L’Eglise Methodiste d’Haiti (EMH /Methodist Church in Haiti) Plans for the Future of UMVIM Teams

Hurricane Mathew caused much devastation in Haiti on October 4^th, 2017. UMCOR’s quick response provided emergency supplies and other assistance. See the links for UMCOR articles: UMCOR Quick Response and Going the Extra Mile

Also, given UMVIM’s tremendous history with EMH there have been several requests to send teams to support their partners and friends in the recovery area. However, from the 2010 earthquake experience we realized the best way to approach team involvement would be to allow EMH and UMCOR to do their assessments first. So, with that in mind UMCOR and the Mission Volunteer (MV) office encourages all interested teams to be patient and hold off from going, just yet.               

On October 17^th, 2017, we had a conference call with several folks and out of that discussion we launched a strategic process. Mike Willis (first consultant from the Haiti Response Plan (HRP) of 2010 Earthquake) went to Haiti to explore EMH’s plans and assessment especially for UMVIM teams. The MV office continued to have several conversations with Haiti Partners and they too explored their own research and sent folks into Haiti.

Mike returned with some valuable information and now, Tom Vencuss (second consultant from the HRP) is in Haiti now addressing the second phase. Mike and Tom had discussions with Bishop Paul, the Guest House Manager Brulan Jean-Michel, and other EMH leaders. And, the conversations are continuing as there is much to organize so teams can have the most productive experience, and be as effective as possible, in Haiti. It’s been confirmed that EMH sees this great opportunity to rebuild the partnership with the wider UMVIM community.

We understand some have been frustrated with waiting but “all things work together for the good…” Romans 8:28

Here are the results and some recommendations are still being negotiated:

• We encourage UMVIM Teams to start their planning as EMH will be ready to receive teams starting in January 2017.   
• Each Team leader must have been to Haiti before; please know this would be extremely helpful because knowing and understanding the context is vital.
• Each Team should be encouraged to be smaller, e.g. 5 to 8 in total, giving EMH the capacity to possibly host 3 to 4 teams at a time, for now. Please note, this will expand down the road.
• Teams are strongly recommended to have 50% of the team members with some experience of Haiti.  
• Funding recommendation to EMH and UMVIM Teams:  

1.     Each Team raises $2500 for Project Funds and this amount is subject to EMH’s 5% Admin fee.

2.     Second suggested recommendation: Each team cultivates an additional $2500 from interested donors to match their initial $2500 and amount is not subject to Admin fees.  

3.     These collective funds for Projects could also support the 2:1 ratio (ration e.g. a team of 5 results in recruiting 10 Haitians) developing ownership by the Haitian and the team working “WITH” them and not “FOR” them.    

4.     Teams will be engaged with EMH Projects and local communities.   

The MV office in collaboration with the UMVIM Jurisdiction offices are going to be, for now, the key communication network for the wider UMVIM community. We are pledging to support the initial process until EMH can take over the full communication.   

Please note, moving forward we are committed to support EMH. Therefore, Tom Vencuss agreed to return to Haiti sometime in January 2017 to support Brulan with the management of teams. Then too, Mike will follow up sometime the end of January and early into February2017. In the meantime, the MV office is soliciting names of individuals or couples interested in being MV in Haiti for approximately 2 to 3 months at a time. Please forward potential names and emails to the MV office; email:  mv@umcmission.org  

If you have any further questions which I am sure you will have, redirect your request to the UMVIM Jurisdiction offices and jointly we can address your questions. The second Update is scheduled for December 1, 2016.  

Mission Volunteers Director, Una Jones

{#GivingTuesday 2016} Disaster Response

Since The Advance will not be offering any matching funds for Giving Tuesday this year, the UMVIM, SEJ Staff and Board has come together and pledged $12,000 to be used as matching fund. So, on November 29: #GivingTuesday 2016, donations will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $12,000. We believe our mission is big, and we also believe that we can't send trained, equipped volunteers into the field to show Christian Love in Action without the support of our community. 

