Volunteers In Mission - Nuevo Progreso, MX

“What I learned from this trip is that when you bring helping hands together and the love of God, great things can happen.” -Tasha Ruth, regarding her recent trip to Nuevo Progreso

Have you ever considered participating in a foreign mission? Trinity is offering an opportunity to volunteer time and talents in Nuevo Progreso, MX in January. The trip, coordinated by Volunteers in Mission (VIM), will be from January 15th - January 19th which is also the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Weekend. Anyone over the age of 16 is welcome and encouraged to join the Trinity team on this adventure, especially those in the medical profession. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Passports are needed. The team will be staying at First United Methodist Church in Mercedes, TX and will be traveling over the border to Nuevo Progreso each day, a 5 mile trip.

As a group, we will be flying out of Columbus (CMH) and into McAllen, TX (MFE) most likely with United Airlines. We will be working with Manos Juntas Clinic and Ministries. Set up for the Clinic will take place on Thursday. The Clinic works out of The Church of the Good Shepherd in the Francisco Madera colonia within Nuevo Progreso on Friday, and out of the Nuevo Progreso City Hall on Saturday. More information on Manos Juntas can be found on their website at http://www.manosjuntas.com/Free%20Medical%20Clinic.html.

The total cost of the trip will be approximately $700-750. This will include: $250 for the trip fee, about $455 in airfare, and $45 in 'extras' - food, souvenirs, etc. that you may spend while in Mexico. Covered in the $250 trip fee is ground transportation, lodging, and all meals. A non-refundable deposit of $100, made payable to the West Ohio Conference, is required when you agree to come on the trip.

We will be fundraising support for our trip to cover the cost of the clinic fee and medical supplies, in the amount of about $4,000 (total, not per person). Please expect to participate in team fundraising initiatives (letter-writing, etc.)

VIM is overseen by The West Ohio Conference of United Methodist Churches (WOC). WOC has committed to partnering with Mexico, specifically Manos Juntas and the House of Mercy Orphanage. WOC also partners with The Democratic Republic of Congo, Russia, and Southeast Asia. The Conference committed to 6 trips a year to assist Manos Juntas. A church is then selected to coordinate a specific trip, both in terms of volunteers and fundraising. Trinity intends to sponsor the January Manos Juntas trip each year, so keep this in mind if you cannot join us in 2014! For more information on WOC’s take on VIM and how WOC sees this as “more than just a trip”, please visit this site: http://www.westohioumc.org/conference/news/vim-more-just-trip

The need in the area we are visiting is overwhelming. When asked about the living conditions for the colonia residents and the work the team did on her recent non-medical trip, Tasha Ruth shared this anecdote- “The families that live in the colonias are very poor. They have no electricity, no running water (so they cannot grow any food), no toilets, no cars, and no medical care. Their homes are made out of whatever scraps they can find and nail down. On our first day there, I heard one of the children say to the mom that he was hungry. She had two carrots (wilted and rubbery) sitting on a makeshift table. She cut the carrots up into enough pieces for the five children. Even though the husband was employed as a city garbage collector, I assume his pay was low and it was difficult for him to find rides to get to work. The family shared two beds. The father’s main concern was that the children were getting older and he did not want the girls having to sleep in the same bed as the boys. The new addition that we built will provide separate sleeping quarters for the children.”

Tasha also shared what she learned from the trip. “When I thought about the word “mas” (translations: “more”) I thought about a familiar phrase – “more is better.” As I looked around at the bleak, barren surroundings and saw poverty like I had never seen before I saw something else - children laughing, running, playing with their siblings, and standing side by side to slop paint onto the wood slats. I saw their parents smiling admiringly at the wall they had just constructed together – she bringing him bricks and he buttering them before carefully laying them into place. I saw a happy family, just being thankful in the moment for what they had and the blessing of a new home. I saw people who were not looking for more, but were thankful to know that God had provided this opportunity. I reflected on my own tendency to want “mas” of everything (especially shoes!). This trip reminded me that while we might think we need more of X, Y, and Z and won’t be satisfied until we get it, God already knows what we need and through Him we are fulfilled.”

In terms of specific roles we would like to fill, we need the following: doctors (2+), nurses (3+), pharmacists (1+), medical clinic helping hands (3+), medical translators (2+), and team cooks (1+). All others with specialized medical skills (physician's assistants, optometrists, dentists, etc.) are welcome!

If you cannot join us on our trip, please consider donating to our cause. Donations can be submitted by visiting http://www.trinityumchurch.com/donate.htm and entering “VIM Mission Trip, January 15-19, 2014” in the purpose for your donation.

If you are still considering, please consider the following perspectives:

Rev. Katy Wheat: “This trip will be a wonderful way to get to know your neighbors in Mexico, and will provide much-needed medical service to the people of the colonias. Most importantly, it will be a wonderful way to put God's love in action while using the gifts God has given you.”

Tasha Ruth: “If you have never thought of participating in a foreign mission trip before, you should definitely consider it now. There is so much to be gained. You will learn so much about yourself and challenge yourself in ways you may have never imagined before. It will fulfill your heart, mind, body, and soul beyond your expectations. I will admit I was very nervous about taking my first trip. However, I felt very safe the entire time. The people you will meet, the relationships you will form, and the Spirit that will fill your heart are worth making this trip.”

