“On my most recent trip to Haiti, we went up to an overlook area above Port au Prince. The bird’s eye view was very moving, as our group could see the destruction and need for many workers,” Henson said. “We found ourselves pointing to tent cities, homes without roofs, and homes that were in great need of repair. The overlook gave me an opportunity to see Port au Prince in a way I had not seen it in my previous trip.”

 

 Living the Adventure Ministries, in collaboration with the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, has scheduled four trips in 2011:

Feb. 22-March 2 (1 spot available)

May 24-31 (Trip for Young Adults – 18-35 years old)

July 18-25 (Trip for Graduating High School Seniors and Freshman in College)

Oct. 18-26 (Adult Trip)

 

“It is my desire in the next year to take four groups to Haiti to experience the culture, the people and to assist the church in repairing and giving a sense of hope,” Henson said.

 

If you would be interested in participating in a mission experience in Haiti, contact Henson at 618-830-6670 or matt@livingtheadventure.net.

 

 

United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) has been active in Haiti for more than 30 years, addressing needs in education, health and housing.  

 

In response to the crisis, UMVIM leadership proposed a new approach to a collaborative effort with the Eglise Methodist d’Haiti (EMH, the Methodist Church of Haiti).  EMH President Rev. Gesner Paul and other church leaders, UMVIM Jurisdictional Coordinators, and representatives of the United Methodist Committee on Relief have identified priority projects for earthquake recovery and other church and social needs that could be addressed by UMVIM teams.  A proposal for the Haiti Response Plan was reviewed and approved in April 2010 by the Board of Directors of the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church.

 

The plan includes funding for an organizational structure that will schedule and support volunteer teams for Haiti and provide matching grants for recovery/rebuilding projects.

 

All UMVIM teams who wish to work on Priority Projects identified by the Eglise Methodiste d'Haiti must register with the US-based Calendaring Coordinator, who will work with the staff in the Haiti Office to schedule the mission trip with the team leader. Team leaders must have UMVIM team leader training and Haiti experience. Teams who register to work on Priority Projects and raise project funds may be eligible for matching grants for their Haiti projects.

 

To register your team, contact U.S.-based calendaring coordinator Susan Meister at haitivolunteers@yahoo.com For more information, visit: www.umvimhaiti.org, which has a variety of resources and information that can assist a team in planning for a trip to Haiti..