Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care – The African Counseling Center Partnership

Grace in action:

International partnership model in pastoral care and counseling

ACC contribution

Norfolk

March, 28th 2008

BACKGROUND
• There are real and crictical needs of spiritual, emotinal and psychological support for people experiencing crisis situations through the promotion and the setting up of programs in pastoral care and counseling
• The presentation of the model of ACC and VIPCare partnership aims to provide a source of inspiration for other initiatives of international partnership in pastoral care and counseling.


HISTORY - THE BEGINNING
• ACC story began with the arrival of Rev Ngue after his training at the Virginia Union university and the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care.
• He discovered pastoral care and counseling at the Louisville Presbyterian Seminary while he was doing the Master of theology program.
• Seeing the critical need for pastoral care and counseling among his people, Reverend Ngué extended his studies, earning the D.Min. from the School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, and a Certificate in Pastoral Counseling from the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care.
• He took a class on project writing and conceived a model of pastoral care and counseling in the african context which affirms African identity and culture.


HISTORY – THE ACTORS
• The Rev Dr Ngué Jean Emile conceived the idea of the creation of ACC in Cameroon
• The VIPCare Staff who have appreciated and gave their support to the realization of this initiative until this moment
• Cameroonian group of pastors, priests and lay christians who have appreciated the idea, the necessity and the uniqueness of the project
• AAPC, Ebenezer Baptist church, Trinity Methodist Church, the Atlantic Region which regularly provide support to ACC activities (advices, finances, prayer…)


HISTORY - THE VISION
• The uniqueness of the program is to foster the african sense of Identity in a context of a global village. Modern social mutations undermine african traditional values such as the sense of community, solidarity and hospitality.
• In the midst of this disorientation the ACC will promote appropriate counseling services, cultural and spiritual values as a way to heal the african self.


HISTORY – The appropriation of the project by a cameroonian group
• Back to Cameroon in 2000, Rev Ngué shared the project to some pastors, priests and lay christians
• Cameroonian group of pastors, priests and lay christians who have appreciated the idea, the necessity and the uniqueness of the project
• They committed themselves to work with Rev Ngué to the setting up of the ACC


THE ACC SETTING UP- Structures
• Conception and adoption of basic and founding texts: ACC Statements' and statutes ( in 2000 in Yaounde Cameroon)
• Setting up of some coordination structures: Board of Directors, Executive Committee and Executive bureau ( in 2000 Yaounde Cameroon)
• Conception and adoption of the ACC action plan ( in 2000 Yaounde Cameroon)
• Official legalization by cameroonian authorities (in October 2001)


THE ACC SETTING UP – Leaders
Leaders elections and appointment
( in 2000 Yaounde - Cameroon)
• Board president: Ndengue Mole Martin
• Executive committee president: Rev Libom Li L ikeng Jean
• Treasurer: Meyong Marie
• Executive Director: Rev Ngué Jean Emile
Infrastructures
( in 2000 Yaounde - Cameroon)
• Choice of the location of the Center
• Renting of the ACC headquarter
• Equipment of the ACC headquarter
• Purchase of office furniture

Year 2000
• First counseling sessions
• Participation of the cameroonian group to the 4th Congress of the African association of counseling and pastoral studies (July 2000), Yaounde, Cameroon with the presence of Pr. Ed. Wimberley and his wife, Pr. Massamba ma Mpolo (Father of African pastoral care and counseling) and Dr W. Kalu (Former President) with whom cameroonian group hold many meetings

YEAR 2002
• Training Seminar in Pastoral care and Counseling in Yaounde, Cameron(July 2002) with the presence of VIPCare team leaded by Dr Victor Maloy, Executive Director of VIPCare and president of he AAPC. More than 100 Counselors have been trained during this seminar.
• Development of national partnership network with Social Affairs Ministry, Public Health Ministry, Protestant Theology Seminary and Protestant Federation of Churches.