This year, learn more from those who have personally experienced the impact of all UMVIM has to offer. We asked South Carolina Early Response Team Coordinator, Billy Robinson to share about his experience.

How do volunteers help you carry out your mission as the coordinator of Early Response Teams in South Carolina? 

We in South Carolina, like most everywhere, are all volunteers. Without volunteers we would have no Early Response Teams, and we would miss out on so many dire needs and opportunities to allow God's love to flow through us in our actions, care, love and concern for others. Coordinating disaster response is chaotic, especially in the early stages of any disaster such as our October 2015 floods and recent tropical storm Hermine. It is the same in emergency response like my paid profession as a Fire Officer/Paramedic. It is vital to have people who will fill in leadership positions and coordinate responses in regional locations, especially in large scale disasters. Without them and all the other wonderful volunteers and support across UMVIM and the United Methodist Church, it would be impossible. Volunteers are the backbone of all we do: helping with training (we have eight UMCOR Trainers); preparing and maintaining our seven ERT Trailers; providing leadership as team leaders  and regional coordinators and participating on our state ERT Board; Of course, volunteers are the hard working dedicated people who put tarps on roofs, run chainsaws and muck out while always being listeners across South Carolina, the southeast, and the entire United States. A South Carolina ERT team recently came back from Louisiana.

What differences do you see in teams whose leaders have been trained by UMVIM, SEJ? 

We require our leaders to be trained through UMVIM & ERT. This gives them a firm foundation of expectations and quality management that we expect out of them and their teams. It instills in them the true Christian values and attitudes that we expect them and their team members to put forth at all times.

Share a brief story about the impact of volunteers. 

During our South Carolina "1 in 1000-year flood" of October 2015, we quickly became overwhelmed especially across the midlands to the coast. One of the hardest hit areas was the Charleston/Summerville area. I immediately called out to Troy Thomas, who is our Low Country ERT Coordinator (our state is divided in four regions, and we have an ERT Coordinator and two Assistants in each). He already had volunteers out helping people on day one and continued coordinating ERT efforts for three months among various agencies and organizations plus teams coming in to South Carolina from other states. His wife, Renee, was instrumental in helping get teams housed and taken care of. Troy also performed his paid job as an officer with Mount Pleasant Fire Department on the days he was not doing muck outs, and he let his secondary construction business lapse for the three-month period.

Many times we do not see the impact or fruits of our labor, but Troy saw it first hand in a man named Peter. Peter was a big man that was angered that his home was flooded and no one had made it out to help him. He also had very little to do with the church or Christians. He flagged Troy down in the street and told him that he needed help. Troy turned to see Peter's flooded home with water still up to the windows. As soon as the floodwaters subsided Troy was able to send a team of 32 people in to help Peter. Peter began to see the love, care and compassion of Jesus Christ through the ERT volunteers' witness of "Christian Love In Action" including their intensive labor to muck out his home. At the end of the day, they all gathered together in a circle in the street in front of Peter's home to pray. During the prayer, Peter broke down to his knees and with the ERT gathered around him, he gave his life to Jesus Christ!

We even saw volunteers cross state, district and conference lines to help. In the Pee Dee Region (Georgetown to Myrtle Beach) of our state, the ERT Coordinator, Rev. Ken Phelps, was land locked for three days due to roadways and bridges being washed out. So, Rev. George Olive of Surfside Beach helped coordinate ERT efforts and provide assessments along with Ann Huffman and others from North Carolina ERT until Ken could get freed. They continued to assist Ken for months due to the widespread damage. 

On November 29: #GivingTuesday 2016, donations will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $12,000. Please give generously to Advance #901875.

{#GivingTuesday 2016} Disaster Response

Since The Advance will not be offering any matching funds for Giving Tuesday this year, the UMVIM, SEJ Staff and Board has come together and pledged $12,000 to be used as matching fund. So, on November 29: #GivingTuesday 2016, donations will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $12,000. We believe our mission is big, and we also believe that we can't send trained, equipped volunteers into the field to show Christian Love in Action without the support of our community. 

