Global Mission Fellows completing their two-year terms of service in spring 2024 shared photos and memories about their time as young adult missionaries.

Catch a glimpse into the work of 10 GMFs and what they found meaningful in their placements all over the world. 

A large part of the economy of Kamina is based on traditional subsistence agriculture, fishing and cattle breeding. Modern farms are rare. Yet, Kamina lacks neither rich land, nor rivers and lakes full of fish.

The people in the photo are from the southeastern part of Kamina in a village called Kinkunki, which is not far from Kamisamba farm, where I work. They are mostly peasant farmers whose livelihoods depend on their farms. Because of their financial constraints, this rural village finds it difficult to send its children to school, which results in high rates of illiteracy in the community.

The children, without resources to attend school, don’t have any other option than to join and support their parents in farming.

However, they lack some of the basic agricultural tools that could improve their farming techniques. They usually come to Kamisamba Farm to work during harvest. After the harvest, Kamisamba provides them with seeds that help them plant their own fields to improve their crop production.

In my place of assignment, I am involved both in the El Sembrador Sschool and in the church (which is located on the school grounds). I direct the English program, help with the school’s marching band, teach the recorder, pianica and the lira (glockenspiel), and I am involved with the church’s music team.

However, I have never felt so fulfilled and happy as I was during this moment. This is the first joint young people’s retreat/fellowship that I organized with the new GMF, Binu Bill Bright Abel from India. This was attended by the youth of two churches, both part of my work assignment: Iglesia Metodista Pastocalle and Iglesia Metodista Agua de Vida in Romerillos. We fellowshipped with each other, cooked and shared food, and listened to the Word of God shared by my seminary Professor, Dr. David Upp. The goal was to build a closer connection between the two churches and a community of young believers.

We all need friends, community, support and a sense of being loved. It is a blessing to have found all these through a local spiritual community in my place of assignment. This is one of the local churches in which I have spent time serving with the youth alongside the youth pastors of the church. Engaging in Bible studies together, celebrating and grieving with one another, visiting each other’s homes and learning more about our cultural dynamics has assisted in relationship building and enhancing our spiritual growth through shared stories of God’s experiences in our lives.

One of the days I will remember is July 9, 2023, pictured above. I had a role to play in the Sunday worship service. To my surprise, after the benediction, the band played a birthday song and the whole congregation started singing along, surrounding me. They showered me with gifts and prayers. I felt loved, like family, while joy overflowed in my heart on that day. With gratitude in my heart, I look forward to the continued growth and connection with them in my last days of GMF service and beyond.

Since the organization’s founding in 1994, Koinonia’s mission has been to mobilize ecumenical solidarity and render service to historically and culturally vulnerable groups that are in the process of social and political emancipation. The organization makes alliances with Black communities that are set in urban and rural areas, with women, young people, LGBTQIA+ communities, and with people who have HIV and AIDS.

Koinonia trains young people and adolescents on gender and diversity rights and coordinates public advocacy with people living with HIV, raising awareness in churches and religious communities on health and sexuality issues, and strengthening religious actions for inclusion.

The aim of the event pictured above was to build spaces to encourage and discuss information about the combined prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections as well as provide psychosocial support for people with HIV and AIDS, aiming to minimize the damage caused by pandemics in the outskirts and metropolitan regions of the city of São Paulo.

I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with children, teenagers and senior citizens. Our organization focuses on the underprivileged and marginalized, but especially the children. They have the right to learn and develop, but because of their circumstances, they are not growing in optimal conditions.

In the photo, the children are playing games after their classes. Although the conditions there are very poor, the children always smile brightly and welcome us whenever we visit. I believe that children need more attention because they are the generation that will continue the work of God in the future. We provide alternative educational programs for these children, and we also have Bible study classes with them. This ensures that they develop both physically and spiritually.

The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project promotes justice by defending and advancing the rights of immigrants through direct legal services, systemic advocacy and community education. In Seattle, I work as a citizen intake coordinator to help clients navigate their program eligibility and provide direct representation to support attorneys and legal advocates through the U.S. legal system.

Part of why I applied to be a Global Mission Fellow US-2 was to take part in mission that works toward positive impact, to advocate for social justice for those who need it and are experiencing injustice and working with communities instead of for them.

But leaving Oklahoma to come to Seattle, I found it was also important to find a good church community outside of work and one that matched the GMF mission. Here are a group of us kayaking on a church retreat as we spent the weekend at church camp growing together and feeling connected!