Setting up of the plan of action

Year 2003 - 2004
• Reinforcement of ACC daily activities with two main axes: Education and Counseling
- Appointment of a Program Director: Lindjeck Samuel (February 2004)
- choice of the ACC counselors
• Development of new partnership with local Churches associations and NGO’s working in social and HIV/AIDS domains.(Edimar, 7th day Adventist church Aids program)
• Setting up of the ACC library (with books, Video and audio cassettes from VIPCare, from Ed. Wimberley and from Rev Ngué )

Plan of action: second step (1)
• Conception and execution of an operational plan with four axes:

Axe 1: Fight against HIV / AIDS
Objective 1: Pastoral Care and Counseling
Objective 2: Education
Objective3: Advocacy

Axe 2: Pastoral Care and Counseling about other issues
Objective 1: Marriage and family therapy
Objective 2: Personality development
Objective 3: Alcohol and drugs addiction
Objective 4: street Children

Plan of action: second step (2)

Axe 3: Cultural enrichment
Objective 1: Training and Entertainment
Objective 2: Cultural discovery trough trips in some local areas
Objective 3: Personality development

Axe 4: Communication and Networking
Objective 1: Communication
- Marketing: PowerPoint presentations on ACC activities
- Presentation of programs on pastoral care and counseling at the radio
- Participation to radio and television programs

Plan of action: second step (3) - Creation and actualization of the website: http://www.africancounselingcenter.org/

• Objective 2: Networking trough Partnership
- In Cameroon with: Council of Protestant Churches in Cameroon (CEPCA), Catholic Church, Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Public Health, Public and private Hospitals and Health centers, others National and International NGO’s.
- In USA with Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care, American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC) United Methodist Church.

VIPCare / AAPC support to ACC ministry in Cameroon (1)
• Financial: In the past eight years VIPCare staffs have given annually
• Technical Material: computer, printers and computers accessories (2003); audio visual: cameras, camcorder, printing papers, Empty DVDs, DVDs for education(2007)
• Books: books, Video and audio cassettes for ACC library
• VIPCare / AAPC support to ACC ministry in Cameroon (2) spiritual support by prayers
• Counseling by phone / email with VIPCare have been helpful: The Rev Ngué has been called to intervene in the American school in yaounde on two occasions
- A death of 3 students and & teacher after a car accident
- A student shot another

• VIPCare / AAPC support to ACC ministry in Cameroon (3) AAPC financial support: for ACC activities and headquarter renting (2004), for a trip of two ACC counselors to US for AAPC congress in March 2008

• Network with US trough VIPCare leadership
- Ebenezer Baptist Church (for orphans)
- Trinity Methodist Church send regularly financial contribution since two years
- Individual contributions
VIPCare / AAPC support to ACC ministry in Cameroon (5) Support for many exchange trips
- Rev Ngué and wife trip to Richmond in June 2004 for exchanges
- Lindjeck Samuel trip to Abuja, Nigeria for a 5th African Association of Counseling and Pastoral Studies in Jully 2006. Samuel is actually Assistant general secretary in charge of French speakers
- Mary Fran trip to Cameroon in June 2007 for series of exchanges with ACC board, Staff, Partners and patients

ACHIEVED RESULTS
Short terms results
• Hope for Orphans and HIV affected and infected people trough the availability of increasing and diversified care and counseling services
• More churches, associations and NGO’s leaders, lay counselors are trained
• Local and national partnership is real
• Official and national recognition is effective
Long terms results
• Partnership with VIPCare produce a network of collaboration which brings more contributions for ACC activities
• Continuing education
• Writing of projects both by VIPCare and ACC to submit
- To Bill Gates Foundation on the fight against Discrimination toward HIV victims
- To the UMC for ACC activities and on the Building project of ACC Headquarter in Cameroon

LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS PARTNERSHIP
• Partnership based on the notions of community and communion
• No top down relationship but mutual enrichment trough a spirit of openness
• Respect of each partner cultural sensibility
• Strong commitment to hole the vision together
• Great importance is given to spirituality: this is the key of the reality of Grace in Action
• Points to improveACC Communication (Mails, Emails, Phone calls
• Some times, deadlines are not respected: lack of sufficient resource persons to do the work (for ACC) and no follow up (for VIPCare): administrative personnel's changes
• No concrete salary and social insurance for employees: they live by grace
• Strong pointsPartnership based on the virtues of pastoral care and counseling:
- Trust
- Accountability
- Love
- Mutual respect
- Sense of empowerment
- Commitment to help others grow
- Commitment to continue God’s work
- Commitment to rely on God
- Commitment to advocate for each partner

Conclusion
• Grace in Action:
- Love makes things happen
- It is essential to start with the small that you have and be faithful to it. God will take care for the growth
- Is not a partnership for personal interest but a team work for a long life relationship for God’s Glory
Ngué

Note: This is the verbatim presentation prepared by Mr. Lindjeck and Dr. Ngue. Because of schedule and visa snafus, VIPCare staff will be presenters in Norfolk tomorrow. jlh

VISA GRANTED, VISA DENIED

Meeting with officials at the US embassy in Yaoundé, Cameroon, this morning, Mr. Samuel Lindjeck was denied a visa to visit the US. Dr. Jean-Emile Ngué, Executive Director of the African Counseling Center in Yaoundé (ACC), was granted a visa.

