Mike Willis, senior pastor of Vestal United Methodist Church,
is in Port au Prince serving as the Haiti Volunteer Management Coordinator.
We will post updates from Mike as he is able to send them.
Please check back often!
July 24, 2010
Here’s a link to a video prepared by our COR intern, Beth Guy. I appear in it several times, but it is mainly some scenes from the earthquake and many of the children from the tent camp out back. There are also scenes from a couple of outings we have taken to Jacmel and to Wahoo Beach. . . . She did a wonderful job with it.
This is what part of my life has been like in Haiti. It is a blessing to be here.
The work on a site is typically divided into three phases. First is deconstruction, clean-up and debris removal. Everything is done by hand, side-by-side with Haitian workers. There are picks, shovels, work gloves, and a wheel barrow or two. Especially the first day or two, team members are urged to take it slowly, to drink all the time, to rest often. There is absolutely no way you will keep pace with a Haitian worker who has done this type of work and lived in this climate all their life. Even if you’ve run marathons or are an Olympic athlete, don’t even try. Better to pace yourself and keep healthy and happy.
Phase two is often some form of temporary structure which may serve as a church, school, community center, clinic or some combination of these. Temporary buildings are constructed mainly of imported lumber and corrugated metal roofing – home-made trusses or rafters. Why? Several reasons. The government has not yet set standards for permanent concrete or block structures – this will take many months for them to come up with. The permanent structure will take time to build – sometimes many more months, depending on size and complexity. The community needs a place to have church and school, etc. now – thus phase two.
In some more remote places (i.e. Fond-Doux), restrictions are lessoned, and we are “allowed” to build. But with stronger foundations, more steel reinforcements, walls tied together in more secure ways, lighter roofing materials, and one floor only – until further notice.
Finally the final building stage. Engineering drawings are complete, the site boss has a complete list of needed materials, these are ordered, skilled laborers are found, and the work begins.
That’s it – Nothing to it, right!? . . .
One other thing we are considering are having each team plant a tree (probably a viable fruit tree – mango, etc.) at a place chosen by the community, as a sign of new life, resurrection, hope for the future. Local people will be asked to water the trees, and invited to participate in a brief service of dedication and prayer during the planting. VIMs in the future should be able to not only revisit the people and see what has happened with the project, but – with God’s help - they will also be able to take a few moments in prayer before this living symbol of new life. The community will have this very useful tree to remember the grace and love they received through the team.
I know there are details I have left out, but if you have followed this from Part One, you now have a pretty good picture of what this is all about. It is amazing to see God working through so many people from all over the US and world to come to this place in acts of love, mercy, and justice. Thank you to all of you for your many sacrifices and gifts.
July 21, 2010
Typical Worksite – Part Three
After the Assignment
After a team receives their potential site assignment, the communication lines shift from Susan to me. But first, Susan gets information from the team about numbers of men and women on the team, flight times, airlines and numbers. We need this info to plan for housing and transportation. We refer team leaders to our sample team budget and other information on our UMVIM website. I send an e-mail describing the project, special tools or needs for the project or community. Sometimes there are special requests for items for the Guest House, or for some other critical need. I also communicate types of housing and transportation.
Then comes the barrage of questions from the team leader and members. Sometimes there are special needs for particular team members. The questions often have to do with entry into the country, transportation, bedding, housing, tools, and more. Doug, Susan, and I try to answer as much as we can, and then refer to people in UMCOR or the GBGM. Occasionally there are health concerns for one or more members. Sometimes team members have unique skills that they want to offer.
As the dates of travel near, we work out the final details and answer last minute questions.
Arrival
Finally, teams arrive. They are picked up by our drivers and staff at the airport and transported to the Methodist Guest House in Petionville – where I live in the missionary apartment on the second floor. They enter, settle into rooms, and find their way around. Before the day is over, we will take them to a near-by food court type place called the Epidor for lunch (if needed), lead them through a 30-40 minute orientation which reviews everything from water usage, bathrooms, bartering with venders, a brief lesson on the GH and immediate area, safety, etc., and we answer any questions.
Team leaders collect passports, cell phones that won’t be used in Haiti, extra cash that won’t be needed until later, and exit visas. We put these in a sealed envelope and lock them in a safe for the duration of their stay. While at the GH, teams have access to this as needed. We often will need to meet with team leaders to plan and handle some financial needs. Then the teams have down time, devotions, organized their stuff, and rest. And, yes! As of our 4th of July BBQ Party, guests can now swim in the pool again. We gave up on the store getting the pool paint out of port, filled the pool (which took a week by the well pump), and will drain and paint the pool later in the year.
