During the last quadrennium Bishop Henderson made an episcopal visit to Mozambique and Angola, two areas in southern Africa that were Portuguese colonies for more than 400 years. The principal reason for colonialism has been to make a profit for the mother country. Like other colonial powers the Portuguese sucked the blood out of their colonies, resisted the liberation of their colonies and left Mozambique and Angola in war-torn conditions.

Bishop Henderson saw the terrible poverty of those two countries and vowed to be of assistance to our United Methodist churches there. Bishop Joao Machado of Mozambique has asked the Florida conference to build a school in the town of Tsalala, not far from the capital of Maputo. Bishop Henderson agreed to ask Florida to do that as a part of our Bishops’ Initiative called "Hope for the Children of Africa."

While Bishop Henderson was incapacitated I talked with Bishop Machado at the Council of Bishops meeting. He gave me the plans for the school and said the initial part of the school, the classrooms and offices would cost approximately $250,000. Later they hope to have a chapel and dormitories for students and teachers.

He said the church in Mozambique would be happy to name the school in honor of Bishop Henderson. Since Lin’s death the cabinet suggests it be the Dorothye and Cornelius L. Henderson School. We believe our congregations will wish to bring the entire $250,000 to the next session of our annual conference in honor of these two special people who have done so much for others. You will receive more information about this missional opportunity. Please be thinking of ways we can help our people share their goods and loving spirits in this endeavor.

The Council of Bishops set a goal of $12 million for "Hope for the Children of Africa." Florida’s total share is $485,000. We hope to be of assistance to the children of Angola as soon as we are able to fund the Henderson School. In no way does the "Hope for the Children of Africa" initiative replace our own Bishops’ Initiative on Children and Poverty in Florida, which is going so well.

We can keep faith with Lin by keeping his vision alive.