This experience not only took me to a new country but forever laid that country and its peace process and struggle for peace on my heart and will now forever be a part of my call in this world.

Maggie Taylor, Mountain Sky Conference

ATLANTA – The Young Adult Pilgrimage of Peace (YAPP), June 23-28, took place in South Korea this year, hosted by the Korean Methodist Church (KMC) in collaboration with The United Methodist Church through the General Board of Global Ministries and the World Methodist Council (WMC). This kind of pilgrimage, journeyed by many in ecumenical circles, helps Christians understand their role in strengthening peacebuilding efforts on the Korean Peninsula and globally.

This Methodist-sponsored itinerary included visits to Kwangju, 5.18 Memorial Park, Daejeon Gollyeonggol, Paju DMZ, and the Yanghwajin Missionary Cemetery as witness to the devastation caused by warfare and political tensions that have persisted for 75 years between North and South on the Korean Peninsula.

The delegation included nine UMC seminarians and three young adult Methodist delegates and 13 members of the WMC Young Adult Committee, one young adult from the Korean American UMC, and 10 young adults from the KMC.

Many who take this journey are surprised to learn that the Korean War has not technically ended, as the armistice signed in 1953 was not a permanent peace treaty between North and South Korea, China and the United Nations. The armistice left the country divided at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South.

The sites visited by the pilgrims were not easy to take in and understand. On June 25, which marked the 75th anniversary of the Korean War’s outbreak, the pilgrims visited Gollyeonggol Peace Park in Daejeon, the site of one of the largest civilian massacres at the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950.

“The quiet hills seemed to sing a buried truth and silenced grief,” wrote Adrian Mendoza in a reflection. Mendoza participated as a seminarian from Drew Theological School in New Jersey. He is from the Philippines and spent two years in Zambia as a Global Mission Fellow, Global Ministries’ young adult missionary program.

“I listened not only to the people living and surviving from the constant attempts to bury and erase them and the (hi)story that they carry, but to the land itself,” Mendoza continued. “The trees, the soil, and the wind seemed to carry memories of violence long buried…When the daughter of a victim spoke to us, I had an epiphany that we were not just there to hear her story. We were called to carry it, so that her unburied hope of the full truth being unearthed would one day come, even if not in her lifetime.”

Seongjin Hong, a participant from United Theological Seminary in Ohio from South Korea, mentioned Gwangju Memorial Park, a memorial to those who gave their lives during the Gwangju Democratization Movement of May 1980: “While standing there, we engaged in a group discussion about the true meaning of peace. One key realization was that peace is not passive – it often requires struggle and even sacrifice to overcome injustice. This site reminded us that peace is more than the absence of conflict; it is an active commitment to justice, truth and dignity for all people.”

Global Ministries recently intensified its focus on peace with justice ministries and has committed support for additional pilgrimages into places where people struggle with oppression, civil conflict and the effects of unresolved wars. In May 2025, Global Ministries, with the Methodist Church in Britain, the World Council of Churches, and the Methodist Liaison Office in Jerusalem and the WCC Jerusalem Liaison Office, offered pilgrim participants a unique opportunity to engage deeply with the sacred heritage of the Holy Land while gaining insight into the challenges faced by its people, particularly the Palestinian Christian community.

Roland Fernandes, Global Ministries’ general secretary, expressed his gratefulness and support for this method of ecumenical peacebuilding: “The Young Adult Pilgrimage of Peace (YAPP) reminds us that this legacy isn’t just history; it’s a call to the future. As the Methodist family, we commit to walking together on this path of reconciliation, raising our voices for peace in Korea, Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and for justice wherever hope is needed around the world. And with each future YAPP pilgrimage, we will continue to grow this movement, inviting more young people to join in, to listen, to learn, and to lead with courage and compassion.”

Katie Paul, a young adult participant from the Oklahoma Conference is a witness to the transformative power of this kind of experience: “This pilgrimage changed me. It taught me that peace begins not just in policy or protest – but in presence. It begins when we show up, listen deeply and allow ourselves to be transformed by the stories of others.”

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

Young Adult Pilgrimage of Peace
YAPP continues to invite young people to walk with communities facing oppression and injustice, listening deeply and being transformed by their stories of resilience, hope, and faith. Global Ministries will host another YAPP pilgrimage in 2026, giving participants the opportunity to witness, learn, and reaffirm a shared commitment to peace with justice.