Then, we either take time to finish up many e-mail responses, review the next day, prepare finances, feed some children from the tent community behind the GH, and – eventually find a few moments of down time.
The next morning one of two things usually happens: If working at a site relatively near-by, the team is transported to their worksite by our drivers and vehicles. They will return in mid to late afternoon. If living at or near their worksite, the team and supplies are transported there. The interpreter joins the team at this point, and becomes a member of the team.
The first day is spent meeting the people of the community, setting up living areas (if needed), meeting cooks, viewing the worksite, and finding time to rest and play with the children – there are always children. More than 50% of the population of Haiti is under the age of 18. Teams staying in the field rarely work on this day. Go easy – enter slowly – you will be tired and need to orient yourselves. The local community, too, needs to meet you and begin to form relationships of trust. If teams dive right into the work in a task-oriented way, then they will miss the most important part of our mission – the people, the relationships, the opportunities to share and receive the love of God.
Work days go from about 7:30 a.m. to mid-afternoon, depending on how hot the day is and whether it rains. There is worship, conversation, and recreation on Sunday – no work – it’s the Sabbath. [to be continued]
July 17, 2010
Typical Worksite – Part Two
Still Preparing
Next, we look at a start date, an estimated budget, and then begin team assignments. Each team is asked to contribute a minimum of $3500 in order to receive the $3500 UMCOR matching grant. So each team brings $7000 into the program. From this, five percent ($350) goes to help the District (the Haiti Conference) with administrative and program expenses.
The remaining $6650 balance is allotted to the project(s) to which the team is assigned. This money is sent in at least 4-6 weeks in advance, so that materials can be purchased, a site boss can be hired, and workers can be hired to prepare the worksite or to continue work on the project. Team funds are often spent before, during, and long after a VIM team visit to Haiti. During an expensive phase (i.e. lots of materials needed) of the project, most of the funds are spent or designated long before the team arrives. During a less expensive phase of the project (i.e. clearing of rubble), the project money is mostly spent after the team heads home – in order to purchase materials for a foundation, to keep workers employed between teams, to pay for the week’s labor while the team was present, or – when financially possible - to pay cooks to prepare a hot lunch for the workers beyond the time the team is present.
The goal we must maintain is a 2:1 ratio between Haitian workers and VIMers. The workers include drivers, cooks, interpreter(s), water carriers, security people, temporary laborers, engineer, site boss, etc. The ratio is enhanced because we are many times able to employ laborers and others for several days before team arrival, and for several days after. The site boss works with his own skilled labor pool and with the local community leaders to hire laborers. It’s all done in a very “laborers in the vineyard” biblical fashion which seems chaotic, but ends peacefully.
Calendaring / Team Assignments
While all of this is going on, Susan Meister (in Illinois) is receiving requests for dates for teams – lots of them! We Skype, phone, send smoke signals(?) – whatever way we can communicate to put the pieces of the puzzle together in a way that works within the limits of the Guest House and available transportation. The calendar is constantly in flux, so teams need to be patient in this new system, as teams cancel, add on team members, and sometimes make other changes along the way. We are still working a few bugs out.
It’s all like a giant logic problem, but I describe it like a house of cards or a row of dominoes – a whole series of assignments and dates can change at any time based on new needs and circumstances in Haiti. We are currently scheduling teams for February and March of 2011 and beyond.
About 4-6 weeks before a team’s trip, we are ready to make tentative worksite assignments. This is done differently than ever before, but it is much better for the mission – here’s why: Teams, groups, and organizations used to chose a worksite from a list and then send several teams to this site – perhaps Jan., Feb., March, April, and November. But this left long gaps between some trips where workers were laid off and progress halted.
Currently, teams are assigned to the site of greatest need like links in a chain. Teams from many locations throughout the U.S. and the world may all contribute to the same project. This means that we can often have two teams a month on one location, employ laborers the majority of the time between teams, and provide a continuous flow of income for the project. Materials can be purchased on time, appropriate skilled laborers sought and hired, engineering plans laid out properly, and more. Many supplies like basic tools are provided on site in the early stages, so teams do not have to bring these and have more room for health supplies, school supplies, and other community needs.