Serving people and serving the community is the way I serve my God. I am grateful for the skills God gave me to use in my ministry, especially to work with kids and young people.

It is my pleasure to meet and work with a diverse community that allows us to show our love, respect, kindness and unity.

Connecting the church in mission and engaging with the community has a big impact on me as I lead a team. In Northern Ireland, we do surf workshops while sharing the Gospel of Jesus as we believe that “Real Life Awaits.”

The spiritual life of young people is strengthened through the balance (Sports and Workshop) of the ministry, also, they’ll grow in personal and in social holiness. Ministry has a big influence on an individual’s life, portraying the ministry of Jesus in the boat, in the sea, in the mountains, in the cities, as we see differently and serve differently.

I work closely with the Green Scenery Advocacy Team in organizing advocacy activities, including seminars, conferences, and some specific campaigns. I assist in designing, planning, implementing and monitoring advocacy project activities, and in organizing seminars, workshops and special lectures.

Here we work hand-in-hand with vulnerable communities to help them understand the impacts of climate change, empowering them to advocate for ways to help the climate recover and reduce practices that are unsustainable.

In serving with the Pan Africa Climate Justice Alliance in Kenya, my focus lies within a climate policy and advocacy organization, distinct from direct church engagement. However, driven by a desire to find a local spiritual community of support, I connected with a United Methodist congregation while on this spiritual journey.

Following the disaffiliation of larger UMC churches in Kenya, including all of those in Nairobi, I, alongside like-minded believers, embarked on a mission to revitalize our United Methodist roots. Through collaborative consultation and concerted effort, we successfully planted six United Methodist churches in Nairobi. Today, these churches stand as beacons of hope, embodying the spirit of the UMC and nurturing spiritual growth within our community.

I am from the Philippines, and I serve in Clarendon Shelter, a homeless shelter in Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland. My job description involves learning about homelessness and active participation in doing support work.

I’ve learned never to underestimate the power of being different, especially in places where you will stand out. When I came to Derry, I was so afraid of being judged or profiled because of who I am and where I come from. However, I realized that if I don’t step into a lighted space I will forever be in the dark – unseen and unheard.

I started sharing my ideas in the shelter and facilitating projects with the residents. Going to schools and churches to share facts about the issue of homelessness helped me to feel at home with different people, especially young children, and to create an advocacy project.

Here at Clooney Hall Methodist Church, I met with the Elders Luncheon Club to share about the rapid growth of homelessness in Northern Ireland and the importance of advocacy for housing rights and how congregations and church members can get involved.

Please pray for these GMFs and their broader cohort of fellows as they transition to new careers, further studies or another phase of discernment in their lives.

Meanwhile, the 2024-2026 class of young adult missionaries has been selected and trained for service and will soon be arriving in their placements!

Learn more about the Global Mission Fellows program, including how to apply and ways to support.

The post 10 Global Mission Fellows reflect on 2 years of service appeared first on Global Ministries.

ATLANTA – Become a Global Mission Fellow and join the movement of young adults who cross boundaries to better understand and respond to injustice.

The Global Mission Fellows program of The United Methodist Church places young adults, ages 20–30, in social justice ministries for two years of service. The program is excited to announce the launch of the application for both tracks: service in the United States (US-2 track) and around the world (international track).

Fellows on both tracks address deep-rooted systems of injustice, working in a variety of areas including food insecurity, migration/immigration, education and poverty. Fellows on the US-2 track leave their home state to serve in a new community and fellows on the international track serve outside their home country in a new context.

All fellows gain a fresh perspective on systems preventing social change as they engage with current world issues. They form meaningful relationships with their host community as they are mentored by organizations meeting immediate needs and working toward lasting transformation.

Fellows receive ongoing training in spiritual and professional development and the program provides ways for the cohort to stay connected during their time of service. 

The Wesleyan value of personal and social holiness is at the core of the Global Mission Fellows program. The program is open to those from different denominational backgrounds, but participants are expected to represent The United Methodist Church and uphold its social principles during their time of service.

The application deadline for the international track is Jan. 17, 2024 and, for the US-2 track, April 9, 2024. Placement matches will be assigned throughout the selection process, but early application is encouraged for the strongest match. The application for the international track can be found at https://umcmission.org/become-a-fellow-international-track/ and the application for the US-2 track can be found at https://umcmission.org/become-a-fellow/.

Those selected for the next Global Mission Fellow cohort will begin onboarding in Spring 2024 and start service in August 2024.

