Susan Knipe
 Susan Knipe, pictured here with her hostess Marina, worked at the Tbilisi Youth House in Georgia as a
volunteer in mission (VIM).
During her graduate studies at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Susan Knipe became acquainted with several international students from countries which were part of
the former Soviet Union. Her closest friend, Nino, grew up in Tbilisi, capital of the Republic of Georgia. Nino shared her memories of life in Georgia with Susan and as a direct consequence,
they began to look at ways for Susan to experience life there firsthand. A colleague at seminary was very active with the United Methodist Volunteer in Mission program (UMVIM), and
provided her with contact information through the General Board of Global Ministries and the individual volunteer program.
 The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) had been
active in the region for several years when Susan found out about their programs. She found their website had service positions for volunteers posted in Tbilisi and elsewhere in the
country, and so she began the application process. Her intention was to stay for ten weeks in the spring and teach English. UMCOR accepted her as an individual volunteer in mission (VIM)
and she attended a training session to prepare her for the experience. T he training was invaluable, particularly in the ways it prepared her for coping with the emotional aspects of
volunteering and living in a setting where she had no knowledge of the native language. During her stay, she was able to use the internet to keep in touch with her support network. She
reported back once a week on her experiences of travel, intercultural adjustment, activities, the joys and sorrows of living with a Georgian family and working at the Tbilisi Youth House.
Susan received support from an unexpected source. The family with which UMCOR arranged for Susan's accommodation lived in the apartment building directly across the alley from her friend
Nino's family! She was separated by just five metres from the family of her best friend! Everyone was amazed and thankful for the opportunity to be so close and get to know each other.
 The daily work at the Youth House was another blessing. Susan participated in several English language classes, facilitating discussion and teaching some basic grammar. The Tbilisi Youth
House Foundation is currently developing towards becoming a more self-governing institution which gave Susan the chance to offer English language instruction to several of employees too.
Hopefully the conversational skills and broader vocabulary will empower the staff themselves and contribute new tools which they can use to advocate for more support from potential English
speaking donors to the budding non-profit organization.
 Relationships with the youth were the most bittersweet aspect of this mission. The resilience of the internally displaced (IDP)
kids and the joyful creativity they share in all of their Youth House projects moved Susan toward a deeper faith in God. She was welcomed into the community with warmth and her tears were
unavoidable when it was time to leave. The young women (pictured here right, Diana and Christy with Susan) and men who served as her volunteer interpreters occupy special places in her heart. Even though geography separates them, in Spirit
there is a close and everlasting bond. If you would like to know more about volunteering for UMCOR NGO, please contact: UMCOR Consultant
Carol Van Gorp
carolvangorp@earthlink.net
Tel: +1-518-532-7694
Fax: +1-518-532-9401 Updated November 2003. | 
