FUTURE TEAMS TO CAMBODIA VOLUNTEERS WANTED; BIRCHWOOD CAMP IN ALASKA NEEDS VOLUNTEERS, CAMP ON THE BOULDER IN MONTANA WELCOMES TEAMS

Photo: Enjoying the beauty of Birchwood Camp in Alaska. If you are interested in volunteering in Alaska see below. Photo courtesy, www.redbrush.us

FUTURE TEAMS TO CAMBODIA

The Louisiana Annual Conference has had a transformational experience with the re-establishment of the Methodist Church in Cambodia. Our teams have gone to support the work in-country and have returned renewed and strengthen in the faith.

Two mission journey's are scheduled from the Louisiana Conference for 2010. Your prayers and support are needed as we continue to support the rebuilding of the church in Cambodia.

2010Medical Mission - February 25 - March 10 - Beverly Dinnel, team leader. dinnels@bellsouth.net Our third year of medical care. We move to the Svay Rieng region and hope to visit ministries in Vietnam. THIS TEAM IS IN NEED OF ONE MORE DOCTOR OR DIAGNOSTICIAN to complete the team. Please contact Beverly immediately if you are interested or can suggest someone. This team uses not only team medical members but works with and trains local medical personnel. Donations for medical supplies and honorariums for local medical personnel are needed. Team meeting, Jan 16 to prepare.

Youth Leadership Camp - May 22-June 3 -- Jack O'Dell, team leader. pastor@thewellumc.com This team will sponsor the second retreat for Cambodian Youth who will become the leaders of the future Methodist Church. Those who participated in this event in 2008, both Cambodians and Americans, speak of this as a significant formational event. Jack has team member slots open. Churches can support the event with gifts of $1000 which scholarship the participation of Cambodian youth. Individual donations are welcome as well.

THE SUCCESS OF THESE 2010 TEAMS IS DEPENDENT UPON ALL OF US WITH A HEART FOR CAMBODIAN MINISTRY.

2011Construction Team - October 20-30 -John Butterfield, team leader. The team will return to work on construction projects as directed by the in-country staff. Work can include water wells, water storage, parsonage and church construction. Team members are needed and donations for supplies.

Pastor's Retreat Team - Sept 29-October 10 - Ann Sutton, Clifton Conrad, leaders. This team will provide a time of spiritual refreshment and recreation for Cambodian pastors. PRAY - for these teams GIVE - your specific donation for a project or to the Cambodian ministry in general can be sent to LAVIM, atten Pat Mauras, 527 North Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70802 GO -

Contact the team leaders or your local VIM Office - to reserve your place in ministry. Our shared ministry in Cambodia has made an indelible mark upon my life of faith. I invite you into this adventure of travel and faith. In Christ, Ann Sutton,Chair, Cambodia Initiative, Louisiana Annual Conference

BIRCHWOOD CAMP IN ALASKA LOOKING FOR SUMMER VOLUNTEERS

Birchwood Camp in Alaska has a great need for groups who wish to do construction/projects around camp. They need several work teams to help complete their new log cabin meeting space on camp.

They began the building last summer—the exterior is mostly completed, it has a roof, etc. They will be finishing the interior this summer (floors, doors/windows, electrical, shingles, putting in wood stove/heating, landscaping, etc) and they need skilled work teams to help complete the project. If you have teams that are looking for a project or destination this summer, please direct them to us!

If you have teams that are interested, please contact Stephen at director@birchwoodcamp.org or at While we may need one team to help counsel Faith Adventure Camp, we have a great need for groups who wish to do construction/projects around camp. We need several work teams to help complete our new log cabin meeting space on camp. We began the building last summer—the exterior is mostly completed, it has a roof, etc. We will be finishing the interior this summer (floors, doors/windows, electrical, shingles, putting in wood stove/heating, landscaping, etc) and we need skilled work teams to help complete the project. If you have teams that are looking for a project or destination this summer, please direct them to us!

If you have teams that are interested, please contact Lori Staats, UMVIM Coord. for Alaska at staatslori@gmail.com or Stephen Sweezey at director@birchwoodcamp.org
or 907.688.2734.

