UMVIM HAITI WEBSITE;VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR TEAM TO CUBA, VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN TENNESSEE

Flooding in Tennessee. There is an urgent need for trained volunteers. Please see below....Photo courtesy, reuters.com.

UMVIM HAITI WEBSITE

A new website is now available for information about Haiti. Please go to www.umvimhaiti.org.

FUTURE TEAM - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR TEAM TO CUBA

Team members needed for an UMVIM Cuba Team, meeting in Miami on Oct. 11th, leaving for Cuba on Oct. 12th. and returning on Oct. 22nd. The cost is $2250.00 from Miami. The team will be working on seminary housing. Because being a team member on an UMVIM team to Cuba is a prerequisite to leading a team to Cuba, this is a great opportunity for potential team leaders to get valuable experience.Interested missioners should contact team leader Rob Monolo at cmonolo@oag.state.va.us or (804) 690 - 2792.

URGENT NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS IN TENNESSEE DUE TO FLOODING

UMVIM/UMCOR-trained Early Response Teams (ERTs) are urgently needed in the Tennessee Conference in response to recent flooding. Please visit this page and indicate precise estimate of arrival, departure, team size, and contact information. Teams who previously provided information to the Tennessee Conference are requested to re-enter information into the form to save on data entry.Most work is flood clean-out, and many churches are offering sleeping space and kitchens.
For more information on this disaster, please visit TNUMCRelief.blogspot.com

FUTURE TEAM TO KENYA AUGUST 2010; THE HAITIAN PEOPLE COPE AFTER QUAKE;

Photo: Kenya, courtesy, aiesec.org. Volunteer at Kenya Methodist University, read more below...

FUTURE TEAM TO KENYA

Future team in August 2010: Kenya Methodist University. It will be a "connectional" trip focusing on educational issues in Kenya and exposure to the missions and ministries of the Meru Synod of the Methodist Church of Kenya. Cost is not set but no more than $4,500. For more information please contact Ronda Cordill at r_cordill@hotmail.com.

HAITI UPDATE

Haitian people continue each day to sort through what are for many just fragments of their pre-earthquake lives in cities most affected. At night many find greater security sleeping outdoors in tents or shelters away from solid structures. Two significant aftershocks (one at 4.7 Richter) jangled our nerves the second night, helping us sense why some Haitians may still be in a state of shock.

During the day, government and non-government organizations “cluster” under United Nations leadership to share information and coordinate efforts. I attended a meeting of the Relief and Agriculture Clusters with Mr. Anthony Jones, UMCOR Emergency Response Specialist, and learned that local Haitian workers are being paid to remove rubble from public places.

Canals and ditches essential for water removal and irrigation for farming during the rainy season (April) will soon receive special attention. Surveys reveal that smaller towns and rural areas have absorbed tens of thousands of internally displaced people from the most severely affected Port-au-Prince / Leogane / Petit Goave corridor. This internal displacement has put pressure on farmers to use seeds for food and even to sell equipment and animals to feed and shelter incoming families. Seeds and tools will be distributed among farmers so the farming season begins on time.

The Methodist Church of Haiti’s rescheduled annual conference moved its venue to little-affected Les Cayes. Methodists from Britain, The Caribbean and the U.S. sent representatives to show solidarity and to pledge prayers, material and financial support for Haiti’s recovery.

I was privileged to share UMCOR’s newly forged goal statement that commits resources and promises close coordination of efforts among Global Ministries units (UMCOR, Women’s Division, Mission & Evangelism) and between United Methodist Volunteers in Mission and the Methodist Church of Haiti. Our Haitian brothers and sisters are anxious to see United Methodists live fully into this new statement of commitment.

-By Rev. Dr. James L Gulley, UMCOR Consultant for Agriculture and Community Development and Haiti earthquake survivor.

UMCOR DISASTER RESPONSE TRAINING OPEN TO EVERYONE IN WESTERN JURISDICTION

Photo: The aftermath of a natural disaster, courtesy, gbgm-umc.org. Please read below to see how and where you can be trained to serve those in need after a natural disaster.