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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — On June 30, 2025, a centennial celebration was held at Lee Sam Bong Hall at Ewha Womans University to honor the 100th anniversary of Methodist mission work in Korea.

The commemoration highlighted the century-long legacy of three foundational legal bodies that significantly shaped Methodist mission in Korea. In 1924, the American Methodist Korean Women’s Mission Foundation was established to support women-led mission initiatives. This was followed by the founding of the Foundation of Southern Methodist Church in Korea in 1925, which expanded the institutional and property base of mission work. In 1926, the Foundation of Methodist World Mission-Korea was formed to unify and strengthen the growing infrastructure of Methodist mission. These three organizations were instrumental in establishing more than 400 churches, schools, hospitals and social service centers across Korea, and later played a pivotal role in the formation of the Korean Methodist Church in 1930.

Methodist mission in Korea began in 1883 with the first donations toward missionary efforts, which led to the arrival of the first missionaries in 1885. Over the past 140 years, more than 700 missionaries have served in Korea, contributing to spiritual, educational and social development across the country.

Distinguished international guests attended the celebration, including Bishop Gregory V. Palmer, executive secretary of the UMC Council of Bishops; Jana Jones, president of United Women in Faith; and Sally Vonner, general secretary/CEO of United Women in Faith. Their presence symbolized the enduring partnership between the Korean Methodist Church and The United Methodist Church community.

This historic event celebrated the legacy of past mission efforts and reaffirmed a shared commitment to future ministry and collaboration.

The Rev. Paul Kong is the Asia Pacific Region Representative for Global Ministries.  

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Life is undeniably tough for migrant workers in Taiwan, where we work as Global Missionaries with migrant workers, especially with people from the Philippines, where we come from as well. Families back home often make the painful decision to let their loved ones leave in search of decent work and the hope of a better, more abundant life. This pursuit often comes at a high cost: creating absentee parents, spouses and children. To sustain daily needs and chase a brighter future, many are forced into long-term separations, not just for months, but for years.

We encounter both men and women who have left families to work overseas. Our ministry, called TAHANAN, meaning “Home,” is a place of comfort and a supportive community. They find us through fellow workers and by other means. One woman was new to working abroad and had difficulty adjusting to life as a Filipino Migrant Worker. Although our place is primarily a provider of social or emotional services, our ministry offers something just as essential – what we call “spiritual upliftment.” We believe in helping migrant workers rediscover their God-given identity and integrity.

As this woman stayed with us, we discerned she had challenges within her marriage. Her husband, left behind in the Philippines, had become increasingly controlling. Fearing that his wife might fall in love with someone else, he forbade her from making friends or joining community gatherings. He instructed her to go straight to her dormitory after work, with no social interaction. Each time she needed to go out, he demanded she ask his permission.

To make matters worse, her husband maintained the illusion that she was living comfortably abroad. He had no idea of the harsh reality she faced with loneliness, exhaustion and the emotional weight of her situation. She struggled to work and even sleep, feeling suffocated and emotionally strangled. She longed to return home, to escape this burden and the growing homesickness, but she was trapped by debts and the ongoing needs of her children in the Philippines. She knew she must stay for several more years, not just to pay off loans, but to support her family’s basic needs. Many are caught in this kind of trap.

Migrant workers often anticipate that separation may negatively affect their families. According to FilipinoTimes.net, “Families of the majority of those who go abroad for work are affected. Family breakdown is one of the social costs of migration. There are those who, according to their spouses, no longer provide financial support.” This reality is evident in our mission, where we have heard the regrets, longings and emotional struggles of many migrant workers who come to us for help.

TAHANAN exists to address these challenges. We offer a home and a sense of family, giving migrants a safe space where they can belong, even temporarily. Through intensive spiritual and emotional counseling, seminars and community support, we help migrant workers navigate the pressures and struggles they face, especially in matters concerning their families.

We also strive to connect with their families back home, assuring them that their loved ones are being cared for and encouraged to grow emotionally and spiritually. We hope churches and even the government will create and support more programs that care for the families of migrant workers, so that the sacrifices of these modern-day heroes are not wasted.

