RX Consultation May 7-9, 2010 : President of Haiti Methodist Church Guest Speaker

You are invited to our next educational and inspirational consultation for medical UMVIM teams. The consultation will be held at Walnut Hills United Methodist Church, 12321 HickmanUrbandale, IA 50323.

The overall theme is Community Based Primary Health Care (CBPHC) - How you can take some teaching tools and techniques with you into your medical mission field and leave them for the empowerment of the local leaders.

Workshops and talks on topics for UMVIM teams include incorporating spiritual formation into team dynamics, learning about diseases of poverty, tips for CBPHC, packing tips, medical professionals as Individual Volunteers, how solar ovens work as self-help tools, medical teams gear up to serve in Colombia, Nigeria, Haiti and elsewhere, Safe Sanctuary concerns and many other opportunities to learn and share your work in mission!

Special breakout workshops:
Friday - all day, Haiti information meeting with Rev. Gesner Paul, President, Eglise Methodiste d'Haiti)

Saturday - a session for Parish Nurses

Saturday - UMVIM Team Leadership Training

Please click on the the link below to register!
Register Now!

HAITI NEWS UPDATE

HAITI NEWS UPDATE

UMVIM, WJ continues to hear reports of devastation in the Port-au-Prince area. At this time, the Haitian government has indicated that it will be mid-March before UMVIM teams will be able to enter. While the desire to offer immediate help is universal among Christians, please know that waiting is the most faithful witness we can offer at this time.

Those who desire to offer volunteer support should contact Heather Wilson at umvimwj@Hotmail.com. As the Western Jurisdictional UMVIM Coordinator she is working with the Annual Conference UMVIM Coordinators in collecting information from those who are interested in traveling to Haiti to assist in the recovery effort. When we have more information about scheduling a mission trip to Haiti, we will then contact the people on that list with the details.

In the mean time, there are three ways to help.

First, continue to give to UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief. You can give online at this link. UMCOR is already on the ground, assisting in relief efforts and saving lives.

Second, work with your church to complete UMCOR health kits. These kits will be invaluable in the next few months, as UMCOR works to offer healing to many, many people. You can find instructions for completing health kits at this link.

Finally, pray. The relief effort in Haiti will take years, and 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 this massive effort.

We ask, also, that you say a special prayer lifting up the families of the three UMCOR and UMVIM officials missing in Haiti: Clint Rabb, Sam Dixon, and James Gulley. As we work to provide support, our hearts are heavy. You can find more information about this situation at the website for the United Methodist Church.

As always, you can find the latest news on UMVIM's response to the situation in Haiti at umvim.org.

Blessings,
Heather Wilson
UMVIM WJ Coordinator

International Disaster Response; New Mission Volunteer Brochure Available; Honduras Summit; Equipment Needed in Haiti, Restoring Homes in WA State

Photo: A girl plays with a string in front of her family's tent in a camp near Mardan, Pakistan. Church World Service tents and blankets are helping to shelter displaced children and families in Pakistan. Church World Service-Pakistan/Afghanistan

*INTERNATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE & UMCOR

In the past month, UMCOR sent more that $250,000 to support disaster response efforts around the globe. Nearly half went to assist people displaced by the fighting in Swat, Pakistan.

UMCOR also supported an emergency food distribution to 4,200 displaced people in Myanmar.
The International Disaster Response Advance allows UMCOR to provide financial support to disasters when it is needed.

Please help keep the Advance funded so that UMCOR can continue to quickly respond to those left vulnerable when a disaster happens.
Download and share Responding in Time of Need, UMCOR’s new church bulletin or present UMCOR's power point slide and collect a special offering on Sundays. By doing so, you allow UMCOR to respond immediately and comprehensively to disasters in our world. Give to International Disaster Response, UMCOR Advance #982450.

* NEW MISSION VOLUNTEER BROCHURES AVAILABLE

There is a new informative brochure available for the Mission Volunteer program. In the past many received brochures and information via the "Call to Serve" brochures. These are no longer in print. The new brochures are now available. If you would like to order some for your local church, district, or annual conference event, contact Heather Wilson, UMVIM Coordinator for the Western Jurisdiction at umvimwj@hotmail.com or 818-333-6730.

* HONDURAS MISSION SUMMIT SEPTEMBER 10-12, 2009

The 2009 Honduras Mission Summit will be held at Christ Church United Methodist in Louisville, Kentucky, September 10-12. You will hear from Bishop Elías Galván, from pastors and leaders in Honduras, and experienced work and medical team leaders from the United States churches. You will also explore ways that our US churches can more closely work together and help strengthen the Methodist Mission churches of Honduras.

To find out more about the conference and to register, visit www.ccum.net/HondurasSummit . You can register online or by mail.

Please contact Janet Hundley, janeth@ccum.net, if you have any questions or problems regarding the online link.

* RESTORING HOMES IN WASHINGTON STATE

In January more than 30,000 people were evacuated from their homes due to massive flooding in Western state of Washington. Dozens of highways were closed and shelters were opened to house those in need. Nearly 4,000 families registered for federal assistance for home repair.
UMCOR is assisting the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference in their disaster response ministry. UMCOR is supplying building materials, financing homes, replacing lost household appliances, as well as providing emotional and spiritual care to those coping with their loss.
You can help Washington residents recover by giving to U.S. Disaster Response, Advance # 901670.

* MEDICAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED IN HAITI

Dr. Pressner Louis is a gynecologist working in the border region of Dominican Republic and Haiti. Though his specialty is gynecology, he sees all kinds of patients in his clinic.
Dr. Louis has requested specific pieces of physical therapy equipment listed below. His clinic was evaluated by a recent exploratory team from the UMVIM, SEJ office, and his operation is an officially recognized VIM project.
1. muscle stimulator
2. TENS unit
3. ultrasound
4. paraffin bath and paraffin
5. hydroculator and compresses
6. whirlpool
7. chair or table for strengthening the quadriceps muscles
8. table for traction of lumbar and cervical spine
Please pass this list along to any who might have available equipment for donation. If you have available equipment, please contact Dalton Rushing in the UMVIM, SEJ office at dalton_rushing@umvim.org or 404-377-7424.