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Mission Volunteers, General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church |
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| Volume 3, Number 1 |
April 14, 2011 |
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Short takes...
r With the hot and humid weather of spring and summer in Haiti, UMVIM teams need to practice good self-care, especially with hydration. Volunteer Management Coordinator Tom Vencuss, a trained EMT, comments on the importance of personal preparation and care for team members in his latest reflection, Hot Fun in the Summertime
r A team from the New York Conference, scheduled to travel to Haiti May 6 - 13, has room for more team members. Please email Susan Meister to get connected to this team. If you are an individual who is interested in mission work in Haiti but can't travel in May, please contact Susan to get connected to another team.
r Paulette West, Southeast Jurisdiction UMVIM Coordinator, just returned from leading a trip to Haiti in early April. "I want everyone to know about the amazing staff that God has sent us!" West exclaimed. "I appreciated the time in orientation and debriefing and found the whole process valuable. I am grateful for their call to serve God through VIM with the Methodist Church of Haiti."
r Joy Anderson, team leader from North Texas Conference, echoed West's comments. "I just wanted you to know that our team had a wonderful experience on our trip," she said. "The staff does a great job of setting up the teams, hosting, orientation, getting supplies, and providing a structure for teams to work."
r Team members' experiences in Haiti are enhanced by their preparation for the UMVIM trip. Many use written resources to get ready for their mission experience. Do you have a favorite resource about mission work in general or Haiti in particular? If so, please send your idea to Susan Meister, and we will add it to the list of resources we are preparing to publish on the web site, www.umvimhaiti.org.
Photo courtesy Kathy Mann, Texas Conference, summer 2010. |
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Please pray for the people of Haiti and the UMVIM teams who are traveling to work alongside the Methodist Church of Haiti in rebuilding.
We give thanks for all the volunteers in mission who are called and sent. |
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Greetings!
Thank you for subscribing to the bi-weekly newsletter of the Haiti Response Plan, a program of the Mission Volunteers unit of the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church.
We have passed the one year anniversary of the devastating January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. The entire UMVIM community and the staff of the Haiti Response Plan remain committed to working with the Eglise Methodiste d'Haiti (EMH, the Methodist Church of Haiti) to host volunteer teams to address the humanitarian needs and priority projects of the EMH. |
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Haiti Response Plan begins year 2 with affirmation from Global Ministries
 Three months after a devastating earthquake in January 2010, the General Board of Global Ministries approved a unique plan to respond to priority humanitarian needs in Haiti. The Mission Volunteers unit proposed the Haiti Response Plan to organize and deploy United Methodist Volunteer in Mission (UMVIM) teams. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and the Global Ministries agreed to fund the Plan for a six month pilot period. In October, 2010, the pilot was deemed a success, and a full three year funding plan was approved.
In New York this week, Global Ministries received an updated report about the Haiti Response Plan and affirmed continued funding. Una Jones, Assistant General Secretary for Mission Volunteers, reported that 78 teams served from Oct 2010 to Mar 2011 (a total of 126 since the program start). Twenty one project sites are currently open, with all site selection and ongoing oversight provided by the Methodist Church of Haiti.
"The progress to date of the Haiti Response Plan has been remarkable," commented Jones. "As we move into the second year of the program, we are adjusting procedures to respond to the findings of an assessment by UMCOR monitoring & evaluation and comments by our volunteers.
"Our own staff is committed to this ministry in a powerful way," she continued. "We feel blessed by the outstanding response of the UMVIM community, and look forward to continued success. We believe we are truly making a difference as we work in partnership with the Methodist Church of Haiti."
Over 160 teams are booked for 2012 and more than 50 are already on the calendar for 2012. For more information on scheduling teams, contact the US-based Calendaring Coordinator.
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Price increases impact UMVIM teams
 In Haiti, fuel prices are controlled by the government. In mid-March, the government increased fuel prices by 35% in one day and as a result, the Methodist Guest House has been paying much higher prices for fuel. This has also translated to higher prices for food.
Last week, Deanna Hawkins, Finance/Hospitality Coordinator, met with Pastor Gesner Paul, President of the Methodist Church of Haiti, and Ruth Depestre, Guest House manager, to discuss this issue. The Guest House is not able to absorb these costs, and understand that the staff cannot increase the costs to teams without any notice. Therefore, the following agreement was made:
Transportation Surcharge
Effective immediately, the Guest House is adding a 20% transportation surcharge to every guest's bill (20% of transportation charges only). Because this was not previously communicated to teams, this surcharge is being paid through project funds through the month of April. Effective 5/1/2011, teams will be responsible for this additional charge. The budget template has been updated to reflect this increase. This is being called a temporary surcharge - if/when fuel prices go down, it will be reduced/removed.
Food/Lodging Charge
Due to the rising cost of food, electricity, cooking fuel and other expenses, there will be an increase in the nightly charge for each guest. Effective 6/15/2011, teams will be charged $45 per person per night (up from $40). This increase will be across the board for all teams - whether staying in a guest house or in the field.
The budget template has been updated to reflect this increase. To access the budget template, go to www.umvimhaiti.org, Team Resources page, Team Leaders (near the bottom of the page)
Also as a reminder - charges for lodging and transportation must be paid in cash at the time of your team's stay. The Guest House cannot accept U.S. checks. You do not need to worry about exchanging dollars, however. Any US denomination is accepted.
Photo of Methodist Guest House courtesy Walter Smith, Arkansas. |
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Web resources for ministry
Several of our UMVIM teams have posted reflections of their recent mission trips to Haiti.
Nathan Dadap, a member of a team from New Jersey Conference led by Kathy Ahmad, served in Haiti in March 2011. Hear his report to his home church, Embury UMC, and see his photos.
Jay Bastian maintains an ongoing blog with photos and comments from teams who have worked in Mellier, one of the most active projects.
Tom Pilkington, team leader from the Cal-Pac Conference, posted this blog about their work and experience in Haiti - including lots of photos and video!
The best way to keep in touch with time-sensitive information related to the Haiti Response Plan is to be our friend on Facebook. It's also the place to find pictures of project progress and to share reflections on your UMVIM experience! Just go to the main web site, www.umvimhaiti.org, to connect.
Team leaders and members can use the Haiti Response Plan web site to find resources to plan their UMVIM trip. Others who are interested in following our ministry can access news, project status, volunteer testimonies, and more.
Find archive copies of this newsletter on the Newsletter page.
Please send suggestions for the web site and newsletter or general comments on the Haiti Response Plan to Susan Meister, US-based Calendaring Coordinator, haitivolunteers@yahoo.com.
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Matching
Grants Available |
Teams who raise $3500 in project funds are eligible for a matching grant of $3500. For more information on how to apply for matching funds, contact Susan Meister, US-based Calendaring Coordinator.
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