As missionaries, we witness these struggles firsthand. We are committed to walking alongside every migrant worker who comes our way because we believe each one is deeply valued by our Father in heaven. Scripture teaches us to go after the one lost sheep because we know that when separated from the flock, it becomes vulnerable to wolves and other wild animals.

TAHANAN helps migrant workers grow wholistically, emotionally, spiritually and relationally through the teachings and training we provide. In fact, there are many who return home transformed, bringing with them the values and principles they learned here, and starting anew with their families. They now pursue a truly abundant life, not just in finances, but in faith, character and purpose.

The migrant workers recognize TAHANAN as a ministry that advocates their well-being. They see it as a safe refuge, especially in times of abuse and oppression. We have built this reputation through our committed and active presence among them at TAHANAN and through community engagement.

The Rev. Richard Navarro and the Rev. Alma Jumuad Navarro are both elders in the East Mindanao Annual Conference. They have served in Taiwan as Global Missionaries since 2014. They have two children, Charis and Chadash.

Global Missionaries

Global Ministries missionaries are a tangible connection between The United Methodist Church and mission. Through denominational or ecumenical ministries, missionaries are called by God and sent out to serve by the church, usually placed in a new cultural context beyond their country of origin. Missionaries engage in ministry that is defined by mutuality and partnership, seeking to expand the mission of God already present and active in people and places. Explore the work of Global Ministries missionaries.

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Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering
produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Romans 5:3-4

Hope is one of the cardinal Christian virtues and a gift of the Holy Spirit. If we reflect on the opening verse of this writing, we observe that God has amazing yet mysterious ways of blessing us with spiritual gifts. It is fantastic because the spiritual gift of hope brings peace even amidst utter chaos.

In my placement site in Southeast Asia, I witness the hope of the Lord in both mysterious and amazing ways. The context in which I am serving is not hospitable for Christianity. Openly professing the gospel of Christ to nonbelievers is prohibited. Most churches operate underground. Only one denomination has gained government recognition, and it also must keep operations limited. The situation is better in the capital, but serious consequences await you in the countryside if you talk about the Good News of Jesus.

I have met and heard stories of pastors who were excommunicated from their community and even jailed just for talking about God. This is the very point where I witness the hope of the Lord in my placement site. Christians here have never let go of hope, despite persecution; they continue to profess God’s word. I see how persecution has revitalized their faith rather than breaking their hope. 

As Psalm 27:10 states; “My father and mother may abandon me, but the Lord will take care of me.” Many new Christians here are banished by their families, but even such painful incidents work in building their faith in God, cultivating hope. 

The ways that I witness hope here I have never seen in countries that are free to worship God and spread the gospel. Here, I have seen the hope of God spreading inwardly and outwardly, vertically and horizontally. Personal hope helps people grow deeper in their faith and continue working for God. The hope of salvation and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ is spread to others. The hope of freedom from sin and cleansing of the heart is passed to each other amid worldly torment. Hebrews 10:22 describes it as encouraging believers to approach God with sincere hearts and full assurance of faith, having their hearts cleansed from a guilty conscience and their bodies washed with pure water.  

Prayer: May all the missionaries and servants of God in this place become the source of hope to all the people who have met, or are yet to meet, Jesus. May we all not only receive the hope of the Lord but also reflect the Lord’s hope like sincere mirrors. Amen!

S. Gill is a Global Mission Fellow serving as an English teacher in Southeast Asia.

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ATLANTA – 140 missionaries and staff gathered for a Town Hall Zoom meeting on Nov. 13, 2024, to talk with General Secretary Roland Fernandes and to celebrate milestone years of service for some missionaries and retirement for others. By the end of 2024, six missionaries at the gathering will be retiring from service in five different countries.

Fernandes affirmed Global Ministries’ rich history in sending missionaries over more than 200 years, and that they are all part of this legacy. “I want to remind all that this is not work that you do for Global Ministries or for The United Methodist Church, but work you do for God, and God has called each of you at this time in the place that you are. We live in hope knowing that God is with us and that we have the love of God amid all that is happening.”

