Africa University Leading the World in Refugee Protection with Dr. James Salley of Africa University (Tennessee) Inc.

James Salley: 00:00:03

When you look at the refugee problems that we have in the United States and around the world, Africa University offers a master's degree and a PhD in refugee protection. Wow, these, these programs I've never heard of such why these programs were developed by our students who were taken in from the refugee camp, located about 25 miles down the road, from Africa University, these students are come from all over the continent of Africa, where there are hotspots. And so they are refugees in in Zimbabwe, and came to us through our Institute of Peace, leadership and governance, and graduated. And two young ladies, I might say, developed our master's program, one from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the other one from Rwanda. But they both grew up together in the refugee camp. And they did their master's theses on on refugee protection. And so our faculty and staff develop that into a Ph. D. program. And so we now have enrolled students at Africa University, who are moving towards the Ph. D. in refugee protection,

Brad Miller: 00:01:53

it seems to me, I just want to add something there, it seems to me that this could be a place Jim and Bishop where African university could not only be a leader of what's happening in Africa, but it could be thinking and strategies that could be exported around the world, Ukraine, central America's other places in the world, where there is a refugee crisis happening. So soften Americans, North Americans have this ethnocentric thinking about what we can do for Africa, so to speak. But this is certainly an area where African leadership can take the lead and hoping to export this type of thinking to the world, do you? Do you think so?

James Salley: 00:02:33

I do, but I'll let Bishop Trimble respond to that first, since he is the chair of the Africa University, Tennessee Development Committee. And he also serves on the board of directors. We did not say that, but that's important for us to say, I will let him respond to that. If there's anything left, left, yes.

Brad Miller: 00:03:04

Please sufficient what, what what say you?

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:03:07

Well, well, well, Jim, Jim could could obviously continue to talk about this. But Africa University has memorandums of understanding and former relationships with healthcare with major healthcare institutions here in the United States, and other institutions of higher education. So both research and relationships and collaboration are taking place. Cut across continents, and African universities, its graduates are providing leadership, both across the the continent of Africa in areas of healthcare, agriculture, government, higher education, medicine, science and research. And I'll just say more about the, you know, the form of relationships and informal and emerging relationships of collaborations of between African University and other institutions. There's a lot we can learn from African University. And as a lot we obviously are learning from both the students and graduates of the institution. And that's why Brett, you'd asked me this earlier to that's why our ongoing support every United Methodist Church that take serious, its apportionment dollars, its World Service dollars, is supporting African University, every annual conference, and this is something I'm going to talk with Jim, offline is, but I don't mind saying this publicly. Every annual conference should have an ambassador, if you will, for Africa University, to keep connected. So we have we have institutions here as a bishop, I'm pulled by institutions here in Indiana, that are United Methodist related. I support institutions here as well. But this is an institution that globally, we as a denomination, have supported, initiated and are benefiting from in real time, both with leaders today and leaders for the future. Jim, do you want to say more about our various relationships and some that I may not even be aware of yet.

James Salley: 00:05:23

Right. Here is what the United Methodist Church can point to. When we talk about Africa University in Bishop Trimble mentioned his two district superintendents that were with us at the 30th anniversary and the inauguration of the vice chancellor. Here's a place where United Methodists are doing what they said they would do, I would go back to 1992. We said we wanted to build a university on the continent of Africa, to educate leaders for the continent, in a Christian environment, in order to help change the continent, and thereby change the world. And we're doing what we said we would do. We have been faithful to our mission as a United Methodist institution, and to train up future leaders, the head of the Department of Agriculture at Africa University now is a 1994, graduate of the University. And we've trained up leaders, and they are now giving back to Africa University. When we when we look at where we are around the continent of Africa. And we, we can't leave this podcast without expressing condolences. And I know, Bishop tremble has done it. And you have done it. Yes, who the brother of the Vice Chancellor, whose father was buried last week in Kenya. And the VC told me, the Vice Chancellor told me yesterday that more than 2500 people came from all over to be with them for the funeral services outside of Nairobi. Now, he said among those persons who made remarks, was a young man, a graduate of Africa University, who serves on the cabinet of the President of the country of Kenya.

Brad Miller: 00:07:58

My God. Hmm, yeah, God, yeah.

James Salley: 00:08:01

That's how impactful this institution has been, and is in helping to change the world. And the continent of Africa, the youngest Bishop of The United Methodist Church, is a two time graduate of Africa University in the ology with a bachelor's degree in theology, and a master's degree in peace and governance, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from St. Paul School of Theology, a United Methodist institution, and that is Bishop Mandy miombo. The Bishop, who is now the president of The Connectional Table of The United Methodist Church.

