History
Methodists have had a long history in Zimbabwe, formerly Southern Rhodesia. In 1896, Joseph Crane Hartzell was elected missionary bishop of Africa. In 1898 as Bishop Hartzell stood atop Mt. Chiremba overlooking Old Mutare (formerly Old Umtali), looking down into the valley below he envisioned hundreds of African youth with books in their hands running to school. Hartzell shared his vision with Cecil John Rhodes, the British imperialist. Rhodes then grants to Hartzell the former site of the Town of Mutare, including 13,000 acres (53 km2) for a Methodist Mission. The Old Mutare Mission is established and Hartzell’s dream of training African teachers to educate Africa children takes root. That year, a primary school opened at Old Mutare Mission. The Mission now supports and manages Hartzell School, an institution for students in grades 1-13. Adjacent to the school are a small 60-bed hospital, an orphanage, and an agricultural program.
In 1984, two African bishops, with the support of thousands of African Methodists, issued the call to create Africa University. Bishop Emilio J. M. de Carvalho of Angola and Bishop Arthur F. Kulah of Liberia challenged their colleagues at the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry to support the establishment of a university in Africa. A committee then worked for nearly three years on feasibility studies and conversed with African church leaders about educational and vocational needs. A plan for the United Methodist-related university was presented to the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry in October 1987. Prompted by United Methodist plans to establish a continent-wide university in Zimbabwe where no private universities existed, President Robert Mugabe formed a government commission in 1987 to study the country's higher education needs and make recommendations about the role of private universities in the nation's overall education scheme.
At the 1988 General Conference, United Methodists overwhelmingly accepted the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry's proposal to begin the university. On April 6, 1991, thousands of people from throughout Zimbabwe watched as the groundbreaking ceremony took place and one acacia tree was planted at the Old Mutare Mission site of Africa University. In January 1992, President Robert Mugabe granted Africa University’s Charter by official proclamation. This is an African initiative, with African Methodists serving with United Methodists from all over the world to develop an institution for all of Africa.
Read more about this topic: Africa University
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