The Rev. Dr. Judy Chung, executive director of Missionary Service, congratulated the group of retiring missionaries and gave each a chance to speak. They come from seven different countries and retire from assignments in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central Africa, the Philippines, Zimbabwe and Liberia. 

The Rev. Dr. Ediberto Lopez Rodriguez, from Puerto Rico, served for 23 years as a missionary professor in New Testament studies with the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico. He said: “I am very grateful for these decades of service to the Lord in the ministry of Global Ministries. My joy comes to fruition when I see my current pastor explaining Scripture every Sunday with competency, and I see his effectiveness as a pastor. He is one of probably 2000 students I taught. If I had the chance to have another life like this, I would come back to my teaching place, to my theological education work for Global Ministries or to whatever place the Lord may send me.”

Nan McCurdy and Miguel Mairena, who are married, retire after 36 years for McCurdy and 28 years for Mairena. Originally Nan started her missionary service in San Juan de Limay, Nicaragua, with her first husband, Phil Mitchell. They were sent by the Baltimore-Washington Conference in 1985. “Phil and I discovered that our most worthwhile work was accompanying people who were grieving and suffering,” McCurdy said. “Almost every family had lost someone at that time.” After becoming Global Ministries’ missionaries in 1988, Mitchell died from a pulmonary embolism in 1991, leaving Nan, and their two girls, ages 13 months and 3 years. When given the choice of staying in Nicaragua or returning to the U.S., McCurdy chose to stay.

“I explained that I was grieving in a country where nearly everyone was grieving, so God had placed me where I needed to be,” she said. She continued work for two years with a foundation for war victims.

McCurdy and Mairena met in Nicaragua and were married in 1995. They served together through four more missionary assignments, the last being with Give Ye Them To Eat (GYTTE) in Puebla, Mexico.

Miguel Mairena grew up on an island in Big Lake, Nicaragua, and had no access to start primary school until he was 20-years-old. He values education very much. “Beginning in 1996, every time Nan and I were in the U.S., I would go to Wesley Seminary for one or two semesters. I graduated in 2007, later in Nicaragua.” He studied law on weekends in Nicaragua and now has a master’s in criminal law as well.

To GYTTE, in Mexico, Mairena gave legal advice, theological advice, but most of all, his ability to fix anything and invent solutions to problems at the 40-acre farm and training center. With his help, they now have water all the time and solar-heated showers.

Grace Musuka began her assignment in 2012, working with United Methodist Women (now United Women in Faith) in Central Africa as a Regional Missionary. Her assignment has been to empower women as peace builders, healers, economic developers in their communities and as leaders in their churches.

“I witnessed women growing spiritually, economically and in their self-esteem,” she said. “I plan to keep growing in my legacy, and my sincere appreciation goes to United Women in Faith and Global Ministries for the chance they gave me to be part of this journey. I’m retired, but I’m not tired. I’ll continue in my work.”

A second Regional Missionary, Emma Cantor, focused her work on leadership and organizational development in Asia. Leadership training encouraged women to stand up for themselves and recognize their abilities. Cantor provided literacy education that combined spiritual growth and various social issues.

She noted: “Some of these young women have become scholars and some went on to careers, so they have developed their leadership and become good decision makers. The leadership in rural areas is about economic development that has given the hope for women and young people to become effective, passionate, compassionate – to help themselves and to help their communities.”

Dr. Emmanuel Mefor is a medical doctor from Nigeria. He and his wife, Florence Mefor, a nurse midwife, have served as medical missionaries in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Dr. Mefor will be retiring from his assignment as a general practitioner with Old Mutare Hospital in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Florence Mefor continues as a missionary with Old Mutare, so they will remain in Zimbabwe for a while longer. Dr. Mefor plans to continue work on a voluntary basis.

“My 24-year journey of missionary work was neither prepared for nor premeditated,” he noted. “We Christians are all called to work daily in the vineyard of our God. To the younger and will-be missionaries; remember that there will be obstacles along your way. Prayers, integrity and passion for what you do are paramount. Being passionate about what you do is the driving force that makes you tireless.”

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

Global Missionaries

Global Ministries missionaries are a tangible connection between The United Methodist Church and mission. Through denominational or ecumenical ministries, missionaries bear witness to God’s presence all around the world. They are called by God and sent out to serve by the church, usually placed in a new cultural context beyond their country of origin. Missionaries engage in ministry that is defined by mutuality and partnership, seeking to expand the mission of God already present and active in people and places.

