2012 Adult mission trips 

Family Mission Trip, Nicaragua - June 9 - 16

Adult Mission Trip, Nicaragua - October 20 - 27

Contact Vicki Walker for information about mission trips.

The South Africa Initiative is a multi-dimensional program designed to offer the opportunity to experience the fears, hurts, needs and hopes of the disadvantaged in South Africa. Through Faith Promise Missions Pledges, Hyde Park United Methodist has supported four different ministries in South Africa during the last four years. Four teams have gone there during that period. The ministries are located in Johannesburg and its suburbs, and in the cities of Durban and Pinetown. The ministries are: For Love of Children (see page 47 for more information), Come Back Mission, Central Mission Methodist Church, Pinetown Methodist Church and the Seth Mokitimi Seminary.

During the mission trips, the team set meetings with United Methodist ministers, attended church services, visited preschools and spent time with indigenous people in their homes and places of gathering. Home stays in a mixed-race community of Christian volunteers outside of Johannesburg were a "must." In many ways, making such a trip is one extended worship experience that can take you to a new place in your spiritual journey. Without exception, it will leave an indelible imprint.

We are excited to announce, in partnership with Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church, that we met the goal to raise $24,000 for Come Back Mission. This money was used by Come Back Mission to purchase a van to transport HIV/AIDS patients from Eldorado Park, South Africa, to the nearest clinic for treatment. Thanks to those whose donations are helping us transform lives, create Christian community and heal the world!

For more information, contact Tina Dampf.

Required Forms
Mission Trip Application
UMVIM - Medical Information and Release Form
UMVIM - International Missioner Profile and Release of Claim

Hyde Park United Methodist sent a small but dedicated team of 7 adults into the mission field of Nicaragua in October 2011 to provide help and outreach to the poor and needy in and near the city of Leon. This was the sixth mission team in the same facility. The teams we send work in partnership with the El Ayudante mission in Leon providing aid wherever it is needed. El Ayudante offers a base of operations for the U.S. mission teams who come to help in Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

The 2011 team members worked as a unit both in schools and on construction. Team members conducted Bible lesson activities for preschool and elementary children at different locations. The construction activities included two painting projects, one at the local school for special needs children and the other at the women’s clinic on the El Ayudante grounds.

2012 Mission Trips:
Family Mission Trip, June 9 - 16
Adult Mission Trip, October 20 - 27

Required Forms
Mission Trip Application
UMVIM - Medical Information and Release Form
UMVIM - International Missioner Profile and Release of Claim
El Ayudante Medical Information and Release Form
El Ayudante Release of Claim

Read about the team's experiences in Nicaragua on our blog Hyde Park Speaks. For more information, contact Ken Cowles.

The 2011 Cuba UMVIM Mission Trip consisted of 12 team members. The team travelled to Havana, Cuba and assisted a local Methodist Church in central Havana with renovations to their parsonage and sanctuary. Opportunities existed for interacting, praying, and worshiping on a daily basis with members of the church, as well as those at the Methodist Center in Havana. The team was very blessed this year to provide a children’s ministry program for over 100 children in central Havana. We provided baseball shirts, gloves and baseballs to a youth team. Ministers also gave equipment to young boys on the streets of central Havana. One of our team members took a case of bibles written in Spanish to distribute to church members. In addition to construction work assignments, the team was able to worship, witness the Holy Spirit and participate in worhip services of local Methodist churches. Church services are exciting, vibrant and charismatic in nature. The team had a firsthand experience in the vibrant witness of the Holy Spirit working in the lives of the Cuban people.

Mission trips to Cuba through UMVIM are assigned by the Bishop of the Methodist Church in Cuba based on the needs of the people and its churches. All UMVIM trips to Cuba for 2012 are currently filled. Hyde Park’s next UMVIM trip to Cuba is scheduled for February, 2013. The 2013 team will consist of 12 members. 

For more information or to get invovled contact Drema Muller.

Required Forms
Cuba Mission Trip Application
UMVIM - Medical Information and Release Form
UMVIM - International Missioner Profile and Release of Claim

From Pastor Felipe in Cuba
God bless you. I hope you are fine. I am in the semminary, and, I want to say that the construction of the garage is so good. No one has disturbed us, thanks God. I hope that a lot of you be able to come to the inauguration. I know you love us and will come to rejoice together.

God be with you, and say Hello to your son and daughter. Greetings to all Hide Park UMC.

In Christ´s love.
Pastor Felipe

To get involved or for more information, contact Drema Muller.

To see the latest post on the blog Hyde Park Speaks, click here.