East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church FALL 2011 | Volume 12 | Issue 1
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- informed, inspired and in touch.
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The Vision of the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church is to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ.
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3cs East Ohio Joining Hands Fall 2011
Vol. 12 No. 1
East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church Office of Communications Editor/Director of Communications Rick Wolcott wolcott@eocumc.com Graphic Designer Sue Zakovec sue@eocumc.com Subscriptions/Administrative Lois Speelman lois@eocumc.com Under the direction of: The Conference Board of Communications, Rev. Steve Bailey, Chairman Mail: Editor East Ohio Joining Hands 8800 Cleveland Ave. N.W. North Canton, Ohio 44720 Phone: ext. ext. ext.
800.831.3972 118 Editor 105 Graphic Designer 119 Subscriptions
Web site: www.eocumc.com Submission of articles is encouraged. The deadline is November 17 for the Winter 2012 issue. Our theme is “Speak Now.” What issues being discussed at 2012 General Conference interest you the most? Here’s your chance to share your opinion. East Ohio Joining Hands USPS (005-882) is published quarterly by the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church, Office of Communications, 8800 Cleveland Ave. N.W., North Canton, Ohio 44720. Periodical Postage paid at Canton, Ohio. Postmaster: Send address corrections to: East Ohio Joining Hands 8800 Cleveland Ave. N.W. North Canton, Ohio 44720
churches You are invited - R.S.V.P. clinics and W classrooms churches clinics and classrooms 25 churches clinics and classrooms churches clinics and classrooms By Bishop John L. Hopkins*
nurses who modeled Christian love and churches, clinics and classrooms in generosity. Russia, Sierra Leone, Liberia and We were charmed by school children, Zimbabwe. in uniforms, who stood up when we The need is great and there is more entered the classroom. We were brought to do. You are invited to put your love to to tears by their prayers and lack of basic action and to form relationships that will necessities for education and healthcare. strengthen the fabric of our faith. I’ll never think of “the least of these” This invitation has an R.S.V.P. from Matthew 25 without thinking of attached. God wants us to reply to how blessed I was to have been in the the opportunity to join in the party of presence of Christ transforming the world one person, one himself. project at a time. The 3Cs foundation is “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit When I came to built upon: the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation East Ohio in 2004, R – Relationships formed by mission of the world; for I discovered a teams and partnerships with our church I was hungry and you gave me food, powerful, missionin other countries I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, oriented conference S – Service to those who desperately I was a stranger and you welcomed me, with many need churches, clinics and classrooms United Methodist I was naked and you gave me clothing, Volunteers in V – Vision to see what God can do when I was sick and you took care of me, Mission (UMVIM) we are connected in Christ’s mission I was in prison and you visited me.” teams and a rich P – Prayer for making disciples of Jesus history of generous Christ for the transformation of the world giving and disaster relief. I remembered The righteous responded that they Count your blessings. You are invited that every mission site always cares for didn’t remember doing this and the king to the party. You can make a difference. the whole person — body, mind and spirit replied, “Truly I tell you, just as you did Just remember to R.S.V.P. in time. — with a church, a medical clinic and a it to one of the least of these, who are school. Thus, the 3Cs mission project *John L. Hopkins is the resident bishop members of my family, you did it to me.” of the East Ohio Conference of — Churches, Clinics and Classrooms — My life was changed forever when I The United Methodist Church. was born. stepped out of the airplane in Monrovia, I invited every church to be in Liberia. It was 1985 and I was in Africa mission and form lasting relationships for the first time. Our team was starting in Russia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, or what would later be called Operation Classroom, a partnership with The United Zimbabwe. Starting slowly, we could build a foundation of relationships, Methodist Church in Liberia and Sierra work teams, supply lines and financial Leone. For two weeks I experienced a joyful, resources that would be sustainable for decades. I knew we would be blessed as spirit-filled, generous community of Christians who taught me the importance we became a blessing for others. Moving out of our comfort zone would be an act of relationships in sustaining mission of faith and Christian witness. work in the name of Jesus Christ. This issue of Joining Hands During my time in Africa, we traveled highlights how East Ohio, out of our many miles, over washed-out roads, abundance, has responded to the visiting village after village. We formed needs of others. Together we are relationships with bishops, pastors, lay Vinta ge e leaders, principals, teachers, doctors and making a difference by providing nvelo p e are blessed by God to be a blessing to others. When we are saved by the wonderful grace of God in Jesus Christ we are invited to join in mission with everyone who is in need of love and justice. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells about the final judgment when the king will say to those at his right hand,
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By Rev. Jan Fillmore*
used to think I worked hard. Then I met the Rev. Alexander Kaminin. Kaminin leads a United Methodist congregation in Iliok-Koshari, in southern Russia. At the time – two years ago – Kaminin also was the mayor of the village. In that capacity, he had made improvements ranging from ensuring each house had electricity for two hours per night to paving the streets and arranging for weekly garbage pickup. Those two jobs, though, were part time. Kaminin worked full time as the doctor at the hospital that served 1,600 people from five villages. Pastor. Mayor. Doctor. And … dad. Did I mention that Kaminin and his dentist wife Tamara are the parents of two teenage boys? Whew! Russia United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) trips can change your perspective.
Each year our team visits at least one United Methodist congregation or pastor. This year we sat down with Matthew Laferty, chaplain of the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy. He is a local pastor from the East Ohio Conference who had just arrived to lead the Englishspeaking congregation. The 200 church members meet Sunday afternoons at an Anglican church in Central Moscow. Laferty became interested in Russia after he went on a UMVIM trip in the 1990s. He went on to study Russian at Ohio Wesleyan University and received his master of divinity degree from Yale. These visits with pastors help us to know how to pray for our brothers and sisters in Russia. Often we hear of issues that we would never face in the States. For example, Kaminin said that shortly after his church opened in 2001, the Orthodox priest from the nearby city of Belgorod came to the village to denounce the United Methodist congregation. Kaminin said the authorities told him he could not hold Sunday school or teach the Bible to youth without special permission from the government. So instead of Sunday school, he and Tamara sponsor after-school activities Monday, Wednesday and Friday for children ages 9 to 16. The young people take computer and sports classes and can be part of a musical group, with guitar and piano, at the church.
