Of Attention Spans and Disasters

"Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence." (1 Kings 19:11-12)

As Hurricane Irma bears down on Florida and the East Coast, we watch and start to forget the devastation she wrought on Caribbean islands. As we watched media coverage of Irma ramp up, we watched coverage of Hurricane Harvey's aftermath take a backseat. As we have become consumed with the devastation of Harvey and Irma, we've barely registered the fact that hundreds died in mudslides in Sierra Leone and thousands died in monsoons in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. As we focus on the disaster of the moment, we lose track of the 1,000 year floods in West Virginia last year and the fact that people are still recovering from Superstorm Sandy 5 years ago.

Frankly, it's too much to keep track of. It's overwhelming. And since we can't focus on all of it, we tend to focus on the one that impacts us most directly or the one that is mediated to us moment by moment through the images on our computer screens and TV screens.

Fortunately, people of faith and goodwill have organized themselves to cooperate and respond in ways that keep attention and resources focused on the places that need them. The National VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) helps Islamic Relief, The Jewish Federation, and Church World Service work together for the common good. UMCOR makes sure that we maintain focus on relief and recovery long after the cameras have moved on. United Methodist Volunteers in Mission supports people from local churces just like you, who respond to the needs of disaster-affected communities all around the world - from the Bahamas to Japan to Saipan and Sudan.

Even when our attention spans are short as individuals, they are long when we work together in community. Thanks be to God.

-- Tom

Volunteering After Harvey, Irma, Jose and the rest of the Alphabet

Remember to wait until an invitation is extended by the affected Annual Conference before sending a team. Currently, only the Rio Texas Conference and the Louisiana Conference are accepting trained, badged Early Response Team members. The Texas Annual Conference (i.e. Houston area) and the Florida Annual Conference have not extended invitations yet.
Stay updated through Conference websites, eblasts from UMVIM-NEJ, or our Facebook Page to plug in at the appropriate time.
In the meantime, donate through the Advance, make Cleaning Buckets and serve in other Long-Term Recovery efforts in your area. Check out the interactive map of current efforts here.
Engage your congregation, community, and family in the work of disaster preparedness now. Talk to your District or Conference Disaster Response Coordinator to find out how.

Check out our new Promo Video!

Important Dates

October 13th - UMVIM Awareness Sunday -

October 22-23 - UMVIM-NEJ Board Meeting

April 11-14 - NEJ Mission Academy at Pecometh Camp & Retreat Center

UMVIM Mission Team Reports

Click here to read the report from the Upper New York mission team that served in Clendenin, West Virginia in August. If you have a report from your recent mission experience, share it with the rest of us!

Global Ministries / Mission Volunteers Update

Reelfoot Rural Ministries in Tennessee

needs a volunteer this Fall and Winter to help with their food bank and toy store ministries. If you can serve for three months starting in October 2017, please contact Mission Volunteers.

Ecuador

Where has your faith journey taken you? We have an opportunity with the Evangelical United Methodist Church in Ecuador for a volunteer who is ready to combine their interests and talents in service to others! This opportunity includes web page updates as well as projects with women and children; help with worship and fundraising; views of city streets and Andean mountains. If you are ready to serve as a long-term volunteer (at least 3 months), can fund your own service, and know some Spanish, consider becoming a Mission Volunteer! Applications and more information can be found at www.missionvolunteers.org.

Mission Volunteer Trainings

November 8-11, 2017
Mount Sequoyah
150 N Skyline Drive
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
Nearest airport - Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA)

Disaster/Mission Academies

The Southeastern Jurisdiction has a Disaster Response Academy at the end of the month. If you missed the opportunity to attend in the NEJ last March, you can arrange to join our brothers and sisters in the south in a few weeks.

Going forward, UMCOR will be focusing their trainings at the Annual Conference level instead of big Jurisdictional events. So our 2018 event in the NEJ will be a Mission Academy (UMCOR will continue to participate and offer some classes). It is scheduled for April 11-14, 2018. Mark your calendars now!!!

Did You Know?

Every time you give through the Advance, if you list the local church with which you are affiliated, your contribution acts as a credit towards the toward the shared ministry/apportionment bill your church receives each year. Make your dollars go twice as far by crediting your local church!