This new program has also provided the opportunity for groups to come from many new regions of the US (and eventually from more international locations). We are receiving teams from places like Idaho and California, Montana, and from many areas that have never sent VIMs to Haiti. I believe this is happening because everyone is working together on various projects, and the burden to complete and sustain a project doesn’t fall on just one church or conference or region. A group can send a team and test the waters. As before, the experience has a chain reaction once teams return home, sparking more life and interest in the mission field in churches, families, schools, and community organizations. We are actually talking about what to do to expand the program if we outgrow the current Guest House and staff!
Of course, teams and team leaders need to be more flexible, as site assignments can change even as a team is traveling to Haiti – not usually, but this can happen. It helps to see the bigger picture and how much more efficient and helpful this new system is. I have been doing VIM work for 16 years and traveled over 20 times to Haiti and I have never seen anything as vital or exciting as this new system. There is always room for improvement, and we will make mistakes, but – in the Wesleyan tradition – we are moving on to perfection. [to be continued]
July 15, 2010
Sorry for the long delay in updates, but here is what has been happening for the past many weeks. When I returned from my trip home in May, we began to open up many additional worksites and teams started flowing in. Doug Nagle joined me on staff in Haiti as Finance/Hospitality Director. It was a relief to have someone responsible for the finances after flying solo for a month. There was a great deal to sort out.
I thought I would begin by sharing with you some of what I am responsible for in my work in Haiti. After a few of these updates, I’ll share what happens with all of your donations to my “discretionary” relief fund and then some of the fun stuff we also get to do. It is important to keep a balance in life!
Ready to be overwhelmed??? . . . Here goes . . .
How a Typical Worksite and Project Operates (Part One)
Here’s how a typical (if there is such a thing) worksite is scheduled. First, I work with Pastor Gesner Paul, President of the Methodist Church of Haiti, to look at the MCH list of reconstruction priorities for each circuit. Together, we determine where to go next. This is based on the greatest need, and a balance between PaP area, north, and south.
Then I visit the site to look at security, housing for teams, cooks and cooking areas, and storage for materials. Will the team sleep in tents? Can we rent a house? Is the school or church or other building structurally sound for the team to sleep there? Are there beds, cots, mosquito netting. What supplies will the team need to bring in?
Once all these questions and more are answered, then we set up a meeting with the community and/or church leaders. It is important for the community to have ownership of the decisions and process. The program must be Haitian driven at all times – meeting the local needs, rather than arranged to meet the foreigners’ requests or desires. The people must have input so that all of this, in the midst of their grief and chaos, makes some sense to them – and will be helpful over the long term.
The people in the community where we work often go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that our teams are safe, comfortable, that they have the supplies they need, to offer the true Haitian hospitality that is so much a part of the culture. Usually the lay leader, lay pastor, or church steward are key contacts. We also work closely with the superintendents of the circuits in planning and budgeting for the project.
Next comes the engineering and planning. Some sites have already developed engineering design plans and have fairly decent estimates of costs, others are starting from square one. I work closely with the engineer and the community leaders to be sure that the plans work for the local people, fit our program of reconstruction, and consider community development needs. We can’t simply throw up buildings and expect the communities to instantly have the means to sustain and maintain them. The UMCOR UMVIM program looks at ways to help the community to become independent from international aid: UMCOR is working at helping the MCH to revamp and revitalize a micro-credit system. Do the residents have clean water? Do they need a well? Irrigation? Latrines? Sanitation? Can we help with any of these? What resources does the community have to contribute?
You would be amazed how generous the people are, even though in some areas there is over 80 percent destruction of all homes and businesses. Some areas look like an atomic bomb exploded there, but the people are willing and hoping to contribute what little they have to help their neighbors and communities. This is how the people have survived through all of the tragedies and foreign and internal abuse – they find ways to care for one another; community ties are key. [to be continued]
May 13, 2010
I write to share some random thoughts of the many wonderful things that are happening in my life in Haiti, and in our mission. Enjoy, and feel free to publish.
Last evening, as promised, Dr. Jack Nonweiler of Three-Angels clinic and orphanage, handed me 30 “tickets” to offer people in our small, about 300 people, tent city behind the GH on Freres Campus. George, a pre-med student from Michigan and Haitian-born man, went with me to help. He was great.