For more information regarding the program or application process, email missionaryinfo@umcmission.org.

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By Adam Bowers and Sara Logeman
November 30, 2022 | ATLANTA

What’s it like living and working in a different country, following God’s call to mission wherever it may lead? Young adults in the International track of the Global Mission Fellows (GMF) program know first hand! Now that applications are open for the Global Mission Fellows International track, just as we did for fellows in the US-2 track, we checked in with fellows currently serving around the globe.

The GMF program places young adults, ages 20–30, within community ministries combating systemic injustice in Central and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia for two years of service. By connecting the local and global church in mission, fellows make an impact as they grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Embodying Global Ministries’ commitment to send missionaries “From everywhere to everywhere,” four fellows describe their transformative experiences abroad and what led them to apply to the program.

International fellows must serve outside their home country, which exposes them to new cultures and broadens their understanding of what it means to be a Christian in different contexts. This is an important aspect of the GMF experience – shaping the first part of the program motto “see differently, serve differently”.

Venus Mae Gatdula, who is originally from the Philippines and is now in the middle of her service at the Cambodia Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies in Siem Reap Province, has seen the importance of learning about her new context:

Isabelle Mbako Matshik is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo and is now serving at The Surf Project in Northern Ireland, where remnants of “The Troubles,” a political conflict that lasted from the late 1960s through 1998, still shape religious life:

Though new contexts accelerate personal growth, it can be challenging to find your footing, especially when very few people can relate to your experiences. That’s why the GMF program places importance on growth in community – not only in the new communities fellows find at their placements, but also through connections with their cohort (other GMFs going through the program at the same time).

Venus has found a family and support system in her GMF cohort:

Global Mission Fellows serve with a community organization, embedding themselves into an existing ministry. While there are certainly challenges, all four GMFs we spoke to were energized by their communities and the opportunities they’ve had to learn and grow.

Tariro (Tarie) Salim Nyamudeza, originally from Zimbabwe and now serving at Mission for Migrant Workers (MFMW Limited) in Hong Kong, is most excited about how her work connects her with her community:

Working in children and youth ministry, Isabelle has learned about her strengths:

Jolainne Thowinson De Hoyos, originally from Colombia and currently serving at Junta Unida de Misiones in Argentina, sees the potential in her placement:

Venus appreciates how accepting her community has been, giving her room to grow:

There’s only one way to find out if you’re being called to serve as a GMF: completing an application online. Tarie explains why she applied to the Global Mission Fellows program: 

The application deadline is January 12, 2023. Apply now to become an International Global Mission Fellow. 

Adam Bowers is a content consultant for Global Ministries and UMCOR. Sara Logeman is the content strategist for Global Ministries and UMCOR.

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By Grace Rogers
October 28, 2022 | MIAMI

As a Global Mission Fellow US-2, I moved from my small town in Arkansas to Miami to serve as the Fundraising and Outreach Coordinator for Florida Justice for Our Neighbors, a nonprofit that provides free, high-quality immigration legal services to low-income immigrants throughout the state of Florida.

Everything is so different from what I knew growing up, but a central part of the GMF program is to leave your home context and fully immerse yourself with your new neighbors. One way my roommates and I do this is through Taco Tuesdays.

Ever since our first week together, we have made tacos for dinner on Tuesdays. Every week it looks a little different. Sometimes, as we devour the tacos, we watch a new episode of Abbott Elementary. Some weeks, we have several friends over, and we end up playing a 3-hour game of Monopoly. Over the course of our service term, Taco Tuesday has grown into a time of immense community.

When we first started, the gathering was typically just me and my roommates and the things we used for tacos back home: flour tortillas, lettuce, queso dip, sour cream, for instance. However, as we have lived in Miami and become immersed in our community, Taco Tuesday has grown to include our new friends – who bring their own experiences. For example, one of our friends is Dominican, and he found it absurd that we would ever choose flour tortillas over corn tortillas, because he grew up in a place where everyone used corn tortillas. Another friend from out West brought over nacho cheese when we asked him to pick up some cheese dip.

While these differences aren’t huge examples of life in mutual mission, I think they are great examples of what you learn as a Global Mission Fellow. Every person has a unique experience in this life that shapes the way we understand the world around us, and because of these unique experiences, everyone has something to learn and teach one another.

That is mutuality in mission. Sometimes, that can mean sitting on the phone with a client and finding her resources, so her family has a place to stay as they seek asylum in the U.S. Sometimes it’s trying a corn tortilla for your taco instead of a flour one.

