“cultivating a servant’s heart to help those in need to show God’s love to all”
Local Mission, Galveston, Spring Break Weekend, 2009
Youth and Adults ventured to help the people who had needs identified by the diocese in the aftermath of the Hurricane. Saturday was spent helping to uncover building issues, as well as paint another house. Sunday the team provided hospitality to a local church.
May Market, May, 2009
Main fundraising event for Missions Ministry, Saturday May 8, 2010.
International Mission, Guatemala, July, 2009
Joining with Hearts in Motion, HIM, to help the people of Zacapa, the team undertook construction projects, as well as a VBS. July 9 - 18, 2010 More information below.
Habitat for Humanity, Fall/Winter, 2009
A joint project with the God’s People consortium, we are currently completing a house in Richmond, TX. Bill McKinnon is special co-ordinator for this.
Information meeting, April 18th for Guatemala Summer Mission Trip..
Mission Trip 2010 Guatemala in association with Hearts In Motion
Friday, July 9 thru Sunday, July 18, 2010
Who is Hearts in Motion? A non-profit Christian organization of volunteers that has
worked in Guatemala for over 20 years, taking surgical, clinic and construction teams, creating day care/ nutrition centers for preschool children, and educating fire and rescue personnel.
Who can go? The trip is open to adults and youths. If a child attends under age of 14, a parent must accompany him/her on the trip. Other adults and youth have joined our team in past years from other areas of the U.S. Maximum group size could be between 50 and 75 people. Ages of volunteers have ranged from teenagers to senior citizens. There is an application process to ensure the safety of the group.
What do I need to go? Travelers will need a passport and current Tetanus shot. Review your plans with your personal physician to determine whether you need additional shots for traveling to Central America. Travel expense will be $1000 per person (see below) plus airfare, and includes meals, hotel accommodations, in-country transportation, and construction costs. HIM has stringent rules relating to our safety and their continued relationship with the Guatemalan and Zacapa governments.
Do I need to have any special skills to be a part of the team? No, just a willingness to work, be flexible, and excited about serving others. Skills which are helpful (but not required) are:
o Persons who are fluent in speaking and understanding Spanish;
o Physicians, nurse practitioners and physicians assistants, especially those in family or ER practice, to assist at medical clinics;
o Emergency medical personnel -- EMTs, paramedics, and firefighters -- may assist in training Guatemalan "Bomberos" or firefighters in emergency procedures;
o Dentists and dental hygienists may conduct routine exams, extract teeth, and perform decay prevention treatments at clinics.
Medical, dental and emergency medical professionals are required to provide appropriate credentials. If you are skilled in carpentry, construction or other similar fields, please let us know of your interest in utilizing your expertise in special projects.
What will travel entail? The first Friday is a travel day. Air travel will be approximately 2 1/2 hours from Houston IAH to Guatemala City, followed by a 3-hour bus ride to Zacapa, a region of Guatemala northeast of Guatemala City. The Houston team returns to the States 9 days later on Sunday. In-country travel while participating in projects during the workweek will be by bus, van, or SUV.
Where will we stay? Hotel de Atlantico in Rio Hondo, Zacapa, is a nice hotel with a large pool but "tepid" showers. On the last day and a half, while on R&R, we will stay in a nice hotel in Antigua, where we can site see, shop and relax before returning to the States.
What will we do in Guatemala? Plans have not been announced. Past years we have constructed playgrounds, benches and tables for schools, prepared school foundations, helped with health clinics, painted murals, remodeled a hospital kitchen, painted and finished a rehabilitation center, and hosted vacation Bible school ("VBS"). Each morning we have prayer time before breakfast for worship, fellowship, prayer, debriefing and singing. Evenings are spent swimming, relaxing and fellowship. R&R in Antigua will provide opportunities for site seeing and shopping.
When do I have to make a commitment? Deadline to commit and deposits ($500) are due on May 7th. A traveler’s final payment of $500 + cost of airfare is due by June 7th. It is understood that deposits and/or payments may be covered in whole or in part by sponsorships. Shortly after making your initial deposit and commitment on May 7, you will be notified as to how flights will be arranged. We hope to make group reservations, but you should also be prepared to pay for your airfare (about $600).
How much will it cost and where will the money come from? Estimated costs per person are $1000 plus airfare which has been about $600 per person the past few years. From Houston we fly Continental Airlines, so a donation of air miles to cover airfare can be quite beneficial, cutting your individual costs. In preparing for the trip, travelers may also wish to bring their own funds for shopping in Antigua and for snacks not included in meals.
o Fund-raising activities are being planned and all travelers are urged to assist in these activities, even if they plan on paying their own way.
Travelers are encouraged to seek sponsorships from corporations and individuals to assist in covering personal costs. We want to make the trip affordable. Each traveler should contribute a minimum of $500 towards his/her costs, obtain a donation of free air miles towards the purchase of his/her airline ticket, or sponsorships. Sample forms are available for sponsorship solicitation.
What can we do to support the trip if we cannot attend?
o Donations: We are collecting hand towels; children’s, women’s and adult vitamins; toiletries (toothbrushes, toothpaste, and travel-size soap, shampoo, combs, and hair brushes); sunglasses and reading glasses; and white twin-size sheet sets for the Zacapa Hospital. We will also collect new or gently used children’s clothing and shoes (all sizes and ages, but especially sports shoes and sandals). Please review the Guidelines for In-Kind Donations for clarification. We welcome monetary donations, matching grants, etc. Deadline for in-kind donations is July 1.
o Sponsorships and Volunteering: You can help in the administrative areas for the trip, volunteer to help with fundraising, and sort donations. We also need financial sponsorship to help with construction and travel costs.
o In preparing for the VBS experience, we need leadership and will have workshops to pre-plan the curriculum. We welcome the assistance of experienced VBS leaders, and will appreciate Spanish-language music books and CDs of Christian children’s music.
2010 Mission Trip Deadlines
Anytime – Express interest
May 7th– Work/Medical Team Application & 1st $500 Deposit Due
June 7th – Final Payment including Airfare Due
July 9th-18th – Trip Dates
For more information, contact:
Andy Muddimer, Mission Team Coordinator, Muddimer2@slb.com
Hearts in Motion, heartsinmotion1@aol.com;
or through its website, www.HeartsInMotion.org
