Tola Seng lives in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia in Southeast Asia. As a child, she experienced the aftermath of a harsh and violent regime that killed much of Cambodia's population. "Twenty-four years ago," Seng says, "I was born to a single mother in a refugee camp on the Thai border. By God's grace, my mother was able to raise my sisters and me on her own. Yet, watching her struggle to support us, I wanted to grow up faster so I could find a job and help her."
Source: New World Outlook
More about: Children | Communities | Conflict | Evangelism | Global connections | Missionaries | United Methodist Church | Violence | Volunteers | War | Women | Youth | Focus on Congregational Development | Cambodia | Laos | Vietnam |
Date posted: Jan 30, 2012

Consider becoming a US-2 or Mission Intern. If you are between the ages of 20 to 30 and feel called to address the root causes of injustice so that the gospel is lived out alongside communities and organizations seeking peace and systemic transformation, apply to become a United Methodist US-2 or Mission Intern.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Evangelism | Global connections | International affairs | Mission opportunities | Missionaries | Volunteers | Youth | Focus on Leadership Development |
Date posted: Dec 08, 2011

The Reverend Paul Shew from the West Ohio Annual Conference has been planting seeds of hope and promise for more than ten years in Japan. "I cannot imagine a place with more opportunity for student ministry than in Japan. We are in a unique position to point young people to a loving God through word and deed." Serving as a long-term mission volunteer through Global Ministries in Japan, Shew is a professor and university chaplain at Aoyama Gakuin, in Tokyo.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Children | Christian love | Communities | Education | Emergencies | Environment | Evangelism | Global connections | International affairs | John Wesley | Mission opportunities | Missionaries | Natural disasters | Volunteers | Tsunami | Focus on Congregational Development | Japan |
Date posted: Nov 30, 2011

When the Russia Initiative mini-consultation meets on October 15, 2011, advocates will share stories of friendship and church growth. The group will celebrate Rev. Jim Athearn's leadership as he steps down from coordinating the initiative and meet the new coordinator, David McLaurin, from Lovers Lane United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Education | International affairs | Mission opportunities | Natural disasters | Volunteers | Partners/partnerships | Focus on Congregational Development | Asia and the Pacific Islands | Belarus | Moldova | Russia | Ukraine |
Date posted: Oct 10, 2011

July 8, 2011--This week, three US-2s completed their work as young adult missionaries in the United States and shared with staff and one another the highlights and lowlights of their last two years. Under the leadership of Elizabeth Lee, church executive at Global Ministries, the three debriefed July 5-9 in New York at the United Methodist missionary agency, sharing meals, laughter, and tears.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Children | Missionaries | United Methodist Church | Volunteers | Women | Youth | Focus on Leadership Development |
Date posted: Jul 12, 2011

Ever wonder what esperanza, hope, looks like? Go to San Francisco Libre, Nicaragua, on Lake Managua. That's what Arlene Andrews, Stuart Andrews, Katherine Hepfer, Rick Hepfer, Miriam Freeman, and Rita Rhodes did from May 14 to 21, 2011. They were the team from several United Methodist churches in Columbia, South Carolina.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Children | Communities | Family | Hunger | Poverty | Volunteers | Women | Focus on Ministry with the Poor | Nicaragua |
Date posted: Jun 10, 2011

May 31, 2011--"With each other we can put our faith into action and transform the world into God's kingdom of love and justice." In a dynamic new video, the mission agency of The United Methodist Church (UMC), in partnership with United Methodist Women, invites the denomination to revisit their views and join in new ways to minister with those living in poverty.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Communities | Donations | GBGM events | GBGM news | GBGM programs | Human rights | Hunger | John Wesley | Mission opportunities | Poverty | United Methodist Church | Volunteers | Wesley | Methodism | Focus on Ministry with the Poor |
Date posted: May 31, 2011

New York, NY, May 25, 2011--Steps are under way to strengthen and coordinate the United Methodist Church's aviation ministries in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). One goal is the purchase of a larger aircraft to replace one of the small planes now in service.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Emergencies | Evangelism | Health | Missionaries | Natural disasters | Poverty | United Methodist Church | Volunteers | Welfare | Focus on Ministry with the Poor | Focus on Global Health | Congo DR | South Africa |
Date posted: May 26, 2011

Late in the afternoon of Tuesday, January 12, 2010, having just finished eating their usual dinner of beans and rice, the young patients at Grace Children's Hospital returned to the main area of the inpatient ward. There, the infants rested in their cribs, their bellies full of milk, while the older children gathered in front of the television set. It was 4:53 p.m., and winter darkness had begun to fall on the city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Source: New World Outlook
More about: Children | Communities | Health | Natural disasters | Poverty | Volunteers | Partners/partnerships | Focus on Ministry with the Poor | Focus on Global Health | Haiti |
Date posted: May 24, 2011

Melissa Crutchfield, assistant general secretary for International Disaster Response at the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), and Thomas Dwyer, executive director of UMCOR NGO, answered some of the more difficult questions and concerns about earthquake relief in Haiti during an information session in January.
Source: New World Outlook
More about: Donations | Economy | Emergencies | GBGM programs | Health | Hunger | Mission opportunities | Natural disasters | Poverty | UMCOR | Volunteers | Water | Welfare | Focus on Ministry with the Poor | Focus on Global Health | Haiti |
Date posted: May 12, 2011

