Northeast Areas Still in Recovery, Volunteers Needed

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Seven of 10 conferences in the Northeastern Jurisdiction (NEJ) are still in disaster response mode as the result of last spring’s flooding and need volunteers to help with recovery, Greg Forrester, NEJ United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) coordinator, told conference VIM coordinators at a jurisdictional meeting in Valley Forge on Dec. 9-10.

Susquehanna Conference has 91,000 people who have submitted applications to FEMA for assistance after the September flooding. Some 37,000 residents of New York were impacted by flooding,and Vermont endured three different floods this past year. 

For New York and Pennsylvania flood recovery will probably take two years, Forrester said. UMCOR has received little money in donations for these disasters, he added.

Forrester reported on the success of the UMCOR/UMVIM response in Haiti.  The funding stream for hiring Haitians to work alongside volunteers has been good; volunteer teams have been excellent; and the Haitian Methodist Churches are praising the process and results.

During the gathering, the coordinators acting as a board for NEJ VIM, voted to renew Forrester's postion as NEJ coordinator for 2012. 

Una Jones, the new executive for annual conference relations and mission-volunteers programs for the General Board of Global Ministries, participated in the meeting Saturday morning through Skype.  She cautioned that VIM teams responding to international disasters should be fully trained and networked, and recognize the leadership of the hosting church or organization coordinating volunteers. She used a situation in Japan after the earthquake last year as an example of volunteers causing problems because they didn’t follow VIM protocol.

At the meeting, the coordinators shared reports of VIM activities of their own conferences and affirmed how well Volunteers in Mission fits into the four areas of ministry focus of the United Methodist Church:  making disciples, ministry with the poor, global health, and new places/revitalizing congregations.

Ken Mengel, Secretary of Global Ministries in the Susquehanna Conference, reported that his conference has okayed the hiring of a ¾ time VIM Coordinator. That came after phone conferences with Western PA leaders on their job description for VIM coordinator.

The Western PA report included updates on VIM activity organized by district coordinators, ramp ministries, the Eastbrook Mission Barn, and speaking opportunities promoting VIM, as well as four VIM Leader Training events. It also highlighted WPAUMC trips to Haiti, Nicaragua, and the Susquehanna Conference.