Grace Rogers, from Austin, Arkansas, serves as a Global Mission Fellow US-2 in Miami, Florida, as the Fundraising and Outreach Coordinator with the Florida Justice for Our Neighbors office.

Global Mission Fellows

Global Mission Fellows are young adults, ages 20–30, who are committed to serve in social justice ministries for two years. They enter into new communities, understanding their challenges and assets through relationships and with the long-term goal to overcome systemic oppression. Fellows partner with community organizations to address a variety of issues, including migration/immigration, education, public health and poverty.

Support the ministries of missionaries working around the world, including young adult Global Mission Fellows.

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By Adam Bowers and Sara Logeman
October 27, 2022 | ATLANTA

As the Global Mission Fellows US-2 track application is open, we checked in with US-2s who are currently in the program and those who have recently completed service. 

The Global Mission Fellows (GMF) program places young adults, ages 20–30, in social justice ministries in the United States for two years of service. Fellows learn a great deal about themselves and their relationship with God along the way. 

True to the GMF program motto, the young adults we spoke with have truly learned to “See differently, serve differently.” 

Hear directly from three US-2s on why this is such a transformative program and why others should apply. 

One of the key aspects of the US-2 program is that fellows must serve outside of their home state. The goal is to spark the kind of growth that might only happen when you’re confronted with new and unfamiliar people, places and things. 

Marie Rittenberry, who is originally from Louisiana and is now in the middle of her US-2 service at the Grand Rapids Community House in Grand Rapids, MI, has experienced that growth first-hand: 

Meleanitema Sapoi-Finau, or “Tema,” is originally from California but is now serving at Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa, FL. She has also experienced the growth that comes from moving outside one’s comfort zone, especially in her relationship with God: 

Another important aspect of the US-2 experience is the work itself: fellows must confront social justice issues daily as they serve people in their new communities. Learning and service are intertwined in such a way that it opens fellows’ eyes to injustice and its root causes, helping them to “see differently” as they “serve differently”.   

Marie learned about “food deserts” and their impact on communities: 

Similarly, Tema learned first-hand how the work she was doing could help someone move forward in life: 

What’s the difference between becoming a US-2 and simply going to work for a non-profit organization full-time? There are many differences, but one of the most important is the mentoring and professional development that happens in the context of the cohort of US-2s who are currently serving at any given time. 

As some of the first US-2s from the program’s start in the early 1950’s will attest, the relationships you build with other US-2s can be lifelong bonds of friendship and growth in community. 

Marie puts it this way: 

Shifting to a US-2 who has completed their two years of service, one benefit of the program is helping to figure out what sort of work a person might be called to, whether professional ministry or a range of other vocations. 

Magdeline Russo, or “Maddie,” is originally from Louisiana but was placed for her US-2 service at Pasadena Community UMC in Florida as a Community and Church Engagement intern. Her experience helped her discern her call to ministry: 

We’ll close with this encouragement from Maddie: 

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Maddie! The first application deadline is December 1, 2022. Apply now to become a US-2. 

Adam Bowers is a content consultant for Global Ministries and UMCOR. Sara Logeman is the content strategist for Global Ministries and UMCOR.

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The application has launched for the next cohort of young adults who will serve in social justice ministries in the United States in 2023-25.

For release: IMMEDIATE

Media Contact:
Susan Clark, Chief Communications Officer
sclark@umcmission.org

Become a Global Mission Fellow and join the legacy and movement of young adults in the United States who have crossed boundaries to better understand and respond to various forms of injustice since 1951.

The Global Mission Fellows program of The United Methodist Church places young adults, ages 20–30, in social justice ministries for two years of service. The program offers the opportunity for service in the United States (US-2 track) and around the world (international track) and is excited to announce the launch of the application on Sept. 1 for the 2023-25 cohort on the US-2 track.

Fellows serving on the US-2 track address the deep-rooted systems of injustice in the U.S., working in a variety of areas, including food insecurity, migration/immigration, education and poverty. Fellows leave their home state to serve in a new community, gaining a fresh perspective on systems preventing social change. They form meaningful relationships with their host community as they are mentored by organizations meeting immediate needs and working toward lasting transformation.

The Wesleyan value of personal and social holiness is at the core of the Global Mission Fellows program. The program is open to those from different denominational backgrounds, but participants are expected to represent The United Methodist Church and uphold its social principles during their time of service.