TEAMS NEEDED IN MONTANA AT CAMP ON THE BOULDER

CAMP ON THE BOULDER, Kent Chittenden, 3916 Boulder Rd, PO Box 47, McLeod, MONTANA 59052, Phone#406-932-6314. Email: camp@campontheboulder.org, Website: www.campontheboulder.org. Variety of camp fix-ups. Lodging provided at camp. Small and large groups accepted. Many dates available. Please come help us recover from logging for fire protection, reduce forest fuels by piling branches, rebuild trails hurt from logging, also regular camp work like washing dishes, painting, mowing, patching roofs, picking up rocks, etc. Free time for mini golf, archery, low ropes course, Frisbee golf, craft cabin, camp store, sand volleyball, hiking, fishing, etc. J, S, F, individuals, and RV –all welcome!

TEAM LEADER TRAINING; FUTURE TEAMS; HELPFUL WEBSITES; UMCOR IN THE PHILIPPINES

Photo: Volunteers hand out food in Philippines. Read more about work there below....Photo courtesy, umcor.org.

* TEAM LEADER TRAINING IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST CONFERENCE

The UMVIM Leadership Team will be conducting two Volunteer In Mission Team Leader Trainings on December 5, 2009 at First UMC of Olympia. Topics to be discussed will be the UM Connection, insurance, safe sanctuary requirements and background checks.1) TEAM LEADER TRAINING for National/International Mission10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.Fees: $20 for the manual

2) TEAM LEADER TRAINING for Conference Projects10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.Fees: none First UMC of Olympia1224 Legion Way SEOlympia, WA 98501-1655(360) 943-2661 If you are interested in registering for either class,e-mail Ronda Cordill, r_cordill@hotmail.comor call (509) 235-5466.

* FUTURE TEAMS TO GUATAMALA, ANGOLA, LOUISINA, SIERRA LEONE, KENYA, CAMBODIA & HELPFUL WEBSITES FOR VOLUNTEERS

1) Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana - Summer, 2010 (1 week trips during June 6 - July 25) - ongoing reconstruction of homes devastated by hurricanes. Registration deadline March 15, 2010. Cost is $225 per participant, which includes lodging, meals, construction materials and evening activities. Contact Laurie Byland, 225-383-4777, X235; laurie.byland@firstmethodist.org, www.thebluetarp.com.

2) Angola, October 2010, MALARIA NET DISTRIBUTION - a fund of $120,000 was collected for the "Nothing But Nets" program in honor of our previous Bishop, Warner Brown. We are beginning to recruit a team of 8-10 people for the distribution of these malaria nets in Angola. The distribution plan will be coordinated by UMCOR in Angola. We would like to have a representative group of health care workers, pastors and lay persons. Contact Burl Kreps, angoadvo@msn.com, 719-637-0258, 719-337-3066(cell).

3) Guatemala, March 19-28, 2010. Serve with the indigenous Mayan people in the mountains of Guatemala. Build adobe homes for widows, construct chicken coops, play with children, visit the John Wesley School. Contact Laura Richards, corichards@aol.com, St. Luke's UMC, Highlands Ranch, CO.4) UMVIM team leader training, Saturday, December 12, 9 am to Noon, St. Luke's UMC, 8817 S. Broadway, Highlands Ranch, CO. Please contact Betsy Keyack, bkeyack@att.net to register. Team leader training also offered on request.

5) Please see the following web sites for more information about UMVIM:

a) www.umvim.info - contains listings of all the UMVIM projects in the USA and around the world as well as information about long term opportunities for individual volunteers.

b) www.umvimwj.blogspot.com - has information about volunteer needs in the western US and teams you can join.

c) www.rmcvim.org - has information about Rocky Mountain Conference teams you can join, going to Guatemala (2010), Sierra Leone (2010), Kenya (2010 and 2011), Cambodia (2011), and India (2011).

d) www.umvim4health.blogspot.com - this is a great web site for health care volunteer opportunities.

* UMCOR WORK IN PHILIPPINES CONTINUES

Philippines continues to comb through remote areas to provide relief supplies to those in need following the devastating Typhoon Ketsana and Parma, which struck the country in September and October.

It took UMCOR Philippines staff and volunteers six hours on a boat to travel to one affected area to assess damages. In one area, on the coastal area of Talim Island, most of the homes and structures were completely destroyed. Three United Methodist churches were damaged and two of the churches remain under water. UMCOR Philippines is working with district leadership to respond to the needs of the church and affected communities.