UMCOR DISASTER RESPONSE TRAINING

The Cal-Nevada Conference will be hosting an UMCOR Disaster Preparedness and Response Training March 24-28, 2010 at Camp Lodestar, 6135 Blue Mountain Road, Wilseyville, CA 95257. This training is open to those beyond the Cal-Nevada Conference border. If you are interested in attending this training please contact Phil Bandy, the UMVIM Conference Coordinator for the Cal-Nevada Conference at philb@calnevumc.org. The training prices and registration information are as follows:

Full Conference:
Wed.-Sun. Service = $250
(Includes all meals and lodging)

Children in Trauma Class: Add $50

Chainsaw A: Add $50

Chainsaw B
(includes Sun. Lunch): Add $65

Chainsaw B Stand Alone Class
(includes Sat. Lodging & Dinner,
Sun. Breakfast & Lunch): $125

Please register online and pay by check before March 10th. Payable to: "Ca-Nev Conference" Memo line: "Dist. Training + participant’s name"

Mail to: UMVIM - Ca/Nev Conference
P.O. Box 980250,
West Sacramento, CA. 95798-0250

INFORMATION ABOUT UMCOR TRAININGS

In addition to UMVIM Team Leader training, you may want to receive other training depending on how you would like to serve on an UMVIM team. UMCOR offers several trainings each with its own emphasis. Here are some of them listed below. If you are interested in getting an UMCOR training in your annual conference please contact your UMVIM Conference Coordinator.

Basic Disaster Ministry 101
Basic Disaster Ministry is an introduction for all people interested in the unique and important role the faith community plays in disaster readiness and response in the United States. Participants learn about disasters, traditional responses to a disaster and how the faith-based response is different, how to prepare for a disaster, and ways to get involved after disaster strikes.

Early Response Team: Basic
The mission of an ER team is to provide a caring Christian presence in the aftermath of a disaster, under very specific guidelines that enable a team to be productive and caring while causing no further harm or being a burden to the affected community. Team members are given ID badges as evidence of training. You will learn the who, what, when, where and how of doing ministry as well as hands on experience in the specific tasks that early responders are expected to accomplish.

Spiritual and Emotional Care Basic
This introduction on spiritual and emotional care needs of individuals, communities and congregations following disasters, responses to those needs, strategies for disaster responders’ self-care and training on how Care Teams fit into the overall UM disaster response structure.

Early Response Team: Train-the-Trainer
All Early Response Team classes are taught by UMCOR-trained and authorized instructors. This program prepares those Instructors for volunteer ERT training within their United Methodist Conference. Once trained, potential ERT Trainers will be evaluated in a class setting. ERT Trainers become certified after successful completion of the UMCOR ERT Trainer Evaluation.

On Site Management for ER Teams
An overview of the basic ERT and then goes into hosting/receiving ERT’s. Aimed at folks who have time and can be self-sufficient. This class introduces people to the ERT system and guidelines and enables them to set up appropriately for the incoming teams. Special emphasis is placed on permission from home owners for work to be done, coordination of teams and the tools necessary for setting up and reporting activities.

Hosting Volunteers
Volunteers play a critical role in any disaster recovery effort.
This workshop will help prepare you for providing volunteer housing, food, transportation, recreation, and affirmation.

Care Team
A more in depth look at Care Team responsibilities for volunteers planning to serve on a "Care Team" specifically.

Conference Disaster Response Training
The members of the Conference Disaster Response Committee are responsible for developing and implementing the Conference’s disaster response plan. This course will prepare the Committee for this important task, and also covers the roles of the Disaster Response Committee members in all phases of disaster.

Chainsaw
We will provide hands on, supervised safe practices to help chainsaw operators understand the way to approach debris removal that disasters create and the ability to recognize when they are over their head.
Students must provide saws, safety equipment, sharpening tools, fuel, and oil.

