UMW 2017 Ubuntu Journeys Announced!

Please pray about joining other United Methodist Women in building strong missional bridges between Methodist Christian women on (or more!) of the following Journeys:

Ubuntu Journey, Colombia

Dates: April 20-27, 2017

Anticipated Cost: $2,200.00

Theme: Empowering and Dignifying Women through Faith, Love and Hope

Bible Text: Ephesians 2:14-15  “For it is He who is our peace….made both groups one by tearing down the wall…creating one new humanity…thereby making peace.”

For more information, contact Team Leader, Paula Morgan at: impmorg@hotmail.com

Ubuntu Journey, Mozambique

Dates: July 18-26, 2017

Anticipated Cost: $TBA

Theme: Women of Faith and Determination 

Bible Text: Exodus 3:7-10 (NRSV). “ I have heard their cry… indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them and to bring them up out of that land to a good, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

For more information, contact Team Leader, Sandy Binotto  at: Yashe4jc@hotmail.com

Ubuntu Journey, Portugal   

Dates: September, 10-18, 2017

Anticipated Cost: $TBA

Theme:  To Love and To Serve Together

Bible Text: Revelation 22:2 “…through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life…”

For more information, contact Team Leader, Marcia Florkey at: mlbflorkey@gmail.com

For information on any of the 2017 Ubuntu Journeys, you may also email: Ubuntu@unitedmethodistwomen.org 

Please note that these trips are not associated with UMVIM, SEJ. 

Invest in Mission Opportunities

"How can I help?"  It's a question that, as Christians, we ask quite often. At UMVIM, SEJ, the answer comes in the form of Mission Opportunities. Your help can be in the form of time, money, learning, and prayers.  Hopefully, the answers below will answer your questions about UMVIM Mission opportunities:

Q: How do I find out about mission projects? A: UMVIM, SEJ maintains the International Mission Opportunity List for the United Methodist Church. Take a look at this list, and you will quickly see how UMVIM teams can answer needs all over the world. When you donate funds, you are helping UMVIM create and provide training resources so that mission teams can work effectively and safely.

Q: What are medical missions? A: Medical-based mission trips - which make up a large percentage of the UMVIM effort - deliver the expertise of doctors, nurses, dentists, and others from the medical field to underserved areas across the globe. If you are a healthcare provider, we encourage you to volunteer your time. Or, if you are not a medical professional, but are concerned about the health of others, please donate.

Q: What about disaster response?  A: Flooding, earthquakes, drought, fires, hurricanes. There will, unfortunately, always be a next disaster. UMVIM, SEJ works with the United Methodist Committee on Relief and Annual Conferences to send volunteer teams to disaster-affected areas. We now have a Disaster Response Liaison on our staff to help communicate the need for volunteers and to connect them to the appropriate response. Contact our Disaster Response Liaison, Gray Miller, to discuss how to best use your resources in disaster response.

Q: What's available for youth and young adults?  A: We have opportunities just for you! Those on our Young People Mission Opportunity List have expertise and experience in providing age-appropriate mission opportunities. UMVIM, SEJ also offers a Summer Internship Programfor a college-aged student. They serve in both domestic and international placements in hopes of discerning a call to mission or ministry. Consider giving to the Internship Program.

Please give generously to Advance #901875 at www.umcmission.org/give, or mail a check to: UMVIM, SEJ, 100 Centerview Drive, Suite 210, Birmingham, AL 35216 We hope that you are moved to give this summer.  Thank you for your continued prayers and generosity! Grace and peace, Paulette S. West Executive Director

{Priority Projects} Tanzania

There are many opportunities in Tanzania for you or your team to serve. Please contact the UMVIM, SEJ office at 205-453-9480 or sejinfo@umvim.org for additional information.

Umba Kalangwa - Global Ministries Missionary 

Types of Ongoing Mission Opportunities

Construction: Church, School, Clinic/Hospital

Medical Setting: Clinic, Labratory

Education: Teaching in Schools - primary, Leadership training for pastors

Priority Projects

• United Methodist Church Construction in Morogoro - construction of a church and evangelistic center (Advance #15059N)
• Susannah Wesley Training Center in Morogoro - Training women in skills and enabling them to be self-sufficient and educating children (Advance #3020705)
• Wesley Primary School in Morogoro - Building classrooms and providing vulnerable children with an education (Advance #3020704)
• Morogoro United Methodist Preschools in Morogoro, Mangae, Mbabala, Dodoma - Building classrooms and developing educational materials to improve educational instruction (Advance #15048N)
• Morogoro Pastors' Training Center  in Morogoro - Teaching skills to local pastors, enabling them to serve new congregations and communities (Advance #3020710)
• Reaching Out Ministry  in Morogoro - Supporting and growing small churches in rural areas to spread Christian teachings (Advance #150530)

Elizabeth Soard - Global Ministries Missionary

Types of Ongoing Mission Opportunities

Construction: Church, Parsonage, School, Boreholes

Medical Setting: Clinic

Medical Personnel Needed: Physician, Physician Assistant, Nurse, Pharmacist

Medical Specialist Needed: Pediatrician (copy of medical license required)

May Be Brought with Team: Medicines, Medical Supplies

Education: Teaching in Schools - preschool and primary, Teaching in Churches - children, youth, young adults and adults, Mission Bible School - children and youth, Church Leadership Training for Laity and Pastors

Priority Projects in Magu, Tanzania

• Secondary School Construction - The church is working towards finishing a secondary school to serve vulnerable families who are struggling to fund secondary education for their children, something that is not free in Tanzania. Walls are already completed with work left to be done on roofing, plaster, and finishing.
• Church Construction - The Methodist Church in Tanzania is in need of assistance in creating homes for their churches to meet in and church construction on several churches in Magu.
• Medical Clinic/Community Health Seminars - The church at Magu has a fully functional, new medical clinic. The clinic is fully licensed and the doctor operating the clinic is retired from government service with many years of experience. The clinic would welcome medical teams to help with the never ending case load as well as helping lead public health seminars.
• Church Seminars - Magu is the headquarters of the Methodist Church in Tanzania. It is a strong church that can benefit from any number of trainings and conference for youth, adults, women and men's' groups, and pastors.

 Mutwale Ntambo Wa Mushidi- Global Ministries Missionary

Types of Ongoing Mission Opportunities

Construction: Church, School, Children's Home/Orphanage, Latrines

Other: Lodging