The fall application deadline is Dec. 1, 2022. Placement matches will be assigned throughout the selection process, but early application is encouraged for the strongest match. The final deadline is Spring 2023. The application can be found at https://umcmission.org/become-a-fellow/.

Those selected for the next Global Mission Fellow US-2 cohort will begin onboarding in Spring 2023 and service in August 2023.

For more information regarding the program or application process, email missionaryinfo@umcmission.org.

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About the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church

Global Ministries is the worldwide mission and development agency of The United Methodist Church. Founded in 1819, Global Ministries today supports more than 250 missionaries in over 70 countries, including the United States. It has personnel, projects and partners in 120 countries. Learn more about Global Ministries by visiting www.umcmission.org or by following www.facebook.com/GlobalMinistries and Twitter.com/UMCmission.

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Fifty-four missionaries were commissioned for service in nine different worship services taking place around the world from April to July. Some begin service in new placements while others continue with work they began during the pandemic.

By Christie R. House
July 27, 2022 | ATLANTA

Augustinus Hutabarat, from Indonesia, was accepted and trained as a young adult Global Mission Fellow (GMF) and has served the Street Children Ministry in Phnom Penh for almost a year with the United Methodist Mission in Cambodia. The complications of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that he, and all other missionaries in the last three years, participated in online training, never actually meeting Global Ministries staff or colleague missionaries in person…until now.

As pandemic restrictions are lifted in many countries, small gatherings and travel have once again become possible, with certain precautions. From April through July, Global Ministries coordinated regional missionary gatherings so that 54 missionaries could be officially commissioned and have a few days to fellowship, worship and continue training together with other missionaries in the regions they serve.

So, on April 24, at Toul Kork Methodist Church in Cambodia, Augustinus Hutabarat was officially commissioned, along with five Global Missionaries and four more of his Global Mission Fellow colleagues.

“A day that cannot be forgotten, not only as a ceremony, but a spiritual journey that has just begun, finally we were commissioned!” Hutabarat exclaimed. “Through this commissioning I was reminded that, as a missionary, I have a duty from God to bring good news to everyone, that God loves all human beings, and that we must engage in our communities, connect with the church in mission, and grow in personal and social holiness.”

Most of the missionaries participating in the commissioning services expressed joy and amazement at meeting face-to face. Some had begun their missionary service as early as 2020.

“As we gathered for the commissioning event, it felt surreal,” noted Rachel Kuolou Therieh, who is from India and, like Hutabarat, serves in Cambodia. “Especially meeting Rev. Judy [Chung] in person after many months of online sessions. Having all the GMFs and Global Missionaries working in Asia in the same room was a wonderful experience. The four days with the team allowed me so much time to self-reflect, reaffirming my purpose and trashing my fear of the uncertain.”

The Rev. Dr. Judy Chung, executive director of Global Ministries’ Missionary Service, attended all the regional gatherings. Many were happy to meet her in person.

“It has been a great privilege to travel to four continents to participate in the commissioning of missionaries and Global Mission Fellows,” Chung said. “It is amazing to see that the call of God overcomes challenges and obstacles, sending people forth into the world to share God’s love. I am thankful to witness the power of God at work through these resilient and faithful missionaries and fellows.”

In addition to the Cambodia event, commissioning events were held in Northern Ireland for missionaries in Europe; Côte d’Ivoire for missionaries in Africa; Costa Rica for those in Latin America; and individual U.S. events held in conjunction with the North Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Mississippi and Mountain Sky annual conferences.

Each of the events took on a different flavor, reflecting the cultural differences of the continents and countries where they lived and worked and the particular culture of Methodists and United Methodists where the events were held. All of the regional gatherings outside the U.S. included extended training, mission site visits and other trips.

In Côte d’Ivoire, Albarka Abbo Wakili, a GMF from Nigeria, traveled with other missionaries to Dabou, a town in the southern part of the country. They visited the UMC hospital, a local congregation and water tower projects. “I felt uplifted witnessing God’s healing and grace at the hospital and God’s imminent providence through the church by providing a primary need such as water projects and agriculture to communities.”

The group meeting in Belfast, Northern Ireland, visited the Surf project of the Methodist Church of Ireland in Portrush, Northern Ireland, where two of the GMFs worked. Then they walked to the famous Giant’s Causeway, the natural wonder of hexagonal basalt rock pillars that look like they had to be man-made, formed by volcanic eruption 6 million years ago.

