Reflections on UMVIM Mission Trip
Crystal Springs United Methodist Church with UMVIM sent out a team on a short-term mission trip to Louisiana in November 2013. Here are some reflections from Judy Riedy and Foa Mafile’o:
On November 9th 2013, Foa and I, together with a team of twenty-four volunteers from United Methodist Churches in San Mateo County departed for our “mission trip to the Epworth Center in Louisiana to help and support New Orleans and Gulf Coast Katrina and Issac victims still in need of emotional and financial support. We were led by Pastor Pam Kurtz, Pastor of Hope UMC in Half Moon Bay, and team leaders, Tim Pokrywka, Valu Vea, Lesieli Fangupo, and Dave Norton.
This was a first for Foa and a second mission trip for me These mission trips, provided a special challenge for me, as I am disabled from the waist down. The strength and help I received from our team especially Pastor Pam, Foa, and other team members, gave me strength and hope so that I could be of help too. We both felt good helping to give people there, meaning and purpose in their lives as we helped rebuild their homes devastated by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Issac.
Yes, we both, part of a team of twenty-four male and female volunteers from our United Methodist Churches, feel fortunate to have been part of the people’s recovery process. Our team of volunteers, people of different ages – were housed at the “Epworth Center in Slidell Louisiana. Our day started in prayer and ended in prayer, which helped give us direction and helped to provide unity and strength during our “Mission together.” The Epworth Project exists to keep volunteers from around the country mobilized so that families in the area will not be forgotten. The Executive Director is Dale Kimball of Slidell. The goal of “Epworth” is to provide basic needs for those people still living in unfit conditions. The city is still recovering and much work remains to be done to help people recover. Mission Groups like ours, under the guidance and direction of those at the Epworth Center, help make building repairs for individual families and do provide emotional support as well. We were very inspired by Glenn Howard, a volunteer project manager for Epworth who worked with us on our job. He has been with the Epworth Project since January 2006 and is the most dedicated volunteer Epworth has even seen. Glenn was so inspiring as he worked and helped our members at our site, learn and perform many different construction methods. The younger members of our team especially benefited from Glenn’s presence, guidance and sense of humor. Foa worked very hard with the members who worked at this site and felt proud as she and the others restored this house for a family of six, who had survived a fire that devastated their lives. Hopefully with our help, they would be able to celebrate Thanksgiving in their newly restored home. We both felt proud that our efforts would help!
This was my second “mission trip” to Louisiana and I am so grateful to have visited with the family I served last year, which was such a wonderful gift to see them again and to see the beautiful home that they now live in. Foa and I both felt fortunate to be a part of the peoples’ recovery process and we both reflect on the strength, gratitude and the resilience of the people we served and also the generosity, stamina, strength and unity of those on our team. Foa felt challenged as she got up very early to help make breakfast for the team. All of us team members had responsibilities so that the team’s needs would be met and so that we would be prepared to help others in need. I planned and helped supervise a few of the dinners that we would have, and that was also a little challenging for me too. Thanks to Pastor Pam, who took care of purchasing food and Tim, Walter and Bill, the dinners turned out great and the team seemed to enjoy them very much! .
Consider supporting organizations such as the Epworth Center that do amazing work every day to rebuild homes damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Issac. The center is really in need of volunteers and financial resources so that this great work can be continued. Send to The Epworth Project – Contact Dale Kimball at 360 Robert Blvd., Slidell, LA 70458. His phone number is 985-781-7990 and fax is 985-645-9074.
Donations that will be used for our United Methodist’s upcoming mission projects can be sent to Pastor Pam Kurtz, at Hope UMC, 115 El Campo Dr. South SF, CA. His phone number is 650-583-1702.
Give thanks for all the “goodness” in your lives and consider supporting us as we look forward to another mission experience in 2014., as you help and support others in need. Be grateful for all you have and “have a wonderful Thanksgiving.”
Gratefully,
Foa Mafile’o and Judith Riedy