Explore the work of Global Ministries missionaries.

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PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA – I enjoy the times I go with the staff to visit our mission sites. We know that in those special times that we bring good news, in the same way, we also receive good news. Though at times God leads us to meet people who have sad stories, the meeting often becomes the beginning of a good relationship. 

Caring for women has been a part of my ministry because women are very dear to my heart. As a missionary woman who serves as a treasurer and mission coordinator, I believe that women have this inner strength to handle any situation in life. They just need opportunities.  

We started the Women’s Livelihood Savings Cooperative program in one province in Dec. 2021 after the pandemic. With the help of our women’s coordinator, we organized two groups. At first, we sat down with them and listened to their stories and struggles.

One member told of her story when she gave birth to a special needs baby who was not accepted by her husband and his family, who said she was cursed; she and her baby were abandoned. She lost her job. It devastated her, to the point of almost committing suicide. But because she believed in Christ, she had faith that she could care for her child by herself. She opened an English school in her garage and taught children from the neighborhood. Now with the help of the Women’s Livelihood Savings Cooperative, she was able to improve her life not only financially, but emotionally, because she found good friends. In addition, her husband returned to her and his family accepted their grandchild. The Women’s Livelihood Savings Cooperative helped a lot of women financially and emotionally because they have livelihood groups that are empowering them to extend loans they can pay off with small interest rates, growing their savings and sustaining their families.

In the same province, we missed a meeting with a health director, so we decided to visit a couple who are retired pastors. One is managing a center on her property for women with mental health problems, with 14 women and one child. She told us each person’s story, and how she started with one. She described how God whispered to her when she passed by a woman who was pregnant, who, it turns out, had been raped and was not in her right mind. The pastor returned and took her in. After that, she invited more, old and young, abandoned by families and loved ones, abused and now blessed. We started helping her and every time we visit we bring something for the women. The latest gift we gave was a deep well, one of our projects. Now they have a good supply of water for drinking and bathing. We were also blessed. And I know that these women, in whatever their situation, feel the love and the hope that God promises.

Pray with me:

Thank you, God, for leading us to people and connecting us to them. And may we both be blessed because of this chance meeting…. just like Mary when she visits Elizabeth…something jumps inside of us because we know that God is blessing us with good news for them. May you bless more people through our unexpected visits, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Helen de Leon Camarce is the country coordinator and treasurer for the UMC Mission in Cambodia. Originally from the Philippines, she served as director of the Women’s Empowerment program in Cambodia and as a leader with the Women’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS) of the UMC in the Philippines.

Global Missionaries

Global Ministries missionaries are a tangible connection between The United Methodist Church and mission. Through denominational or ecumenical ministries, missionaries bear witness to God’s presence all around the world. They are called by God and sent out to serve by the church, usually placed in a new cultural context beyond their country of origin. Missionaries engage in ministry that is defined by mutuality and partnership, seeking to expand the mission of God already present and active in people and places.

Explore the work of Global Ministries missionaries.

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ATLANTA – Typhoon Gaemi, named Carina in the Philippines, took a direct path across Taiwan on July 24 and its outer band of winds struck the Philippines along the western coast of Manila. Unfortunately, it arrived just about the time a tropical depression formed, and a southwest monsoon hit the islands too, all of which caused massive flooding and landslides. On July 25, a tanker hauling about 370,000 gallons of oil hit the rough seas in the Bay of Manila and consequently sank. Within five days, two more vessels faltered and went aground or sank.

All around the Bay of Manila fishing villages and even inland towns have been affected by the triple calamity.

The Manila Episcopal Area Disaster Management Office (MEA DMO) supported by the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), activated its disaster response protocol and assessed the triple disasters as a category 3 event (out of 5). Local churches gave direct aid by distributing food and water. The Manila Episcopal Area sent out a “call to action” and churches took a special offering, which included food offerings.

A committee was created to streamline UMC relief and recovery operations. At that point, the MEA DMO requested two UMCOR solidarity grants, one for storm and flood relief and the other to provide relief to fishing villages affected by the three oil spills, augmenting what the local churches were already doing.