Children In Trauma - (Church of the Brethren)
Designed for people who have a heart and passion to help children after a disaster. Participants are trained to recognize and understand the fears and other emotions children experience during and following a disaster and how play and art can start the healing process. Once training is completed, participants have the opportunity to become certified by providing references, criminal and sexual background checks. CDS volunteers provide a calm, safe and reassuring presence in the midst of chaos, by setting up and operating child care centers in disaster locations. Workshop is open to

anyone over the age of 18.

REGISTER TO VOLUNTEER IN HAITI

REGISTER ON THE NATIONAL UMVIM/UMCOR DATABASE TO VOLUNTEER IN HAITI

If you want to volunteer to Haiti please register at www.umrespond.org/haiti. You will be sent to a website that is an UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) website that is just for Haiti. Part of this website has a link for you to register to be a future volunteer to Haiti. It will ask you for you name, contact info, and your skills.

If you have already contacted Heather Wilson, UMVIM Jurisdictional Coordinator for the Western Jurisdiction, Mission Volunteers is asking that also put your name in this national registry. Thank you so much.

If you have any further questions please contact Heather Wilson at umvimwj@hotmail.com.

10 STEPS TO HAITI - WHAT TO DO NOW TO GET READY TO SERVE; UMCOR IN HAITI; CALIFORNIA-PACIFIC MISSION FESTIVAL

10 STEPS TO HAITI - WHAT TO DO NOW TO PREPARE TO SERVE IN HAITI BY PHIL BANDY

The events in Haiti have swept into our hearts and stirred up that need in us to do something. I have some thoughts to share with you about what "do something" might be. Many of you have contacted me already about going to Haiti – and until we are ready for volunteer teams, please consider the following:

10 Steps to Haiti

1. First, continue to give financially to UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief. You can give online at this link.

2. Second, share with your friends and neighbors the value that a donation to UMCOR represents. 100% of every dollar donated goes directly to Haiti recovery. Money is flowing to Haiti now and the needs for funds will only grow over time – so ask them to donate to UMCOR and continue to give regularly in the future. Form a task force in your community to grow this effort and keep it going.

3. Third, educate yourself about the unique role of UMCOR, an organization that is already on the ground, assisting in relief efforts and saving lives. Read more here: United Methodist Giving Tops $1 Million for Haiti. Continue to follow the news from our Conference and other UMC websites and share the actions of our Church with your congregation, family, friends, and community. Visit www.umc.org/haiti for all of the most up-to-date national and conference-wide news, blogs, and video and audio stories from within the United Methodist Church. In addition, customizable print ads, web graphics, and other resources are available there for downloading. Get the latest news on UMVIM's response to the situation in Haiti at www.umvimwj.blogspot.com and our own Conference website.

4. Fourth, work with your church to provide an immediate outlet for hands-on volunteering and for recruiting people for future UMVIM teams to Haiti. Encourage your church to make UMCOR health kits. The tens of thousands of kits which were on hand will all be gone this week – and we must develop a steady stream of materials to keep the kits coming. All materials from our Conference should be sent to the UMCOR West Office and Depot, 1479 South 700 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84104-1605. You will find instructions for completing health and layette kits at this link. (Even though the reference is to Sager Brown, the instructions apply to the UMCOR West depot in Salt Lake City, as well.) Recruit people outside your church to join your effort. NOTE: We need someone in our Conference to serve as a hub for collecting items from other churches – someone to receive kits and materials which we will transport to Salt Lake City in massive truckloads.

5. Take an UMVIM trip to the UMCOR depot in Salt Lake City, specifically so you can scope out the facility and prepare yourselves to lead your own UMVIM team back to the depot in the near future. (Consider these future teams to the depot as UMVIM training for your church and community, laying the groundwork to prepare them for future trips to Haiti.)

