Blogs

There are times when projects seem to have a life of their own -- when energy and activity seem to be directed by the Spirit. That’s the way it’s been this past year with the Eastbrook Mission Barn. The Barn is now designated as one of four UMCOR Relief Supply Network Depots.  Weekly teams of volunteers show up at the barn to verify kits, to make kits from scratch, to sew tiny nightgowns for infants or school bags for children in some far off place

 In late July, Volunteers in Mission Coordinator Diane Miller will travel with a team of volunteers to the Nyadire United Methodist Mission in Zimbabwe. She'll work with Mary Beth Zollars, who heads the Home of Hope Outreach program for The Nyadire Connection and each year leads a team that works primarily with the orphans there. Mary Beth has dreamed of taking the Home of Hope orphans on a field trip and this year that dream may come true. You can help.

 Many people are looking for places to volunteer this summer and teams are looking for help. Diane Miller offers some suggestions for how to connect. 

 Cancellation of a trip to Thailand and an e-mail from a member of The Nyadire Connection just back from Zimbabwe remind Diane Miller of the power of prayer and the need for special preparations for international Volunteers in Mission trips.

Volunteers in Mission from Western PA are all around the globe this month. Diane Miller requests prayer for them and provides updates of VIM activity as she prepares to travel to Thailand.

As Mother's Day approaches, Diane Miller remembers giving her children a flip answer when they asked what may be an age-old question:  "When is Children's Day?"  She'd say, "Every day!"  But she knows that for too many children, that's not true. She offers some ideas for how to  reach out to children and include them in the life of the church. 

 Greg Forrester, the Northeastern coordinator for United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, came to Western PA in late April to train volunteers to coordinate ramp-building projects and lead VIM teams. As a key organizer of United Methodist UMVIM procedures and policies in Haiti, Greg offered insight into the situation and how to connect with projects there. As part of the training weekend, 20 volunteers assembled a 62-foot handicap ramp at a home near Grove City in 4.5 hours.

 Bishop Bickerton and his colleagues travel to the massive Central Congo area, where they find many challenges facing God's children and leaders in the United Methodist Church. They are inspired by the spirit of the people and their determination in providing ministries of health care, congregational development and evangelism.

 Sunday in Africa and Bishop Thomas J. Bicketon is dancing, literally, for joy!

 A visit to North Katanga reveals the tremendous influence of the United Methodist Church and seeing a tiny child dying of malaria in a local hospital confirms for Bishop Bickerton why the Church have to act NOW to eliminate malaria. There's no time to be patient!

 In Kamina, Bishop Bickerton, singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka, and other church leaders receive a warm welcome from people who show their joy and hope. 

 A mosquito nets distribution and Imagine No Malaria kick-off in Lubumbashi draws literally thousands. It was the culmination of months of work and provides a model for effective interfaith cooperation and an effective means to combat the spread of deadly malaria.

 Bishop Bickerton, who heads the United Methodist Global Health Initiative, is in the Democratic Republic of Congo to help with a massive distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and dedication of other projects aimed at halting the spread of deadly malaria.  Here are his journal entries from the first day.  

 Bishop Bickerton sees a lesson for Christians in West Virginia University basketball Coach Bob Huggins' actions on and off the court the past few weeks.  

 Mission intern Erin Eidenshink sends Easter greetings as the snow begins to melt in Mongolia. Six months there have made Erin aware of the "beauty of letting go."

 With so much attention focused on Haiti Recovery, many of us have lost site of the many opportunities and needs for mission volunteers in other areas. If you feel called to join a mission team to Haiti, answer that call. But the needs are also great in Zimbabwe and four teams from Western PA will go there this year. 

Western PA Mission/Volunteers in Mission Director Diane Miller details ways to help relief efforts in Haiti. UMCOR emergency kits needed!

Success is nothing with successors.  Church leaders must take action to develop principled Christian leaders.

The Book of Discipline contains some calls to action that, if followed, can address issues facing many local churches today.

United Methodists must rediscover the power of connection to make a difference in the church and the world.