Summer of Service: 2016 Intern Rives Worsham

In 2012, UMVIM, SEJ rolled out an internship program for college students who display strong leadership skills and value the importance of mission work. We believe that empowering the next generation of the UMC is one of the best ways to keep our mission going strong for years to come. We were so fortunate to welcome Rives Worsham as our intern for 2016. Continue reading below to learn the valuable roles Rives played across the UMC connection, and how this experience has helped shape him as a leader.

UMVIM, SEJ HQ in Birmingham, Alabama
All of our interns kick off their summer at our office in Birmingham. They get to know our staff, our structure, and our mission, while also going through UMVIM team leader training and ERT Disaster Response training.

"It was interesting to learn about the structure of the entire United Methodist Church. I knew very little about the structure of the church when I got there, but by the time I left, I felt capable of having legitimate conversations about it. I also loved receiving all of the UMVIM and ERT training. It made me feel like I would be able to help others whenever and wherever I am needed."

Domestic Placement: Obion County, Tennessee
Our interns spend the next couple weeks of their summer in their domestic placements, usually within the Southeastern Jurisdiction. Rives served alongside ReelFoot Rural Ministries in Obion, Tennessee.

"I was really surprised by how much I fell in love with the small community. One of the biggest things I learned there was that there is plenty of work to be done here at home, you don’t have to travel abroad to find people in need. Obion County seemed to be overlooked and forgotten by the rest of the county, but they were such a welcoming community and they just needed a little help. RRM was awesome because they are involved in so much. I was able to work with elderly citizens, do construction in the community, supply food to those in need, pick up furniture for the thrift shop, do manual labor around the property, and work some with youth groups who volunteered there. I saw God in the staff who worked constantly to help those who seemed to have been forgotten by everyone else, and I hope that I can work with them again in the future."

International Placement: San Isidro, Costa Rica
Rives' final stop saw his return to Costa Rica to work again with Costa Rica Mission Projects. Rives traveled there in 2013 with his youth group, and enjoyed getting his hands dirty once again!

"This was an amazing experience for me. A big thing I took away from this part of the internship is that the body of Christ doesn’t just live in America. We have brothers and sisters in Christ taking communion with us and worshiping with us all over the world. Short-term mission teams are meant to connect us with our Christian family, they aren’t just about the work. It is important for Christians to send out mission teams not just to do labor but to live out what it means to be part of an international body of Christ. I really enjoyed the work I did there, from making sidewalks to building bathrooms, but what I enjoyed the most was the lasting friendships I made with the people down there."


Looking Ahead
Rives just began his sophomore year at Virginia Military Institute, and continues to play soccer for them. He has already been able to take his experiences from the summer and have meaningful conversations with people back home, and has plans to be an UMVIM team leader in the future, and possibly even more.

"My new knowledge about the church also opens up a variety of paths from long term missionary to pastor. I feel like a lot of doors were opened for me and I look forward to exploring a lot of different paths over the next few years. It was definitely a life changing experience."

Please join our staff as we continue to pray for Rives, that the Lord will continue to make his path straight and clear. We know this young man has an incredibly bright future serving Christ and the world around him.

"Verano de Servicio" - Our 2015 Intern Reflects on Her Summer of Service

In 2013, UMVIM, SEJ implemented an internship program to develop the leadership skills of a young person within the United Methodist Church. We were so pleased to welcome Lindsey Brown of the Memphis Conference as our 2015 Summer Intern. Lindsey is a nursing major at Union University, and despite her young age, has already traveled to Nicaragua 8 separate times on short-term trips. Read on to learn more about her summer as the UMVIM, SEJ Intern!

Domestic Placement

Lindsey began her summer at Alabama Rural Ministry (ARM), a project on the UMVIM Mission Opportunity List that works to end substandard housing and empower the young children in and around Tuskegee, Alabama. A quick look through Lindsey’s photo albums will show you how much she loves ministering to kids, and this really shined during her time at ARM. 

She reminisced about a young boy she met during ARM’s Sonshine Day Camp, who spent the first week of camp being polite, obedient, and helpful to the teachers, but behaved exactly the opposite the following week. As it turned out, this little boy’s parents were separated, and he had spent the first week with one parent and the second week with the other, which dramatically influenced his behavior. “This really got to me,” she said. “It made me realize the magnitude of how these kids’ home environment play into their behavior. However, we were able to look in his eyes and tell him that we love him, the Lord loves him, and that we both forgive him. Despite negative influences at home, through Sonshine Day Camp he was influenced by people who love him, and was exposed to God’s Word as well! I am thankful for my time here and the relationships that formed.”