6. Sixth, commit to leading or joining a team to Haiti in the months and years ahead. The recovery effort in Haiti will take years. Annual Conferences soon will begin to work on long-term recovery plans to provide guidance as to how this response will unfold. Watch for future communications about this. Get your name on the list for future teams by contacting Heather Wilson, UMVIM Western Jurisdiction Coordinator at umvimwj@hotmail.com, who is working with the UMVIM Annual Conference Coordinators and to stay informed about plans. Watch for an announcement soon about a web link that will enable you to register on line.

7. Seventh, prepare yourselves physically and financially for the task ahead. If you have not completed an UMVIM trip in the last year (and haven't filled out the new forms), get yourself updated as a volunteer using the new process and the new forms. Once you complete the new process, by the way, you will never have to fill out the forms again. So go on that diet you planned to start anyway, and stick to your exercise program (you have one, right?). Develop a travel and expense funding plan for yourself (donors and savings) for the next two years. Save your vacation time and make arrangements at work for your absence. Develop a local support team to help sustain you in this effort.

8. Eighth, prepare yourselves spiritually for the task ahead. Discuss this matter with your pastor and with God. Pray – the need for prayer continues! Pray for the Haitians who are injured and who have lost loved ones, pray for the rescuers, and pray for those who are working behind the scenes to coordinate the massive relief and recovery effort.

9. Ninth, recruit, train, and prepare your teams technically for the mission ahead. Get yourself into UMVIM team leader training if you have not had the class in the last two years. Refresh and upgrade your ability to manage the people, tasks, and ministry of this undertaking. Check on our UMVIM website for an UMVIM Team Leader training event near you. Enroll in one or more of the UMCOR training classes on March 26, 27, & 28 (2010). These training classes include: Emergency Response/Care Team, Basic Disaster Overview, Care for Children in Disaster, Case Management, and certified Chainsaw Training. Begin training your team, have a kick-off meeting, develop funding plans for your team, and organize your church and community to support the team.

10. Tenth, say a special prayer lifting up the families of the UMCOR and UMVIM officials who gave their lives in Haiti: Clint Rabb, Sam Dixon (Top Mission Executive Dies as Result of Earthquake Injuries), and the family of a fellow UMVIM volunteer (Dallas Volunteer Dies From Injuries in Haiti Quake).

God bless you.

Philip Bandy
Director of Volunteers in Mission

UMCOR IN HAITI

UMCOR executives Melissa Crutchfield and Sharad Aggarwal crossed the border from Dominican Republic into Haiti late last week to begin an official assessment of damages in Port-au-Prince, including unreached and underserved communities in outlying areas.

UMCOR is working with the Methodist Church in Haiti to provide immediate relief and conduct ongoing relief and recovery operations that include food distribution, access to clean drinking water, medical assistance, and the rebuilding of homes and schools.“We lost quite a few churches and schools that are important to the Methodist Church,” Rev. Gesner Paul, president of the Methodist Church of Haiti, told United Methodist News Service.

The Methodist Church also is continuing its search for missing church members who still may be trapped under the rubble. The quake killed as many as 200,000 people and left some 1.5 million homeless, according to news reports. Help UMCOR reach those most vulnerable with your gifts to Haiti Emergency, UMCOR Advance # 418325

CALIFORNIA-PACIFIC ANNUAL CONFERENCE MISSION FESTIVAL

SATURDAY, March 13, 2010
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Anaheim First United Methodist Church
1000 S. State College Blvd.
Anaheim, CA 92806

THEME: “Food: Mission Possible”
SPIRITUAL INTRODUCTION:
Rev. Mark Ullrickson

Mission Mall? Yes! Displays? Yes!

Focus Presentation will feature programs and agencies from each district that are addressing the issue of food and hunger.

At 11:30 there will be a break to receive communion at EXACTLY the same time the Hawaii District will be doing so.

There is NO REGISTRATION FEE!
Instead, bring at least 7 items of food. Each District Director will be responsible for distributing the donations in their district.
(Hawaii will do their own)
LUNCH will be a “simple” soup meal for a donation, in keeping with the theme. No program after lunch.