Clinical Director of the ACC, Mr. Lindjeck is scheduled with Dr. Ngué to present a workshop at the national meeting of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors in Norfolk, Virginia, next week.

Since its founding in 2000 by Dr. Ngué, a graduate of the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care (VIPCare) in Richmond, the ACC and VIPCare have developed a partnership widely viewed as a model for multicultural pastoral care and counseling service and training.

Dr. Ngué is presently the only ACC staff member to have visited the US. He and Mr. Lindjeck are scheduled also to lead in worship at Trinity United Methodist Church in Richmond, and other churches interested in the ministry of the ACC. Please join us in praying and taking any action which might open the door for Mr. Lindjeck’s visit. jlh

Mr. Lindjeck's Visa Refused
Mr. Lindjeck emailed yesterday that the embassy official refused to grant his visa request, because he cannot guarantee that he will not stay in the US. Please join us in rallying support for Mr.Lindjeck and also Dr. Ngue, whose interview for a visa is coming up this week. Recent civil unrest in Cameroon has confused the issue. We pray that God will open hearts and doors, as God has throughout history.

Ministers from Cameroon Attend National Conference

The Executive Director and Clinical Services Director of the African Counseling Center will be attending the 45th annual meeting of American Association of Pastoral Counselors in Norfolk later this month. The Rev. Dr. Jean-Emile Ngue and Mr. Samuel Lindjeck will be in the US during April.

They began the first pastoral counseling service and training center in Africa with the support of Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care in Richmond, VA, and the American Association of Pastoral
Counselors.

Presenting Workshop on International Partnership
Dr. Ngue and Mr. Lindjeck will present a workshop titled “Grace in Action: International Partnership in Pastoral Care and Counseling” at the conference. The conference theme, "Expanding Visions: Theological and Spiritual Perspectives in Practice” highlights the work of pastoral counselors in a variety of private sectors and public ministries.

A major focus of their visit will be to spend time with colleagues at Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care in Richmond. Dr. Ngue is a graduate of the Institute’s Certificate Program in Pastoral Counseling.

Dr. Ngue, the Executive Director of the African Counseling Center, holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from the School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond.

Continuing Education and Consultation
Included in their stay will be opportunity for additional training and consultation with area counselors. Topics such as working with individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS, providing pastoral care to the dying, and marriage enrichment counseling will be covered. They will be meeting with the congregational pastoral care class at the School of Theology at Virginia Union University.

Dr. Ngue will be sharing about the ministry at Ebenezer Baptist Church and Trinity United Methodist Church. Visiting the Virginia Treatment Center and a tour of the Virginia Capitol will round out their public activities.

Companions in Hope Team Sent in 2002
Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care sent a five-person delegation, called Companions in Hope, to Cameroon in 2002 to support the newly-established African Counseling Center. A return visit by Dr. Mary Fran Hughes-McIntyre in 2007 reinforced the connection between the Richmond-based Institute and the counseling center in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Contact Informaton
Dr. Ngue and Mr. Lindjeck are available for interviews. For additional information contact Sandra Kruschwitz Hamilton, Mary Fran Hughes-McIntyre, Donald D. Denton – 804-282-8332.

We hear from our brothers and sisters that all are safe, and things are calmer. Thank you for your prayers. jlh

A prayer from the USA Companions in Hope

allafrica.com reports turmoil in Cameroon. Your North American family and friends pray with you:
Christ our Lord, you are the prince of peace. Bring peace and justice to the streets of Cameroon and peace and well-being to the hearts of your children. May your Holy Spirit direct the forces of turmoil into energy for making people’s lives better. May you surround those you love with a wall of fire. Hide them under the shelter of your wings until the storm is past. We pray that you give the leaders of Cameroon wisdom and compassion upon the average person. Answer our prayers that the work of providing for daily needs and striving to improve education, health care, and civil services for all the people of Cameroon may resume. For your sake and in your strong name we pray. Amen
Please leave a comment to assure our African family of your prayers for them. It's set to allow anonymous comments to make it as simple as possible. Thanks.

The Reverend Dr. Jean-Emile Ngue, standing with Dr. Mary-Fran Hughes-McIntyre, on the back row right. Mary Fran visited Cameroon in 2007. These are some of the children served by the ACC and staff. Its mission includes ministry to families living with HIV/AIDS. Positive parents meet in regular support groups. Grandmothers, raising childrens whose parents have died, also have groups. Orphans receive basic needs, some clothing, and school fees.