The committee, headed by the Rev. Joseph Estadilla, district superintendent and dean of the cabinet for the Manila Episcopal Area, worked to maximize and ensure a coordinated response for local churches and annual conferences.

D.S. Estadilla and other team members visited affected areas to assess the damage, gather information about what the local municipalities were providing, and discern which families and communities were most at risk because they were not receiving municipal aid. They concentrated UMC relief in those areas.

D.S. Estadilla, who oversees the Bulacan Annual Conference, is also from Bulacan. “I’m from an island near Manila, Binuangan Obando, and I was able to go home to my barangay (town) and gather some information from the fisher folk there. They shared with me that because of oil contamination, the government banned all fishing, and they were not able to work. This would continue for about a month. They were having trouble with their daily needs, especially food, because most of the people depend on catches from the sea and Manila Bay. We provided some food packs from donations of United Methodist members.”

Other coastal areas such as Cavite along the bay were also affected. Rev. Glofie Baluntong, the executive director of the Philippine Central Conference Board of Church and Society, was involved in a coalition for emergency response and information sharing with communities in Bataan and also across the bay in Cavite.

“People found oil remnants on the fish and crabs they brought in,” she explained. “This is proof of the oil spill, and we could see black oil in the sand on the beaches. The effect of this in barangay Amaya, where the MEA DMO has a relief operation, is oil on the beaches and in the rivers. It has penetrated the water in household wells. Because of this, they observed that the birds do not come; there is no fish they can eat. They even reported some pets had died from eating contaminated fish.”

Apart from the fishing, they lost houses in the coastal villages. They contend that reclamation, or development projects, such as the new Bulacan Airport and adjacent hotels now underway, have caused negative long-term effects. “They layer fillers of stone and sand in the sea to build upon and then they dredge soil, silt, sand and rocks from different areas to fill in the construction,” Rev. Baluntong explained.

D.S. Estadilla described some of the resulting complications of the reclamation projects in Bulacan. “In my area, churches and their communities in port communities were under water. All of these were on the coastal area of Manila Bay. High tide and the typhoon joined together. The flooding was grave, unlike I’ve seen in other years.

“In one barangay, Meysulao, Calumpit, Bulacan, the flooding reached up to the neck of the average person. Small boats had to be used to transport goods and people, and it affected everyone. Even in mid-October, I spoke with a pastor there and he said there is still water on the roads after three months. The slow downstream flow of water to the Manila Bay is being blocked by reclamation projects.”

In a “next step” along its journey, the MEA DMO was officially inducted into the Disaster Risk Reduction Network of the Philippines (DRRNet Phils) in September. This organization is dedicated to disaster risk reduction and building resilient communities across the Philippines. It works on many of the hazards the DMO encounters on a broader scale together with its members.

“Joining the DRRNet Philippines is truly an answered prayer and a dream come true for us in the Disaster Management Office,” said Josephine (“Phine”) Cedillo, coordinator of the MEA DMO. “Now that our program is recognized and connected with the DRRnet, we are better equipped to support those most in need. DRRNet is also a member of the National Disaster Risk and Reduction Council. Joining allows us to enhance our impact on disaster preparedness and community resilience.”

The DRRNet offers the MEA DMO a chance to form collaborative partnerships with like-minded non-governmental organizations, civil society groups, academic institutions and government agencies. The DMO also gains access to training, workshops and seminars to enhance its skills and knowledge.

UMCOR International Disaster Response has supported MEA’s Disaster Management Office operationally since 2017. The DMO has implemented many successful relief projects. Katie Hills, director of UMCOR Disaster Response, says the MEA DMO has responded to countless typhoons, fires in informal settler communities, earthquakes, and COVID economic impacts since 2017. “It’s notable they always keep creation care central to their programming. They were inducted into DRR net thanks to a track record of high quality humanitarian programming.”

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

International Disaster Response

United Methodist Committee on Relief International Disaster Response and Recovery (UMCOR IDR) serves as the primary channel for United Methodist assistance for disasters that strike outside of the United States.

Central Conference Disaster Management Offices in the Philippines and in Africa are supported by and connected with UMCOR through International Disaster Response. Make a gift to help UMCOR provide for the basic needs of people and communities devastated by both natural and humanmade disasters. For the latest news on responses, click here.