“God’s creation is amazing,” noted the Rev. Krista Givens, from the U.S., serving as the pastor for international ministry with La Siesta Evangelical Church in Alicante, Spain. “I am so thankful for the hospitality of our partners and the great time of fellowship and fun.”

Hannah Reasoner, a Global Missionary from the U.S. serving in Bogotá, Colombia, appreciated the workshops led by fellow missionaries in her region. While she had worked with them extensively through online meetings, she was glad to meet them in person for the first time. A workshop led by missionary Osias Segura was engaging because it offered tools on how to respectfully navigate cultural difference and misunderstanding. Yorleni Rebeca Jiménez Rojas, a missionary and psychologist serving in Honduras, offered advice on the importance of self-care. 

In the United States, six U.S.-2 Global Mission Fellows were commissioned by annual conferences in Florida and Michigan, where the GMFs has already begun their two-year terms of service. In Mississippi, Althea Belton was commissioned to serve as a Church and Community Worker with Gulfside Assembly in Waveland. Courtney and Dan Randall were commissioned by the Mountain Sky Annual Conference as Missionary Advocates for the Western Jurisdiction, and the Rev. Dr. Sung Il Lee was commissioned in North Georgia to serve as a Global Missionary in Nausor, Fiji.

Returning to their places of service after the events, many of the missionaries expressed gratitude but also a renewed sense of calling and service, encouraged and supported by Global Ministries and their missionary colleagues.

“I am grateful for the village we have created and the communities we get to serve with,” Venus Mae Gatdula, a GMF from the Philippines working in Cambodia reported. “Grateful for this life I chose in the life that God has chosen for me. Just as we declared the Wesley Covenant Prayer – I am no longer my own, but God’s.”

Christie R. House is a consultant writer and editor with Global Ministries and UMCOR.

Missionaries commissioned in 2022 regional services with service placements

Africa: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Global Missionaries
Blair Moses Kamanga – Mozambique
Leah Jane Magruder – South Africa
Edmund Melusi Makowa – East Congo Episcopal Area, Democratic Republic of Congo
Natallia Manyeza – Sierra Leone

Global Mission Fellows International
Sara Albert Amalia Bakhit – Mozambique
Imourana Bockarie – Zambia
Divine Kudzai Gaga – Liberia
Michael Mark Gandi – Zambia
Trobby Kandala – Sierra Leone
James Kanu – Kenya
Doel Kumwimba Kaloa – Zambia
Benjamin Langeni Mndeme – Kenya
Mary Sharon Mwango – Liberia
Sims Siamoonga – Kenya
Christopher Peace Theoway – Zambia
Albarka Abbo Wakili – Zambia
Elizabeth Nyalima Yambasu – Liberia

Asia: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Global Missionaries
Patrick Booth – Cambodia
Min Kyu Lee – Wesley Divinity School, Philippines
C. S. Park – United Methodist Mission in Southeast Asia
J. Park – United Methodist Mission in Southeast Asia
Joy Prim – Hong Kong, SAR, China

Global Mission Fellows International
Jay Hezeil Doctor Abayon – Cambodia
Syna Be – South Korea
Venus Mae Barroga Gatdula – Cambodia
Agustinus Hutabarat – Cambodia
Rachel Kuolou Therieh – Cambodia

Europe: Belfast, Northern Ireland

Global Missionaries
Krista Suzanne Givens – Spain
Eliad Dias dos Santos – Italy
Global Mission Fellows, International
Ricardo Alfredo Martinez Escobar – Ireland
Erick Park Hunter – United Kingdom
Isabelle Mbako Matshik – Northern Ireland
Benjamin Thomas Rose – Northern Ireland

Latin America: San José, Costa Rica

Global Missionaries
Edwin Campomanes Ramirez – Guatemala
Luis De Souza Cardoso – Uruguay
Bruna Farat da Silva – Costa Rica
Alvaro Rodrigo Godinez Jimenez – Mexico
Ann Margaret Hidalgo – Costa Rica
Yorleni Rebeca Jiménez Rojas – Honduras
Hannah Kaitlyn Reasoner – Colombia

Global Mission Fellows International
Brayan Alejandro Martinez Davalos – Uruguay
Eliana Maria Alves – Honduras
Abigayle Chesca Bolado – Colombia
Reeba Imola Webster Bennett – Uruguay

United States

Georgia
Global Missionary
Rev. Dr. Sung Il Lee – Nausori, Fiji

Florida
Global Mission Fellows US-2
Precious Tatenda Kufarimai – Miami
Amber Marie Kupfer – Miami
Grace Elizabeth Rogers – Miami
Meleanitema Sapoi-Finau – Miami

Michigan
Global Mission Fellows US-2
Megan Marie Rittenberry – Grand Rapids
Cenaya Ward-Johns – Kalamazoo

Mississippi
Church and Community Worker
Althea Belton – Gulfside Assembly, Waveland

Montana
Mission Advocates
Courtney Randall – Western Jurisdiction
Dan Randall –  Western Jurisdiction

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Meleanitema Sapoi-Finau joined the Global Mission Fellows program, traveled across the country and discovered what God had been preparing her for all along.

