FUMC has been part of VIM trips to Nicaragua for many years. 

Each trip has involved construction of some sort, e.g., a clinic, school or other building as well as bringing medical and school supplies.

FUMC Establishes Covenant Relationship with

Dr. Belinda Forbes, UM Missionary in Nicaragua

 We are excited to announce that a new missional relationship  has been established with Belinda Forbes.  

  “Since 1974, the Covenant Relationship Program has enabled UM congregations to surround our mission personnel with love and prayer, and to grow in understanding the context in which these missionaries serve by learning about the place of service and its people, culture, traditions, and religious life.  This mutual relationship calls for the church to participate in the work of the missionary through financial and prayerful support, and for that missionary to share with the church first-hand experiences of working in God’s mission.  Your funds support all UM missionaries in the name of one UM missionary, thus building a faithful relationship with the entire missionary community.”  Belinda’s biography can be found at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/work/missionaries/biographies.

Volunteers in Mission who have been to Nicaragua are impressed with Belinda and her work as well as with the work of her agency, Acción Médica Cristiana (AMC).  AMC works with “the poorest of the poor” to improve basic health and living conditions.  Their website is www.amc.org.ni.  It’s in Spanish now, but later this year it will also be in English.  If you go to the Huracan Feliz portion of the website, there are English newsletters.  If you click “noticias y eventos,” there is a link to a Nicaragua Network article in English about Hurricane Relief.

A congregation establishes this relationship by committing to contribute $2500 per year or $5.00 per member.  FUMC currently has 342 members and budgeted $1800 for this.  Missionaries agree to communicate with congregations by letter at least 3 times per year and to visit a covenanting church when they itinerate in the US. We expect that Belinda will visit FUMC in 2009.  Other forms of communication are also possible; we will look into options. Returning VIM’s have power point presentations and other information about Belinda and AMC and will find ways to share these.

Peter and Jan Huston with Dr. Belinda Forbes

The program is coordinated through the Advance program of the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM).  If anyone wants to send additional money to Belinda, they should make out a check to FUMC with “Advance #12109Z – Belinda Forbes” in the notation.  Another way is to send a check with the same notation to Advance GCFA, PO Box 9068, GPO, New York, NY 10087-9068.  More options and information are at the GBGM website – http://www.new.gbgm-umc.org

 The following pictures were taken by Jan Huston during a recent VIM trip to Nicaragua.