It was wonderful to spend 30-40 minutes wandering in the maze of tents and cords – finally – finally able to help with something for these people struggling in the tents. For weeks now I have walked by, saying hello, offering an encouraging word or to, but not much more. This time I was able to offer them a lifeline as we asked men, women, and children if they were sick or if they knew of anyone there who was sick. We encountered infections and intestinal problems, eye issues and all sorts of pains and fevers. But, to my pleasant surprise, everyone was so patient and helpful – offering the limited opportunities to those in most need; not rushing me as I expected; thinking it through; offering to lead groups from the tent-village to the 8:00 a.m. clinic at Delmas 91 down the hill; taking us to yet more tents within the tangled and tight-fitted maze where someone was in need, or a child was suffering. When the 30 tickets were gone, it seemed that all were satisfied, even though we were sure that some had sacrificed their spot for others.
The good doctor promises more tickets – even daily when three-angels groups are in the country.
I have spent some evenings with the children – not to anyone’s surprise who has ever traveled with me in Haiti – some say my future presidency looms on the horizon! But I’ve seen that job, and . . . Well, anyway – here are a few samples of my evening outings: Walking up Impasse a Thoby to the corner food stand to buy 3 … no, 5 … I mean 7 ... oh, here’s an 8th child . . . a small meal – most of these kids have not eaten much all day. I am known and a “bon pratik” at the food stand, which basically means I am one of her best and most consistent customers. But for less than 100 gourdes (about $2.50, I can offer them something to get them through.
I have offered 30-minute English classes to the refugee children (with several adults listening in) who live next door in the tents.
I have organized small work teams of children and youth who rake the yard, pick up some trash, and other simple chores for a 5-10 gourdes. This offers them a chance to have a sense of accomplishing something, rather than just asking for a hand-out.
But let me tell you about the first three worksites we have opened. #1 – a very eager and energetic Church of the Resurrection (COR) group helped the Haitian workers make huge progress on rebuilding the Guest House security walls. The two sides and the front wall are almost completed. The process has begun of cleaning up the yard and pool – which will be greatly appreciated by our guests (and me!). There is much to be done at the GH, but additional teams are coming. COR has also been a great help in vastly improving our internet and WiFi. Please write to former President Clinton and ask him to have one more satellite aimed at Haiti, so that all of the NGO laptops can function without jamming the bandwidth (seriously!).
Site #2: The Methodist Boys’ Home – actually now more appropriately named the Methodist Children’s Home, since there are six girls living there now. Matt Lacey and his team from Alabama made great strides alongside boss Weche and his many laborers, as they demolished, carried debris away to the kamyon pile, and finished the foundation of the front security wall. The 36 children, ages 8 to 17, will soon rest more peacefully with less fear with the walls back in place.
The mission will not only be able to rebuild structures, we are going to rebuild lives! At every site, I plan to do an assessment beyond the rebuilding needs, to learn of the behind-the-scenes needs of the community. Here are some ways we will accomplish this together: The children are all living outside in tents, not because the home is structurally unsound, but because they are traumatized with fear of the quake and its many aftershocks. Therefore, all of their mattresses are now moldy and rotting. The Alabama Conference team has generously offered to fund the purchase of new mattresses for all of the children!
The project money you send and the matching funds will be able to more than fund the wall and somewhat minor structural repairs to the Children’s Home. We can use the balance of these funds to meet other long-standing needs. With at least three teams assigned to this site, we will be able to: purchase a new refrigerator when the old one burned out in a power surge from the earthquake; replace the electric meter which fell from wherever it was and now dangles from the tree in the front yard. The 220 power it supplied ran the pump for the home’s water. Shoes and some clothing will be purchased for the children; boxes and boxes of food have been delivered, thanks to a generous donation from Three-Angels. We will purchase a generator to supply power during most of the day when there is no city power. We can also provide them a start-up fund for fuel for this generator. And much more.
Off to site #3: Mellier – just west and south of Carrefour. A wonderful rural community very near the epicenter of the quake. There are unbelievable levels of destruction in the near-by town of Leogone. The Mellier church has been totally destroyed and the community has already cleared the debris for this. The school needs to be mostly demolished and rebuilt. We will be meeting community needs there. Greg Forrester’s group is on site as I write this, and four more teams are already scheduled – many more to come.