By Christie R. House
March 21, 2022 | ATLANTA

Meleanitema Sapoi-Finau, known as “Tema,” grew up in Anaheim and Long Beach, California, part of the busy metropolis of Los Angeles. Like many United Methodists in the U.S., she grew up among a diverse population of many cultures, but when it came to Sunday mornings, her church family all looked pretty much like her.

“We’re all Tongan,” she laughed. “We have a very strong sense of community, and it’s a large community on the West Coast.”

She earned an Associate degree in communications from Long Beach City College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology with an emphasis in culture from the University of California in Santa Barbara. Both have come in handy in her Global Mission Fellow US-2 assignment in Tampa, Florida.

“I think I had the notion that Tampa was going to be like Long Beach, because they are both on a coastline and the weather is similar, but there are very different demographics. Moving was actually a big culture shock,” Tema said.

On the West Coast, there are more Asian Americans, and she was used to being among people from the Philippines, Korea and Guam. But in Florida, Latino populations are more prevalent. Yet, even the Latino populations in Tampa were different, generally from Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. “In California, I’d never met a Dominican. There are mainly Mexicans and Central Americans,” she explained.

While she had grown up in the Tongan United Methodist Church, it wasn’t until she reached college that she consciously started to seek spiritual guidance. University Methodist Church in Santa Barbara hosted open class discussions on controversial subjects and advocated for ways to name and reconcile historical injustices. These were some of the same topics she was grappling with in her college classes. “It became my beacon of hope, combining these two features of my life together,” she said.

Tema comes from a long line of Tongan Methodist pastors, back to her great grandfather and his brothers in Tonga. Her grandmother is a retired pastor of the UMC. But she felt pressure from this heritage, as it created high expectations for her life.

Her aunt, ‘Ainise ‘Isama’u, is currently the president of United Women in Faith, the new name of United Methodist Women. She convinced Tema to apply for the Global Mission Fellow program. Though Tema had decided she did not want to pursue any kind of religious profession, the way that Global Mission Fellows combines spiritual life with work and study about social justice issues appealed to her, as it was similar to what she found with her college UMC. And, she discovered, God had a different plan for her.

At first, she was apprehensive about the placement and the move, but after being in Tampa for eight months, she has become more comfortable in her role. Her assignment is with the Spiritual Formation Team of Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa as the Youth and Children’s Ministry Coordinator. Metropolitan Ministries is a nonprofit agency working to find shelter, permanent housing and job opportunities for homeless families. Tema’s assignment is particularly concerned with the spiritual well-being of the children and teens in Metropolitan Ministries’ shelters.

She holds Bible study with teens and children at Metropolitan’s shelters and is part of the team that prepares the weekly chapel service held for staff online.

“I was, typically, the one who was listening during Bible study. Now, I’m the one leading it, though that took some time. I have created my own identity at my work space and now I’m confident enough to take leadership spaces,” she said.

While she feels she is growing, a chapter in her life she describes as “self-realization,” Tema also credits the Spiritual Formation Team and other colleagues and volunteers at Metropolitan Ministries for allowing her to find her way and helping her through the rough spots.

“My degree in anthropology helped me be in the mindset and mentality of people coming from different walks of life – listening and processing from a point of understanding rather than a point of judgement. I absolutely love the classes I took in college. I think in the space that I am in now, I am able to apply my college studies to my life.”  

The communications degree has also helped her. She sees the main goal of her position as being a consistent and caring adult for the children and youth she is with, on the days she is with them. She tries to be a helping hand and someone who will listen to them. “I think that kids who are in this situation – and kids who are not – just want an adult to listen to them, to know that their words carry meaning. Just because they are teens or kids doesn’t mean they are not valued.”

Tema confirms that becoming a Global Mission Fellow has changed her perspective on her home church. She spent years in youth group, worked as a camp counselor, volunteered for service projects and worked with kids in a shelter.