International Placement

Lindsey’s international placement had her visiting Costa Rica for the first time, though she is no stranger to Central America. “I was extremely surprised by the differences between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, which I naively assumed would be more similar than they are. This realization is yet another reason I am so thankful for this internship.”

UMVIM, SEJ Executive Director Paulette West connected Lindsey with Rice and Beans, a ministry that engages in evangelism, feeding programs, and construction efforts. She spent much of her time leading Bible Schools, where once again, God was able to use Lindsey and her gift of connecting with children. She even had the opportunity to translate in a community where there are many Nicaraguan refugees. “It is so cool to see the Lord use my past experiences and passions in these moments,” Lindsey said.

Lindsey also recalls the rich spiritual and cultural experience she had during her first week. “There were people from Costa Rica, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and the United States all in one place with the same mission to serve the people of Costa Rica in the Lord’s name. Hearing over a hundred of us sing out to the Lord in two different languages simultaneously was a beautiful thing. Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds! I have so many brothers and sisters all over the world, and have made amazing connections for future mission opportunities!”

Young People in Mission

Our summer interns are an integral part of our annual Young People in Mission event. Lindsey helped us behind the scenes in so many ways, from engaging with the speakers and workshop leaders, to assisting the Design Team in executing their vision. Lindsey also led a family group comprised of high school graduates who were preparing to enter college, and we invited her to lead a workshop based on her experiences at Alabama Rural Ministry. “It was humbling to trust in the Lord to give me guidance during that time, as public speaking is not something I typically enjoy!” 

We are so very grateful to Lindsey and the passion she brought to our team this summer. We wish her the best as she finishes school, and our prayers follow her as the Lord guides her on her career path. If you or someone you know might be interested in the UMVIM, SEJ Summer Internship Program, click here to learn more about our previous interns, or contact Paulette West at paulette_west@umvim.org for more information.

{Guest Blogger} A Unique UMVIM Trip That Empowers Women in Honduras

By Kathy Waller, Brunswick, GA
 
For some reason, it has taken a little longer for me to process our recent trip to Honduras. Perhaps it's because over the past year, this trip was ever changing and continued to be so until the very end, making it impossible to do things independent of God. I speak the truth when I say I found myself leaning on God's grace throughout the entire endeavor, and He carried me as I knew He would. I would also like to clear my conscience and admit that I cannot sew and up until a few months ago, I had absolutely no desire to learn. I consider my meager attempt at sewing a God driven skill that I am working to conquer...and I humbly admit I have a long way to go. Not only does God call on those that have no idea what they are doing, but He has a sense of humor about it. Thus the "Rags to Riches Menstrual  Mission" was born.

 God's hand was there from the beginning, convincing a small group of ladies to take on a huge task of sewing a product so personal yet so necessary in a community with limited resources. Knowing that WOW, the women's group in our church, took it upon themselves to finance the sewing project made it seem more like a "sisterhood" for everyone concerned. Of course it didn't take much for the men on the team to embrace our project as they are unique in their own right and are careful not to take themselves too seriously. One fella even strapped on his tool belt and tried his hand at making a Mama cloth. (Rest assure Todd, construction is your vocation). Not only were we planning to teach the ladies how to make their own "Mama cloth" pads, but we traveled to Honduras with just shy of four hundred pads beautifully stitched for the women of Subirana by a women’s sewing small group in our church.

We were a mere party of three, no one person really proficient in sewing, and only one of us able to speak their language. We met with several shy but eager to learn women who had never touched a sewing machine, as well as several children that came along to add to the chaos. (Once again, thank you Lord for Jessica, the piped piper of children, who is fluent in Spanish.) Some of the ladies were able to catch on quickly and move on to other sewing projects. However, no matter the level of skill, I believe every woman was able to experience a sense of accomplishment for their effort. They were polite, patient, and graciously expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to learn something useful for their everyday lives. 

Quite honestly, we had no idea what to expect. It turns out, there is at least one skilled seamstress among the ladies who was happy to continue the sewing group. I pray that this ministry will allow the women to continue to grow closer in Christ and support one another just like the small groups have in our church. It was through generous donations that we were able to leave two new sewing machines, along with a surplus of fabric and notions. Our final meeting consisted of twenty-three women singing God's praises, and ever since I have been thanking God daily for allowing me to be part of the "Rags to Riches Menstrual Mission of 2015."

Did you have an awesome experience on a recent UMVIM trip you'd like to share? Follow this link to submit your story!