This trip is a true opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and place your trust in God. I ask you to prayerfully consider joining this team, for the betterment of the people of Nuevo Progreso, our congregation, and ourselves.

YWCA Family Center

Welcome to the newest addition to the Trinity Blog. This segment, published monthly on Wednesdays, will focus on Trinity’s missions.

My name is Stephanie Host, and I have had the honor of being a part of a few missions, though I look forward to exploring more for the benefit of everyone in the Trinity family. Our hope is to give you a better idea of the missions Trinity Church partners with, and how we as members of the Body of Christ can offer our time, talents and treasure for the transformation of our community, and the world.

This month, we’ll be sharing about the YWCA Family Center. Located here in Columbus, the Family Center is one of very few temporary residential programs across the country that takes in entire families in need.* It assists residents in job training, job searching, childcare, and applying for benefits. The program limits residence to one month in the Center, unless there are mitigating circumstances. This means that there is an incredibly strong focus on working with residents to gain independence and recover from problem situations.

Carrie Glaeden, the mission shepherd for YWCA**, shared her thoughts on how this mission is rewarding to a volunteer: ”What I find most rewarding is the genuine thanks that the residents express to those who serve at the Center and the opportunity to hear from them about their experiences at the Family Center and hear about their excitement when it is their last meal at the Family Center because they have found permanent housing,” she said. I have also constantly been impressed with the resident’s heartfelt thanks for both the meal and our time. The parents are grateful and the children constantly bring a smile to my face. Additionally, the volunteer opportunity allows you to bond with other Trinity members while giving back to the community. I have made more than one friend while spooning taco meat into bowls!

The Family Center is in need of our time. Trinity serves dinner to the families of the center on the fourth Wednesday of each month as well as a Sunday night every other month. Please see the Trinity Missions Calendar for upcoming YWCA dates.  Wednesday evenings are coordinated by shepherd Carried Glaeden and Sunday evenings are coordinated by shepherd Nathan Wymer. Wednesday night volunteer sign-ups are made through Perfect Potluck; coordinator last name is Glaeden (as in Carrie Glaeden, the mission shepherd), and the password is Trinity. This website allows you to volunteer for the transportation, preparation, serving, or donation of food. Prior to the day you volunteer, you will receive an email with more directions including proper attire and details on the volunteer process. Please take note, no one under 15 is allowed in the kitchen per OSHA regulations.

The Family Center is also in need of our treasure. Volunteers drop off food donations to Trinity Church in the Chapelside Parlor by 3 PM on the Wednesday of the dinner hosting. The food is then transported by volunteers to the Center no later than 5 PM. There are several volunteer ‘rotations’ available each time we serve at the Center: preparation, dinner service 1, dinner service 2, and cleanup. Meal preparation of the taco salads begins at 5 PM with cooking of ground beef, tearing lettuce into bite-sized pieces, preparing salad toppings, setting tables, and enjoying the company of other Trinity volunteers. Servers arrive at 6 PM as the preparation team leaves, and the first serving begins. Families are directed to tables by YWCA staff, and bowls of meat are delivered by our volunteers. We continue to refill toppings, meat, chips, and water pitchers as needed and offer bananas to families as a healthy dessert.  Around 6:30-6:45 PM, the first group of families cleans up and leaves. We reset and begin again at 7 PM with the second group of families. Normally, we are finished with serving and have the kitchen cleaned up and are out the door by 8 PM. The final opportunity is washing and putting away dishes, and requires a time commitment from about 6:30 -  8:15 PM.

And if you're interested in hosting your own dinner at the Family Center, they currently have available some extra dates for volunteer teams to prepare and serve dinner for the residents. These are: September 2 and 28; October 31 (servers only needed); November 4, 23, 29, and 30; December 23, 26, 29, 30, and 31.

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” – So says the book of Deutoronomy*** in scripture. I find this verse enlightening as I reflect on serving with the Family Center. We are asked by God to give to those less fortunate, but we gain tenfold in return for our service. Certainly, without dedicated volunteers like those in our Trinity team, the work of the Family Center would not be possible. We help to provide the necessary nourishment and support for countless families. But I ask, what do we as volunteers gain in return? You will understand when you see the smiles of the families, when you receive their gratitude, and when you run into your new Trinity friends on Sunday mornings at church. A friendship created through service – with both residents and fellow volunteers – is a friendship unlike many others. It is a friendship without expectation based purely on time spent helping others. I urge you to volunteer, not only for those in need, but also to find friendships you may not find anywhere else.

Questions or comments can be submitted through the blog comment section, or you can reach out to mission shepherds Carrie Glaeden and Nathan Wymer. Please consider joining the YWCA mission team. We are the hands and feet of Christ, let us serve as He would!

*Most shelters will take either men OR women and children. It’s difficult to find a safe space for the whole family.

** At Trinity, our Mission shepherds are the ‘leaders’, ‘guides’, and ‘contacts’ for each individual mission. They’re members of the congregation who make sure that essential ministry happens!

*** Deuteronomy 15:10, New International Version (NIV)