“I think being brought up in the UMC helped to mold me into being someone who can lead groups and be comfortable in conversations where there are different opinions being expressed. That foundation has carried over into my current position, and the GMF program has helped to strengthen that and helped me see what it fully means to be United Methodist and why our church is different from other denominations.”

The Global Mission Fellows program will be accepting new applications for U.S. service for the 2022-2024 class through March 31, 2022. GMFs serve with Global Ministries for two years in mission-related placements outside their home context. For more information, visit: https://umcmission.org/global-mission-fellows/.

Christie R. House is a consultant writer and editor with Global Ministries and UMCOR.

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For release: IMMEDIATE

Media Contact:
Sara Logeman, Content Strategist
slogeman@umcmission.org

The application deadline for the 2022-24 cohort of Global Mission Fellows on the US-2 track is Thursday, March 31. Join the legacy and movement of young adults in the United States who have crossed boundaries to better understand and respond to various forms of injustice since 1951.

Young adults on the US-2 track leave their home state to serve in a new community for two years. They gain a fresh perspective on systems preventing social change and address injustice by serving in areas such as immigration rights, homelessness, civic engagement, youth and campus ministry, food insecurity, and anti-racism and justice outreach.

Fellows form meaningful relationships with their host community as they are mentored by organizations meeting immediate needs and working toward lasting transformation. In addition to long-standing placement sites in Florida, Michigan and Washington state, new placements are available in Iowa and Utah.

The Global Mission Fellows program is open to those from different denominational backgrounds, but participants must be willing to represent The United Methodist Church and uphold its social principles during their time of service. The Wesleyan value of personal and social holiness is at the core of the program.

The application can be found at https://umcmission.org/become-a-fellow/. Those selected for the next cohort will begin training and service in August and September of 2022.

For more information regarding the program or application process, email missionaryinfo@umcmission.org.

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About the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church

Global Ministries is the worldwide mission and development agency of The United Methodist Church. Founded in 1819, Global Ministries today supports more than 200 missionaries in over 60 countries, including the United States. It has personnel, projects and partners in 120 countries. Learn more about Global Ministries by visiting www.umcmission.org or by following www.facebook.com/GlobalMinistries and Twitter.com/UMCmission.

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Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa, Florida. PHOTO: SHIREE FETTERLY

By Shiree Fetterly

December 20, 2021 | Tampa, Florida

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”

– Luke 2:15 (NRSV)

This year has been a year of many tests. We are tested by the pandemic and the amount of police brutality – the amount of hatred we see, and a persistent refusal by many people to care for the environment. God has taken us to places we never thought we could go both mentally and physically but has remained with us in the center of it all. As with the shepherds watching their sheep outside Bethlehem, God has given us signs. The world as we know it is crumbling at our feet. The more we ignore it, the more we ignore God, and the more tragedy will seep into the world.

My coworkers and I help with the teens at Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa, Florida, a place that offers comprehensive services for at-risk and homeless families. We teach them life-skills and self-worth and that the situations they are in, whatever they may be, are temporary. They learn skills to use now and in the future. In this safe place, they come, hang out with friends and learn different skills that may impact their lives.

This shelter is a place that knows human grief, and we sometimes see trauma happening, but what we see here is also prevalent outside of Metropolitan Ministries. Unlike the shepherds, a lot of people are not listening to God, not recognizing the problems. God is telling us to get it together. He gave us this land and created everything, but we keep taking and taking, without thinking of the devastating cost. People would rather keep and safeguard their own wealth and security and not worry about what’s happening to others.

Yet I also see hope in this world and in what God is doing. God is the hope, working through all of us. God works through me and my colleagues when we give our lessons, when we have discussions with the teens. I see the joy in their smiles and hear their laughter, as together we find some kind of peace in all the chaos. Hope is evident when people stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.

I see hope in the ways God has been working with me over these last couple years as a US-2. I feel I have grown in my relationship with God. God is shaping me, getting me ready for the next step, and this adventure is such a peaceful, mind-blowing journey. Being in Florida has opened my eyes to see how different aspects of the world work. In some ways, given the pandemic, I have stepped back from church and focused on my relationship with God.

Reflection, I believe, can bring peace when you least expect it. During my reflection, I hear God calling. Like the shepherds, I’m choosing to listen. I hear God calling. What will you do when God calls you?

Shiree Fetterly is a US-2 Global Mission Fellow from Port Huron, Michigan. She will continue her work with Metropolitan Ministries until her GMF term of service ends in the spring of 2022.

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