Grand Service of Inauguration

Missionary Connie, far left, celebrates the baptism of  Francia, center,
and tells us about the growing church in the Dominican Republic.
(photo courtesy of Connie DiLeo)

I am not sure how I can put into words the tremendous feelings we had on this special day when our church in La Hoya was officially inaugurated by the Evangelical Church of the Dominican Republic. The pastors from all the churches in the southern region were present with representatives from their churches.

Many pastors and congregational members also came from the capital and even as far as La Romana towards the east of the country. We are still considered a ‘mission church’ as we are new and have just taken in our first membership class of twelve baptized members.

Pray that we will continue to grow and bring more lives to Christ in the days, months, and years to come.

For more about this Global Ministries missionary, visit Connie DiLeo's missionary bio page.

UMCOR Academy

Church and Community Worker, missionary Dwaine Morgan
shares how a seed of hope can grow into God's Spirit.
(photo courtesy of Dwaine Morgan)

Several things registered with me when I attended the UMCOR Relief Network Academy at Sager Brown in Louisiana.

One was the variety of ministries performed by the cooperating depots in the Relief Network. No two serve God in quite the same way.

Another was that many of the relief centers seemed to begin with a vision of a few people (an individual, a handful of people, a church). Someone planted the mustard seed of faith, watered it carefully, waited for God to work, and a mighty ministry sprouted forth. Isn’t that the way that God’s Spirit is often manifested?..

Our conference pickup in October netted the largest load of gifts that we have received since the special emphasis on Haiti two years ago. Among the gifts are more than 1,000 AGAPE Children’s Christmas Boxes (with more coming each week) that are awaiting inventory at our Center. Last week I sent out a call to those who are on my “emergency work crew” list to catalog the boxes so that we can get off to an early start on preparation for our next Armenian shipment.

We have already sent relief supplies estimated at $585,145 to UMCOR, to Armenia, or to local ministries this year and that will probably be very close to our final total for 2011. By the end of the year we should also reach a milestone of sorts as we host our 400th work group.

I can never adequately express my appreciation for the exacting work of the volunteer teams. Without them we simply cannot provide the assistance that is needed by so many people around the world.

Learn more about the missionary work from the bio of Dwaine Morgan

A Christmas Message from Children

Hannah Hanson, on the left, Mission Intern, advocates for justice.
(photo courtesy of Hannah Hanson)

As I walked into the Haitian revival service, it reminded me of some of the services I miss form my time in other countries. So it may have been my first time in an all Creole environment, but it was still familiar.

It was a special children's service and just so genuine and sweet I truly was honored to be there. The pastor wanted me to introduce Justice for Our Neighbors, because our new Lakeland clinic will be able to serve people from the congregation. 

The pastor also wanted to take part in "A Wish for the Holidays: That all Families Be Able to Stay Together." (A project of We Belong Together.) So after the service I went back with all the children and we talked some about parents in other countries and deportation. Then they wrote to President Obama and Congress. It was amazing to me how much a connection the children got and how well the ones with parents still in Haiti took it.

So I wanted to share some letters with you:

Mom is in Haiti. I want my mom to be with me. 

My Christmas present is to stop deporting families.

For more of the children's letters, read Hannah Hanson's blog.

To learn more about the Mission Intern, link to the missionary bio of Hannah Hanson.

Twirling in Joyous Dancing

Bill and Jerri Savuto, United Methodist missionaries, describe the celebration
as they complete their service at Maua Hospital in Kenya.
They have been missionaries for nearly 40 years. 

Without God we are nothing. Thus we are hopeful when you finish reading about our day, Saturday, the 5th of November 2011, you will give God all the glory and honor.

For us the event started at 11am when Stanley came to our home and asked us to come down to the Chapel.  Bill and I were dressed and ready and I had been praying I would not cry all day. I thank God for the answer to that prayer.

As we reached the side of the Chapel there were two lines of AIDS Orphan grandmothers and caretakers that faced each other with enough room for Bill and I to easily move between them.  Bill started down the right side shaking the hands of the women and I started down the left side. As I shook many hands I made a point of looking into their eyes and saw Jesus Christ in their beautiful, smiling faces.

