The World is Our Parish
In the past two months it seems like our total focus has been riveted on Haiti – the terrible earthquake, the rescue of people from the rubble, the deaths of tens of thousands, the injuries, hunger, and thirst of people beaten down. News media did a fantastic job of bringing images of extreme suffering into our homes. UMCOR enabled United Methodists to respond quickly with relief efforts, and to commit for long term recovery efforts for the next five years. What’s wrong with this picture? Not a thing. But the picture is incomplete.
The founding father of Methodism said it: “I look upon all the world as my parish…” That was “all the world,” not just Haiti. Let’s not neglect the rest of God’s creation.
I have a list of 60 people interested in volunteering with VIM teams in Haiti. Some of those individuals represent clusters of volunteers from a single church – and they will keep others informed so that they can join teams together. What is it that has captured the hearts of people so that they are ready to drop everything and go to Haiti? Part of the answer to that is intense media reporting that has made our hearts break for the suffering of the Haitians. I worry about those in need in other parts of the world who are not getting any of our attention, who have not had reporters breaking our hearts with their stories.
If you are experiencing God’s call to volunteer in Haiti, hold tight and answer that call.
If you are being called to go somewhere else and serve God, consider joining me for a volunteer experience in Nyadire, Zimbabwe, July 29 thru August 15. If you’ve always wanted to do something like this, what’s stopping you?
Danger? Actually, it’s probably much more dangerous in Haiti than it is in Zimbabwe. Drew Harvey, Chairman of The Nyadire Connection, commented the other day that fear was what stopped many people from traveling to Africa. And when they overcame their fear and went to Africa, they had an incredible experience. They invariably really wanted to return to Africa after they got home.
Cost? It is costly. This trip will cost about $3000. And building relationships with Methodists in Zimbabwe is so important that I hope you would involve your church and loved ones as partners to make it happen. The mission interpretation of volunteers in mission begins before they go on their trips and continues after they return home. When members of a congregation get involved with fund raising and praying for volunteers from their congregation, the whole church benefits. Everyone becomes more aware of the mission – becomes more sensitive to another culture – benefits from the witness of Christians in another place – and is enabled to answer God’s call for them to do something. We have fewer full time missionaries than anytime in our history. The curse is that no one is telling the stories of how God is working in another part of the world. Missionaries are not coming home on furlough to keep us connected, and to invite us to participate in ministry through our offerings and our prayers, and sometimes, our presence.
Summer heat? Our summer is the best time to travel to Zimbabwe. That country is south of the equator and it will be wintertime there. Travelers to Nyadire in August will experience warm days and cool nights.
No skills? More important than anything we can do in Nyadire is our presence and building relationships. Do you like children? Join us as we offer children Vacation Bible School, or play with the orphans at the orphanage, or read to them, or tuck them in at night. Are you interested in medicine? Shadow the doctor and nurses at the hospital – travel to the outlying clinics – help care for some of those who are sick. Do you have computer skills? Help people learn to use the refurbished Apple computers that have just been delivered to Nyadire for an Internet café. Or maybe you could help put the 6000 used books that have just arrived via our container shipment into order in the library. Whatever your interest, there is something you can do in this wonderful Methodist compound that includes a school, a hospital, a nursing school, an orphanage, and a farm. Visit parishioners with the pastor.
Facts:
· 75% of Zimbabweans are Christian
· English is one of three official languages in Zimbabwe
· HIV/AIDs infection rate in adults in Zimbabwe is 35%
· The literacy rate in Zimbabwe is 90%
· Zimbabwe became a country in 1980
Questions? Give me a call or send me an email and I’ll call you. Let me know if you are interested and I’ll try to help you make it happen.
If you’ve persevered and read this far, maybe you are being called to spread the word – to get this information into your church bulletin – to invite someone to consider this call – to offer to help raise the funds needed – to sponsor a young person with this life changing experience.
By the way – the patient in the wheelbarrow was being transported to the hospital in Nyadire. The nurse giving the injection was from the Dominican Republic; her patient was a survivor of the earthquake in Haiti suffering form a broken collarbone.
Keep me posted about your VIM activities ...
Diane Miller
Mission/VIM Coordinator
Western Pennsylvania Conference
United Methodist Church
136 Decker Drive
New Castle, PA 16105
724-652-9182
By: Diane Miller On 3/19/2010
Topics:
Mission
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