Mission Volunteer Opportunities

If you are being called to serve in mission service beyond a week or ten days, the Mission Volunteer Program sponsored by Global Ministries provides opportunities for individuals and couples to serve from two months to two years in a variety of ministries around the world. Here are some examples:

In Honduras there are ministries that need volunteers to serve as youth leaders, to coordinate team projects, and to minister to children with disabilities.

In Africa, a volunteer is needed at the Malawi United Methodist Church Conference Offices. The position is for an international financial management consultant. This is a partnership with the Church of the Resurrection. The main responsibility is to develop and implement a financial accounting management system.

Our missionary in Chile is seeking a volunteer to serve as a gardener and groundskeeper.

The McCurdey School in Espanola, New Mexico has ongoing needs for directors.

In Haiti there is a need for a couple to serve as volunteers-in-mission team coordinators.

To respond to these volunteer requests and others, become a Mission Volunteer. Apply now at www.missionvolunteers.org in time for our October 21-24 training event. For more information, please contact Malcolm Frazier at mfrazier@umcmission.org or call 212 870-3659.

{Guest Blogger} Malinda Nichols of UMVIM, SEJ

Zack and Malinda Nichols, CRMP 2012

When my husband became the director of our church’s youth ministry in 2009, we had some big plans. (I say “we” because anyone married to someone in ministry knows that when your spouse is the pastor of anything, you’re right there with ‘em.) We wanted to have an awesome back-to-school outreach event each September. We wanted to play the “dumb youth group games” that we loved so much from our high school days. We wanted to create a safe place for the 7th-12th graders in our community to hear the Gospel and know they are cared about and prayed for. But one thing that was particularly strong in our hearts was to give our students the opportunity to go on mission journeys. We came up with a structure of rotating through local, regional, and international service so every student had the chance to engage in each type of mission at least twice while in the ministry, our prayer being that it will help them understand the community, country, and world where they live and spark a desire to be. To go. (Why do we say "journey" and not "trip" by the way? Because a trip is one week. A journey encompasses the process before, during, and after you travel.)

Years before joining the UMVIM staff, I went through UMVIM team leader training and started to learn the difference between a “service project” and true, sustainable missions. We had some growing pains in those early years, engaging a couple times in projects that didn’t seem to have the healthy mission model we wanted our students to see and understand. It’s not about parachuting in with Chacos on our feet and fixing other people's problems, then kicking back in the Eno and congratulating ourselves on a job well done. Not even kinda. I’ll never forget the mission where we worked all week on a house while the homeowners sat there and watched us and never took any action to be part of the repairs themselves, though they were perfectly able to do so. No bueno.  

We decided our youth’s first international mission journey (and our church’s first international mission journey at that) would be to Costa Rica to serve with Wil Bailey and Costa Rica Mission Projects, and it was a game-changer for the way we saw and understood Christian mission.

I hope you’ll take the time to click over the CRMP’s website and learn more about them and what they do. In short, Wil and his wife Yolanda have been serving communities in the Zona Sur for more than a decade, building whatever these congregations need to thrive, and helping meet the needs the people convey they have. Furthermore, they make sure that the congregations are part of these building projects, giving them pride and ownership over them. My team from Church at Cahaba Bend, and the hundreds of teams before and after us, are brought in to be the church right alongside them, and give a helping hand to see these projects to completion. There is this misconception sometimes that we are "bringing Jesus" to these other parts of the world. Do I even have to say this?...Jesus is THERE already. 

Additionally, Wil and the CRMP employees raise funds and hop on a plane every chance they get to come Stateside and serve here in America. In fact, the first time I met Wil, Hugo, Hugito, Catalina, Pedro, and Pastor William, they were here in Alabama after a series of tornadoes left more damage than a single community could manage alone. Healthy mission model? They’re doing it right.

Catalina and me in 2012 and 2015, so grateful for this wonderful friend!

Our most recent trip to the Zona Sur, in June of this year, had us working at the CRMP Missions & Ministry Center, a walled complex that serves a variety of needs. It’s the home base for visiting UMVIM teams, and I’ll tell you from personal experience that the food is great, the beds are comfy, and the showers are hot. Does the local pastor's wife make fresh donuts for you? Yeah, she does. Did I gain 4 pounds while we were there? Yeah, I did.

Our 2015 Team

But the M&MC is providing so much more: we spent the week floating concrete in apartments where missionaries can live while going through cultural training. We water-sealed doors on a house where women from more remote parts of Costa Rica can stay while they find employment and provide for their families. There’s a childcare center being built where sweet kiddos can be in a safe, nurturing environment while their parents work.