The community is very much involved! Previous to the team’s arrival, I visited the site three times – once to attend church there, where I heard their excellent four-part harmony choir led by the engineer, who also has a beautiful voice for the project, Nacesse. We had a church leaders’ meeting after refreshments following worship with 15-20 leaders attending. This will be a great place to work, and a great deal needs to be accomplished there.
This week we will open two more worksites as groups continue to arrive: Petit Goave and Fond Deux. More on this next time.
Blessings and God’s peace,
Mike
May 3, 2010
We had a great trip to Bainet on Friday, April 30th. Here is more information for you:
First – from Gesner Paul, president of the Methodist Church of Haiti he plans to form a Micro-Credit group in Hermitage with funds we had sent before.
The school is meeting, but under a pole type structure next to the church. They are using the church for classes, too. The children are afraid to enter the School, since it is a two-story building – but all schools that I have seen are meeting in tents or other structures like this. They have palm branches over the pole structure, but need tarps. I can front money for them and let you know – we could take it from the relief funds. They need 8-10 tarps – which we hope to send down with teams in May and June.
There was some damage on the school – not bad – but concrete chipped off where each part of the iron work in the front was connected into the support posts. Boss Weche says this is reparable and we will get a price from him for doing this work.
The kitchen/cooking/depot are is about 15 yards from the school. Many of the walls are up.
I received a wonderful report from Jean Robert while sitting under his gazebo drinking an ice-cold Sprite. He had it all written down in a notebook. Over 40-50 people/families were helped with the $1000 we sent. As we suspected, Jn. Robert made the money go a very long way! All of the teachers received aid, Amilis, and all others; all of the church people in most need; all of the church choir members; and all who worked on the water project so far. Then he held some back in reserve because he knew that others would come asking for help (very smart man!), and – of course – they did. He was than able to help some families and students from Bainet, as well. Way to go Jn. Robert!! It was great to see him.
The teachers gathered after school to give sincere thanks. Very nice. Lebrun is now directing the school. Fritz is out of there. The earthquake solved that problem. I now have Lebrun’s phone number, and Esther’s, who called me later to see if we made the trip back safely.
Then Frankie had gathered all of the rest of the people who had received funds from our relief money – they gathered in the church. A prayer was offered and many words of thanks . They asked me to offer a prayer, and then there was a long hug line.
Frankie then showed us how far the water is reaching – to the place near the house on the path to the left up the hill before the river (what directions!). The 4-inch pipe will remain in place to that point. It is flowing almost to capacity there. Frankie said they tried everything, but it just didn’t have the elevation or pressure to make it up over the hill to the church. He says that with the ram pump, the water will be able to reach Bainet. Let’s hope. It will be a huge boost to the community if we can do this. They already have plans for irrigation.
We still need to raise an additional $10,000!
We stayed a couple of hours longer than expected. I had stopped to see Carlos for a few minutes on the way in (the neighbors called him from his house). He’s learning guitar – and carried a guitar with terribly old and untune-able strings.
So – anyway, we reached the river at Jacmel around 4:30, and I began to think creatively (always dangerous!). So I called Donette and told her not to expect us for the night and we would look for a place to stay in Jacmel. We would have been caught in traffic in Carrefour after dark for hours.
Off to Jacmel. However, it was the 1st of May the next day – which is Haiti’s Labor Day – any excuse for a party. So every hotel in town was full!! Finally we heard that there might be room at the Cap Lamandou Hotel (the one on the hill over the bay on the East side – check their website out). We got inside and the front desk said there are no rooms – holiday. But then I said just for one night??? And she found a room that was reserved for the weekend, but the man wasn’t showing up until Saturday night (for the parties and celebrations). So we had a room in a five-star hotel w/ AC, hot water, great food, and an absolutely breathtaking view of the Bay of Jacmel! ($98 a night, plus $20 extra for Oge, breakfast included! – Come on down!!)
You won’t believe the photos I took from our private 3rd floor balcony overlooking the pool – that I still didn’t have a swim suit for, and they are actually required for this place (as opposed to Hermitage Beach!), can you believe that?
The next morning it was back to reality and work, but it was a nice diversion. We dropped most of our HP Hermitage supplies in Mellier. A couple of containers like “blankets and pillows” that wouldn’t be helpful there were brought back to the GH for storage. So about 10+ cots, camping chairs, mosquito nets, all the cooking stuff, and the electrical and tools are all now in Mellier. We left a few items that wouldn’t fit in storage in Hermitage. I have the keys. . . . Hmmm . . . might be an excuse to hit the beach and revisit the Cap Lamandou.