This year, learn more from those who have personally experienced the impact of all UMVIM has to offer. We asked Virginia Long-Term Recovery Manager & UMVIM Coordinator Forrest White to share what UMVIM has meant to him:

How do volunteers help you carry out your mission with Virginia Disaster Recovery?

At the end of my e-mails I often include these words: Our challenge is big. But God is bigger! We’re in this together and, best of all, God is with us. It’s true. We are in this together. There is no small part to play on our team. Since Long-Term Recovery began in the Virginia Conference in June, we have seen Christian love in action (1 John 3:18) from the people who occupy the back row of the local church and those who occupy the highest positions in the Conference and every person in between. Who could forget the high school students from North Carolina who wanted to plant flowers in a survivor's yard, a symbol of hope, a reminder of God's love? Who could forget the children of from a Richmond UMC who traveled an hour one way to provide lunch for two work teams and took leftovers to survivors? Who could forget the young at heart folks from a half dozen James River District churches who say they're too old to climb up on a roof but lovingly prepared a feast to feed 100 on a July afternoon? Who could forget Bishop Cho, so close to retirement, scurrying up a ladder to encourage a roofing team, as those on the ground held our breath?                   

What differences do you see in teams whose leaders have been trained by UMVIM, SEJ?

There simply is no comparison. Simply put, trained team leaders see the big picture. They understand that Christian Love in Action doesn't begin when a team walks on the work site and it doesn't end when a team walks off the work site. They understand that it's always about the people first, the project second. They understand the importance of good communication before, during, and after the actual mission experience. On a personal note, I had led about two dozen mission teams before I had the UMVIM TLT in 2007. I was a far more effective leader on the two dozen mission teams I led after the training.

Share a brief story about the impact of volunteers – we really like the one about Miss Patty.

I wish I’d never met Patty Bryant. I told her so, too. We met only because of her great loss. The tornado that ripped through Evergreen, Virginia, on February 24, somewhere around 3:30 p.m., took her home and her greenhouse. But it took so much more. Her daddy died in the storm. They didn’t find his body until after nightfall, three football fields away from where he sat watching an old TV Western as the storm jumped the railroad tracks and engulfed his home.

I asked Ms. Patty how she was doing, five months after her life changed forever. “I’m tired,” she said. “I’ve been trying to keep it together because of mama.” Her mama survived the storm, only because she wasn’t home. She was turning off of Highway 460, only a couple miles away, when the mighty winds uprooted a tree and slammed it into her car. The impact fractured her back. The rescue team cut her free from the wreckage. As for Ms. Patty? She wonders if she would still be alive if she hadn’t left for work about an hour earlier than usual that dark February day, about an hour before the storm hit.                                                     

Hope is rising on the ground the storm swept clean.                                                                        

In the final days of summer, volunteers from two Virginia United Methodist Churches dug the footers on the land where her house once stood. In the first days of fall, volunteers four Greensboro, N.C., churches put the concrete block foundation on the land where her house once stood. And so it has been, one team at a time, one day at a time, and so it will be until we turn the keys to a new house over to Ms. Patty. That day will come because ordinary people stepped up when our extraordinary God called and said, “Here I am, send me.”

On November 29: #GivingTuesday 2016, donations will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $12,000. Please give generously to Advance #901875.

UMCOR’s Disaster Response Plan for Haiti

Below is a letter we received from the United Methodist Committee on Relief regarding assistance from international teams to Haiti in response to Hurricane Matthew. UMVIM, SEJ will communicate the needs for teams to deploy or send resources as soon as we have word from UMCOR that it is appropriate to do so.  

Azim Akhtar, UMCOR Haiti’s Head of Mission is experienced in humanitarian assistance. He and the rest of the UMCOR Haiti staff are already at work responding to this current disaster through an UMCOR grant that will provide emergency water and food rations, cooking pots, and other emergency supplies as needed.

