Dedication of Health Sciences Chair

Today was a very special day at Africa University.  The Desert Southwest  Conference (DSWC) delegation arrived, 41 in all, to participate in the dedication of the Joel Huffman Endowed Chair in Public Health Medicine.  The DSWC raised $500,000, which will be invested so that in perpetuity the income from that money can pay the salary of a distinguished African scholar to provide leadership for the public health program at Africa University. 

Just the delegation’s arrival was a small miracle.  They’d missed a connection in Johannesburg Monday evening, and so arrived in Mutare after three grueling days of travel at 11 pm Tuesday evening.  Bishop Carcano preached for the regular Wednesday morning chapel service.  Then came the dedication ceremony, with remarks by Bishop David Yemba (Zimbabwe) and Africa University’s Vice Chancellor Fanuel Tagwira. Bishop Minerva Carcano (DSWC) told about the work of Mr. Joel Huffman, and then Mr. Huffman himself spoke about the meaning of the dedication of this chair, both for DSWC and for Africa University.  Bishop Yemba led the order of dedication, and then there were responses by Dr. Peter Fasan, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, and Ms. Chipo Kamuti, representing the students in Health Sciences.

Part of the Africa University Choir performing

 

The chapel during the dedication ceremony

Mr. Joel Huffman speaking at the ceremony



Mrs. Huffman talking with one of my graduate students

The rest of the day was celebrated with tours of the Health Sciences building and the agricultural programs of Africa University, which emphasize teaching students to develop sustainable commercial farming enterprises in their local areas. 



Mr. Larry Kies teaching us about agricultural programs.



In the evening, there was a cultural night for the guests of DSWC at the university, with a variety of African music and dancing.  It would’ve been great to get photos, but the lighting wasn’t good, and my camera has limited capabilities in low light.  My favorite was a dance by a half dozen men from the East African Student Association.  They did a dance that’s a re-enactment of their rites initiating a boy into manhood, which includes circumcision for them.  At the end of the dance, they all helped the newly made man off the stage, and he was walking with the wide-legged stance you’d expect if he’d actually been cut.  All of the dancing was wonderful, and the costumes were spectacular.