Latest UMVIM News
How USAID’s Closure May Impact Mission Teams
-written by Rev. Matt Lacey, Executive Director of UMVIM, SEJ
It was a sight that made me proud to be an United Methodist and a clergy person. Along with other United Methodists and faith leaders around the world, I stood side by side with United States government leaders in Washington DC to celebrate the effectiveness of the Imagine No Malaria (sometimes also referred to as Nothing But Nets) campaign and to ask Congress for more funding to complete the task. It was 2012 and while the political climate was still tense, this was a rare bipartisan moment in which leaders came together to celebrate the program’s impact. There was one organization that played a big part in the campaign but in the end received little credit—USAID [United States Agency for International Development]. Without USAID and its network around the world, all the fundraising and aid would have been in vain because USAID’s infrastructure allowed the medication, literature, and more to get where it needed to go.
Many of us have heard of USAID, a taxpayer funded program of the United States Federal Government, but may not know the breadth of its work. The program started under President Kennedy in 1961 to address the staggering inequality that existed outside the United States and to help the United States’ image abroad during the Cold War. Over the decades USAID has helped fund and distribute aid of various kinds throughout the world—health care, medicine, job training, agricultural programs, and more. Alongside the aid itself, USAID has served as the infrastructure and transportation network to help distribute aid from other non-profits, non-governmental organizations [NGOs], and faith-based volunteer mission teams.
During the 2024 presidential election, President Trump campaigned on the elimination of waste, fraud, and corruption in the Federal Government. And while the closure of USAID was rarely mentioned outright, it didn’t take long under the President’s tenure for it to be shut down. For the first time in sixty years, the USAID program, including its staff, funding, and tangible aid to millions, ended abruptly. FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] is rumored to undergo a similar transformation and downsizing even though (at the time of writing) over 100 individuals died last week during flash floods in Texas.
President Trump and many in his cabinet have labeled USAID as a vehicle of waste and fraud. And while USAID is far from perfect or the best example of efficiency, reported incidents of fraud and corruption are few and far between. The loss of the USAID program will not only be felt abroad but will also affect volunteer mission teams traveling from UMC churches in the USA to other countries.
As the Executive Director for United Methodist Volunteers in Mission in the Southeast Jurisdiction [UMVIM, SEJ], I have led many mission journeys to countries around the world and train and equip other United Methodists to do the same. As a result, I’m not only familiar with USAID but have seen its work firsthand. When leading a team to Haiti in February of 2010, I witnessed USAID workers give life saving aid to earthquake victims—necessities such as food, housing, and clean water. The aid didn’t solve every problem but in many cases it was the difference between life and death.
During one mission journey, I sat with malnourished children in Mozambique whose lives were saved by “Plumpy-nut,” a peanut-based nutritional paste which is made in the United States, bought by USAID, and transported overseas to treat hunger and malnourishment. That nutritional paste is now sitting in various warehouses, already paid for by taxpayers, spoiling and rotting.
USAID was closed in the name of fiscal conservatism and stewardship but has had the opposite effect: its closure has cost the US taxpayer 6 billion dollars thus far.
How will this closure impact Christian volunteer mission teams? Transportation networks maintained by USAID to move supplies and medicine have been shut down. As a result some supplies, including life-saving medicines, will cost more and health clinics staffed by volunteers may see a massive influx of individuals looking for help elsewhere. In addition, USAID’s closure will reduce funding, limit access to certain areas of the world, and compromise safety in some places. This has the potential to compromise the effectiveness of both secular and faith-based mission efforts. While mission journeys will continue, the impact and sustainability of volunteer teams will decrease.
Some will ask if the government should have any role whatsoever in charity and let the church and other private organizations step in to fill that role. While going back on forth on the merits of this argument, millions are at risk of losing their lives. USAID has long been a critical cog in worldwide charitable efforts, and developing any new program, government based or not, will take decades.
Though USAID has already shut its doors, your support and advocacy for it will not be in vain. Elected officials are still responsible to voters and many legislators have expressed skepticism at its closure. Churches with strong histories of mission service can educate their congregations about USAID’s closure and raise their voices together.
The church’s mission to reach out to those on the margins of society has become significantly more difficult. Many teams will need to step up to fill the void left, and come together in one voice to let those in power know the catastrophic effects USAID’s closure will have. This is a moment to work together and recognize that our faith supersedes any political party or opinion. Let us remember our collective calling to exemplify Christian love in action and remember those who are often forgotten.