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ATLANTA – Ashnita Shakina Maxton grew up as a pastor’s daughter in the Uttar Pradesh, India. In fact, she says she comes from a long line of Christian missionaries and pastors. For the past 14 years her family has lived in Lucknow where her father pastors a Methodist congregation. Maxton found it difficult to leave India to travel to the United States to begin a doctoral program in psychology at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, in 2022.

“I am pursuing my Ph.D. in Addictive Disorders and Recovery Studies, focusing on the concepts of positive psychology, such as forgiveness, spirituality, and temptation in relation to addiction and recovery among college students. I developed my research focus in this area with a desire to serve my community and all the young individuals struggling with addiction,” Maxton explains.

“And, coming to the U.S. was the first time I have ever left my home,” she continued.  “I’ve never been out of my country anywhere else. And the first time that I do, I come here to the U.S. all by myself.”

It seems she took a leap of faith in many ways, to find the kind of program she was looking for and a professor and department that considered the roles forgiveness and spirituality and temptation play in recovery. After she had committed to the program and spent a year in the U.S., she reached back to her bishop in Lucknow, Bishop Subodh C. Mondal, to see if the Methodist Church in India could help to sustain her studies. Bishop Mondal wrote her a recommendation and suggested she apply for the World Communion Scholarship through Global Ministries.

When asked what motivated her to devote her graduate studies to the field of addiction and recovery, Maxton said this is a question she is often asked, particularly once she arrived in the U.S. “People ask me if I’m studying addiction because of something in my personal experience. Did I know someone who was addicted? They are always a little surprised when I say I don’t. It is just a general and genuine interest I have in this field and empathy for people struggling with addiction.”

As part of her master’s program in India, Maxton participated in an internship at a rehabilitation center. “It was something I never did before, a completely different experience” she said. “I’d never been around a hospital or a rehabilitation center, per se. I came across a lot of young people…older people as well…but mostly, there were a lot of young students being admitted. It was hard to see some of them.”

Some students, even though they were admitted to an in-patient hospital and battling addiction, were still trying to complete their studies, and would leave the hospital for a day or two to take their exams.

“I felt like there was so much potential in the youth, and when they struggle so with addiction, it hinders them to reach their full capability or achieve their potential,” Maxton reflected. But then, she dug a little deeper.

“In Lucknow, I live next door to a psychiatric hospital, and we share a boundary with that hospital. We have a few windows facing the parking lot of the hospital and I’ve seen people being dragged from the parking lot to the hospital. Their family members bring them. You see people with mental illness, with addiction, with any sorts of psychiatric illnesses being treated in that hospital.

“I’ve seen young children, women and men – it is common for family members to admit their loved ones for treatment. I feel like addiction still carries a stigma in India. If someone finds out there is person in your family who is going through addiction, it brings down your family name. So, in order to conceal and protect the family, people bring their loved ones in the middle of the night or the early morning.

“We are so close to that hospital, I could hear the yelling, the screaming, so, I’ve grown up seeing and listening to that. It’s probably another reason I got into this field.”

It turns out, the psychiatric hospital across the parking lot from Maxton’s church in Lucknow is Nur Manzil, a facility founded by the Rev. Dr. E. Stanley Jones in 1950. Jones, an American who started his missionary career with the Methodist Board of Missions in 1907, had served as an evangelist and theologian in India until his death in Bareilly, India, in 1973, years before Maxton was born.

On a pillar outside Nur Manzil, on a street that the Maxton family must have passed by many times, is a free-standing plaque that reads: “The purpose of the [Nur Manzil] centre is to provide full benefits of scientific psychiatry to all irrespective of race, religion, caste, colour or gender.”

When Maxton completes her studies at Texas Tech in another year, she will return to India to continue her work. She’s still discerning what exactly that work will be. In any case, she looks forward to reconnecting with her church.

“My desire to serve my community has been greatly inspired by the life and ministry of Rev. Dr. E. Stanley Jones. His work of evangelism in India and his effort to make mental health facilities available for people really inspire me. I would like to use my skills and research to contribute significantly to enhancing the effectiveness of positive psychology in promoting well-being, personal growth and recovery for persons living with substance abuse problems.”

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