Dear Friends, As the crisis in Japan continues with daily reports of aftershocks and radiation concerns, we continue to pray for all who have lost loved ones, homes, and jobs, or been exposed to radiation in Japan.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Christian love | Emergencies | Global connections | International affairs | Missionaries | Natural disasters | UMCOR | United Methodist Church | Volunteers | Partners/partnerships | Statements | Focus on Congregational Development | Japan |
Date posted: Apr 14, 2011

The situation in Japan at present is not conducive to relief volunteers coming in from other countries. Neither UMCOR nor the General Board of Global Ministries facilitates volunteers in disaster zones unless they are requested by local partners or government agencies. No such requests have been received to date from Japan.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Emergencies | Environment | Natural disasters | Prayers | UMCOR | Volunteers | Partners/partnerships | Action alerts | Focus on Congregational Development | Japan |
Date posted: Mar 15, 2011

New York, NY, March 14, 2011--United Methodist response to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan will be closely coordinated with churches and church-related agencies in that country, which continues to reel as the death toll continues to rise.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Emergencies | Global connections | International affairs | Missionaries | Natural disasters | Volunteers | Partners/partnerships | Focus on Congregational Development | Japan |
Date posted: Mar 14, 2011

March 8, 2011--When Pastor Steve Butler returned to McKownville UMC, Albany, NY, he announced to the congregation, "It's perfectly safe to serve in Haiti as a United Methodist Volunteer in Mission! But it's more than safe-- it's wonderful!"
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Health | International affairs | Mission opportunities | Natural disasters | Poverty | Volunteers | Focus on Ministry with the Poor | Haiti |
Date posted: Mar 08, 2011

New York, March 1, 2011--Grace United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, Russia, will continue a ministry with at-risk children despite city action closing a child-care center closely related to the congregation.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Children | Communities | Family | Global connections | Jesus Christ | Poverty | United Methodist Church | Volunteers | Youth | Focus on Ministry with the Poor | Russia |
Date posted: Mar 01, 2011

Applications due March 31, 2011 Young people are needed to live out their faith through social justice by interning and volunteering around the world and in the United States this summer.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: AIDS/HIV | Education | Global connections | Human rights | Justice | Mission opportunities | Volunteers | Youth | Focus on Leadership Development | Kenya | Uganda |
Date posted: Feb 25, 2011

When I was a freshman in high school, I attended a summer camp at which noted preacher Louie Giglio spoke. He was preaching about the Great Commission, and the words he spoke have resonated in my heart since I heard them. "Go," he proclaimed, "unless you are called to stay."
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Christian love | Global connections | Hunger | Mission opportunities | Natural disasters | Poverty | Volunteers | Focus on Ministry with the Poor | Haiti |
Date posted: Feb 18, 2011

I've seen so much here in Honduras. I've felt so much, laughed so much, and hurt so much here. I learned how to make coconut bread, how to change multiple diapers at once, how to be patient, how to stick up for myself, how to live alone, how to teach a class, how to catch a gecko, how to speak Spanish, how to wash clothes by hand, and how to ration. I learned countless lessons on humility, honesty, sacrifice, and self-control.
Source: Mission Volunteers
More about: Children | Education | Health | Volunteers | Youth | Focus on Ministry with the Poor | Focus on Global Health | Honduras |
Date posted: Jan 26, 2011

I have just returned from almost seven months in mission in Haiti. It is a time of joyous homecoming, of sad separations, of rest and recovery, of reflection and thanksgiving. I have seen God at work in unmistakable ways. I have been blessed to participate in the miraculous and healing work of Christ. It has been amazing.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Children | Education | Emergencies | Global connections | Hunger | Natural disasters | Poverty | United Methodist Church | Volunteers | Welfare | Youth | Focus on Ministry with the Poor | Haiti |
Date posted: Nov 29, 2010

New York, NY, November 18, 2010--The mission agency of The United Methodist Church has named Una Jones as its new executive for annual conference relations and mission-volunteers programs.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: GBGM news | Volunteers | Youth | Action alerts | Focus on Ministry with the Poor |
Date posted: Nov 18, 2010

NEW YORK--The United Methodist Special Program on Substance Abuse and Related Violence (SPSARV) is inviting United Methodists to participate in an interactive live webcast Nov. 20, 2010, on the film Lost in Woonsocket to raise awareness about addictions and recovery and inspire congregations to compassionately respond to substance abuse in their church pews and community.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Christian love | Health | Poverty | Volunteers | Men | Focus on Ministry with the Poor | Focus on Global Health |
Date posted: Nov 15, 2010

Declaring the six month Haiti Response Plan pilot project a success, the Board of Directors of UMCOR approved a grant of $3,094,500 to continue to field and host volunteer teams to address the humanitarian needs and priority projects of the Eglise Methodiste de Haiti (EMH). The project was approved and affirmed by the Board of Directors of the General Board of Global Ministries at the October 2010 board meeting in Stamford, CT.
Source: Mission Volunteers
More about: Christian love | Mission opportunities | Natural disasters | Poverty | Volunteers | Focus on Congregational Development | Focus on Ministry with the Poor | Haiti |
Date posted: Nov 02, 2010

As I reflect on Haiti, many images and thoughts come to my mind as a pastor, a clinical psychologist, and a team leader. I think of the Haiti I knew before January 12, 2010, and simultaneously those images are mixed with images from my recent mission trip in September.
Source: GBGM Mission News
More about: Natural disasters | Poverty | Volunteers | Focus on Ministry with the Poor | Haiti |
Date posted: Oct 25, 2010