Global Mission Partnerships
Submitted by missionadmin on Wed, 04/16/2008 - 15:27.
Welcome to Global Mission!
by the Rev. Ted Gaiser
Interested in joining or leading a mission trip? You can do it, and we can help get you started!
The Diocese of Massachusetts sponsored a Mission Pilgrimage to Palestine/Israel in June 2009 and is planning a Healthcare Mission in November 2010. You are invited to join us in this opportunity to develop bonds with our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Diocese of Jerusalem.
We are also in the process of developing task forces on the specific needs of Haiti, Healthcare Mission, and Israel/Palestine. See the article below for more details.
Take a look at our calendar of upcoming mission trips and mission events. If you know of an open trip, give us the details and we’ll post them. Mission teams are headed to El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Africa, and the Middle East. There are also mission conferences hosted both in and outside of the US, such as the Global Episcopal Mission (GEM) Network 2010 World Mission Institute Conference in June.
If you are considering leading a mission trip but are not sure where to go, check out our regional mission information section Where To Go.
You might also consider perusing the various resources. There are some helpful mission tips, information on creating a budget, ideas for fundraising, sample forms, and more at our Leading A Trip page.
For more information, check out our Global Partnership brochure (in PDF format).
Israel/Palestine Links
Submitted by israelpal_editor on Mon, 02/22/2010 - 20:37.These are some useful links:
Israel-Palestine Task Force Site
Submitted by israelpal_editor on Mon, 02/22/2010 - 20:17.
Evangelical Home and School in Ramallah, Palestine
Image: Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem
Israel/Palestine
As many of us know, there is a tremendous need in Palestine in such places as Ramallah. Starting in the summer of 2008, the Rev. Robert Edmunds and his wife Deb will begin serving as the Chaplain to the Bishop and the Bishop's Administrative Assistant, respectively. The Rev. Edmunds will be available to advise churches as they explore ways in which they can engage in God’s mission in the region.
There is a Diocesan Holy Land Committee that is currently undergoing some changes. In the meantime, churches interested in getting involved in mission projects through the Diocese of Jerusalem are encouraged to contact The Rt. Rev. Gayle Harris (GHarris@diomass.org), who is currently facilitating relationships in Israel & Palestine, The Rev. Robert Edmunds, Chaplain to the Bishop of Jerusalem (bishop@j-diocese.org), or the Diocese of Jerusalem directly at:
The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Post Office Box 19122 20 Nablus Road Jerusalem 91191 Telephone: + 972 2 627 1670 Fax: + 972 2 627 3847 e-Mail: info@j-diocese.org (+ General Info.)
The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (The Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, Bishop) has a great website: http://www.j-diocese.org. The website also contains information about diocesan guesthouses available for pilgrim and mission groups.
The American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem is a non-profit, non-political partnership with a mission of nurturing the Church in the Holy Land. Visit the AFEDJ website at: http://www.americanfriends-jerusalem.org/index.html.
Also, be sure to read this thoughtful, detailed testimonial written by a Duke University student of his experiences on a pilgrimage to Israel through St. Georges College, Jerusalem: http://www.duke.edu/~gwc/IsraelTrip.htm.
Israel Palestine Group
Submitted by israelpal_editor on Mon, 02/22/2010 - 20:11.Adding To Our Website Resources
Submitted by rkhotte2 on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 15:53.The Global Mission Partnership Task Force (GMPTF) is currently going through some changes. In the coming months, there will be three additions to the GMPTF family.
Over the past several years the Diocese has had groups of individuals active around issues related to peace in Palestine/Israel and working for justice for Palestinians. Various trips have been made to the region, people have supported Palestinian businesses in various ways, people have been involved in various advocacy efforts, fundraising efforts have enabled our Diocese to be generous in its support of projects such as housing in Ramallah, the emergency room at St. Luke’s Hospital in Nablus, and the elder housing project in Ber Zeit, and churches have developed relationships with churches such as Emmanuel in Ramla, St. Andrew’s in Ramallah, and St. Peter’s in Ber Zeit ... and more ... A Palestine/Israel Task Force is forming to continue work in the region by focusing our efforts on continuing the work of Bp. Harris and others in developing our relationship with the Diocese of Jerusalem, providing tools and resources to educate the members of our Diocese about the issues, and working collaboratively with other organizations to expand opportunities for interfaith dialog.