Mike
April 28, 2010
Haiti – first week –
It’s been six days since I arrived safely in Port-au-Prince (PaP). First, some impressions of Haiti post-earthquake, then some of the highlights of what has happened during these days:
The damage and resulting devastation is incomprehensible. I know that there are parts of the country that do not have damage, but these are tens of miles away, and the vast majority of these places have been affected by a mass exodus from PaP. You literally cannot go more than 100 yards without seeing signs of the quake. Buildings tilted, contorted, or simply piles of crushed debris in the streets. Thousands upon thousands of tents, tarps, corrugated metal shacks, and more tarps. Tent cities are everywhere, ranging from dozens of people to thousands per camp. Most unbelievable was a large, four-story building that simply collapsed floor upon floor, now only about 3½ feet tall! There is no evidence of walls or furniture or any contents between the concrete slabs which were floors/ceilings. Where did it all go? Crushed to powder in 30 seconds. It’s all surreal. . . .
But even more impressive is the remarkable resilience of the Haitian people. In whatever ways possible, they return to ‘normal’ life. Children continue to dress in perfectly cleaned and pressed uniforms and make their way to school – which is now a series of large carnival-style tents or temporary plywood and zinc-roofed structures. Men, women and children set up their vendor stands along the main roads. The traffic feeds its way through the main roads, sometimes slowing or turning to avoid major cracks or piles of rubble. Music plays in the night; people share stories and laugh together. Could our own country resume life like this?
One day, when I was visiting with Dr. Tom Holmes from Norwich UMC, we pondered why it seemed that there were just as many people, or more, in the city? We realized that it wasn’t more, but actually many less people, but in a much smaller space, for not only are thousands upon thousands of buildings destroyed and damaged, but the vast majority of people are afraid to sleep in their own homes, even if undamaged. So, although the population of PaP has decreased by at least 1/3 due to deaths, immigration to the country, and immigration to other countries, everyone left is out and about on the street. The children are afraid to enter their schools, and their parents, who may have already lost one child, forbid them to do so.
Here is a sample of what I have been doing since I arrived:
Changed planes before getting off the ground because the first one could not navigate over water!
Then waited 20 more minutes while I watched President Obama land in Air force One.
Spent a lot of time responding to e-mails, calendaring teams, Skype-ing friends, family, and co-workers.
Met with the Director of the UMCOR relief efforts at the NGO office.
Met twice with Pastor Gesner Paul, President of the Methodist Church of Haiti.
Attended Donette Lataillade’s birthday party (our guest house manager, my friend and co-worker).
Travelled to many priority worksites to meet with church and community leaders to evaluate needs – rebuild the school and church, latrines, etc.
Opened four sites in four different Methodist Circuits and began scheduling teams to clear debris and to rebuild.
Attended the large Methodist Church on Freres campus, behind the Guest House where my mission apartment is, and heard a sermon (in Creole) on placing all of our confidence in God. Then heard a woman with a professional and wonderful soprano voice sing “It Is Well With My Soul.” It brought tears to my eyes, just to know the extreme loss and suffering the people are facing, yet they still are able to join in the last chorus to sing these words in harmony.
I’ve met with engineers, cooks, interpreters, old and new friends, the new head of UMCOR (Cynthia Harvey), and many more.
I’ve walked through the tent city of 300+ people right behind my back door, talking to the people about their challenges and hopes for recovery; about their hunger, and their loss.
Still, the children play with old, torn soccer balls and sing the songs that all children sing. Women sew under a tree. Men dream of having work. Dogs bark and roosters crow.
Our God is a God of resurrection and renewal, and out of the depths will come new life for Haiti.
Ke Bondye beni ou,
Mike
April 17, 2010
I Will Never Forget . . .
. . . the worship service for my commissioning on April 11th at Vestal UMC. The hymns were symbolic of my calling to marriage, ministry, and mission and the choir sang anthems dedicated to me. As Mary preached using me as an illustration, I heard a recounting of my life of faith rooted in my family and childhood and youth here at Vestal UMC, Emmaus Walk #13, and years of God’s guidance and preparation.
The range of emotions peaked when our District Superintendent prayed over both Mary and me, as we knelt hand-in-hand at the communion rail. There are no words to describe the grace and love and support I felt from each of you during both services and during the reception following. It is a feeling and time I will remember for the rest of my life.