“It is important to show people that Methodists are not bad,” Kaminin said. “I can’t do Sunday school, but I can do other things.” In 1992, Methodism was reborn in Russia with five congregations. There are now more than 120 churches and Bible groups in the Eurasia Episcopal Area of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. The East Ohio conference has been involved in the Kursk region of Russia since 1993, sending teams to provide humanitarian aid and sponsoring events to nurture relationships that would lead to a congregation in the area. Recently the emphasis has turned to partner churches, in which one or more congregations in the U.S. supports a United Methodist congregation in Russia. Eurasia Bishop Hans Vaxby, who attended an April 2010 meeting in Cuyahoga Falls about the Russia Initiative, said he hoped East Ohio churches would sponsor pastors, send mission or teaching teams to the other’s congregation and mentor each other over the Internet. “They could share prayer concerns, programs and expenses,” Vaxby said. Kaminin says there is a big difference between how people in the two countries view church but he would welcome American partners. “The church for Russian people is very intimate,” he said, explaining that Russians have difficulty discussing their faith. “It’s deep in the heart. For foreign people, it’s very open. It’s good for Americans to open their hearts and minds. It helps us. It makes us more open.”
*Rev. Jan Fillmore is associate pastor of Mayfield Church in Chesterland and a co-leader of the Russia UMVIM trip. This trip was her 16th visit to Russia, the 4th with the East Ohio Conference.
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Friends in any language By Hannah Goddard*
By Hannah Goddard*
“One, two, three!”
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Photo: (page 4, far left) Rev. Alexander Kaminin and East Ohio Chair of the Russia Initiative Task Force, Harry Askin Photo: (page 4, far right) Pastor Matthew Laferty and Harry Askin enjoyed lunch with UMVIM team member Sarah Ann Ferguson.
Photo: (Above) Kolya posed with Hannah and Nicki MacPherson as they scraped and painted the walls at Boarding School No. 5. Photo: (Below) Anya, Hannah and Alina - jump rope buddies and friends forever!
How did Russia impact Nicki MacPherson’s life? Find out in the online edition of Joining Hands, www. eocumc.com/joininghands
Anya and Alina counted in Russian as they twirled the jump rope faster, reaching what in my mind felt like super-human speed. My playground days behind me, I struggled to keep up, silently praying that I wouldn’t land on my face. When it was over, they smiled and took my hand as they led me into a game of dodgeball, the unlucky targets consisting of both Russians and Americans alike. It was game night at Boarding School No. 5, a school for children with Down syndrome, in Kursk, a city of 500,000. This was my second summer coming to Russia as a volunteer on a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) team, and both years have been a wonderful experience. Besides playing outside, we made crafts, performed puppet shows, and my roommate, Nicki MacPherson, and I even led a game of Hokey-Pokey. This year I was part of the crafts team. I was very happy to see how much the children enjoyed doing the projects and was amazed at the discipline and patience they displayed in their creations. When we weren’t playing or participating in activities, we worked. Together, with some of the boys at the school, we painted radiators and doors, wallpapered and demolished tile. We were assisted during those projects by several volunteers from the Peace Foundation, which sponsored our visit. Although we were exhausted by the end of our trip, I felt a twinge of sadness when we had to leave. During the closing ceremony, Alina, the jump rope expert to whom I had grown especially close, presented me with a notebook. After several drawings was a heart with the words Ханна и Алина = друзей. Translated, this means “Hannah and Alina = friends.” It is one of the best, and most unexpected, gifts I have ever received.
*Hannah Goddard, 17, will be a senior at Chardon High School this fall. She plans to return to Russia in 2012.
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Smiles, Hugs Hospitality
e were welcomed in Russia, not as laborers working to improve living conditions for Russian children but rather as diplomats, representing the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church. Together we built bonds of love and friendship that transcended miles, politics and language barriers. I learned the impact of simple hospitality while spending two nights in the home of Olga, a teacher from Boarding School No. 5 in the city of Kursk. She opened her home to me, even though I could not speak Russian and she could not speak English. I was made to feel so welcome – like a member of her family. As it turned out, both Olga and I are gifted in music and we discovered joy in sharing our talents with the other. I played her piano and sang “Jesus Loves Me.” She, in turn, sang Russian folk songs. We grieved together when I realized the Russian folk song she sang reminded her of her father’s death just two months earlier. The joy and the grief found in the music were shared without the need of a common language.
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By Karen Palo*
Our tears were turned to smiles when Olga’s husband brought out his accordion and entertained us. During conversations at the dinner table, an interpreter helped us discover that music was not our only common interest. Olga and I each desire happiness, take pride in our children, are hopeful of good things for them and share faith in knowing that an eternal life awaits us one day with God in heaven. Staying in Olga’s home allowed me to experience Russia as a citizen, not a tourist. Our United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) team met and shared with Russian leaders in education, business and government. We learned about Russian history, were welcomed in worship, experienced the on-going growth of Russian churches and observed firsthand the Russian people’s faith in and worship of God. Our main worksite and home for most of our trip was Boarding School No. 5, a school for children with Down syndrome. There we shared time with the children, singing, playing and making crafts. I will never forget the smiles, hugs, laughter and joy we experienced completing projects with the children and being a part of their lives. But for all that we did to help, we learned even more.