There are several parishes, and individuals, in our Diocese that have been active in Haiti over the years developing church partnerships, providing medical care, assisting with construction projects, and supporting schools. In response to the recent earthquake, members of the Diocese have come together to form a Haiti Task Force. The task force is addressing both short-and long-term responses to Haiti's needs. In the short-term, we are encouraging people to offer prayers for Haiti, conducting fundraising, and supporting those who are currently able to help as certified first responders. In the long-term, we hope to facilitate reconstruction and healthcare mission trips in the coming months and years.
Members of the GMPTF have expressed a growing desire on the part of healthcare professionals in our churches to participate in mission activities that take advantage of their professional skills. In response, Samaritans Now, an Episcopal medical relief organization, has joined forces with the GMPTF to create a Global Healthcare Mission Task Force. We will be hosting an informational meeting at St. Mary’s Church, Newton Lower Falls (Saturday, 4/10, 10:00AM) for any and all healthcare professionals interested in participating in a mission trip (doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, physical therapists, psychologists, clinical social workers, etc.). Plans are currently underway for healthcare mission trips in 2010 and 2011 to the Caribbean, West Bank and Africa.
Disaster Relief Notes - Haiti
Submitted by rkhotte2 on Fri, 01/15/2010 - 01:40.HAITI DISASTER RELIEF
*** Most aid organizations can only take trained professionals … people with disaster relief certification. The Red Cross offers a course, if you’re interested.
*** There are few things we can do in the immediate besides pray and donate funding, as there is limited access to Haiti (as is often the case in a disaster situation).
*** While the immediate disaster is front and center on our mind, there will be much that needs to be done for MANY years to come. Just because you don’t go this week doesn’t mean you should scrap your interest in offering relief. Get some training, raise some funding, and make some connections (after the “smoke” clears, as they say) and then go to help.
There is plenty to be done in disaster relief. Here is some information that might be useful if you’re considering donating or getting involved:
Donating
The Society of St. Margaret, 17 Highland Park Street, Boston, MA 02119. For updates and more information about the sisters’ work in Haiti, go to www.ssmbos.com and click on the “Haiti” page link.
Episcopal Relief and Development: Donate online at www.er-d.org or call 800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Donations can be mailed to Episcopal Relief and Development, PO Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058. (Please put “Haiti Fund” in the memo line of all checks.) Also, Episcopal Relief and Development is producing a bulletin insert that will be available online.
Volunteering
The highest demand right now is medical support and supplies. If you have some kind of healthcare skills, have disaster training, and are prepared to travel to Haiti, here is some information that may help.
Contacts
Doctors without Borders 212.679.6800 … has an online volunteer form and probably won’t accept anyone who lacks disaster experience and/or training.
Partners in Health 617.432.5256 … is based out of Boston and has medical programs and facilities in Haiti (PiH has set up a temporary field hospital in Port-Au-Prince and all medical facilities are reporting a lack of sufficient staff and medical supplies).
Episcopal Relief & Development 800.334.7626, ext. 5129 … has a disaster relief program and may have a channel for volunteers.
The Episcopal Church of Haiti … http://www.egliseepiscopaledhaiti.org and the local contact through the diocesan offices in Haiti is The Rev. Kesner Ajax … kesnerajax@yahoo.com . Though communication in Haiti is currently a challenge, Kesner has had some internet access.
Credentials
It’s recommended that you carry a copy of any current valid medical credentials or licenses. You might plan to keep one in your bag and another physically on you. That’s also the case with your passport. Be sure to keep a copy of your passport separate from your actual passport. (If your passport is lost or stolen, a copy will significantly expedite replacement.)
Self-care
You’ll be going in to difficult places and be exposed to increasing health risks. If you haven’t been to a travel clinic recently, you should do so. Get things like malaria tablets. Unlike a typical mission-related trip, you’ll want to remember to take supplies such as water treatment tablets which are usually available in stores like Eastern Mountain Sports and REI.