In addition, about 1,500 food items have been purchased and repackaged by local churches and volunteers assisting UMCOR Philippines. Trained by UMCOR and student council members of the Angono Rizal System University, volunteers prepare water purifiers daily to include in the distribution to displaced families, as health and sanitation is a major concern.

Support the ongoing relief efforts in the Philippines with your gifts to Philippines Emergency, UMCOR Advance #240235.

News From Cambodia; What Is An UMVIM Team?; Ways To Serve

Photo: Volunteer working at Vacation Bible School, courtesy www.missionvolunteers.org.

* NEWS FROM CAMBODIA On Tuesday, my sister Janet, Piseth, Irene and I went down to Kantebopa Children's Hospital to donate blood. In order to get a transfusion, the family of the patient has to supply donations of blood equal to what is transfused. When school is in session, CHAD facilitates students at the Methodist Bible School to volunteer to help needy families. You can read more about the young boy, Viriak, that CHAD has been helping to get quarterly transfusions in a story by Irene at http://chad-cambodia.blogspot.com/. There is also a story by a volunteer from the recent UMVIM Medical Team from Colorado. Thanks to the whole team! You can continue to support medical welfare for children like Viriak and those in Kratie with a donation through http://secure.gbgm-umc.org/donations/advance/donate.cfm?code=3020542. It has been great to have my sister Janet volunteering here for the last month. We've been working with the small-business development at Mau Bourn's church, and following up on some of the recommendations in the mid-term evaluation of the CHAD program by our partners in the Methodist Church in Finland. -Katherine Parker, Global Ministries Missionary to Cambodia * WHAT IS AN UMVIM TEAM? An UMVIM team is one that serves locally, nationally, or internationally where it is invited, works in a ministry endorsed by the host Methodist church, partner church or agency, or Non-Government Organization (NGO), and serves in cooperation with the local host group. The intent of these guidelines is to insure that the presence of the team will not interfere with the authority and integrity of the church leadership, hereby strengthening and upholding the local church. The team will have an UMVIM trained leader who provides training for the team, insures completion of proper forms and insurance coverage and is in communication with annual conference and jurisdictional UMVIM leadership. * WAYS TO SERVE & VOLUNTEER Individual Volunteers - Individual volunteers, either single or as married couples, are needed for short term projects. The usual length of service is from two months to two years. The individual volunteer is expected to cover the cost of transportation and personal expenses in the place of assignment. Because they are viewed as missionaries by the host community, the individual volunteer should possess a growing Christian faith and understanding of mission. Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills are of great benefit. Contact the Individual Volunteer program or email Landon Taylor at ltaylor@gbgm-umc.org. Work Teams -Ten to twelve persons from a local church, district, or conference commit themselves to work on a construction project in a mission setting (usually a church, school, or clinic building). Disaster Response Teams - After a major disaster such as a flood, hurricane or earthquake, volunteer teams initially respond to help with clean-up and assessment, and over the long term assist in reconstruction of damaged areas. Medical Teams - Teams of physicians, dentists, and other medical personnel serve one to three weeks in places where medical attention in needed. Medical personnel may also accompany a work team. For more information about any of these programs contact your UMVIM Annual Conference Coordinator listed on the left-hand side of your screen. You are needed! * THE ADVANCE IN INDIA - HOW YOU CAN HELP "Slumdog Millionaire" swept the Academy Awards. Yet the subject of the movie is not new to the Methodist Ministry in Mumbai, India, which has been helping street children for decades. Tune in to this three-minute video to witness the real-life story of hope for street children in Mumbai. The Methodist Church in Mumbai supports 20 centers for street children in 13 impoverished communities. Children from 1 to 14 years old have a safe place to receive a meal, health care, recreation, and a simple education. Older children are taught technical skills like chalk making and weaving. The children also learn Bollywood dance steps. After all, Mumbai is home to the largest film industry in the world. "As portrayed so well in the movie, 'Slumdog Millionaire,' many street children are forced into a life of begging either by family members or by unscrupulous adults who used them for their own gain," said Max Marble, Office of Creative Ministries, The United Methodist Church, Missouri Conference, and the maker of the series "MissionCast." "It is my hope that the movie will continue to draw attention to the plight of street children the world over." Support these United Methodist Advance projects to continue providing hope to the street children of Mumbai. #3020560 - Talents Intended for Development and Enterprise (Mumbai) #3020515 - Technical Training for Street Children (Mumbai) #212383 - Women Equality and Development of the Community Outreach Program (Mumbai)