Brad Miller: 00:09:03

So he said, the impact is permeating every aspect of life, not only in our United Methodist Church, but in political realms and leadership and business and agriculture, in Africa, and certainly, well beyond that. And so, I want us to make sure we take a moment to really talk about how we've touched on it here, Jim and Bishop, but how can the United Methodist churches be involved if they want to step up? I know Jim, part of your role as part of your role is development. And so in the bishop, your role is encouragement development. Let's say there is United Methodist leaders, pastors laypersons connectional, leaders, conference leaders who are listening to our podcast today and they do what are some ways we could step up and say, okay, we can get involved here. You mentioned being ambassador as bishop jam, what are some of the ways that people can get more involved? Number one,

James Salley: 00:09:52

pray without ceasing for Africa University, the continent of Africa and the United Methodist Church That's the first thing. Second, we are in the apportionment funds of The United Methodist Church, the AU Fund helps us take care of day to day and operational needs. And it only amounts to 29 cents per member of your local church. Let me say it another way, if you have 50 members of a local United Methodist Church, the General Conference has asked that those 50 persons each give 29 cents per member in order to, to give that to help us take care of day to day and operational needs. At Africa University 29 cents, give us an extra penny. Make it 30. Okay, rounded up to 32 when it answers, pray without ceasing, support the AU fun and help us find persons like your bishop, Bishop tremble and Mrs. Tremble, who are going the third mile, and helping us provide funding for scholarships and other special needs at the university, but put us to the test what we said we were going to do, we have done and continue to do it. We exist to help solve problems when the pandemic hit. We were the only institution of higher learning and educational institution in the country of Zimbabwe that was active every day. It's because we were prepared. And we not only were prepared, what we did was jumped in to help solve the problem. We made mass through our natural sciences department, our chemists and others have made hand sanitizer that eventually went on to the open market and was sold in supermarkets and, and pharmacies in the country. We do not exist to be an island unto ourselves. We exist to invest in people. That's what we've done. We have been true to our mission, we will continue to do that. And Bishop Trumbull said earlier, our mission is right in line with the mission of The United Methodist Church.

Brad Miller: 00:12:44

Awesome. Awesome. So Thoreau heard you say three things are that people that churches and individuals can do pray without ceasing. That's pretty Wesleyan. That's pretty Methodist. That's pretty Jesus, like I would say, and to support the AU fun, which is kind of our baseline, right? That's kind of our foundational financial support of Africa University. And the third thing is look for those who are going to go the extra mile, the third mile, that goes to scholarships, and maybe special gifts and things like that. Is that an accurate recap of what you said to help churches and individuals can get involved? Jim,

James Salley: 00:13:19

it is exactly but put us to the test. How do you how do you determine the effectiveness of an institution of higher learning, you look at his graduates, you see who they are, where they are, and what they are doing that will tell you the effectiveness of an institution of higher learning?

Brad Miller: 00:13:40

Well, and that leads me to where I want to kind of bring this whole conversation around Jim and Bishop, I want you to follow up with me on this. And we always like to kind of conclude with this type of thought. You know, there are lots of difficult things in the world. You know, we know there's hunger, there's politics, there's COVID, there's war. There's bad stuff that happens. And we've talked about a lot of good stuff here about Africa University, but it's the midst of a context where there's a lot of challenges. But I'm going to ask you, Jim, what do you say Jim Sally, who is you know, very intimately involved, what is probably the encouraging thing that lights you up? More than anything else that just says, you know, that this is what encourages me about the future of African continent of Zimbabwe, Africa, United Methodist Church in the world. What is encouraging about Africa University to you, that top line thing

James Salley: 00:14:31

1.2 billion people live on the continent of Africa. 1.2 billion, more than 50% of that 1.2 billion are below the age of 19.

Brad Miller: 00:14:48

Oh my goodness.

James Salley: 00:14:49

When I when I look at the challenge that we have in educating leaders while the continent of Africa and the The world, I think about those statistics. And we can do that one person at a time, I look at where our graduates all on the continent of Africa. And here's another statistic 92% of the people who graduate from Africa University, are still on the continent. Still 92% of those 11,000 persons who graduated from Africa University are still on the continent, applying that knowledge that they received in Africa University, in the villages, the Hamlet's the cities, the towns, the countries of the continent of Africa, and they are making a difference. And the thing that I'm most proud of is United Methodist, have done what they said they want to do, and are continuing to do that today. That's what likes me.

