The Disaster Recovery Ministry of the Louisiana Annual Conference

The Disaster Recovery Ministry of the Louisiana Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church needs your help as we serve those affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Volunteers have been the key element in creating this vital ministry which is helping to restore homes, churches and lives in South Louisiana. In many ways, this recovery effort is like a pot of “gumbo” . . . made with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Our “gumbo” of volunteers includes folks of all ages from different ethnic groups, denominations, colleges, and civic and non-profit organizations—all of them selflessly committed to serving the people of Louisiana.

When you volunteer, you are helping to restore mental health and giving hope to the hopeless. As you rebuild lives and churches, the joy from giving selflessly to others is the gift you receive.

Some of you have served on a work team before. Others are considering helping for the first time. As you contemplate your visit to Louisiana, please review and download our Volunteer Brochure and our list of Frequently Asked Questions which will help you plan your mission trip.

In certain parts of the state, storm survivors are actively rebuilding their damaged or destroyed homes. Although much has been done, there are still thousands of homeowners who must have their homes gutted and cleared of damaged furniture and household items. Without you, their ability to recover is bleak. There are now 6 stations in Louisiana that can house and host UMVIM teams.

We invite you to jump into our “volunteer gumbo.” Lend a hand by visiting our website: www.laumcstormrelief.com and clicking on I Want To Help to register an UMVIM team.

If you would like to have a speaker for a meeting of your group, church or organization, please contact me at (225) 346-5193 through Rev. Yvonne Dayries, or e-mail me at revcthomas@bellsouth.net. We can’t wait to welcome you to Louisiana!

Building Bridges for Recovery, I remain
Rev. Connie M. Thomas
Disaster Relief Manager of Volunteers

"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God
gave the increase……So then neither is he
that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth;
but God that giveth the increase.”

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Barbara Stone
United Methodist Volunteers in Mission
South Central Jurisdiction
PO Box 331
Mexico, MO 65265
573-253-1374
Email: umvimscj@ktis.net
Web: www.gbgm-umc.org/scjumc/VIM.htm and www.umvim.info

TEAM LEADER TRAINING DATES

With each team going to a disaster or mission site, it is important that the team leader be trained through the PIM Team Leader Training program. This training will prepare each leader to organize the structure of the team, make assignments before departure and create a fully functional team upon arrival at the work site.
Beginning in October 2006 and continuing through February of 2007, PIM is offering identical trainings. Trainings are scheduled in each district with multiple dates for the Greater Houston area. Using the PIM training manual and the approved Safe Sanctuary training for the Texas Annual Conference, participants will have all forms and handouts necessary for their team.

Team leaders are required to attend one training every two years. Beginning in the fall of 2005, all adults, 18 years and older, on a mission team organized at the church, district or conference level must have Safe Sanctuary certification and background checks before departure.

PIM has included Safe Sanctuary training at all the Team Leader Trainings to accommodate all attendees. The team leader then contacts certified trainers in their District to train the team.
[ registration ]

"Educate and Activate"

"Educate and Activate"
Partners In Mission's work in the Texas Annual Conference is to "Educate and Activate" individuals and churches for involvement in hands-on mission projects. Though this information card shares statistically what has been done, there isn't a way, however, to measure the love for others that our volunteers and local churches have shown through their dedication and commitment to this ministry. [ View Statistical Report ]

The 2006 Cooperative School of Christian

The 2006 Cooperative School of Christian Mission came to a close Sunday, July 16, with the nearly 300 participants leaving inspired, informed, and ready to share their knowledge in their local churches. In addition to the adult participants, there were 25 children and 8 youth who learned about Peace, India and Pakistan, and how globalization has changed our lives.

Rev. Marvin Hood led the camp in the Spiritual Growth Study on Peace in the Bible in Our Time. Vivian Oliver (Texas Conference), Monina Fowler, and Sarla Chand taught the second year course on India and Pakistan. Globalization classes were taught by Texas Conference experts: Dr. Danny Wayman, Dr. J.D. Phillips, and Dr. Francis Guidry. Rev. Amy Hodge and Carolyn Brantley worked with the children while Mattie Ordaz and Theresa Graham led the youth in the many activities. Thebe Worden served as dean of the school, and Rev. Donna Brown was assistant dean.

