Seeing God

Sally Vonner

This is my first travel experience to the continent of Africa.  I am excited about the opportunity to journey with our sisters in Sierra Leone and to form bonds of love with my Ubuntu sisters.  What a gift!  Although anxiously awaiting the journey, I realize that much preparation is required.  At the same time I am reminded of the bible story where Jesus sends the disciples out two by two with only the minimum of needs and an open heart to give and receive God’s blessings through others on their journey.  I pray that we go with our preparations but more importantly with an open heart to give and receive God’s blessings through others on the journey.

 

What experiences will transform me? This is the question I carry in my heart to Sierra Leone.  I go expecting and wanting to be transformed more into the likeness of Christ.  Will it be through encounters with the women, the children, the communities we travel?  I’m sure all of these obvious possibilities but again I pray for openness to see God in whatever way God chooses to reveal God’s self to me…in the ordinary and extraordinary.  Likewise, I pray I am that witness of God’s tangible grace to others, that God’s light shines through me to brighten their day.  My prayer, Lord open my eyes to see you in the ordinary and the extraordinary, let my light and the light of my sister Ubuntu sojourners, reveal you and not us as we journey with your people, our sisters and brothers, of Sierra Leone. Amen.

It's all about relationships...

Cindy Sauffererr

I became enamored with mission trips when I traveled to Jamaica with my daughters.  It wasn’t the actual mission I fell in love with, but the people.  The connection that was created by working with the people of Jamaica toward a common goal lives on in my heart.  I found that it is something I can’t explain; it is just something you must experience.  I know that the closer I became to the people that I was working side by side with, the closer I felt to God.  There continues to be a yearning to grow those relationships.

I experienced, what I thought at first was, complete failure this past summer at our School of Christian Mission as I participated in the Haiti study.  We were to identify a need, formulate a solution, and write a grant for $25,000 for the people of Haiti.  I was completely stumped; I did not know where to start.  I sat there with all the books and information about Haiti and how the people were suffering right in front of me, but for the life of me I could not come up with a project.  I spent 3 days worrying, fretting and hoping that I would figure out just how I could help them.  It wasn’t until the morning my assignment was due that it became clear.  I needed to talk with the people of Haiti, to be in relationship with them and then work together.  Then, and only then could I move forward, hmmm-Ubuntu?  

This journey will prove to be full of experiences of God’s love as we open our hearts to the daughters of Sierra Leone.  

She feels part of something big...

Carol joins the journey from Georgia to Sierra Leone

I am retired after thirty-one years as a teacher and school administrator. My husband Steeny and I have been married for thirty-five years. I have a daughter, a stepson and five grandchildren, ages 2 to 9. I serve as Coordinator for Education and Interpretation for the South Georgia Conference UMW. I live in the same rural area where I was born and where I grew up on a farm. I’ve been to church all my life, but being in UMW is what really made me a committed Christian. Though the church I attend is small, I am part of something big because it is a United Methodist Church and I belong to United Methodist Women. UMW has changed the focus of my life. I have been challenged to grow spiritually and to educate myself about important issues facing women and children. My aim now is to share the importance of United Methodist Women’s missions and to encourage more women to participate fully. That is why I am so excited to be going on this Ubuntu Journey. I plan to tell the story of our journey to everyone I possibly can so others will want to be involved with United Methodist Women in spreading the love of Jesus.

UMW, Rita and Mission are one in the same

Rita loves being part of UMW 

    Every Sunday my oldest sister and I have a telephone conversation.  She lives in my hometown and state Atlanta Georgia.  I shared with her Sunday that God truly had planned a life I had not envisioned.  In high school I entered a program where I received a certificate as a certified child care helper.   I worked for 640 hours as a requirement for certification. My goal before I entered first grade was to become a teacher.  With the support of my home economics teacher I entered college and four years later I received a BS degree in Vocational Home Economics.  As home economists our purpose is to work toward the improvement of life for individuals and families.  I had little knowledge that that purpose in some form would be a part of my life’s work. Later I became a United Methodist Woman and have continued to educate others about how we as United Methodist Women can help make this world a better place for women, children and youth around the world.

Indiana has a relationship with school and healthcare facilities in Liberia and Sierra Leone through Operation Classroom.  I had no doubt. I had to travel to Sierra Leone.  I have been blessed to serve United Methodist Women in leadership roles on the local, conference, jurisdiction and general church levels.  When Michael and I married in 1990 I told him I thought it would be wonderful if we could become missionaries.  He wanted nothing to do with that.  Through the years he has without a doubt been my best friend, my companion, lover and biggest supporter.   Thanks Be To God

Be Not Afraid

Randie Clawson prepares for a new journey for her life.

God’s mercy and grace are allowing me to go on this United Methodist Women Ubuntu Journey to Sierra Leone. This will be my first overseas trip. I am so thankful for the prayers of United Methodist Women asking God’s blessings on this trip. God’s light shining through the team members has already caused praise in my heart to God as we share our thoughts from our Bible book study and work together on the this trip’s projects. I had no idea of the amount of preparation that goes into taking this kind of journey. I am thanking God for Vickie as she oversees all the details. Praise God that we have the Internet, email and now this blog.