Additionally, and even more importantly, we had the opportunity break bread with the people around us, go to church with them, pray with them, sing songs with their children, eat meals with them, and take communion with our brothers and sisters. CRMP emphasizes relationship-building, and being in a covenant partnership with them means that we are working on relationships with the people of the Zona Sur alongside Wil and the CRMP staff. They are always on our hearts and in our prayers, and our commitment is there beyond the weeks when we have a team physically in Costa Rica.  

Adding "Can sing Father Abraham in two languages" to our resumés.

 

Our students, they make me proud, and can clap cheer with the best of them.

Our church drummer Taylor, my husband Zack, and Wil during Sunday worship.

Final worship service with Wil, the CRMP staff, and all of the volunteers for the week.

A church trip in the 9th grade is what made me love mission service, but UMVIM Team Leader Training is what sparked my passion for effective Christian service. I had this great job in magazine publishing once upon a time, but what I do now spreads so far and means so much than my previous career ever did. Our staff is small, but it is dedicated. We are here to help every team leader know how to lead their teams on spiritual, practical, and relational levels. We also are happy to walk volunteers through their Missioner Profiles, brainstorm with you on what kind of Mission Opportunity is best for your church, and more. We are passionate about equipping others and are here to serve you...so you can be a servant!  

Malinda Nichols runs Communications for UMVIM, SEJ. Holler at her here if she can help you get more team members for your next mission journey, or if you need a good recipe for strawberry cupcakes.

A Summertime Stretch for Your UMVIM Dollar

For many of us, midsummer is a time for relaxation, travel, and reflection. Will you take a few minutes to travel with us in your imagination to just two places, and, in these minutes, reflect on your contribution to UMVIM?  First Stop: Belize Belize, on the eastern coast of Central America, is bordered on the north by Mexico, on the south and west by Guatemala, and on the east by the Caribbean Sea. Lisa Williams, who was first engaged in mission work while living in the Kentucky Conference - is now the UMVIM coordinator for Belize. Would you believe that, with your contribution, Lisa - an amazing "mission multi-tasker" - does all of the following? - Gets to know the needs of local communities.These needs are ever-changing. Belize has the lowest population density in Central America, but the country's population growth rate is the second highest in the region. - Places volunteer teams into the types of jobs that best utilize their skills. - Meets with local village children to have Sunday School on Saturday mornings. - Facilitates a weekly women's Bible Study. Lisa's husband, Jamie, is the presbyter of the Corozal Methodist Circuit. He has three churches, and serves as chaplain for two primary schools with more than 700 children in attendance. Before we leave Belize, take a moment to reflect on how many lives there will be touched by your contribution. Second Stop: Florida, USA A popular U.S. vacation state with theme parks and beautiful beaches, Florida is also in the throes of flood recovery. Did you know that 15,000 families in the state registered for federal assistance when floods struck in spring 2014?  "These communities have a good roster of volunteers for the fall, but often struggle during the summer", said Amelia Fletcher, Disaster Response Coordinator for the United Methodist Alabama-West Florida Conference. Part of the reason is the high cost of staying on site, she said. "Unless people stay in a church setting, hotels are very high during the peak vacation season. Even campgrounds charge the most during the summer." Your contribution to UMVIM helps people learn about the “less visible” disaster recoveries happening in Florida and around the world, as well as the need for long- and short-term volunteer teams to assist in disaster response.

UMVIM stretches your dollar by placing teams in local church settings - and training both teams and church leaders to accommodate each other's needs. Take a moment to reflect on the less visible disasters around you. Then consider a contribution to UMVIM to help keep people informed about the needs. You can help keep our teams going, no matter the location or the time of year. Please prayerfully consider a generous donation to Advance #901875, or mail your check to: UMVIM, SEJ, 100 Centerview Drive, Suite 210, Birmingham, AL 35216. Grace and peace, Paulette West UMVIM, SEJ Executive Director

{Guest Blogger} Introducing Moyo

By Ben Rawlins, Moyo Staff 

When it comes to spirituality and justice, many Christians view these two parts of life and faith as opposed. I’m a contemplative, one person claims. Another says, I’m an activist. But why must we view these two beautiful and necessary aspects of the Christian life as antithetical?

At Moyo, we’re trying to re-imagine the Christian call to spirituality and justice, following in the footsteps of organizations like UMVIM that believe in strong theological thinking as the cornerstone of mission work. Moyo is an interactive website that provides experiences for visitors to confront issues of global importance, engage these issues spiritually, and discover ways to act on them in the world. Through the experience on the website, visitors can begin to integrate the “being” and “doing” of life.

