{Guest Blogger} Ken & Christy Lowe, Grace UMC

On July 14, 2015, the mission team from Grace UMC landed on the island of Eleuthera, Bahamas. First stop was the Mission House in the small, quaint town of Tarpum Bay. After dropping off our over-stuffed bags we drove 30 miles south to the isolated settlement of Deep Creek.

We couldn’t wait to meet with John Pinder, who oversees the church building project, and to see the progress they have made during the year since we were last here. This is the third year we have helped with the construction of the Deep Creek Methodist Church. Our first year here we helped fill in the foundation and pour the concrete floor. Last year we worked on the roof and this year our goal was to purchase and install 21 windows and lay about 400 block on the gable ends of the church.

We consider our mission 50% construction and 50% bonding with and drawing the community to the church. Two other ministries we have, besides construction, are the tennis shoe ministry and the church carnival, held on Saturday.

We distributed the 100 pairs of tennis shoes that Grace Church members graciously donated. Driving through the community with our guide, Rema, it was fun to see some of the same children and adults we met last year. Twin boys who received their first pair of shoes last year, got a new pair this year. They are now active toddlers, full of smiles and laughter. Many people were still wearing the shoes they received last year and were so happy to replace their worn ones for a fresh, new pair. It is hard to describe the appreciation expressed by moms and children for the gift of new shoes.

This was the second year we held a church carnival. Word spread quickly that fun, games, prizes, food, and music were part of the event at the church site. Our games were simple: pin the steeple on the church, fishing, bean bag toss, face painting, and the most challenging – drum stick toss. The most popular activity was the cross painting. Team member Jerry Hancock made at least 100 hand held wooden crosses to be painted and decorated. About 150 people of all ages attended and all had a great time.

We invited the Island School to join us. They offer a high school program for students from around the world to study marine ecology for a semester along with research scientists. The school is self-sufficient and also offers summer camps for local kids. They also provide jobs for many in the nearby settlements. One of their goals is to encourage harvesting of lion fish, which are an invasive species in the Bahamas and US waters, so the students and their instructors provided delicious lion fish fritters for everyone at the carnival! Everyone who came was invited to church the next day.

On Monday we were back to work, shoveling, and sifting sand to make mortar, and carrying block to lay them. By the end of the day, everyone was exhausted and ready for a swim.

After two days of peanut butter and honey sandwiches (our lunch staple for the past sixteen years on mission trips), our Bahamian friends asked the local women to provide lunch and what a treat for all of us! They are all great cooks and each meal was delicious!

Over the last three years of Americans and Bahamians working together in the community, the trust, respect and love of Christ has become so strong. As Scripture says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name I will be there also (Matthew 18:20). Truly, the great love of Christ is the motivational force that keeps us coming back in mission.

Wednesday morning came too quickly. Walking to our thirteen passenger plane brought tears to everyone’s eyes. It was hard to believe that we were going home so soon. But we all hope to return next year and continue the work we had begun. With the grace of God and through the generosity of our church family, Grace United Methodist Church, we will see the Deep Creek Methodist Church open its doors to that community in praise of God.

We love to hear your UMVIM stories! If you are interested in writing a Guest Blog for UMVIM, SEJ, please contact Malinda (malinda_nichols@umvim.org). 

{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!

{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.

{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)

{Guest Blogger} UMVIM Staffer Serves in Cuba

UMVIM staff member Leslie Bethea had a unique opportunity to join with a team from the South Carolina Annual Conference on an UMVIM mission to Cuba. This 10-member team was led by former UMVIM, SEJ Executive Director Rev. Nick Elliot. Read on for a little more about Leslie’s time in this country that is still relatively uncharted for most Americans!

Leslie (middle, in the black shirt) with her fellow teammates from the South Carolina Conference.

“We arrived in Havana and took about a 2 and a half hour drive to a Methodist Church where several team members had served before. This was my first time in Cuba, and I was inspired to see how joyful the people were, and I do not mean only the ones we met at the church! The church where the team worked, ate, and slept. UMVIM always emphasizes the importance of relationship-building while serving on mission opportunities; we slept, worked, and ate our meals at the church where we served. It was the most "togetherness" I have ever experienced while serving on a team. Our interpreter, Alba, was so great that I do not think any of us missed the messages in the Bible lessons or church services in which we were a part. We also witnessed the baptism a one-year-old boy, which was incredible to experience. Please join me in prayer for our close Southern neighbors...daily!" Thank you Leslie for not only giving your time to sustainable projects in the Cuba and sharing your heart with us, but also for all you do to keep our office running smoothly!

{Guest Blogger} First UMVIM Team to the "New" Cuba!

The United Methodist Connection spreads far and wide, and even to some places that are hard to reach! UMVIM has actually had a strong presence on the isolated island of Cuba for many years. Just 90 miles away, but virtually unattainable...until now. The first UMVIM team recently returned from Cuba since the new relationship between their country and ours. This team was comprised of members from First UMC Little Rock, Pulaski Heights UMC in Little Rock, Salem UMC in Conway, Arkansas, First UMC Hamburg, and First UMC, Blytheville. We are so grateful to our friends in the South Central Jurisdiction for their service to our neighbors! And thank you so much to team member Nechi Fullerton who filled us in on all of the good work they did with their Cuban counterparts while there:

"The first UMVIM team since the new relationship between Cuba & the USA just returned from a construction mission in Havana. Also the first Cuba mission team from Arkansas and the first Cuba UMVIM of 2015, the 11 member group worked to build professor housing for the Seminario Evangélico Metodista and worshiped with our Cuban sisters and brothers in their churches. Building relationships and taking construction supplies, vitamins, medicines and other much needed items is also a part of the mission.

The seminary was established in 2006 and moved to the current Havana location in 2009 to educate pastors for the rapidly growing Methodist church. The Methodist church in Cuba was dying in the 1990s, but now continues to experience a revival growing rapidly 15% annually, from 92 churches in 1996 to 403 churches and over 700 home churches currently. With over 50,000 members and even more on attendance, it is very inspiring to witness their energy, enthusiasm and love for Jesus. They are hopeful with the new USA/Cuba relations, but find even more hope in the Lord."

Ms. Fullerton also explained to us how staying in steady communication with their partners in Cuba is extremely important to them, as it is easy for them to feel isolated and forgotten. Establishing covenant relationships--which is built not on sporadic service, but on commitment to friendship, prayers, training, and resources between sending and receiving churches--is one of the most important things we teach to team leaders; it's what differentiates a "mission trip" or "service project" from a true mission journey.

She also wanted to let us know that there is much more work to be done, and they are always needing additional teams to work alongside them. Please reach out to us at sejinfo@umvim.org if you would like more information regarding UMVIM teams to Cuba.