One of our primary partners in Haiti over the last six years has been EMH, the Eglise Methodist d’Haiti (Methodist Church of Haiti). Through UMCOR’s support, EMH has already begun to provide food to the survivors of the hurricane. In the coming weeks, UMCOR will continue to explore and develop with EMH additional humanitarian responses.

One of our important attributes of mission in the United Methodist Church is our fervent willingness to volunteer. Local volunteerism is key to connecting the church and the community. The Volunteers in Mission program provides opportunities for volunteers to assist with long-term development, building projects, medical missions, and other activities. In Haiti, volunteer teams from throughout the US have helped build the infrastructure of the church there for decades. 

Because of the strong commitment these partner churches and annual conferences have with specific churches, communities, and districts in Haiti, their hearts have been broken as they have watched reports of damage and loss in the communities to which they have given so much time, energy, and resources. Because of this commitment, many of these partners have selflessly declared their willingness to go now to Haiti to assess damage and discover how they can help. While this level of dedication is admirable, UMCOR is strongly advising that such groups wait until Haiti has fully transitioned from the relief phase to the recovery phase.

In the meantime, visits by teams, even individuals or small teams, would run the risk of doing more harm than good. Well-intentioned volunteers generally and unknowingly take energy and resources from host organizations which they would otherwise use to manage or support humanitarian assistance activities. From a support and logistics standpoint, volunteering in the US is very different from volunteering in other countries. Finally, one of the side benefits of many disaster response activities is that local people are hired and materials, as much as possible are procured locally. For the reasons stated above, and because we have full confidence in our staff on the ground, visiting Haiti at this time would be inappropriate.

When recovery projects for volunteers become appropriate and available, UMVIM teams will be informed through the jurisdictional UMVIM Coordinators, under the guidance of Una Jones, Global Ministries’ Director of Mission Volunteers.

Why Should You Invest in UMVIM Leader Training?

What is your first reaction when you see TV news footage of communities in need in the US or around the world? Unfortunately, you see this quite often. You want to help. Before you gather your clothing donations, rush to someone's aid, or try to engage others in responding, the first step is to learn how to help. That starts with training, and training is a major part of what UMVIM, SEJ offers to you. Whether you are leading a team on a short-term mission journey, or are part of a long-term recovery team after a disaster, UMVIM, SEJ offers training that ensures you--and your faith community--are prepared to help intentionally and effectively. Why support UMVIM training? Training helps disaster survivors and vulnerable communities. Ignoring training doesn't just leave the volunteer ill-equipped; even the most well-meaning people can cause harm if they don't know how to respond in the proper way. UMVIM, SEJ training is a national model of excellence. We have trained thousands of short-term mission team leaders on how to effectively lead their teams in the field. We developed our UMVIM Team Leader training classesand wrote the UMVIM Team Leader Handbook based on our 40+ years of experience in the short-term mission field. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the countless tornadoes and many hurricanes that our region is vulnerable to, we have been able to sharpen our best practices in the aftermath of disaster. We may have more disasters, but we have more knowledge as well.

The best ideas are exchanged. UMVIM training allows a free exchange of ideas from one conference to another. Our workshops provide fellowship and a rich learning experience. The results are clear: better coordination and enhanced skills for responders. If you can't attend training at this time in your life, won't you help someone who can? UMVIM needs your presence, your prayers, and your funding support to help sustain and update its vibrant training programs. Your contribution to UMVIM training will ultimately have a ripple effect that allow thousands of people in need get the best kind of help from our volunteers. Please help ensure our training goes on for years to come. Please give generously to Advance number 901875 at www.umcmission.org/give or mail your check to: UMVIM, SEJ, 100 Centerview Drive, Suite 210, Birmingham, AL 35216. Thank you for your continued prayers and generosity!  Grace and peace, Paulette West UMVIM, SEJ Executive Director