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https://mailchi.mp/umvim/theres-a-new-look-to-umvimncj-news-8-31-18236270
New Online Team Leader “Refresher” Trainings
Are you an experiened misson team leader, but want to find out the latest up to date information about leading a mission journey! Two Team Leader “Refresher” Trainings have just been scheduled online. These will be led by Rev.
Matt Lacey, Director of UMVIM, SEJ, but are open to all. Click links below for more information and to register!
Saturday, July 12 at 9.30am [Central] - noon
Saturday, August 23 9.30am [Central] - noon
More trainings will be announced soon including an in-person first time Team Leader training.
Preparing For Summer Mission Journeys?
Summer is fast approaching, which means many churches and team leaders are preparing for mission journeys!
UMVIM offers many resources—many of them free—for team leaders who want to make sure their journey is a success:
Downloadable form templates to help teams plan and organize for their mission effort.
Team leader checklist to make sure those leading teams don’t forget any crucial details. [Note: this will download a document through your web browser.]
Insurance to cover teams, in case your journey takes an unexpected detour.
UMVIm-NCJ news 4 30 25
https://mailchi.mp/umvim/theres-a-new-look-to-umvimncj-news-8-31-18234679?e=2865e3c70f
UMVIM-NCJ news 4 15 25
New Projects New Connections https://mailchi.mp/umvim/theres-a-new-look-to-umvimncj-news-8-31-18234206
Opportunities Abound! UMVIM, SEJ News, April 2025
One of the greatest strengths of UMVIM’s ministry and the UMC connectional system is community. We work better because we work together.
Because of its many connections, UMVIM can help individuals find mission teams to join, teams to serve with projects, and projects to suit a team’s specific gifts and talents.
As we move into the Spring, we hope you take the time to glance at the teams looking for additional members, and the projects who are seeking teams. Below are just a few examples, with a more complete listing on umvim.org/openings
Seeking Team Members:
Honduras- AHMEN (Alabama Honduras Medical Education Network) is seeking individuals to join a mission team May 31-June 7. Cost is $1,200 + plane tickets, and AHMEN is offering a $300 discount for college students and an additional $100 discount for bilingual (English/Spanish) members. Specifically they are looking for members to help in the following areas:
organic gardening
lifeguarding and water safety
community advocacy and digital media
clean water culture
Click here to view a more detailed schedule and additional information.
Cuba- Join Mike Burgamy, an experienced team leader to Cuba, for cross-cultural mission journey. Team is planing to travel Oct 3-13th, 2025, with a $350 deposit at sign-up. The total cost is approximately $2200. More information found on the application, which you can download by clicking here.
Nicaragua- El Ayudante, a project serving alongside Nicaraguan communities, is seeking 4 more persons for a journey scheduled Nov 1 – 8, 2025, with a deadline of July 1. Cost is $1700 per person, including airfare. This journey to Leon, Nicaragua will work alongside with the Nicaraguan people to make an impact on the lives of children. Check out the eanicaragua.com to learn more about this amazing ministry. You can also contact Kim at kim@eanicaragua.com for additional information.
Projects Seeking Teams:
Cuba- The Methodist Church in Cuba is in dire need of teams to serve alongside Cuban communities for a variety of projects. Since COVID, teams have dropped significantly created more dire situations in many areas of the country. Churches and teams who are interested can contact Aldo Gonzalez and find more information at umvim.org/cuba
Alabama Rural Ministries- ARM is seeking teams for the summer of 2025. ARM is suited for youth or young adult groups, and for those who many have limited mission journey experience. Visit arm-al.org for more info and contact information.
Alabama Rural Ministries Seeks Summer Mission Teams
Alabama Rural Ministry [ARM] is seeking mission teams during the summer! ARM has been a part of the UMVIM family for a long time, and has faithfully served their community. Join them this summer! More details on the graphic.
Wesley UMC (Illinois Great Rivers) serves in Guatemala
On February 1 – 8, 2025, nine members of Wesley United Methodist Church of Bloomington IL travelled to Guatemala for our church’s first international mission trip since COVID. Thanks to UMVIM’s mission database and assistance in planning, we were able to team up with the Organization for the Development of Indigenous Maya in San Juan and San Pablo La Laguna, Guatemala (Advance #30220390).
The purpose of this journey was to share our physical, spiritual and financial gifts with ODIM and the San Juan and San Pablo people; to understand the people, culture and beauty of another part of the world that God has created, and to share Christ’s love by our caring actions and interactions.