The school administrator taught us about love through the way she interacted with the children. She leads a team of teachers and caregivers in providing both a home and educational setting for more than 100 students. As an educator from Ohio, I was touched by her simple message to us: “We love them the way they are and we educate them with love.” The response of the Russian people to our visit is another lesson for those of us in the church. How do we, as individuals and congregations, let others know that they will be welcomed and loved when they enter the doors of our homes and churches? How can we make this a mechanism for spreading the salvation of Jesus Christ to others in our own neighborhoods, communities and workplaces? It is a simple message: We give more than we have to give, we love more than might make us comfortable and we share God through our words and by our loving actions. Being a member of the Russian UMVIM team helped me grow in my faith walk. The giving of East Ohio is changing lives and attitudes of those at home and abroad. Although far apart geographically, we are learning and sharing with others that we are of the same heart and we are bonded together by love in action. *Karen Palo, a special education intervention specialist for Ashtabula Area City Schools, is the wife of the Rev. Vernon Palo.
OHealing LIBERIA
We experienced new life, death, hope, grief, new relationships and transformation at the Camphor Mission clinic in Liberia this summer.
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wo days after the arrival of our East Ohio United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) team, traditional birth attendants (TBAs) from around the region descended on the mission for their monthly meeting. They gathered for education and fellowship, to share ideas and worship. Bob Sterken from Main Street United Methodist Church (Mid-Ohio District) in Mansfield demonstrated a new water filtration system that can create clean water from dirty creek water. The filter attaches to a bucket that can be purchased locally. What a blessing this time of training was for all of us. TBAs left with a new lifesaving device and we witnessed women who were passionate about their role and responsibility in their villages. During our four-week stay, East Ohio volunteers painted and tiled the newly constructed maternal health ward and tiled the obstetrics room. “We are so happy about the clinic annex,” said Mary Davies, the clinic’s TBA. “You people have helped us so much.” The clinic had two healthy deliveries while we were there. Each baby received a hand-quilted baby blanket and hat. The gifts were donated by East Ohio churches
and arrived in a 20-foot container paid for by Mentor United Methodist Church (Western Reserve District). Sadly, one expectant mother arrived at the clinic carried in a hammock by family. While laboring in the village for more than 24 hours, her uterus had ruptured. Saving her life became the medical emergency at hand. Because we had a team of volunteers on the mission, transport by car, rather than a motorcycle, was possible. Laura, a nurse and volunteer from Mentor UMC, accompanied the mother, Salome, on the 15-mile journey to the nearest government hospital. Thankfully Salome made it through surgery but she needed a blood transfusion. The practices of donating blood and having a supply of blood on hand are not common in Liberia but when our volunteers heard about Salome’s need, they responded. Five people took on the risk-taking radical mission of giving blood to save a life in West Africa. “That woman will say ‘thank you’ to God for what you all did,” Irene, a village TBA, told the donors. “These volunteers are talking the talk and walking the walk,” said Dr. Danny Dickriede. “They showed me something today.” Praise God, Salome is alive and well for her two other children and family.
Hands By Kathy Dickriede*
*Kathy Dickriede is an ordained deacon serving at Mentor UMC and, as part of 3Cs, the Camphor Mission in Liberia.
God is good, all of the time. All of the time, God is good.
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Answering the Call
W By Rev. Scott Low*
hen my daughter Lizzy was about 2 years old, the Africa University Choir sang at Wooster United Methodist Church (Canal District) and our whole family attended. We also purchased a CD that became a favorite of our three children. Lizzy would listen to the music and dance around for hours. When she was about 4 years old, she began telling her mother and me that she wanted to go to Africa. That dream continued to live on in her mind and soul. Fast forward to 2009. Our entire family prayed for and supported my younger brother and his wife as they navigated the long journey of adopting a son from Ethiopia. What great joy Jeremiah has brought to all of us! This precious new cousin rekindled the flame within Lizzy to pursue her dream of going to Africa. By now she had become a fun, friendly, faithful and extremely busy 13 year-old, who was also a “kid magnet” at church and wherever she went. Africa and children became her passion. It didn’t take long before Lizzy, my wife, Kay, and I began to explore the possibilities. We had conversations with Janet Chilcote about ZOE Ministry and with long-time friend Kathy Dickriede about going to Camphor Mission in Liberia. As we all prayed, I wondered how we could ever afford to have Lizzy go. Kathy kept nudging us forward with her contagious enthusiasm as God kept telling us that this trip would be possible. In August of 2010 the commitment was made for Lizzy to go to Liberia and the preparations and fund-raising began. As a “pedaling parson” since 2003, I have raised money for a variety of great mission causes, including Camphor Mission. I was excited to find out we would once again raise funds in 2011 for the Camphor Mission dormitories. I soon realized that I would be cycling with the pedaling parsons at the same time that Lizzy and her group would be in Liberia! The idea lingered to make a phone connection between the pedaling parsons and Lizzy’s group, who were on the mission site for which we were raising funds. At 5 pm on July 13th the call came! Thirty-five members of the pedaling parsons stood in the parking lot of the Church Community Center in Danville, Ohio. We gathered around a cell phone that was connected to a speaker so we could all hear. As Dad, it was great to hear the excitement in Lizzy’s voice and to hear that she was safe, having a life-changing time being the “kid-magnet” and sharing Jesus’ love with the children in Liberia. It was also a boost for all of the pedaling parsons to hear from Dickriede how appreciated and valuable our fund raising efforts are in meeting the needs of the mission.
Rev. Scott Low
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*Rev. Scott Low has been pastor at Solon United Methodist Church since July 2006.
churches Dialed In clinics and F classrooms churches clinics and classrooms churches clinics and classrooms churches clinics and classrooms By Lizzy Low*
rom the Liberia end of the phone call, it was exciting to know that my dad and brother were on the other end. It was a little weird because they seemed so distant from the world in which I was living at the time of the call. I was eager to share some of the amazing experiences I had already had with my new Camphor friends. It was hard for me to put into words how this trip was affecting me and how I already knew when we talked on the phone that I wanted to return to Camphor. I knew that these two weeks would not be enough. One of my most favorite things about Camphor is the people. Throughout my entire life I have loved meeting new people and making new friends. That was no different for me in Africa. I wanted to be friends with everybody! Lucky for me, everyone at Camphor kept asking me to be their friend so we all got along really well.