Boards and agencies of the Conference shared in enrichment groups. A Trip to Zimbabwe was shared by Dr. Carolyn McCall; Dancing With a Brave Spirit was led by Dr. Glenna Brayton; Angela Baker reported on the Hurricane Rita Disaster Response. Building Peace One Piece at a Time was led by Elaine Kimsey, while Rev. Richard Laster helped participants to Organize for Mission. Rev. Clint Rabb, General Board of Global Ministries representative, assisted him. Understanding the Texas Political Maze was Judy McFarland’s topic while Rev. Ruby Nelson shared What the Laity Needs to Know about Clergy Sexual Ethics.

Those who attended enjoyed a visit to the Conference Mission Store, an ice cream social, walks around the lake and on the prayer path, time to visit the displays of programs and events in the Texas Conference, the opportunity to purchase study books, and meals with old and new friends. Picture from this year’s school are available on the school’s website: www.cooperativeschool.org.

The Texas Conference Cooperative School of Christian Mission is an event planned by the Conference Board of Managers and United Methodist Women. Questions can be directed to Dr. Danny Wayman, Chair of the Board of Mangers or Rev. Donna Brown, Dean of the 2007 school. Email can be sent to cooperativeschool@hotmail.com.

FROM Angela Baker, Director Rita Recovery~
Beaumont...The Rita Recovery office is in urgent need of volunteer
teams to come to Southeast Texas to repair homes for families affected by
Hurricane Rita. Many homes still have blue tarps covering them and more
than 900 families are on the waiting list. Why are they still waiting
after nearly a year? We have the materials and the time but we don’t
have the volunteers! We need you! We are currently recruiting teams
for the fall and into 2007. Information is on the Rita Recovery website
at www.umcortexas.com or you can contact Bonnie McAndrews, Volunteer
Coordinator at bmcandrews@umcortexas.com or call her at 409-892-0140.
Please prayerfully consider answering the call to help families recover
from this disaster.

Priority Project/Urgent for PIM - Belize Christian School

Greetings,
This picture was taken last week, showing Pyppa Johnson of Windsor Village Church (Houston) with Marvin Kellyman, the Headmaster of Burrell Boom Christian School, sitting on the new "slab" of his (previously burned-down) cottage. We need help in August finishing this project, before school starts in mid-September! Pyppa will be on-site coordinator all month!


Here's the tentative schedule, we can pick you up at the nearby Belize International any time.
July 30th-Aug 3rd...Carpentry/general laborers
Aug 5th-Aug 10th....Masonry/general laborers BRICKLAYERS NEEDED!
Aug13th-Aug 17th....Electrical/general laborers MED TEAM Aug 16-24, 2 nurses needed
Aug 20th-Aug 24th....Plumbing/general laborers
Aug 27th- General finish up

We have cut expenses to the bone! Our packages are cheap, with various accomodations ranging from cheesy to really nice ALL TAX DEDUCTABLE, EVEN THE R and R..... Lots more info at: www.belizemissions.org
Peace in Jesus,

Cam Collins, Belize UMVIM Project Coordinator
CALL ME 24-7 800.494.0146

Kenya mission teams in 2007

Dear Friends,
The calendar is beginning fill up for Kenya mission teams in 2007. If you are receiving this email it is because you are a past Team Leader/team member and I am offering you first chance to select dates for your mission team. We have several projects this coming year:

1. AIDS Orphan homes in and around the Maua area - Your team can build 1-2 homes a week in the village and get to know the family quite well.
2. Construction projects at the Maua Methodist Hospital - If your team would rather work only at the hospital there are many projects that need finishing. The construction will range from moderate work on older buildings to heavy construction of new buildings. A new Trauma Center is being planned now. Need: plumbers, electricians.
3. Medical projects at the Maua Methodist Hospital - They need I.T person who can help with the hospital information system and software, Bio-med people, and lab tech. Anyone who can help with short courses of 1-2 hours to help upgrade any of the work in the hospital will be considered. Bush Clinics can be arranged with at least 6 months notice and teams will go out to villages near Maua for day clinics with the staff of the hospital. Only 3-4 non-medical people can attend and the team will have to come up with all the financing for transport, meds. etc.
4. Bio-Intensive Farm- Meru - continue to work on the foundations of the houses, extend the goat shed, fence in the compound behind the classrooms, put in a new water system, upgrade electrical systems, renovate the Guest House.
5. Malindi Women's Conference Center - Located on the Indian Ocean just north of Mombasa, the women of the church have been collecting money for years and slowly building a Conference Center here. It will be used by the women of the church for trainings, retreats and conferences. When not in use by the women's group, the Center will be available for any mission groups, missionaries and other groups needing a place to stay. We will be helping with the fencing around the perimeter and with the beginnings of new buildings.
6. EXTREME MISSIONS - Milimanti Research Center is located 2 hours east of Meru and a training center for farmers. Teams will stay at the center while making renovations to the buildings. Located in a dry, but beautiful area, the team will have wonderful people to work with while experiencing real Kenya living.

Please let me know if you are interested in working at any of these projects. Dec - Feb will be your cheapest months for airfare, while June to October are still the most popular. Teams can split their time between the Maua/Meru projects or the Milimanti/Meru projects.
Teams need to leave on a Thursday from the States and arrive in Kenya on Friday night. Saturday is a travel day to your location. Then the team can work up to 1 week at any of the projects or longer if there is no team scheduled the next week.

Looking forward to hearing from you.
God Bless,
Kathie Mann


Director of Partners In Mission
Texas Annual Conference
5215 Main St.
Houston, Texas 77002
713-521-9383
FAX 713-521-3724

HEARTS AND MINDS FOR MISSION

The Global Theological Education Program at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, is offering “Hearts and Minds for Mission: An Intensive Seminar for Lay Mission Volunteers” October 6 th and 7 th, 2006. The seminar will focus on ways that volunteers in mission understand and participate in restoration and healing as expressions of the missionary vocation of the church.

Over the last three decades volunteer short term missionaries have become one of the most important groups in Christian mission, even as mission has become increasingly important to the self-understanding of Christian churches. In this seminar Perkins School of Theology faculty members will lead workshops focusing on missionary spirituality, scriptural guidance for missionaries, and the theology and history of Christian missions.

Workshop leaders will include Dr. Elaine Heath on "Spiritual Healing after Violence and Abuse," and Dr. Robert Hunt on "Making the Gospel Good News for Broken Communities," Dr. Rich Nelson on "Balm in Gilead: OT Repentance and Restoration," Dr. Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner on “Self-Care: Preventing Compassion Fatigue”, Dr. John Holbert on “Mission in the Old Testament” and Dr. Robert Krout on “The Healing Power of Music and Art.” The seminar will begin on a Friday evening and conclude Saturday afternoon. It will be held in Selecman Hall on the SMU campus. Information and Registration forms are found at www.smu.edu/globaltheology.

The Global Theological Education Program makes available resources of Perkins School of Theology for the spiritual and theological enrichment of those preparing for service as volunteers in mission, and arranges for significant cross-cultural immersion experiences for Perkins students preparing to offer leadership in mission as local pastors and church workers. For further information contact Dr. Robert Hunt, Director of Global Theological Education at 214.768.1374 ( globaltheology@smu.edu) or Roberta Cox, Director of Public Affairs at 214.768.2335 (rcox@smu.edu)

Disaster.