Our group flew from Bloomington IL to Atlanta GA. While we were in the airport, we met several other groups who were also traveling to Guatemala for various missions. We flew into the Guatemala City airport and then traveled by van (about 3 hours) to Antigua. On Sunday morning, we took the van to San Juan La Laguna which was our home base. We would then travel to the next turn over, San Pablo, for training and education for the week.
Poverty affects 97% of the population in San Pablo and 76% in San Juan. San Pablo has an adult population that is majority illiterate. Much of the population suffers from chronic malnutrition. Contaminated water in both communities is a huge problem. And in the department of Sololá, diarrhea and respiratory illnesses are the leading causes of death.
The work focus for going to ODIM was to build safe stoves and deliver water filtration systems for families in need. Thanks to the generosity of our Wesley Church family, 16 stoves and water filters were purchased and 12 were installed during the mission (the other four to be installed by another team). In many of the homes in the low-income areas of San Juan and San Pablo, families do their cooking over an open fire on the dirt or concrete floor of their home, and there is little venting of the smoke other than through windows or doors, or gaps in the walls.
Safe stoves contain the flame in a small fire box, and the smoke is vented with a chimney through the roof. The installation process involves finding or creating a level space for the stove, stacking of cinder blocks for a base, and assembly of the stove parts made of clay and concrete. The stove requires 70 percent less wood than an open fire, and once it is hot, it stays hot for long periods of time due to the clay components inside.
These safe stoves reduce or eliminate smoke in the homes and the water filters reduce or eliminate the number of bacteria in the family’s drinking water. These two home interventions combat the prevalence of respiratory and intestinal illnesses caused by toxic smoke inhalation and consumption of contaminated water. The families that receive these stoves and water filters must go through an application process to show need, attend educational sessions to learn how to use and maintain the stove and filter, and then ODIM follows up with the family throughout the next few months to ensure the stoves and filters are in good working order and being used properly.
Our team of nine was divided into four groups, each working with an ODIM staff member to build each stove. The staff members guided us through the process and helped us communicate with recipient families. As each stove was completed, the family had to demonstrate what they learned throughout the application process by building a fire in the stove, and if time allowed, make tortillas.
In each home we were in, families were willing to help in the building process if they were able. It was a joy to spend time with and get to know each family, and experience the gratitude they have for ODIM, to us as volunteers, and for the stove and water filter that will help them live healthier lives.
Many members of the team have been on several mission trips, and we know that our efforts were a blessing to those we served, but this trip was different. We were able to see firsthand how God works through us to impact others, realizing that each one of these stoves immediately changes lives for the better, both for their health and their self-esteem. It is estimated that each family has an average of 5-6 members living in these homes, and that these 16 stoves will immediately improve the lives of 90-100 people.
We feel blessed to have seen the world through the eyes of the Guatemalan people and the work that ODIM does with them. We hope to be able to continue a relationship with ODIM and perhaps have the opportunity to help even more families in future mission trips to Guatemala.
For more information of the Organization for the Development of the Indigenous Maya and the vital clinical services and proactive health and education programs they offer, see https://www. odimguatemala.org/
First-time Mission Leader Co-Hort Trainings
Leading a Mission Team for the First Time? Let’s Learn From Each Other!
UMVIM will be hosting two co-hort training opportunities for first time Mission Team leaders, who are leading short-term volunteer mission teams from local churches. Each training will be broken up into 4 ninety minute sessions for the following date options:
Wednesday evenings: March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 2025, starting at 6pm Central time/7pm Eastern
or
Saturday mornings on April 12, 19, 26, and May 3rd, starting at 9:30am Central time/10:30am Eastern.
Participants must attend all sessions, and any re-scheduled trainings will need to be approved by the whole group.
Participants are encouraged to download and read the Team Leader Handbook at umvim.org/handbookdownload before the event.
This training will focus on theology of mission, the UMC connectional structure, practical advice for leading a team and mission travel, and more!
The Wednesday co-hort will be led by Tammy Kuntz and Ray Yarnall, and the Saturday training by Matt Lacey and Eddie Irwin. Co-horts are open to all with a minimum of 4 participants and maximum of 12 participants will be needed for the training.
If you have questions, contact Rev. Tammy Kuntz at ncj@umvim.org or Rev. Matt Lacey at matt_lacey@umvim.org
Participants will be sent a Google Classroom link for the training dates.