My main job in Camphor was to love the kids there. I had no problem with that. The kids are so charming and eager to learn new things. I loved the feeling of having a 2-year-old on one hip and the little hand of a 3-year-old wrapped around mine. The children there have a special place in my heart that will never be filled by anything else. I also had an awesome time getting to know the teenagers at Camphor. I now have special friendships with many of them, mainly because I am their age so we can relate to each other in a different way than most adults and teens relate to each other. I spent many hours sitting on the porch telling stories, laughing and playing games with these teens. I was grateful that I did not have a hard time with the language differences between the Camphor kids and me because it can be a huge barrier at times. Thankfully, we were able to communicate easily. It was just like hanging out with my friends back home in the United States. One of the harder things for me to experience at Camphor was the death of 5-year-old Wisdom. On our last full day spent in Camphor, his family brought Wisdom, gravely ill with malaria, to the clinic. Dr. Danny Dickriede did his best treating the young boy but decided he needed to go to the hospital in Buchanan. Mathew, our beloved driver, took Wisdom and his father in the car and headed for the hospital. Not long after their departure, they returned. It was heart wrenching to see Wisdom’s father get out of the car carrying his dead son in his arms and
Lizzy Low
to hear the voices of women in the village crying out to God in pain over their loss. It was one of the worst things I have ever heard in my life. I can’t imagine the grief the family of this precious boy experienced. It made my heart ache. Sadly, this scene is all too common in Africa, where statistics show someone on the continent dies from malaria every 45 seconds. That day had an enormous impact on me. Prior to that I thought I had been through a lot with multiple surgeries and other things. My past experiences were not even close to what the family of this little boy had to endure. I am so blessed to live the life I have. I thank God constantly for each new day. My experience at Camphor Mission this past summer was one I could never have imagined. Through the ups, downs, frustrations and joyous times, there was always a presence of God like I had never felt before. It impacted me greatly. I will never, ever forget the first time I went to Camphor. I am praying that by God’s grace I will have more chances to visit. It is truly a magical place that has tattooed itself on my heart. *Lizzy Low, of Solon UMC, is a sophomore at Solon High School, where she is an assistant football trainer, basketball and competition cheerleader and throws discus in track.
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By Kathy Dickriede
hen you walk into a classroom in the U.S. you find colorful bulletin boards, Smart Boards, computers, books and too many resources to name. A classroom at Camphor Mission has desks that have been eaten by termites and are wobbly from overuse. The room has a chalkboard but good luck finding both chalk and an eraser. Students arrive in torn, tattered uniforms that oftentimes are too small or too big for the child wearing them. No electricity means no Smart Boards or computers. Thanks to congregations and United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) teams from East Ohio, meaningful progress has been made. This year, classrooms at Camphor Mission have noticeable updates. Gay Street United Methodist Church (Three Rivers District), Garrettsville United Methodist Church (Western Reserve District), Mentor United Methodist Church (Western Reserve District) and others combined to donate more than 300 backpacks. As a result, each student began this school year with a new backpack full of supplies. Teachers were the beneficiaries of donated chalk, erasers, art supplies, notebooks and red grading pens. The entry way to the girls’ dormitory, where students meet for devotions during the school year, has been transformed. The cement slab has been replaced by a vinyl tile floor. It was a special treat for the East Ohio tiling team to be joined by a female clinic staff member because tiling is a task not traditionally undertaken by women in Liberia. “What fun it was for the women of the (East Ohio) team to engage in projects with Liberian women, for the benefit of Liberian women,” exclaimed UMVIM member Paula Coleman. Other improvements included cementing the porch floor of the boys’ dormitory, repairing the basketball court and re-welding a rim to each backboard. Folding tables and chairs, donated by
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Wooster United Methodist Church (Canal District), will replace some of the wobbly desks in classrooms and the dining hall. Mentor UMC, Brecksville United Methodist Church (North Coast District), and Church of the Saviour United Methodist Church (North Coast District) in Cleveland Heights, are combining their resources with an endowment at the East Ohio Foundation to support salaries at the Camphor Mission. Green Valley United Methodist Church (Canal District), through a Lent offering of $800, is feeding students for one month. Even more amazing progress is being made with the help of churches in other partnering conferences. Peoria United Methodist Church in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference donated $10,000, which supports 200 village students. The Oregon Idaho Conference is supporting 60 students through a $3,000 donation. Many of the students would not be able to attend school if not for these scholarships. Support does not end with the students. The Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church sent two teachers, through Operation Classroom, to train more than 25 UMC teachers in topics endorsed by the Liberia Ministry of Education. The topics include phonics, classroom management and teaching strategies. The efforts of The United Methodist Church were summed up by a student who told me, “I am able to register for school this year. I was in school last year but I had to drop (out) because there was no support. I did not have enough money for school fees and copy book. This year, because they announced on the radio that Camphor Mission had school supplies and backpacks, I am here to get a form and register for school. Thanks to the donors.” Praise God for the work of the connectional church. Together, by God’s grace, we have the power to change the world.
Open hearts, open minds, Open
the library door
By Kevin L. Schaner*
We are fortunate that The United Methodist Church offers each of us the opportunity, through participation in short-term mission work, to develop relationships with fellow Christians. It has been a blessing to use my professional skills to help others at Camphor Mission in Liberia. These experiences remind me that I became a librarian not because I love books, but because I love people. The first opportunity to put my Christian love into action occurred at J.F. Yancy School, the only school within a 10-mile radius of this rural part of Liberia. The cornflower blue, one-story brick building sits on a gravel incline. The familiar cross and flame symbol of The United Methodist Church, along with several hand-written signs at the school’s entrance, welcomed us. Once inside, I was anxious to see the library. To my dismay, the door was locked. As a librarian, it was hard for me to accept that the library was the only room not accessible to students. My joy returned after the principal opened the door and I saw the quantity and quality of books that had been donated. The roof of the library offered welcome relief from the scorching sun but the temperature indoors still topped 100 degrees as we began preparing the books to be borrowed. The library door remained open every day while we sorted books. Each day at recess, a few students would poke their heads inside to see what we were doing. The result of our encouraging smiles and comments was that eventually students moved in and out of the library as if it had a revolving door. If only the school had a part-time librarian to keep the doors open, students could have daily library access, which would be crucial in the learning process.