Packing
Plan to pack “extremely” light. You’ll probably be carrying your personal belongings much of the time. A good rule is for all of your personal items to fit in one carry-on. Keep in mind that you’re in a disaster area, so keeping up appearances isn’t really an issue. If you’re a medical professional, you may want to restrict the majority of your wardrobe to scrubs. Scrubs are appropriate for just about any healthcare environment and provide an added advantage of identifying you as medical.
Take as many checked bags as you can handle and that are allowed … filled with all types of medical supplies (you might call the airline prior to departure to see if you can get luggage fees waived for humanitarian efforts). Think in terms of any kind of bandaging or wound cleansing materials, as well as any antibiotics, Benedryl, Ibuprofen, extra strength Ibuprofen, Vitamins, Children’s Tylenol, basic personal items such as a toothbrushes, lotions, hand sanitizers, and so forth.
Provided by:
The Global Mission Partnership Task Force
The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts
Kenya - Dianne Smith, RN
Submitted by rkhotte2 on Thu, 01/14/2010 - 20:43.Dianne is an RN, living and working as a long-term missioner in Maseno, Kenya. Dianne writes: "I left my heart in... Maseno, Kenya!" It was a privilege to work with Drs. Gerry and Nan Hardison in East Africa in November and December of 2007. The Episcopal Church has commissioned me to return in the fall of 2008 for a longer-term assignment. It will be an honor to work again at Maseno Hospital, the HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Care Center, and with the mobile medical clinics and feeding programs that serve thousands of orphans in Western Province every week. "Love one another," we are so often reminded. I invite you to join me in loving service, holding hearts and hands in communion around the world. Asante sana! (Thank you very much!)
View Dianne's excellent blog at: http://heart-to-god.blogspot.com.
El Salvador - Noah Bullock
Submitted by rkhotte2 on Wed, 12/02/2009 - 01:39.In May of 2004 Noah Bullock graduated from the University of Montana’s Liberal Arts program with an emphasis in Peace and Conflict Studies. Noah has been living in El Salvador since August of 2005, working as director of community development for the Episcopal missions in Usulutan. The communities where Noah worked were made up of repatriated refugees and ex-combatants from the guerrilla and national army. Noah has coordinated with the local government and NGO’s in disaster relief missions, literacy projects, and leadership development workshops. In 2007, Noah began to organize a movement opposing the forced expropriation of peasant lands in the Bajo Lempa region of Usulutan. He also directed a regional sustainable agriculture project, the construction of a bridge, and the installation of a water system. During the last year and a half, Noah has been studying at University of Central America, Jose Simone Canas in Masters level diploma program in Local Development, where he researched development theory and practice in El Salvador.
Currently, Noah is working on a project called: "That a More Humane World Might Be". It is an integrated media project that seeks to create a contemporary image of El Salvador in its historic evolution toward a more just society. The title is taken from the chorus line of a wartime folk anthem: "...In order that a more human world might be, we have sworn to struggle until we overcome..."
The focus of the research will follow the evolution of this struggle and hope for change from the assassination of Archbishop Romero to the present. The research will fuel an online database of an audio/video archive of testimonials, photos, and articles that will document the life stories and experiences with poverty that would other wise pass without any historical record. The end product will be a book that interweaves these personal accounts, making analytical inroads into development and human rights policy and practice. The book will be submitted for publishing in August of 2010, and along with the website, will serve as a resource to strengthen cross-cultural understanding and partnerships in our Christian mission to bring about a more humane world.
See the website for Noah's work at: http://elsalvadorproject.org.
Chris Morck - Ecuador
Submitted by rkhotte2 on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 18:13.Guamote and mission
Although most of our time is invested in the Colombian Migration Ministry, congregations in Quito, the Latin American Council of Churches, and serving as a bridge between the Diocese of Central Ecuador and the wider church, another occasional facet of our life and work in Ecuador is the incredible privilege of accompanying Bishop Luis Fernando Ruiz and others from the Diocese in pastoral visits around the country.