Brad Miller: 00:16:08

And that's not stopping, isn't it? We're keep going on that's awesome. Well, Bishop, wit, I just really want to express my thanks to to shave Sally for being our guest today. He's the chief executive president, Chief Executive Officer of African diversity, Tennessee, which has to do with leadership and develop and so on. But really, Bishop I know you have some words you want to say a thankfulness to to Jim for being with us. And if you can offer your own encouraging words about Africa University and follow up what he has said and maybe closes with a prayer, it would be appreciated.

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:16:41

Absolutely. Let me first say thank you to my friend and colleague, James H. Sally, for his work as Associate Vice Chancellor for development and President and CEO of African University, Tennessee Inc. and just say, if you're not United Methodist, you can still go to the website, African University, Zimbabwe and find out you don't have to be united methodist to give and support students and African University. And you don't have to be in Africa don't have to be in Indiana, you can be anyplace and support. One of the most compelling billboards I saw when we were living in Iowa, was for one of the children National Children's Hospital, you will be familiar with. And it said, if you knew you could save a life which you give some of your dollars to support this child. And I want to say if you knew that you could save a life and build leadership that will transform the world would you give money to support scholarships at African University? You don't have to be United Methodist. I don't want to make a special appeal to United Methodist, if you know, Bishop tremble. You know Dr. Sally, if you know Brad Miller, we would invite you to participate. You can go to the Indiana website and see information. I want to share a scripture that is often shared by Dr. James H. Sally, we use the close with the with a word from the Bible, as well as a prayer, I'm going to close it as the scripture, it will come as no surprise to Jim, Matthew 1926. Jesus looked at them and said, with man, this is impossible. But with God, with God, all things are possible. All things are possible. And I'm going to be quoting Jim, for a long time now. But you know, we said we would do what we can do. People say well, how do you build trust? If you do what you say you would? If you are who you say you are, and you do what you said you would do? United Methodist, I want to take this opportunity to say thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Bret, let me hear you say thank you a couple of times.

Brad Miller: 00:18:48

Amen. Thank you to Jim and to you, Bishop, I want to thank every United Methodist and everyone who has been a part of the support. And I've certainly been one of those churches, I've served been a part of that. I know that Indiana conference helped build a building there on the campus there some years ago. Arrow has been a part of that da god for that, but then stopped us we need to keep on going. So I say I say thank you to Jim, for your leadership. I was not real. I knew you were involved. I didn't know you're involved from prior to the establishment of the university. And I want to thank my friend Elias Maduro, who went to college and seminary.

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:19:25

We were all classmates actually. Yeah, Brad, myself and Elias, we were all in the same class. Again.

Brad Miller: 00:19:30

I went to undergrad with him as well. So people like him who put their lives on the line. There's a whole different story there. We could talk about I know, but they're put their lives on the line to help that university University to get going and sustain it through some hard times. The people on the ground, you know, you know, in some ways we are here in North America. We're supportive and we're involved. We're engaged, but we're not living it day to day like the folks there were at are and so I want to thank the folks here have been supportive. I want to thank the folks They're hoping to live in and out. And now the impact is happening. But guess what? It doesn't stop, doesn't it only, it's only the beginning of even think about it 3000 students a year, that's great. But wouldn't it be great if it was 10,000 30,000 students a year, or branches of the university are any number of things that can happen to make a continuous impact? And I think you've got to, you know, I'd love to talk to you again, Jim, about a bigger vision. I think we've talked about kind of what is happening now. And that's great. But I believe God's got a much bigger vision than any of the three of us can even encompass at all. And I'm excited to see what can happen. So you asked me to say thank you, Bishop, I say thank you. Yeah, God, and let's go. Let's go. Let's go.

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:20:44

I wanted to make sure, Jim that Brad got to participating in getting in seven. Thank you. So he said at least five times, I said, Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Right before I before we finish, friends, if you're listening to this podcast, if we want you to know that God loves you, there's nothing you can do about it. He encouraged we have 360 days in 2023 to make a difference for God, God loves you, no matter what you're going through, it's gonna be all right, let us pray, loving God for the gift of this day. And for the gift of this podcast, we just ask that someone might be healed and blessed and encouraged, hearing the story of African University and students who are being educated because a church made a difference. African bishops made a difference. Dr. Sally and 1000s of others who have led this, this university to its current state, we pray for Vice Chancellor Peter McGann to and his family in their season of grief. But also in this season of 2023. They we might pick up the mantle, get excited about educating young people on the continent of Africa, through Africa University. God bless you. Have a great year 2023