Nationally and Internationally

Here's a way you can improve your vocabulary while providing rice to feed hungry people of the world. As you play the word game, Free Rice will donate 10 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program, for every word you answer correctly. If you don't think this adds up you'll be surprised to know that on October 7, 2007, this hot internet game had 830 grains of rice. By November 14. 2007 participants had generated 1.897.053.670 grain of rice - that's almost 2 billion grains in less than 6 weeks. The warning that with the game reads: This game may make you smarter. It may improve your speaking, writing, thinking, grades, and job performance. You can play the word game or learn more about its purpose by visiting www.freerice.com.

Interested in going on ASP 2008? Our ASP trip will be June 14-22, 2008. If you have questions, contact Eric Leill, 952.922.8261 (home) or 612.670.9864 (cell).

• UMCOR needs your help to restore its dangerously low supply of medicine boxes. These kits go to places where medications and pharmaceuticals are not easily accessible. The kits' basic medical supplies mean the difference between life and death for many recipients. They treat common ailments that plague babies, children, mothers, and other adults. Help get supplies to those in need. The cost of a Medicine Box is $425. Support this life-saving gift by giving to UMCOR Advance #982630, Medicine Box.

• Beyen Ketty retired from his job as a fire coal burner in Liberia for the more rewarding Integrated Crop and Pest Management training provided by UMCORâ?Ts Sustainable Agriculture and Development program. The program supports efforts like the Farmer Field School, which introduces local farmers to new agricultural techniques and new crops. Beyen and his wife, Anita, entered the vegetable farming business as a result of the training Beyen received. Now the family is able to raise enough money to send their young children, Dwanah and Theresa, to school for the very first time. They also have been able to pay for their housing a full year in advance.
  
  

The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active in recorded history and UMCOR's "Hurricane 2005" appeal responded with record gifts to assist those affected. According to a recent report by UMCOR (issued near the two-year mark of UMCOR's five-year plan of long-term recovery work), nearly 60,000 individuals have received UM assistance during long-term recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast. Total giving was over $66 billion, the highest ever given to an UMCOR Advance.

UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) is responding to the massive earthquake that leveled several cities in Peru on Aug. 15 through their partners, the Methodist Church of Peru and Action by Churches Together, an international relief alliance. The Methodist Church in Peru is preparing a long-term response to help Southern Peru make a full recovery. UMCOR is supporting them in this important effort. Join the effort by giving to International Disaster Response, Peru Earthquake, UMCOR Advance #982450. You can donate directly to UMCOR (www.umcor.org), or you can make your check out to Good Samaritan and indicate the UMCOR Advance #982450 on the memo line.   

ASP 2007

The 2007 ASP trip was to Wolf County, Kentucky June 16-24.  The group consisted of 63 adults and youth.

ASP 2006

The 2006 ASP trip was to Barbourville, Kentucky June 17-25. The group consisted of 60 people (40 youth and 20 adults). We stayed on the campus of Union College in Kentucky.

ASP 2005

The 2005 ASP trip was to Birchleaf, Virginia June 11-19, 2005. See our our Good Samaritan ASP Picture Gallery for some cool shots of our trip.

The vitality of the volunteer movement within The United Methodist Church is one of the most exciting things happening in the church today. Volunteers In Mission enables the participation of persons from throughout the world to become involved in mission volunteer programs and projects. VIM is designed to facilitate linking the needs represented in the particular programs and projects wiith people willing to volunteer to help meet those needs.