Click here to register for the Wednesday Night Co-Hort
Click here to register for the Saturday Morning Co-Hort
There is a suggested donation of $20 for participants, but not required.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BORDER
Rane Roste (MN) received funding from the Directors Scholarship to serve with Manos Juntas Mission. You can support NCJ Scholarship funds at https://umvim.org/ncj-donate.
When I first joined the team to go on this mission trip, all I really thought I was going to do was go to Rió Bravo and build a casita for a family and a fence for a school. I didn’t really expect much else. I had done two mission trips before, one to Detroit, Michigan and one to Washington D.C. These were youth mission trips so I was with all of my friends. During these trips I was doing work, but I mainly took back the memories I had made with my friends and the fun we had being on a trip together. I expected this one to be just the same but with adults. However, during this mission trip, after it was over and looking back on it now, I still see God in so many of the things I experienced and the people I met, and I am beyond grateful that my path of faith led me this way. It has truly opened my eyes and allowed me to see America from the other side of the border.
When our team of twelve first arrived, our goal was to get a one room with a loft Casita done and build a fence around an outdoor area for a school where kids could play soccer. We were welcomed with open arms by Manos Juntas, a Methodist organization based in Rio Bravo and all settled into our rooms. We then were introduced to Willy the director of Manos Juntas and Claudia our chef for the whole week. Our first two days were “explore” days where we drove around the town, went to a market, visited the town square and on Sunday went to church. We met the pastor there and one of his daughters, Anna. They both spoke very fluent English and told us they had just moved to Rio Bravo from Monterrey. During the Sermon, Anna took us downstairs to translate her fathers sermon for us from Spanish to English. We were all amazed that she was able to listen to his words and then convert them so that we could all experience the message too.
Once we started the “work” days, half of our team went to the Casita worksite and the other half went to the school. At each spot we had a Maestro. Juan worked with the people at the school and Pancho worked with the team at the Casita. Both of them were super patient with us, as they could do all of the jobs (mostly block and cement laying) ten times faster than we could, but still let us go at our own pace. The family at the Casiata, especially the three little girls, loved to help us move wood planks, paint, and grab tools that we needed. It was so fun watching them interact with each team member and having a good time building their new house. The children at the school were a little shy at first, but after the teacher let us join them in celebrating the king's day by sharing some cake, they warmed right up to us.
Once we were nearing the end of the projects, on friday we worked for a half day and then visited a few places that were connected with Manos Juntas. We went to a daycare and a children's temporary foster home that they run. Touring both of those places was so impactful for our team and for me, as all week we were surrounded by poverty. Seeing so many adults care so much for the children of Rio Bravo making sure they have a warm place to sleep, food on the table, clothing, showers and beds and so much more was amazing to witness and makes me so grateful for my own life and family. It just so happened that my birthday was this day too, so after taking a short trip to Progreso for some souvenirs, we went to my birthday dinner and all of the people we had met along the week joined us. I loved being surrounded by all these kind people that had taken our team under their wing and welcomed us into their home and their culture.
When the trip was done and we were crossing the border back into the U.S., I looked back on all the times I had seen God that week. I saw God when Anna was translating her fathers sermon, when Claudia cooked us three meals and day and always had a smile on her face, when I got a porcelain angel in my cake slice, when the team surprised me with a piñata for my birthday, when the mother of the children broke down crying when we finished the casita for her family, when the directors of the foster care house only had enough money to last till march but still had faith that God would provide and when I was looking at the team while we were working and everyone was still enjoying themselves even though we were all tired. I saw God in all of the people I had met along the way and especially saw God when I looked at the border from the other side. Seeing all these news stories and articles about how we need to keep tighter borders and build a wall to keep the “aliens” or “illegals” out after meeting the sweetest people ever is very saddening. These are real people, with real lives who are trying to make their lives better by getting out of situations that you can’t even imagine. I think God brought me to these people to show me how important it is to advocate for others' voices that are pushed down by an unfair system and other people's naive agendas of power. Just having empathy for people goes a long way and I encourage everyone to put themselves in other people's shoes and in this case, look at the border from the other side.
A Lesson in Caregiving
Heather Jue-Wong received funding from the Directors Scholarship to support her mission journey to Peru. Read her story Here. Or watch her share with her local church here.
Click here to help us be sure others can engage in God’s mission by supporting the scholarship funds. Designate your gift to scholarships.
You can serve in Peru! Go to Discover…Mission and contact. Michigan UMVIM coordinator Jody Pratt.