It became clear that labeling and organizing the library was the easy part. Using the resources would be the challenge. Educators at Camphor still primarily use lectures and chalkboards to instruct, so most teachers have never used a book to complement the information in the standardized lessons. What was the sense of having a library, if no one knew how to use books? We needed a plan to not only get the door open, but also to open minds as to how to use these donated resources. A year later, I went back to Camphor. Again, it was hard to be greeted by a locked library door. Some of the shelves were exactly as I had left them 12 months before! Returning to the school opened the library door. This time it was easier to relate to staff and students and it was more comfortable working together. Students flocked in during recess. We read to students, but mostly they wanted to read to us. We also played organized games in the library such as Bingo and dominos. Children learned basic social skills such as sharing and how to put game pieces away for the next day. The highlight of my most recent trip was training teachers how to use a book during classroom instruction. Teachers selected, practiced and modeled how to hold a book and interact with their students using the pictures and the text. Their minds were opened to a different style of teaching that could be fun and promote critical thinking. On the last day of our trip the phonics teacher was hired to be the part-time librarian. Esther had demonstrated a special love for books during our training sessions and I was pleased at her openness to try a new position. This time when I left, I was more confident that library resources would continue to be used. The familiar verse from Matthew 7:7 had been realized: “Ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” I plan to return in February 2012 to train Esther. I can’t wait to share what I know with the person who will continue to keep the library door open.
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*Kevin L. Schaner has traveled to Africa six times as a member of United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) teams.
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Did you miss Jesus? By Sandy VerDuin*
tells of Martha opening the door for Jesus to come to her home. She then misses Jesus in her very own house because she was too worried about what casserole to serve and other stuff! Martha’s priority on getting the tasks done and having something to show for the visit, unfortunately, too often parallels how many of our groups approach mission work. We will be building something right? How much can we get done in the time we’re there? Yeah, that’s great you met new people but what did your group do there? Sound familiar? How do we throttle down and not worry or get upset by many things when only one thing is needed? Jesus. He, through his actions, repeatedly role modeled for us to take time for each other. So why do so many of us miss that? Upon arriving at Garfield Memorial Church (North Coast District) in Pepper Pike six years ago I learned of its sister-church relationship with the James
Luke 10:38-42
A. Garfield Church at Camphor Mission, Liberia. Garfield Memorial had been supporting the Liberian church and mission since the 1980s. When the original missionaries returned home, Garfield Church continued monetary support for the mission. But, as often happens with good intentions and faith journeys, over time it became evident that both churches had strayed from their call to build the kingdom of Christ Jesus by giving of themselves face-to-face. The good news is that God is always there to welcome us back if we make the turn! In 2009 the church sent me to Liberia for a full week to meet my brothers and sisters in Christ, to share about myself and our church, get to know them, learn their stories, listen to their needs and just to “be” with them. In 2010, just four months later, our next faithful step was to send myself, our youth pastor and another servant to go deeper. We first honored the older young adult “pupils” at the mission by spending fun time getting to know each other and giving them a crash leadership course. This allowed us to work alongside them to present the first week-long VBS program at the mission. The program was a success. As a result, the school immediately added a Bible class to its schedule and other
church groups have followed suit. But this story goes far beyond the program. When the letter from a 26-year-old man of the leadership team reached me, I was humbled to my knees as I read the words he had spent so much time writing. He wrote of his journey growing up during the war and of his family and how, even though he’s now a grown man, he will continue getting an education even if it means being with pupils half his age. Others from the group shared heartfelt thanks that we respected and treated them as the young adults that they are, even though they are part of the Mission middle school. What a privilege it was to be in their presence and learn from them! Garfield Church’s relationship with its sister-church in Liberia is nothing short of a precious gift that God has freely given to us. We are honored to have the opportunity to spread and receive the Good News with our newly found Camphor Mission family. We are filled with excitement as we make plans to return to Camphor Mission, hopefully in June 2012. *Sandy VerDuin is Church Mission Coordinator at Garfield Memorial Church.
Planting Seeds Farmer to Farmer, the newest 3Cs mission project, planted the seeds of what is possible when East Ohio United Methodists work together. The time to ship our harvest to Liberia is fast approaching. Your love and support has produced a refurbished tractor, farm implements, wheelbarrows, rakes, hoes, shovels, chain saws, hand tools and seeds. These items will enable farming above the subsistence level, which will raise enough funds for the project to be self-sustaining in a few years. In addition, medical supplies have been donated for use in the Harrisburg clinic and chairs were donated to replace the 2x4s and cinder blocks upon which parishioners currently sit at St. John UMC in Harrisburg, Liberia. All of the collected items will be loaded into a container and shipped from Baltimore, Md on December 13.
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Communities Helping Communities By Beth Ferrell*
Welcome to Manjama United Methodist Health Center (MUMHC) in Bo, Sierra Leone, one of the clinic projects for the Bishop’s 3Cs Initiative. MUMHC was established in the 1940s to serve the medical needs of more than 20 impoverished local villages. Reaching Bo required 36 hours of travel, the last leg of which included a seven-mile water taxi ride and a four-hour road trip from Sierra Leone’s capital in Freetown. Sierra Leone is a predominantly Muslim country that is still recovering from a civil war (1991-2001). During that time, MUMHC was actually used as a military outpost by the Sierra Leone government. Defensive trenches are still evident in the terrain around the center. In 2001 the UMC General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) recruited missionaries to return to Sierra Leone and patient services were re-instituted. In 2004, I had the pleasure of organizing CommunityBased Health Training (CBHT) for lay, semi-literate women from across the country. This program was funded by the Women’s Division of General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) and United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Six members of the East Ohio Conference (EOC) were part of a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) team that traveled to Sierra Leone in May of this year. We brought with us seven suitcases full of medical supplies donated by EOC churches and other conference UMVIM team members. We conducted a four-day, on-site health training for 23 traditional birth attendants (TBAs). Each team member conducted a segment of the training, which was interpreted in four languages. Topics covered included: environmental, personal and food hygiene, nutrition, immunizations, safe drinking water, recognition and treatment of common conditions/ diseases and healthcare for mothers and for children younger than age 5. These services are needed as the maternal mortality rate following the civil war was 20% and the death rate of children younger than age 5 was 25%.
