Mulungwishi... mission in Africa

2003 Seminary Graduates and Faculty and Staff at Mulungwishi

How can our congregation here in Central Phoenix make a difference in the heart of Africa? Through the connections of the United Methodist Church, that’s how! When Sam Kapend, a recent new member of First Church, spoke with Pastor Perry and the Church and World team about his native land of Congo, the decision was made to support a Methodist university seminary in the remote city of Mulungwishi. We learned that $1500 will fully support a seminarian and his or her family for a year of study. In the last four years, we have raised in the area of $30,000  for scholarships and physical improvements to the campus. There's a local connection to Mulungwishi, as well. The United Methodist missionary assigned to the school as dean of the faculty is Camelback High School graduate David Persons. David gets back to Phoenix every once in a while and during a recent trip he shared the needs of the seminary with the pastor and met some of the staff on a surprise visit to our church office. What a small, small world!

Congo is a world away and few Americans are informed about the war there that has claimed three million lives, displaced millions more (sone of whom are our own Samuel and his extended family), and involved nine nations in the largest conflict in modern African history. Through it all the United Methodist Church has sought to bring healing and faith to this diverse region and its 200 different ethnic groups. During the forty years of the Mulungwishi Seminary’s history, Methodism in Congo has grown from 20,000 members to over 400,000. The seminary trains most of the pastors who serve Congo and neighboring countries. All of Congo’s bishops were educated at Mulungwishi. A video tape about the school and the ministry is available in the church office. Borrow it sometime and see for yourself the incredible work that is glorifying God and helping to heal a war-torn nation.

Visit the Mulungwishi Seminary web site at http://apmethodist.org/congo/fmt/