Such was the case at the end of August when we spent a weekend visiting indigenous communities around Ambato and Riobamba. On that Sunday we traveled to the area around Guamote, south of Riobamba and about 5 hours from Quito, where we accompanied the Bishop to eight different indigenous communities. These villages lie between 12,000 and 13,000+ feet above sea level, right in the Ecuadorian Andes. Although many in the communities speak varying levels of Spanish, the Bishop had Quichua interpretation for those who do not and in order to show respect for the community members and their mother tongue.
Even though Ecuador is a relatively small country, it is unbelievably diverse. Part of this diversity is seen in the indigenous population of the country, which has been estimated by some to be 40% of the total population and which includes a dozen distinct linguistic groups. I have been told that Quichua itself, the language spoken by most Ecuadorian Andean indigenous peoples and some groups on the Coast and in the Amazon, has 17 different variations in Ecuador alone.
On that Sunday, the communities received the Bishop with processions, music, singing, dancing (which included us all) and speeches. It was very special and humbling to be part of such a remarkable visit. From village to village throughout that day we were given traditional meals of potatoes, white cheese, fava beans, hominy corn and drinks made with barley flour. In two villages we were even served guinea pig, a delicacy for special occasions. Both our children love much of the food and even when we are in Quito they will go out of their way to eat it, but it was our youngest daughter who probably ate an entire guinea pig all by herself.
These eight communities that we visited, along with 13 others in the region, have asked to be attended to by the Episcopal Church in a process which began about a year ago. Many have church buildings but no one to minister in them and there is one indigenous Episcopal priest from the area who attends to all of them with the help of lay ministers from the communities themselves. The invitations which these 21 villages have made come largely from their desire to be accompanied, and this was a theme repeated often during the visits. Before now, a priest would visit the villages once every year or so, and as such the sacraments which mean so much to the people were celebrated infrequently and often hastily.
Time and again during the visit people spoke of how important this part of community and church life is and how they long to have regular celebrations of the sacraments. Along with this, many people expressed their desire for a more consistent and permanent presence from the church in community life in general. Not only through the sacraments, but people want the church to truly be part of their families and community life as a companion in its natural cycle of life and death, of planting and harvest, and in the midst of its joys and sorrows.
As expressed by the communities, a third reason for their desire to be a part of the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Central Ecuador is their feeling that they have an authentic place within it. They are impressed with the emphasis on lay leadership and the full participation of the whole community of faith in the decision-making and direction of the church. They feel that they will be heard and respected, and they believe that they have a lot to offer to the larger church as we walk together. From different conversations both that day and in other encounters, it seems that many understand the Episcopal Church as a space where ministry and a lived theology may develop which better reflects the life and faith of their own community and their cultural and religious traditions, and which may be more authentic to their indigenous worldview and organization. There is something of mutuality in this as they look to receive what the church offers along with offering themselves to the church in a way that will allow her to learn and grow as well.
As seen through these conversations, these villages seem to have an awareness of who they are and what they need, and they have a sense of what they want from the church in this budding relationship. They also hold an awareness about what they can offer to the church - such as the potential for an increased sense of community, healthier relationships with the rest of the creation, and a better living-out of our interconnectedness - and they are willing to share these gifts with the wider church community. As the Diocese and these communities enter into relationship, there is gift and reception; an attentiveness to what we need as well as to what we may offer each other in order to grow into a fuller awareness of God’s reign in the world and to walk toward and within a more life-giving way of being – and of being together.
As I reflect on these relationships, it seems that they have something to say to us all as we think, pray and offer ourselves up to God’s purposes for us in the world. Mission is so much about giving and receiving, and about creating something new and fruitful together through the relationship.
As we continue to live out God’s call in concrete ways through companion and mission relationships, we can also seek awareness about our own needs. These relationships should focus not only on what we may offer, but on what we may need from the relationship. In what ways do I need to see a fuller, more life-giving picture of God and God’s reign in the world? What do I, and my community, need in order to live this out in more authentic ways? As I seek to accompany others, in what ways do I need to be accompanied as well?
A wonderful promise, and challenge, of these relationships is that through them we may walk together in ways which better fulfill God’s purposes for us all. That through the community created in these relationships, we may grow in and live out together the love and abundant life that God desires for us all.
Haiti Earthquake Relief
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