As many of you know, on Mon., June 19th, parts of the Houston area were
inundated by more than 12 inches of rain, causing flooding in several
thousand houses. Ordinarily, TACCOR would be able to respond to meet the
need for Flood Buckets and Health Kits for the victims of this flood.
Unfortunately, on that same Monday, the Christian Alliance warehouse in
Pearland, where almost all of our flood buckets and health kits were
stored (along with tons of food and clothing), was burning to the ground.
Nothing in the warehouse was salvageable. Consequently, there is an
immediate need to replace as many of the destroyed flood buckets and
health kits as possible.
Christian Alliance does have some empty flood buckets in a trailer
which we hope to access on Tuesday, June 27th. At that time, the buckets
will be available for distribution. We are asking every church to step
up and help replenish the supply of completed flood buckets and health
kits. Instructions for completing both items can be found at the UMCOR
website (www.umcor.org). For the time being, there is no central
repository in the Houston area for new buckets, so please find a place to
TEMPORARILY store any new supplies until a new warehouse is located. We
will let you know as soon as we know just where the new facility is
located.
Please help us with this urgent need as past events have shown us
that an adequate supply of flood buckets and health kits is a necessity
in our flood-prone area.

ROM Kathie Mann, Dir. PIM, Texas Annual Conference~

EARLY RESPONDER Training will be offered on July 8th for those who
would like to be certified by UMCOR to go into a disaster area to make
homes and churches SAFE, SANITARY and SECURE. Plenty of space is
available!
Classes will be at First UMC in Navasota on July 8th from 9 AM - 1
PM. Cost is $15, which includes a T-shirt, badge & lunch. ADVANCED
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
Additional T-Shirts are available for $7 each.
Contact Mary Ann Hodges, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator
at maryannhodges1@aim.com or 281-379-5091(H) or 281-546-0985 (C) for
additional information and/or a registration form.

Early Responder Training

Early Responder Training

As safety forces become (unfortunately) more experienced at disaster response, they are becoming less and less willing to let just any willing worker onto a disaster site. They are increasingly requiring certification for Early Responders. UMCOR is one of the agencies who is authorized to certify individuals, and has trained Joe and Katie Beran to provide such certification and identification.

What do Early Responders do?

• Go into a disaster site after the First Responders (Police, Fire and EMS Workers) have stated that the area is safe for “civilians.”
• Provide a Christian Presence in a disaster.
• Remove debris and make temporary repairs.
• Make a dwelling "Safe, Sanitary, and Secure."
• Document damages.
• Observe victim's needs and report these to the disaster relief operations.
• Share information (where is food available, when is FEMA coming, and where will they be, what radio stations are on air, whre are shelters open).

Why Do We Need Early Response Teams?

They provide immediate assistance to those older or disabled persons, who do not have their support system (family) nearby to assist them.

• It reassures victims that the church cares about them.
• It provides visibility for the United Methodist Church. We are always “First in and last out.”
• It speeds the response to victims.
• How Do We Equip an Early Response Team?
• The team must be self–contained.
• That is, they must have all the food, water, gasoline, tools, sleeping gear, hygiene necessities, and flexibility that they will need for their 3 day stay.
• If your church or group of churches trains and equips an Early Response Team, the Early Response Coordinator will call to schedule your participation in any disaster that occurs in the Texas Annual Conference.

What Training Is Required?

• Team Leader must have received PIM Team Leader Training and Early Responder Training.
• Every member must have received Safe Sanctuary Training, and passed a background check.
• It is strongly recommended that every member attend Early Responder Training.
• Skills are optional. Willing hands, ears, and eyes are necessary!
• When and where is training available?
• Training takes 4 hours, and is scheduled for Saturday mornings.
• The dates currently scheduled are June 17 (Sugar Land), July 8 (Navasota), and September 9 (Navasota). If you would like to attend any of these classes, please e-mail Mary Ann Hodges at maryannhodges1@aim.com.

If your church would like to host a training session, please e-mail Katie Beran at katieberan1226@yahoo.com. Dates are available on most Saturdays for the rest of the year, on a first come, first served basis.

Kathie Mann, Director of Partners In Mission

We are looking for Construction Supervisors and Site Leaders to help
with assessment in the Rita Recovery area of East Texas. If you are
interested in working with the Recovery team for the summer or even longer,
please contact Ward Smith at 409-225-3135 or wsmith@umcortexas.com.