This year I became an Individual Volunteer in Missions (IVIM) with the General Board of Global Ministries. I did my cross-cultural training in June at the Wesley Center in Woodworth, LA. In April, I will be starting my first assignment as an IVIM.

This UMW Ubuntu Journey to Sierra Leone starts a new phase of my life. I am retiring from full time employment two days before leaving. The prayers of the team, my church family, friends and family are a needed comfort as I journey into the unknown. In faith, I hear Scripture’s most often repeated commandment, “Be Not Afraid.”

 

Randie Clawson 

From Observer to Participant

Mary Tinley loving the children in Sierra Leone.

My husband, Ron, and I have been blessed to be able to travel extensively during our 42 years of marriage. We have gone to countries all around the world and have camped, on several occasions, in many states in the American west. On these trips, I have seen many wondrous sites, from breathtaking natural formations to impressive man-made structures. Though I gained a lot from these experiences, it wasn't until I went on an Operation Classroom trip to Sierra Leone and Liberia in 2007 that I changed from an observer to a participant. Being part of the daily lives of the people we worked and worshiped with on that trip taught me things that I could never learn just being a tourist. I had to go back. In 2008, I went on another OC trip to Sierra Leone. In 2011, Ron and I had an amazing experience with a team that Bonnie led to Africa University.

 In August, we sold our house in Indianapolis and moved in with our son and his family in Mt. Juliet, TN while we wait for our new house to be built. On October 15, we will close on our house in Mt. Juliet. During the rest of the week, we will be moving. On October 20, we will be leaving on a trip to Chile and Easter Island, a trip that was planned before we even thought about selling our house in Indianapolis.

 This upcoming Ubuntu Journey excites me. I look forward to getting to know each of you on the team and to connecting with our sisters in Sierra Leone.

 Blessings to each of you,
Mary

Meet Bonnie...

Gene, Hazvinei, and Bonnie   October 2011

   One of the most meaningful experiences of my life other than meeting my husband, the birth of our 4 sons and the wonderful addition of grandchildren... was going to Zimbabwe in 1998.  That changed my life.  There's not time or space to explain all but that first visit to Africa University led to two other trips, one in 2000 and another in 2011. Just be prepared that when we are together, this experience will be shared because it is so part of my faith journey.

   For 30 years I juggled a family, teaching and activities with UMW.  Teaching was far more than a job, it was a calling for I was so blessed by the opportunity to touch the lives of young people and they gave back in equal measure.  A selfish act for sure but to enjoy each and every day so much is a blessing from God.  I loved every day I had in the classroom but now in my 9th year of retirement, I cherish those memories and use the freedom of schedule to do many other volunteer jobs.  One of my great joys is to tutor granddaughters in math via "facetime" on the IPad.  

    I guess now I just juggle our schedule.  Gene and I have been married for 52 years.   He's an amazing man who has supported me 100 % in all that I do.   For all who have been in leadership roles, you understand how important it is to have someone embrace your time and energy away with respect. 

     I look forward to getting acquainted with you.   Send me your photo and a similar story about yourself so that we might learn more about one another before we leave for Sierra Leone.  

 

Her journey continues, our journey begins...

It was the picture of a newborn baby boy, born in the surgical unit of Kissy  United Methodist Hospital in 2007 which tugged at my heart.   My friend been on a mission team serving at the Kissy when the little guy was born.   As I looked through her photos, I learned that the surgical unit had been funded by UMWomen Pledge to Mission Giving.  I learned this little guy, and too many other babies just like him, would not be named for up to 3 years, due to their failure to survive (mostly malaria and malutrition). 

Vickie Newkirk...she's leading us to a special place in her heart. 

God began to tug at my heartstrings.   God kept Sierra Leone in front of me, with a sense of humor!  I began to notice ‘Sierra’ trucks driving in front of me, and seeing ‘Sierra Mist’ soft drink cans!  My husband Bill discerned God, indeed, was calling me to be part of the 2008 mission team to Sierra Leone.   Bill and I had been privileged to serve on several mission teams previously; I had to keep reminding him, lest he had forgotten this one small detail:  this was AFRICA!!!

 


My experience in Sierra Leone was transforming; spiritually, mentally, socially.   God did not need me to travel to West Africa, I needed to.   My life will never be the same. 

My hope and prayer for this Ubuntu Journey, for each of us on the team, is to experience relationship with our global sisters, offering friendship and encouragement.  To develop a deeper understanding of whom we are, as United Methodist Women, as followers of Jesus Christ.  

Vickie and Beatrice get acquainted in 2008

My constant reminder of why I am a United Methodist woman is a well-worn photo of a newborn baby boy.  
 

Let me now introduce our local host...Beatrice Fofanah.  She serves as the United Methodist Women's organization coordinator in Sierra Leone.   We met when I was on the mission trip and now  working with her is like working with an old friend.   Thanks Beatrice for doing all that it takes to make our time with you and the women extra special.