  Wayne has spent many hours meeting with individual students in the Masters in Theology program: they are working together to complete the required thesis and public defense before mid-March.  He has also had several meetings with the Rector, including one on the two proposed PhD programs on which he has been working.

On Monday February 10, 2014, both of us begin teaching courses in our respective Masters programs; we will be teaching two while we are here.  Darlene will be teaching Nursing Theory, followed by Curriculum and Teaching; she will also be structuring a third independent course for her students.  Wayne will be teaching Systematic Theology followed by Biblical Leadership; he has 27 students enrolled.

As in previous years, we are trying to do as much as we possibly can in the short time we are here!

An Easy Trip (2-1-14)


An Easy Trip (2-1-14)

This year our travel to Burundi was as smooth and trouble-free as could be.  We were traveling on Cheapoair tickets, so we were surprised that we were not charged an extra fee for our third checked bag…neither at the United Airlines counter in Rochester, nor at the re-check counter in Brussels.  Out flight pattern was quite direct: from Rochester to Newark, Newark to Brussels, Brussels to Bujumbura.  Both layovers, in Newark and Brussels, were ca. 2.5 hours (enough time but not too much for international transfers).  All three flights were on time.  It was a fairly easy trip.

Of course, we had to endure a long “sit.”  Our total time in transit was ca. 25 hours, and the Economy class was a tight squeeze.  But as they say in French, “C’est la vie.”  That’s just part of the overall experience.

Our Brussels Air flight into Bujumbura, Burundi arrived Wednesday evening January 29 ca. 8 pm.  Checking through Immigration was a bit of a process and took some time, but we had no problems.  We know the routine quite well.  Every police officer who examined our passports was curious to find so many entry visas for Burundi; the current one, of course, was on the last page.  After collecting our suitcases, which all arrived intact, we were warmly greeted in the airport reception area by Gerald and Marlene Bates as well as LaCharite Buconyori. 

We arrived at HAU (a distance of ca. 10 miles from the airport) at 9:30 pm.  We had been assigned the same guest apartment in which we lived during our previous three years on this campus.  Before going to bed at 11 pm, we were able to unpack our bags and put most of our things in their familiar places.  Surprisingly, given the 7-hour time difference, we slept quite well that first night.

We feel like we are “back home.”

 

Monday, January 20, 2014

Getting Ready for Africa...Once Again (1-20-14)

We have updated our blog to include our upcoming visit to Hope Africa University, January 28-March 17, 2014.  We have our tickets and visas.  We are now packing.  Twelve textbooks are on order, and six routers. 

Darlene has been assigned two courses to the new cohort of 12 students in the Masters of Nursing program.  Additionally, she will be lecturing in one of the major undergraduate courses (which she developed).  She will also be working with the director of Nursing (one of her students in both the baccalaureate and masters programs) on accreditation of the Masters program.  She is also expected to visit (and serve as consultant) at both the Van Norman Clinic and the Kibuye Hope Hospital.

Wayne has been assigned two courses in the new cohort of Masters in Theology program.  He also will be working with the Rector (president) on several agendas, including the launch of the first two Ph.D. programs (for which he has prepared proposed draft), one in Education and the other in Theology.

We are likely to report more on all of this in future blogs, plus many more involvements of which we are not yet aware.

Your prayers are needed and appreciated!