Each participant was given hygiene items, a mosquito net from the “Imagine No Malaria” and “Nothing But Nets” programs, two clear plastic bottles for solar water disinfection and a Tippy-Tap hand washing jug with a bar of soap. Lessons were recapped the following day in song and discussion. As part of the activities, the participants practiced appropriate hand washing and daily solar water disinfection to help establish good health practices. A separate training session was held in Gbanahun Village with every member of the village in attendance. This Community-Based Health Outreach into the villages is a new focus. There are fewer patients at the center as a result of the government’s recent decision to provide free health care for pregnant women and children younger than age 5. Around the same time, Mercy United Methodist Hospital opened in Bo. Churchsupported health facilities are not included in the government’s free health care plan. The connectional nature of The United Methodist Church was evident when we modified the MUMHC’s wind turbine. The turbine was funded, developed, field tested and shipped in 2004. Storage batteries, purchased by St. Matthew UMC in Arizona, shipped via an Operation Classroom container funded by the Indiana Conference and stored in Sierra Leone, awaited our arrival. The batteries were installed, wires inspected and the wind turbine was repositioned to better “catch” the prevailing winds. When we weren’t working, relationship-building took center stage. Located next to our lodging, the Child Rescue Center provided ample opportunity to get acquainted with the orphans and their “aunties.” Devotional time was shared almost every evening. Homemade pocket knit dolls were distributed to the children, who hosted a farewell celebration when it was time for us to head home. A new UMVIM team will visit Manjama in 2013. If you would like more information or are interested in participating, please send an email to beth_ferrell2001@yahoo.com.
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*Beth Ferrell is a retired United Methodist Missionary Nurse.
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By Rev. Russ Ham*
aith allows us to “see” things that are not visible to the human eye. Hope is the inner “feeling” we get when we put our faith in the right place. In 2008 I made my first visit to Zimbabwe and stood on the site where the Emsizini Secondary School would be built. In every direction I turned I saw nothing but bush land. That did not deter United Methodists in Zimbabwe. The plan was to build a secondary school to teach children, who are approximately the age of middle school students here in the United States. The education would give hope to the students, and their parents, of a better life. Less than a kilometer away from where I stood, 30 students were putting their faith in action. They were forming their very first classes in space borrowed from the Kensington Primary School. None of us can truly appreciate the challenges faced in building this school. In 2008 and 2009 the norm in Zimbabwe was political chaos, hyper-inflation that often had prices rising throughout the day and an unemployment rate greater than 80%. United Methodists in Zimbabwe were undeterred by what they saw. They had faith that their plan would change lives by teaching the country’s forgotten children much-needed educational basics and Gospel messages at the same time. Today, less than three years since I stood in the middle of the bush, faith has been rewarded and hope abounds. Emsizini Secondary School now consists
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of two permanent classroom blocks with water and pit toilets. But most importantly, there is life inside the buildings. The sounds of students, 150 strong, fill the rooms with laughter, song and enthusiastic chatter. Miracles have not ceased! There is no doubt that resourcing a project of this magnitude in Zimbabwe has been a challenge but one that continues to be met head-on. The key ingredient is prayer. The United Methodists in Zimbabwe view secular unemployment as providing more time for prayer and service in the Body of Christ. In 2008, I was told by a key lay leader that “while the enemy seeks to keep the church from growing, he doesn’t understand that greater challenges lead us to pray more.” The 3Cs movement in East Ohio has been a major part of answered prayer in Zimbabwe and proof that
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something within our connection is working very well: Prayer. The generosity of East Ohio has been a major factor in resourcing Emsizini Secondary School. We have sent leaders and teams to interact with our sisters and brothers in Zimbabwe, learning from them as much as we have offered in help. It is a true partnership. When we face great challenges in East Ohio, let us respond in the same fashion as our United Methodist brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe: let greater challenges lead us to pray more. *Rev. Russ Ham is senior pastor at Macedonia United Methodist Church.
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By Ashley Pippin*
who goes half-way around the world and develops relationships? Not tourists. United Methodists are called to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We do that by building relationships, both here in East Ohio and half-way around the world in Russia and Africa. In January of this year, nine individuals made a commitment to represent Jesus Christ as part of an East Ohio United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) team. We raised $27,000 through a variety of fundraisers and on Aug. 16 we left the United States to spread the love of Christ in Zimbabwe, Africa. Each member of the team realized we were going to continue the work of a partnership, but what we didn’t expect was how the experience would affect and change each of us. We spent an amazing week with the children of Emsizini Secondary School. Upon arrival, we could not believe the progress that had been made on the construction of the classrooms. The two concrete slabs and dirt that existed a year ago had been transformed into two buildings, each with painted windows and doors and fully equipped with desks and chairs for the children. Someone once said, “A school is not a school without children in it.” They could not have been more right. The Emsizini Secondary School is alive with the sounds of children and
stands as an example of Christian love, hard work and dedication. During one of the days of our visit, the United Methodist Men gathered to dig a trench for the bathroom block plumbing. East Ohio team members jumped right in to help. It is good to say that as one of the first mission teams to Emsizini that we have helped with our bare hands. The United Methodist Church is making a huge impact on the lives of the children. They come from many different religious backgrounds but their school was made possible by The United Methodist Church. Despite some having to walk more than 30 minutes to and from school each day, the children have joy in their hearts. “Because of my experience, I now want to do more to help others,” said team member Jackie Whatley. “The kids there have much love and respect for education. You want to help them, because they want to help themselves. Hands-on service is the best way to connect with people.” The children made it clear to our team that they see the East Ohio Conference being faithful Christians. Every year, they see at least one EOC representative and that gives them hope. It lets them know that although we are many miles away we still care. John Wren taught gardening to the students. He said, “The mission trip has confirmed my belief that if you give students vegetables you feed them for a day, but if you teach them to grow vegetables you feed them for a lifetime.”