{Mission Highlight} Training

In 2016, Our Mission Highlights will focus internally, on what UMVIM, SEJ does to serve the short-term mission community within the United Methodist Church. Join us this year as we focus on the ways we equip teams and their leaders through Resources, Trainings, Mission Opportunities, Healthy & Safety education, and Relationship-building.  In our last Mission Highlight, we told you how we serve short-term mission volunteers through the Resources we provide. The next step is for each team leader to be trained on what it means to truly engage in Christian missions. It's easy to hop on a plane, unload at a project and work passionately for a few days, then go back home. But that's not what we're about at UMVIM.  UMVIM, SEJ believes in effective Christian service, which we feel is first achieved through training team leaders on how to equip themselves and their team to make the most of their mission journey. UMVIM, SEJ has written a handbook based on our 40+ years of experience in the short-term mission field, so that you, as the team leader, can lead a mission journey that benefits both your team and those whom you are serving. We hope this handbook will be an integral part of your pre-trip team training, a go-to resource while you are in the field, and an asset as you return home. We have structured this handbook around the process of forming, training, and sending a team, though it still does not replace the in-person training coordinated through your annual conference or the UMVIM, SEJ office. A few travel essentials: your passport, the Bible, a camera...and the UMVIM Team Leader Handbook! Every conference in the SEJ has UMVIM-certified trainers who lead training courses throughout the year to educate volunteer leaders, using our handbook as their guide. These trainings also allow new and seasoned leaders to learn from one another; sharing experiences and best practices with our fellow volunteers is an important part of growing and learning.  Through our Team Leader Handbook and the structured Team Leader Training course we developed, we exist to guide you through the practical, relational, and spiritual aspects of leading your team into the short-term mission field.  Disaster Response Training UMVIM, SEJ works in partnership with UMCOR to plan and facilitate the annual SEJ Disaster Academy. These academies are designed to train those who are interested in serving in the wake of a disaster. Our academies are held in late February/early March every year. As information comes out each fall, we will keep you posted on social media and our Weekly Updates. Additionally, UMVIM, SEJ staff member Gray Miller serves as our Disaster Response Liaison, and you will soon be finding her across the Jurisdiction as she trains Early Response Teams.  We're just getting started in 2016! Stay in touch with us this year to learn how UMVIM, SEJ is here to be your best resource in the short-term mission field. Click here if you are not already receiving our Weekly Updates, Mission Highlights, and more.

Carlton Complex Fire Recovery - Pacific Northwest Conference

Below is an email from Jim Truitt, the Disaster Response Coordinator for the Pacific Northwest Conference. He is currently seeking volunteers to help with the needs below:

 

In 2014 we suffered our states largest wildfire in history. 256,000+ acres were burned and over 300 homes were lost. 45 of those homes had no insurance and the Long Term Recovery Group has laid out a three year plan to rebuild the homes. We did not get a FEMA declaration so the materials have to be provided through donations and grants. UMCOR gave us a $270,000 grant for materials and we have pledged $237,000 so far.  We are partnering with multiple faith-based groups and  we are on track to complete the houses in phase one by next spring. We need skilled volunteers to help us finish the task.

Now, this year we suffered wildfires in the same general area that covered three times as much acreage. We don’t know yet how many homes were lost. We’ve heard estimates in the 200 range. The State and Federal agencies were in the field last week and will be again this week doing a preliminary damage assessment (PDA). We won’t know until the PDA is complete how many additional houses we will have to build but our guesstimate is in the neighborhood of 30. We also don’t know if we will get a Presidential declaration for Individual Assistance. Regardless, we are going to need financial assistance and volunteers to help us rebuild. 

We would really appreciate your help spreading the word. Anyone that’s interested can contact me (umvimdisasterresponse@comcast.net) or Ronda Cordill, r_cordill@hotmail.com for additional information. 

If you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Thanks again for your support.

Jim Truitt
UMVIM Disaster Response Coordinator
PNW Conference United Methodist ChurchFacebook.com/umvim.pnwumc
@PNWERT

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