Extending Union’s reach into East Africa

By Dr. Brian K. Blount

The Syngman Rhee Global Mission Center is a blessing for Union Presbyterian Seminary. It is one of the key ways in which we extend the mission of our ministry internationally. As the center broadens its scope of work, we hope to invite more students from international settings, particularly developing countries, to come study with us. We also hope that we will be able to send our students to study in unique ministry and theological education settings around the globe.

In addition to strengthening partnerships in Ghana and South Korea, UPSem has established or formalized partnerships with seminaries and churches in India, Liberia, Poland, Taiwan, and the United States. We are in conversation with seminaries and churches in Ethiopia, Jamaica, Kenya, Mauritius, Myanmar, the Solomon Islands, South Sudan, and Venezuela. I am so excited about the possibilities as we craft memoranda of understanding with officials in these various countries.

Sharon and I are playing our part in trying to develop strong connections. This past summer, she and I, along with our Richmond Academic Dean, Ken McFayden, traveled to Ethiopia, Kenya, and Mauritius. Our goal was to build relationships with schools and churches so that we might be able to welcome students from these African countries to our Richmond campus. We also talked about the possibility of our students and faculty traveling to East Africa, either to do short term courses with students in East Africa or to do an East African travel seminar.

Our journey began with the mundane. A car ride to Dulles International Airport. It got exciting from there. We boarded a 14-hour flight to Dubai, where we had a layover of several hours, before taking a six-hour flight to Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. We were welcomed royally in Addis by a representative of one of our alums, the Rev. Yonas Yigezu Dibisa. Rev. Yonas was recently elected the president of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY). Upon arriving in Ethiopia in the afternoon, we drove directly to his church office where we spoke about possible connections between the church, its seminary, and UPSem. After that meeting, we were taken to meet the good folks at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology (EGST). They hosted us. We stayed in their graduate guest house for the duration of our two-night stay in Addis. The next morning, we met with President Misgana Mathewos and many of the faculty and staff of EGST. Conversations were stimulating.

Following lunch, we traveled to the Mekane Yesus Seminary where we met with the vice president (the president was traveling out of the country—in the US, in fact), and members of faculty and staff. The seminary is owned by the Mekane Yesus Church, of which Rev. Yonas, our alum, is president.

Following a wonderful dinner with representatives of both schools, we journeyed to the airport the next morning for an early flight to Nairobi, Kenya. In Nairobi, we stayed at the guest house of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA). After refreshing ourselves at the guest house, we traveled immediately to the Pan Christian African University where we met with the president and members of the faculty and staff. The following day we had excellent meetings at the Presbyterian University of East Africa, and then good conversations later with members of the staff of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa at the church offices.

While in Nairobi, we also met with the head of staff and other ministers of Parklands Baptist Church, a meeting facilitated by one of my former students. Dean McFayden and I even interviewed a prospective student from this church before heading to the airport the following morning.

We arrived in Mauritius that evening and after a late dinner, retired for the evening, and rose early in the morning to join Doctor of Ministry candidates at an Anglican school for the Anglican church of Mauritius. After greeting the Bishop and other officials, Ken lectured on Leadership and after lunch, I lectured on African American biblical interpretation and the black church.

The next day we were on to the airport again and back to Dubai before that long flight back to Dulles Airport and the U.S.

As you might imagine, we were tired from our journey but what an invigorating journey it was! I was reminded as I reviewed facilities in the schools and churches just how blessed UPSem is with its infrastructure resources, its library, and its wonderful endowment. We have so very much to be thankful for and to be willing to use in service of God’s mission in the world. I also learned just how much we do not know about how Christianity is thriving in other parts of the world, how Christians persevere through limited resources and opportunities for theological education. Additionally, I learned about faithfulness and resilience and creativity and joy. It was my hope during each of my stops that others in the UPSem community would one day experience the hospitality and learn about the work of the church in East Africa. It was also my hope that our students and faculty might find it a blessing to have the opportunity to teach and learn from students and faculty in East Africa.

I long for the day when we might be able to host students who wish to extend their studies by attending seminary at UPSem. Think how exciting a travel seminar might be to Ethiopia and Kenya – seeing the work of the church, the engagement of the church with Islam, the intersection of faith and African culture, the beauty of the African countryside and the wildlife sustained by it. There is so much to learn, so many new people to meet, so many disciples of Christ to engage in East Africa. I cannot wait for that engagement to begin. Indeed, I am thankful that the Rhee Global Mission Center is poised to make that engagement happen.

Dr. Brian K. Blount is President of Union Presbyterian Seminary

Above, 5th, 4th and 3rd from left, Dr. Blount, Sharon Blount and Ken McFayden met with the leaders of Presbyterian Church of East Africa and Presbyterian University of East Africa to explore ways of collaborating in theological education