*Ashley Pippin is an entrepreneur, UMVIM team member and the spouse of the Rev. Dr. Howard Pippin.
Two of our team members took time every day to ask the students what they would like to talk about. Referring to one of the inflatable globes, used at 2011 Annual Conference that our group donated to the school, one boy asked, “Can you show me where Chicago is on the map?” Another boy, who writes and recites poetry, asked if we could tell him about New York and what it looks like. He told us his goals were to, “be a famous poet like Shakespeare, visit the United States and meet Bishop Hopkins.” On our last day at the school, the district education officer from the Zimbabwe government visited and shared that his spirit was overflowing with joy at the relationship that East Ohio has cultivated with the people of Zimbabwe. The children touched our hearts in many ways in just four days. It was impossible to leave the school with a dry eye. Dr. Dottie Wren summed up the feeling of our team when she said, “The journey to Zimbabwe has been a spiritual and personal awakening and a transformation for me. I am hooked on mission.” We were very humbled by the experience and will never forget it. We pray that future mission teams will be touched by the Great Spirit at the school.
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One of the joys of my job is the opportunity to work with a great team of people creating new issues of Joining Hands. This quarter we broke from the norm and dedicated the entire content to one topic: 3Cs. I hope you have enjoyed the first-hand accounts of those who have been blessed to be a blessing to others as they traveled to Russia, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe, making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Each of us in East Ohio should be proud of the work that has been and will still be accomplished in these countries because we all play a role in making it happen. Whether you assist with pre-trip logistics, fund raising, loading gear, baking, knitting, financial support or simple prayer, each of us, together, is showing what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Thank you! One of the frustrations of my job is not having enough pages in the magazine to publish every great article our office receives. That is the reason why I encourage you to also read the Joining Hands online edition found on the conference website at www.eocumc.com/joininghands. There you will find additional articles written through the eyes of those who have experienced life as United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM).
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Please also check out the new 3Cs pages, www.eocumc. com/3Cs, on the conference website. They have been completely re-designed and are easy to navigate. Simply click on the icon for each country to learn about the East Ohio mission work being done, opportunities to get involved and details about upcoming UMVIM trips to the region. Each country’s page also contains photo and video galleries that make you feel as if you are there. You will want to check back frequently throughout the year to get the most up-to-date information and see the newest photos and video. Your efforts are changing lives. You now have a place to go to watch it happen right before your eyes.
w w w.eocumc.com/3Cs *Rick Wolcott is the Director of Communications for the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church.
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Making Disciples By Rev. Jan Fillmore
I love it when pastors share their faith stories. In the case of the Rev. Alexander Kaminin, it showed how one person can bring another to Christ. While in school, a student from Liberia began discussing Christianity with Kaminin, a self-described atheist from the town of Gelendzik on the Black Sea. “It was my first bridge [to Christianity],” he recalled two years ago. After they graduated, she went to the United States and he to Iliok-Koshari in southern Russia, but they wrote each other. In 1999 she brought a group of doctors, dentists and nurses from her Texas congregation to his clinic. “It was the first time the local people had met outsiders,” Kaminin said. “It was my first experience of what it meant to be a United Methodist.” After the group left, Kaminin began to study the Bible. “It was like falling in love,” he said. “I spent so much time with the Bible that my wife became jealous.” He attended the Theological Seminary of the United Methodist Church in Eurasia through the distance-study program, traveling to Moscow twice a year to take exams. In 2001, he graduated and was ordained an elder. He laughed. “Today my wife accepts me.”
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Pedaling Parsons
By Rev. Don Richards*
"Dad, look, God is smiling down on us," says 9 year-old Jonathan Russell, as he and his father, John, pedal through the morning mist while sunbeams burst through the canopy of trees. Thus begins another day on the road for the East Ohio pedaling parsons. Contrary to the name, we are not all "parsons,” but we all ride to honor God. Thanks to the generosity of East Ohio congregations each mile we pedal brings us closer to our goal of raising $40,000 to visit Camphor Mission in Liberia as part of a United Methodist Volunteers In Mission (UMVIM) trip in February of 2013. The group has spent the past two years logging countless miles in our quest to be able to use the money to finish the Camphor Mission dormitory. We look forward to witnessing first-hand the difference God, with the help of East Ohio, is making in the lives of Liberians. Our July tour across the state of Ohio started with a wonderful "God moment" when Moses and his family from Zimbabwe showed up at North Canton Grace United Methodist Church (Tuscarawas District) for Sunday Services because of a "detour" sign on the road. As it turns out, he is a graduate of Africa University. When I told him the pedaling parsons raised $66,000 back in 1996 to endow a scholarship to Africa University, he decided to come back to the parking lot for our send off. He prayed for God’s blessing on our group as we embarked on this tour to raise money for Camphor Mission. Moses teaches education at Malone University, a job he has thanks to the U.M. mission money he received that enabled him to attend school. "I could have been one of the statistics of AIDS or conflicts in my country,” he said. “I am thankful for the opportunity opened to me through the education I received at Africa University." Pedaling parsons is for anyone with a bike, a helmet and a love of God. "I ride on tours with groups all over, but what I like about this group is the fellowship of Christian Faith and riding for the purpose of helping someone," says 83 year-old Al Olsen. We have already raised more than $30,000 over the past two years. Our final trip of the year will be a 40 mile trek through the Cleveland Metroparks’ Emerald Necklace on October 15. Those interested in taking part should meet at Strongsville United Methodist Church (North Coast District) at 9:00 am for breakfast followed by a ride on the paved trail beneath the beautiful fall foliage. For more information please send an email to dtailwind@aol.com . *Rev. Don Richards is pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in North Canton.
