WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA UNITED METHODIST CONFERENCE VOLUNTEER IN MISSION BUILDING TEAMS TO CONSTRUCT PARSONAGE FOR NAZARETH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, KASUNGAMI, DRC

CHILD ACTION INITIATIVE NEWSLETTER           AUGUST 12, 2011

The Western North Carolina United Methodist Conference (WNCUMC) Building Team Committee will send up to three Volunteer in Mission (UMVIM) Building Teams in 2012 to construct a parsonage for Nazareth UMC, Kasungami, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Nazareth UMC is the church with which Child Action Initiative (CAI) is affiliated to educate AIDS orphans and initiate other programs in the community of over 40,000 people. CAI was founded by Africa University graduate Esaie (Isaiah) Njimbu Chot in 2006 to provide orphan education programs; drill wells; provide medical services; initiate a sustainable agriculture & development program and construct a parsonage for Nazareth UMC.

Max Kern, a member of Oak Ridge United Methodist Church, Oak Ridge, NC, USA and chairman of the WNCUMC Building Team Committee has agreed to lead the first building team June 15 -30, 2012 to Kasungami. Max, a general contractor by profession, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this project: he has served on 22 international building teams, 10 of these as building team leader to Guatemala, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Armenia, Israel/Palestine and Haiti. He has also led 12 domestic building teams to North Carolina and Iowa as well as the Gulf coast of the U.S. following hurricane Katrina.

Anyone interested in a life changing experience and joining Max’s Building Team June 15-30, 2012 please register. If you have any questions please contact: Max at (phone: 336-643-7297 or e-mail: hmaxkern@gmail.com) or Ed or Bev Wentz (phone: 336-643-3007; e-mail: ewentz1@triad.rr.com).

In the event the June, 2012 dates do not suit your schedule, additional building teams will visit Kasungami July 13 - 27, 2012 and August 10 - 24, 2012. Please sign up accordingly.

If you are a qualified Team Leader and interested in leading Team 2 (July 13 – 27, 2012) or Team 3 (August 10 - 24, 2012) please contact us at the above telephone numbers or e-mail addresses.

If you are interested in participating on any of the three parsonage building teams please go to: www.wnccumc.org/vim/bgt-ScheduleStatus.htm:

A. Access 2012 WNCC Building Team Essential Information;

B. Access 2012 Projects for all countries. Scroll down to Congo, Democratic Republic of the, for information on the project;

C. Application/Medical Forms.

NOTE: The deadline for Nazareth UMC Parsonage Building Team member applications (WITH PASTOR’S SIGNATURE) to be submitted no later than January 14, 2012.

There will be a Building Team orientation meeting January 14, 2012, at 10 A.M. at Oak Ridge UMC, Oak Ridge, NC

Total cost for the 16 day trip to DRC is $3,300 (based on departure from North Carolina through Dulles International Airport, Virginia). This includes airfare, room and board at Nazareth UMC, Kasungami, DRC and the United Methodist Guest House in Lubumbashi, DRC. Total cost is contingent upon point of departure and air fare.

Team members will also assist raising $5,000 in donations per team to cover cost of construction materials for their phase of the parsonage construction. Donations for building materials for the parsonage may be sent to: Oak Ridge United Methodist Church, 2424 Oak Ridge Rd., Oak Ridge, NC, 27310, USA. Please indicate in Memo: Nazareth UMC Parsonage Building Material Fund.

You are also invited to attend the Volunteers in Mission Rally & Reunion at Western North Carolina United Methodist Conference, Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, Oct. 7 - 9, 2011 to meet building team leaders and prospective team members. Please go to: www.wnccumc.org/vim/bgt-Rally.htm for additional information. Attendance at the rally/reunion is not a requirement to participate on a Building Team. However, attending the rally introduces interested parties to other individuals and team leaders who have the common goal of serving others.

In His Service,

Bev & Ed Wentz

U.S. (UMVIM) Coordinators for Child Action Initiative
Oak Ridge United Methodist Church
Oak Ridge, NC
Greensboro District
Western North Carolina United Methodist Conference

Matthew 28 vs. 19: ……”Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”……