Easter Greetings from Cambodia & the Country of Georgia; Mission News & Early Response Training; Volunteers Needed

Photo: Cambodian mother & daughters, courtesy, battembang.net

EASTER GREETINGS FROM CAMBODIA: by Katherine Parker, missionary

This is a special year when Easter coincides with the three day Khmer New Year festival. It will be quite a celebration. The rains are just starting to bless us with some cooling in the early evenings. In Cambodia we call this time of year when the rains return as the New Year because it marks that the time to begin growing rice is here. Farmers are out harrowing the fields and those with some irrigation are already starting to flood the paddies with the little remaining water in the ponds.Community Health and Agricultural Development (CHAD) just had a major evaluation with our partners from the Methodist Church in Finland. Lots of good feedback!

On my blog, a new story about prison outreach ministry is available. Thanks for reading. Thanks, also, for your continued support through prayers, visits and financial contributions .Happy Khmer New Year! Happy Passover! and Happy Easter!

*EASTER GREETINGS FROM THE COUNTRY OF GEORGIA by Kathy Starostka, Individual Volunteer

Happy Easter. I hope you are all well and that you have a wonderful Easter. The Georgian Orthodox Church goes by the old calendar so Easter will not be celebrated here until April 19. On Friday before Easter, parents will color many many eggs red to represent the blood of Christ. They do it only on good Friday and the children do not help. On Saturday night people go to church and spend the entire night there praying and the priests take turns reading scriptures. On Easter families break the fast of the last week six weeks during which many devout Georgians do not eat any animal products. They finally can eat animal products again so it is a happy time for them. They believe that fasting is a way to bring people closer to God. On the day after Easter people go to the cemetery to bring flowers and to leave food. They bring the colored eggs and two people each hold an egg, click them together and the person who breaks the other person’s egg will have good fortune. No Easter bunny here.

I have been busily setting up an instructional program in one of the small villages for several hundred refugees from the conflict last August. I have made arrangements for three of my students of English to go to the village two times a week and teach Georgian, English, and health and first aid.

April 9 was the day to remember the tragedy of when Russian troops came into Tbilisi about 20 years ago and shot down peaceful young people demonstrating in the streets. Tiko and I went down to that area where demonstrations were taking place yesterday. There were many people but it was totally peaceful. The people want changes in the government or at least they want the president of Georgia to acknowledge their problems and concerns.

My students at the Youth House are preparing songs, plays, and little poems for our end of the school year program. The little kids are doing Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. They are memorizing everything in English which is quite an accomplishment for five year olds.

So life goes on in Georgia. We are doing fine, spring is here and we are waiting for strawberries to appear in the market.
Happy Happy Easter.

*EARLY RESPONSE TRAINING (ERT) APRIL 25TH IN COLORADO

EARLY RESPONSE TEAM (ERT) Training - Saturday, April 25, 9:00 - 5:00 pm. This training is for people who would like to help with disaster relief soon after a disaster, such as a tornado or hurricane strikes. ERT members are self-sufficient, badged volunteers who help with tasks such as debris removal and making homes safe and secure. Training will be held at the Rocky Mountain Conference office in Greenwood Village, CO. To register, contact Betsy Keyack, bkeyack@att.net, 303-346-7057.

*VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN FOR GUATAMALA MEDICAL TEAM

St. Luke's UMC 2009 Guatemala surgical team will be providing surgeries in Guatemala the week of September 11 - 20, 2009. We still need more nurses for this trip. Please contact Mark Ely, marcos@puravida.org if you are a nurse who would like to participate in this amazing trip. Please spread the word to nurses at your church and place of business!

*VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN NEW MEXICO

McCURDY SCHOOL MISSION TRIP, New Mexico - You are invited to join a team from Salt Lake City on this mission trip, August 9-14. Contact Marilyn and Hugh Douglas, 801-571-4870.

*VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR UTE NATIVE AMERICAN RESERVATION

UTE MOUNTAIN NATIVE AMERICAN RESERVATION, Tawaoc, CO - You are invited to join a team from Salt Lake City on this mission trip, July 6-10. Contact Marilyn and Hugh Douglas, 801-571-4870.