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Ganta Hospital
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By Laurie Joyce*
We began each day by singing this Liberian spiritual when our East Ohio Conference 3Cs team was stationed at the Ganta UM Hospital and Mission Station in January 2010. The hospital serves residents in a 70 kilometer radius and is the only major referral health institution in the northern region of Liberia. Nimba County, which comprises the largest portion of the hospital’s service area, has a population of 462,026. While at Ganta we conducted infection control workshops for the healthcare staff, participated in community-based health initiatives, visited the leprosarium, gave daily devotions at the school and the hospital, provided worship at local churches and helped install new flooring at the mission station. The Liberia Annual Conference Board of Health provides governance and leadership for the Ganta Hospital and other health related projects of the Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. The full-service hospital is staffed by 5physicians, 3 physician assistants, 50 nurses, 54 nurse aides, 11 midwives and 5 lab technicians. Ganta UM Hospital is an active part of the Nehnwaa Child Survival Project with emphasis on maternal and newborn health, immunizations and integrated management
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Good morning Jesus, Good morning Lord, I know you come from heaven above, The Holy Spirit sits on the throne, Good morning Jesus, Good morning Lord. of childhood illnesses. As part of its Human Resource Development Plan the hospital provides scholarship grants to several universities and nursing schools for the professional training of staff. Since returning from Liberia, Fields United Methodist Church (North Coast District) hosted Victor Taryor, the administrator and CEO of the hospital, and helped him to network with East Ohio churches, hospitals and other organizations. With the help of MedWish International, Brothers Brother Foundation and Firestone, East Ohio congregations were able to ship 3 containers of medical supplies to Ganta UM Hospital. The work of The United Methodist Church has saved countless lives in Liberia but there are still major challenges facing the staff at Ganta United Methodist Hospital and the Camphor Mission Station: • The cost of fuel for powering generators and vehicles. Monthly, the two facilities combine to use 1,150 gallons of diesel fuel to power generators and 850 gallons to use in vehicles. At a cost of $3.32 per gallon for diesel fuel, the expense to power the facilities and run the vehicles
would be $3,818 per month and $45,816 per year. • Improvement of the water supply for both the hospital and mission station • Drugs and Medical supplies • Continuing education opportunities and training for their healthcare staff • Transportation logistics needs for the main hospital operations • Construction of a new hospital, which will increase the total bed capacity to 300 and provide the needed space for the growing population the hospital serves. The plans have been drafted and fundraising efforts have begun. If you are interested in learning more about the mission work at the Ganta Hospital, please contact Laurie Joyce via email at 4joy@roadrunner.com or call her at (330) 635-0808. •Laurie Joyce, RN, visited Liberia in February 2010 and is actively helping to work with the Ganta Hospital, Camphor Clinic in Liberia.
*By Laurie Joyce
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By Paula Coleman*
Churches, clinics and classrooms
are the focus of Bishop Hopkins’ 3Cs Initiative. Our United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) team of Larry & Rhonda Hoon, Nancy King, Lizzy Low, Bob Coleman and me, along with our hosts Dr. Danny and Kathy Dickriede, were blessed to be involved in all three areas of mission during our trip to Liberia, West Africa in July. Andover United Methodists Church (Western Reserve District) generously donated church pews to Camphor Mission. Before shipping the pews last spring, Larry Hoon meticulously disassembled each pew and labeled each individual section. The process of reassembling the pews began upon our arrival. Team members and local youth assisted Hoon in this 3 day project. Then the fun really began! The pews were loaded into the rear of a Land Cruiser for the half-mile transit to Garfield United Methodist Church. Imagine the difficulty of navigating rough terrain and steep hills with large sections of pews hanging out the back of the vehicle. Once at the church the challenge became fitting angled pews into the sanctuary. Fortunately the team was able to make the necessary adjustments in time for our first Sunday worship at Camphor. There was great anticipation and excitement as worshippers prepared for their first service with the “new” pews. Youth and adults would no longer have to
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carry chairs from the school to church and then back again each week. They expressed their joy during the service about this new arrangement. While some team members assembled the pews, others offered vacation Bible school to the children living close to Camphor. Upwards of 80 youngsters, ranging in age from 2 to 16 years old, participated in morning activities of singing, art, games and bible stories. The enthusiasm and interest level of those involved was high. Each day, locals and leaders went home energized but exhausted. We experienced the highs and lows of village life during our two weeks at Camphor Mission. Sadly, a 5 year-old boy died of malaria as our trip was winding down. Our visit had begun with happier news. While the women of the team were tiling and improving the Maternal Health clinic, a newborn was spending her first day of life there, with her mother. The tiling team, an all-female effort, took their talents to the girl’s dormitory, after finishing work at the clinic. They installed rubber tiles in the foyer, creating a fresh, clean space for the girls to meet for devotions during the school year. The highlight for the tiling team was having one of the clinic staff women join in the project. Interested in watching women tile, a job not traditionally undertaken by women in Liberia, she asked to participate. What fun
it was for the women of the team to engage in projects with Liberian women, for the benefit of Liberian women! Our time at Camphor Mission was very productive. In addition to installing the pews, tiling the clinic and girls dormitory and teaching vacation Bible school, we also assembled a solar panel unit. Solar energy seems especially suited to Liberia because it is located just south of the equator. Not to mention, gasoline is expensive and hard to get. It is at least a 45 minute drive from Camphor to reach the nearest station that sells gas. The solar panel would replace a gaspowered generator to operate a fan, charge a cell phone and recharge a computer. Donated books borrowed from the school library gave us the opportunity to talk about solar and alternative power sources with 6 of the young boys of the village. All were spellbound to learn about solar technologies in use around the world. Smaller projects like installing clothes lines, welding basketball rims to backboards, teaching crochet, repairing school desks and chairs and plenty of relationship building made for a remarkable two weeks in Liberia. *Paula Coleman is a 30+ year resident of Lake County and a member of Mentor UMC, where she taught in the church nursery school.