 

On the website, a visitor engages with the issues through a Guided Path. The Guided Path starts with an Encounter, allowing the visitor to learn more about the issue. Then, the visitor moves to a Reflection, which provides a reflective type of experience. Lastly, the visitor moves to an Action. The Action shows different ways of engaging the issue in the world. The Guided Path offers experiences with a variety of creative content – videos, photographs, prose, and poetry. The website also has The Feed, which is a blog-like feature. On The Feed, we’ll offer diverse perspectives on current events and global issues. All together, these experiences are a tool for visitors to see contemplation and action in new ways and engage in the world with spiritually infused, justice-oriented action.

Without a doubt, UMVIM’s mission aligns with the experiences that Moyo provides. Like UMVIM, we want to see “Christian love in action” and start conversations that move people of faith to combine their spirituality with justice action. 

Our website has just recently become live, and we’re launching our first two topics: Water &Restoration of Life and Disaster & Human Dignity. Both of these topics reflect work that UMVIM does all over the world. On Moyo, we feature UMVIM on an Action as a suggested way to volunteer for disaster relief. 

How can you become involved? First, we would love for you to visit the website – feel free to send feedback to us or share with people who you believe might be interested in the mission of Moyo. We’re also looking for contributors to submit creative content to the website! Please share your voice and experiences to Moyo. You can check out our Submission Website for more information on how to do so or you can email the Moyo Team.

As stated above, Moyo is a tool that can provide new ways of thinking about spirituality and justice. We are so grateful that we can partner with groups like UMVIM who complement our mission in such important ways. Moyo is a community – we’re glad you can be a part of it. 

Questions? Contact Jenn Bryant (jbryant@umcdiscipleship.org) or Ben Rawlins (brawlins@umcdiscipleship.org)

Jamie & Lisa Williams: Educating and Empowering the People of Belize

In 2015, we will be highlighting UMC missionaries who have been commissioned from the Southeastern Jurisdiction to serve around the world. Many of these missionaries accept volunteers to help with the important and necessary ministries they have established or are in partnership with. Contact UMVIM, SEJ for more information on how to serve!

Meet Lisa and Jamie Williams of the Kentucky Conference. Their story began as college freshman, when they knew on their first date that they were called to be in international mission service together. Their vision was cultivated over the years by prayer, dreaming, and preparation, and they are now serving in Belize as commissioned United Methodist missionaries.   The Williams began serving as short-term UMVIM team leaders while Jamie was serving as an elder in the Kentucky Conference. When their youngest child went to college, they became Individual Volunteers through UMVIM for a year and a half. "We appreciate the care of Mrs. Paulette West and Mrs. Una Jones, along with many others, who made sure we had successful training and ministry. It helped us to discern our calling into what became a full-time mission appointment with Global Ministries," recalls Lisa.

Jamie, or "PJ" as the kids call him, (short for Pastor Jamie), is the "presbyter" of the Corozal Methodist Circuit. He has three churches, and serves as chaplain for two primary schools with more than 700 children in attendance! His hope and prayer is to train new clergy and lay preachers within the Corozal Circuit, as there are very few new people coming into the ministry in Belize.Lisa is a veterinarian by trade, but staying true to her call to missions, she is now the UMVIM Team Coordinator for Belize. Her role is to work with and get to know the needs of the locals, and then place teams into the types of service where they can be best utilized. She also meets with local village children to have Sunday School on Saturday mornings, and facilitates a weekly women's Bible Study.

Education for All

The Williams' biggest project, which began in the spring of 2012, is the building of a new high school in the capital city of Belmopan. Belize has a very young population, yet only enough schools to accommodate about half of its youth.
 

The Belmopan Methodist High School has received over 40 UMVIM teams since breaking ground, and half of the project is already completed. There are 180 freshman and sophomores in attendance at this time! The student body will expand each year as the building continues in the construction process, eventually encompassing all senior high grade levels. 

"Worth Every Hard Moment"

The Williams are constantly faced with a lack of resources, and understandably, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. "The joy of seeing children being educated and learn about Jesus, watching UMVIM teams make a real difference and observing their experiences, along with parishioners so happy to receive even the smallest token of pastoral care...it makes the uncertainties of mission service worth every hard moment," say the Williams. 

Will You Answer the Call? Do you feel called to lead an UMVIM team to Belize to serve alongside the Williams? They have many congregations and schools that need resources, workers, and people to love them! You can learn more about the Williams by visiting their website and blog, where you will also find information on how to connect with them in UMVIM service. To learn more about what it means to be involved in healthy, covenant relationships with long-term efforts, please reach out to our office. UMVIM, SEJ harnesses the strong connectional nature of the United Methodist Church, connects teams to sustainable mission opportunities, provides in-depth leader training, and offers supplemental health insurance to short-term missioners. Photos: Courtesy of Jamie and Lisa Williams