Thursday, June 30, 2011

Camphor Mission

The team is having a great time at Camphor. The rainy season has not given us as many challenges as we anticipated. We enjoyed a day at the Buchanan beach on Saturday. As I post this entry, it is Sunday and we are preparing for worship at the Garfield Memorial UMC church on the Camphor Mission Station. We will celebrate communion with our friends here.

Some news about the team . . .
Laura has visited a village for vaccination, organized crafts with students, and helped deliver a baby.
Tom has hauled water, worked with children, helped staff, worked in the agriculture field, and removed spiders from rooms each night before bed!
Mary is organizing a staff team building workshop, working with Esther in the library, and playing with students.
Catherine and Kate are being loved on by ALL of the children and students here that are their age. They are building some strong relationships with some of the older girls that are their peers. Catherine and Kate are youth themselves.
Kathy "Steinie" is representing Peoria strong! Passing out graduation certificates to 9th grade graduates, interviewing the agriculture staff, vaccinating in villages, and organizing activities with students.
Jan is leading us in music, playing with kids, working with Esther in the library and dancing in the village of Duo!
Jane is working in the library with Esther, playing with students and leading us in devotions.
Bob trained the traditional birth attendants in life saving new clean water techniques and working with the clinic staff.
Meghan is organizing all of us with games, crafts with kids, library time, and cleaning the house!

All are helping with the container unloading, visiting villages, laughing, eating well, sleeping comfortably, and being a blessing. God is leading us on this journey and we feel your prayers and God's presence in real ways. Ipo Gredipo Szwo! We give God thanks.

Peace.
Kathy and Danny

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Hello Camphor Mission Supporters!

We arrived safely to the Camphor Mission on Sunday, June 26th. We have 10 visitors with us from Peoria UMC, Mt. Vernon Gay Street, Main Street in Mansfield, and Mentor UMC. As I write this on Tuesday people are already out in the villages doing polio vaccinations, reading and doing crafts in the library, in town buying supplies for tiling projects, paying salaries, preparing for lunch with other western UMC visitors, preparing staff team building workshop, and working in the agriculture department. We have been blessed by Irene's cooking and great hospitality. We have been visited by the children on the mission and will participate in the school's closing ceremonies on Friday. What a blessing it is to be here!
We will be in contact as we can.
Stay tuned for stories and photos.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Mentor UMC Middle School Mission Week






Mentor UMC Middle Schoolers spent last week in mission all over Lake, Geauga and Cuyahoga County. They also advocated for and learned about the students at the Camphor Mission Station in Liberia. They raised over $600 for four student's school fees. Meet Jarlington, Daniel, O'George and Chinda, students at the JF Yancy School in Liberia. Lives have been changed, both here in Ohio and in Liberia.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Next East Ohio UMVIM Trip to Liberia!


CAMPHOR MISSION STATION IS A
SCHOOL CLINIC CHURCH FARM
IN LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA

3CS AND THE CAMPHOR MISSION STATION UMVIM TRIP!
January/February/March 2012

UMVIM, United Methodist Volunteer in Ministry is the UMC arm of the General Board of Ministries that provides a way for everyone to serve and share the love of God in ways that make a Christian difference.
www.camphormission.org


Dr. Danny and Rev. Kathy Dickriede will travel to Camphor, leaving the U.S. in January and returning in early March 2012. You are invited to join them in ministry at the Camphor Mission Station in Liberia West Africa.


General Information
Who can apply? All members and friends of United Methodist Churches (18 years and older, can be younger if parent is traveling with you.)

Need a passport and VISA? Absolutely.

Need shots & a mosquito net? Most definitely. Yellow Fever

How many are going on each trip? Up to 10 people.

Language skills needed? Liberia is primarily an English speaking country.

Estimated Cost? $3200 covers airfare, GBGM Insurance, food & lodging, projects, and sightseeing.

Not covered? Valid US Passport, Travel Visa for Liberia $131, vaccinations, and souvenirs

Some of our tasks while in Liberia? Work on construction building, Education, VBS, and Community Based Health Education. Much to be decided once teams are formed.

Trip timing: 2 weeks. Direct flights from Atlanta to Monrovia leave on Saturdays, arrive in Monrovia on Sunday and arrive back to Atlanta on a Monday mornings.

Team 1 January 7-January 23
One week with no students on the mission. Perhaps cleaning classrooms, painting, tiling girl’s dorm, preparing for student arrival. Then second week, student tutoring, village visits, water well digging in local villages, agriculture program, guesthouse construction.

Team 2 January 21-Febraury 6
Student tutoring, TBA training, village visits, water well digging in local villages, agriculture program, guesthouse construction.

Let us know if attending Annual Confernce is of interest to you.
February 6-11, 2012 Liberia Annual Conference

Team 3 February 18-March 5
Student tutoring, TBA training, village visits, water well digging in local villages, agriculture program, guesthouse construction.

Let Kathy or Becky know which weeks you would like to travel and we will arrange the trip and organize a group.

Deadline for sign up: September 1, 2011. Contact Mentor UMC UMVIM Coordinators, Charlie and Becky Suran for an application. csuran@roadrunner.com

Future Meetings
Locations TBD
Sunday, September 18 at 4:00 pm
Sunday, October 23 at 4:00 pm
Sunday, November, 20 at 4:00 pm

Commissioning in local congregations in December/January/ February/March depending on travel dates for team.

Trip Payment Schedule
Tickets to be purchased by October 1, 2011 for all travelers.
$500 by August 1
$500 by September 1
$1000 by October 1
$600 by November 1
$600 by December 1
Checks payable to Mentor UMC, Camphor UMVIM in memo.

Brochures & Applications Available at Mentor UMC, 8600 Mentor Ave. Mentor, Ohio 44060 or Contact Becky and Charlie Suran, UMVIM coordinators at Mentor UMC. csuran@roadrunner.com or kathyd@camphormission.org