After shaking about 15 to 20 hands I found myself whirling and twirling in joyous dancing, laughter, and joy with some of the women. The line of women went from the Chapel through the hospital gate to the first entrance to the School of Nursing (at least 700 women were in those lines) and then back up the school field to tables and chairs under a cover. As I walked to my chair, I pinched myself to make sure I was still alive and hadn’t somehow found my way to heaven but if this was heaven, I’m ready!..

Jerri planting a tree in Kenya.

Somewhere in-between the groups, we were taken by Stanley and Mr. Mailutha, the CEO of the hospital, to the Hope Companions office to plant two podocarpus trees that were dedicated to the work we had done with the AIDS Orphan’s and Hope Companions. First I planted a tree and then Bill planted one. We can’t think of a better way to be honored than to plant indigenous trees.  

Women dancing at the celebration.

On Saturday, Stanley Gitari and his Community Outreach team, AIDS Orphan’s workers, and Hope Companions staff gave Bill and me the most amazing, incredible farewell event. During the event Stanley told us that Scott Brown, a mission work team leader and wonderful friend from Memorial Drive United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas, had given a large donation to pay for the event. 

Thus we are so very grateful to God, Stanley and his marvelous team, and Scott Brown for possibly the best day or our lives in Maua, Kenya.

           
To support the Savutos work, visit the Savuto's page.

Showing Up

I came to Nicaragua as a lay missionary from the New England Conference for what was then going to be a year. But many of you who have felt a call know that God often has other plans for us if we are willing to say yes.

So that is the first and more important part of being a missionary, continually saying yes, over and over again to God’s call and direction. My pastor Rev. Joseph Crocker once said that what is required of us in life is to show up and the rest is revealed from there.

That first year I was here I worked really hard to solve all of the dental problems of Nicaragua, thinking that it was all up to me, and often worked myself into a tizzy when I realized I would not reach the goal. At the end of that year when I was heading back to the US to discern the future, I was visibly distraught and guilty at leaving so many new Nicaraguan friends in their dire state and social challenges.

A wise Nicaraguan named Salvador Ocón said some very important parting words to me, “Belinda,” he said, “It is wonderful that you have come to offer your dental skills and care for that big problem here in Nicaragua and extract lots of teeth. But what is more important is that you took a year of your life to live with us and learn from us and now you go back to tell your people in the United States about our reality. That is your gift to us.”

Missionary Dr. Belinda Forbes, left, cares for the dental needs of children in Nicaragua with dental team member,  Isa Guti, right. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Forbes)

These words helped to shape what would become now twenty years of ministry that has me working in everything from dental programs to partnership relationships between churches and now international relations that include the cultural exchange program that Anya (Patterson) and Kesley (Kelly) are participating in.

Kesley and Anya will be with young people from Norway, Kenya, Brazil, Madagascar, and the Philippines. It is my privilege to help them participate in this exciting cross-cultural program that is designed to motivate young people in global issues and solidarity.

So my role as a missionary has diversified over the years, it is still very technical and focused on a specific skill in dentistry that I was trained for, but the longer I am here, the more my role is about presence and accompaniment, mentoring and facilitating, and generally being a resource to connect people across miles and cultures in creative ways help to serve the poor and build God’s realm on Earth.

My faith community is made up of committed and talented colleagues here at AMC which include my husband Gerardo, but also the extended community on whose behalf I serve – my supporting covenant churches in the United States who have made a commitment to not only give financially, but make me a part of their local church ministry and use my missionary presence as an extension of their congregational life. That support and representation is essential for the spiritual nourishment of a missionary and to enable us to be effective in our work.

So to close I would just sum up this reflection in three points.

1. Remember to say yes, whenever God is calling.

Missionaries Alex Devoid and Belinda Forbes with youth leaders,
Kesley Kelly and Anya Patterson (Photo courtesy of Belinda Forbes) 

2. Try not to do mission all on your own – find your team both locally and globally, and find your replacements – whether they know it or not, I have three of them sitting right here with me.

3. The most important thing that God may want from you today is most likely NOT on your To Do list. God may be calling you to stretch your gifts and talents in new ways.

Then shall your light shine like the dawn.  Amen.

Belinda Forbes is a missionary of The United Methodist Church through the General Board of Global Ministries. Read more about Dr. Forbes at Dr. Forbes's missionary biography page. 


To find out more about the ACM, Accion Médica Cristiana, Christian Medical Action, link to: http://new.gbgm-umc.org/Advance/projects/search/index.cfm?action=details&id=3016939