Yes, we’ve never done it this way before! And there is no church better equipped, talented and prepared to accomplish this mission together than Vestal UMC. I give you my deepest thanks for your love, prayers, and support – I could not do this without you. God is working through you to make this possible, and as you allow that to happen I know you will each experience blessings beyond anything you could imagine! When we ‘let go and let God,’ the possibilities are limitless. . . . Which leads me to . . .
The Mission
Many of you have asked questions about my six-month mission to Haiti: Where will you stay? What will you eat? Who pays you? What will you be doing there? Will you come back to us? When? I will try to answer some of these here.
I will leave for Haiti at 6:00 a.m. from Syracuse Airport on Thursday, April 22nd, traveling through JFK to Port au Prince. I’ll be paid staff as a consultant for the Board of Global Ministries and working with UMCOR Volunteer in Missions program. Home base will be the Methodist Guest House in Petionville, a suburb of Port au Prince, a place very familiar to me as it serves as a “base camp” for mission volunteers. The cooks of the Guest House will prepare most of my meals and I will stay in the missionary apartment there.
My work will be to receive, orient, and deploy teams of volunteers from across our nation, as they aid in the rebuilding of schools and lives following the January 12th earthquake. Prior to their arrival, I will visit their mission sites, prioritized by the leadership of the Methodist Church of Haiti, and assess needs for materials, housing, cooks, interpreters, and everything a team might need while working on site. So I’ll be doing a bit of traveling in Haiti.
The GBGM has hired one co-worker, Susan Meister, from Illinois to be the U.S. team organizer and communications hub to us in Haiti. You may get a chance to meet her as she flies to be at Vestal Sunday through Tuesday to make plans for this challenging mission. Another co-worker will soon be hired to work with me in Haiti, helping with hospitality and finances, and with general needs at the Guest House. We will work closely with the leaders and people of the Methodist Church of Haiti and with the leaders in the communities we will serve.
And, yes, I’m coming back to Vestal – late October or early November, by God’s help. I will miss you all. Please know that you are always in my thoughts and prayers.
Pastor Mike
For many years now, I have felt a strong call to mission work, leading me to believe that, after my time at Vestal United Methodist Church, God is calling me to a place in the international mission field. Through my many years of traveling with VIM teams to Haiti, this sense of call has grown. I believe God has given me gifts and talents to learn Haitian Creole, to understand the culture and customs of a foreign land, and to love all children of God.
On January 12, a horrendous disaster struck the country of Haiti. The earthquake was a devastating loss of life, structure, historical landmarks – almost everything I have known about the landscape of Port au Prince and the surrounding area is gone. Thanks be to God, almost all of my dear friends’ lives were spared, although most lost their homes and many family members.
Shortly after the quake hit, I received a call from Greg Forrester, the NE Jurisdiction VIM Coordinator, asking if he could have my permission to put my name “in the hopper” for a short term mission to help with the relief efforts. Little was known about this position then, but I said go ahead.
It wasn’t until after much assessment and deliberation on the part of The Board of Global Ministries, UMCOR (the United Methodist Committee on Relief), and the Methodist Church of Haiti that a clear plan developed. The week of March 14, I received several calls about resumes, references, and an impromptu phone interview. And in a whirl-wind of a few days, I was offered a six-month staff position as Volunteer Management Coordinator in Port au Prince, Haiti.
In order to respond to this calling, shortly after April 11, I will be taking a six-month voluntary leave of absence from Vestal UMC to work in Haiti to receive, orient, and deploy mission teams. I will also visit mission sites chosen by UMCOR and the Methodist Church of Haiti to assure that proper materials are on site and secure, to make housing arrangements for teams, and to determine other needs in order to enable a successful mission. The teams will be medical, engineers, psychologists, deconstruction, and construction volunteers and specialists. We will focus on rebuilding many schools throughout the damaged areas.
During these six months my wife Mary Ricketts will assume full-time ministry as Senior Pastor of Vestal UMC, and others will assist in caring for the needs of the church. I know that the church will be in very good and gifted hands. I also truly believe that there are not many churches who would be prepared to face this challenge, but Vestal UMC is definitely a church that has the talent, faith, and leadership to respond to this call to mission. I thank them for enabling me to be in mission to Haiti.
Please keep me and my family, and the church in your prayers during this time. I will be praying for you each day.
