Project Profiles > Central America

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belize | costa rica | el salvador | guatemala | honduras | nicaragua | panama

BELIZE

• Priority project:   Burrell Boom Methodist Headmaster's Cottage.  This house burned in 2004 and has not yet been replaced.  The Belize Church can participate heavily in this project, but 6 teams are needed in Spring - Summer 2007.  
• Priority project:   Hope Creek Methodist School roof, 2 teams in April-May, then 3 teams in July-August 2007.
• Priority project:    Silk Grass Medical:  this is a NEW medical ministry with portable dental equipment.  DDS's and MD's needed.  Scholarship money usually available for RN's and RDH's.

COSTA RICA

Costa Rica Mission Projects - www.costaricamissionprojects.com

This year (2008) we will be focusing all of our efforts on the K37 retreat center reconstruction. Thanks to the hard work of all of the teams who have worked on this project over the past two years, we have finished the dinning hall/multi purpose room/apartment/office and two of the four 32 person cabins. The third one is currently under way. This year we will try to finish another cabin as well as begin work on the open air gymnasium and the amphitheatre. We expect to have this project completed and the center to be operational by early '09 at which time we will move back out into the other communities in the Southern Zone to continue our sanctuary, Sunday school and parsonage building projects.

If you are interested in bringing a team to work with us in Costa Rica or have any questions about this ministry, please feel free to contact us at: wil@costaricamissionprojects.com

STRONG MISSIONS - http://www.strongmissions.infrahomepage.com/index.html

San Jose - Guanacaste - Turrialba - Vista del Mar

Construction of churches, homes, farms and schools; work with special needs children (orphans, visual impaired, hearing impaired, motor impaired, Down's syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, etc.)

www.riceandbeansministries.com

1. El Peje is the youth camp and has a church that serves the local community. The facility also serve the district for a place for seminars and worship experiences with overnight and large group needs. It is used by many different denominations .We are proud that the Body of Christ has a place to learn and educate as well as worship and serve. El Peje also serves as the south district seminary.

a.      Phase 1  Complete

b.      Phase 2  expand outside worship space

2.  Santa Rosa Templo   / Sanctuary  Santa  Rosa is on the outskirts of San Isdro pz .The congregation is currently worshiping in a building that has rebar welded together to make the outside wall with wind tarps as the walls. The Templo will take 5 to 6 teams of 10 to max of 15 persons to complete and the project is ready to start now.

   Phase 2 and 3 will be the parsonage and Sunday school room with a kitchen each phase will take 5 to 6      teams.

3.     Boso de Cotos This project is in a remote area and has an active congregation with a very moving      pastor that has been our construction superintendent for ten years he travels 4 hours 3 times a week one way to teach here. We have to add panels to the sanctuary/Templo and doors and replace the roof with metal perlins and a tin roof. This part of the project will need 3 small teams of 10 to 15 people.

a.       Phase 2 of this project is the parsonage and will need 5 to 6 teams

  4. San Buenaventura This is a very active community and there is a need for a church office and dormitory space with showers for overnight seminars and district seminars 6 to 8 teams needed here.

 5. Pavones The sanctuary is very active and the next phases of this project is a parsonage and classroom space with a kitchen.

6.Cocorri is in an area that has high drug use and prostitution we have built the parsonage ,classroom with kitchen and sanctuary however with the high crime in this area for the safety of the pastor and his wife and 4 children we need to build a concrete column and panel fence around the site The local congregation will assist in the labor however we need funds for this project immediately.

Mission Costa Rica
•El Peje - We've achieved the primary and immediate objectives at El Peje; the new cocina/aula (kitchen and Sunday School building) on the site of the old templo, the new bodega, and fresh paint on the main cocina. We have not started the work on additional bunk-beds or the two or three additional gazebos we would like to build, and have not had the people or time to manufacture any more furniture for the District Sunday Schools--we'll schedule those as soon as we have the necessary team resources. Can use at least 2, and maybe 3 or 4, teams. Here we can accommodate teams up to 50 persons.

#14812O - Kitchen Equipment and Paint – El Peje, Costa Rica - Kitchen renovation and the painting of the facility.

•Cocori: A contract has been executed for a beautiful flat lot for this new congregation., with a closing scheduled for December. Hopefully, we'll be able to build this new templo (and hopefully, an aula) in the first half of 2005. Will need 4 teams to do the templo to "polished state." NOTE: In view of the lack of teams so far for next year, have raised the possibility of doing an aula first at Cocori (similar in size to the two we've done this year at Peje and Rio Claro, which could be used for general church services pending the resources to to a proper templo.

•Zent - A "multi-use" building, a meeting hall with a back section suitable for short-term residency by a visiting pastor and later useful as a Sunday school space. This will require 4 or 5 teams, which will base in Matina and commute to the site.

Camp K-37/Villa Briceño
We are completely renovating the Methodist Camp at K37. It has suffered years of neglect and at this point is unusable. We will have all groups who come after March 2006 working on this major project. We will be rebuilding the dining hall and kitchen area first. Then we will begin building cabins. It will provide space for youth events, district rallies, spiritual life retreats, and will also serve as a satellite campus for the Methodist Seminary in San Jose . This camp will be the center of Methodist life for the southernmost district of Costa Rica.

#14811T - Kilometro 37 Camp - Building renovations for a camp that promotes church growth in the conference.

Santa Lucia de Changuena
We will return to Santa Lucia in January and February to build a Sunday School complex, with classrooms and bathrooms and possibly a kitchen. Last year's teams successfully completed the parsonage for Pastor Umberto and his wife Lily and we look forward to working with them again.

Nueva Canaan Methodist Church - Puntarenas
A new church sanctuary is being built and teams are needed now. Bishop Palomo of the Iglesia Evangelica Metodista de Costa Rica affirms this as a priority need and teams are needed now.

EL SALVADOR

Church Construction and repair:

• Zacamil - Iglesia Evangelica Metodista Bethel: A parsonage is needed. The pastor has to travel a great distance by bus to serve his congregation and funds are being spent unnecessarily on transport and lodging..
  
  
• El Chilamate, Olocuilta - Iglesia Evangelica Metodista Bethel: A parsonage is needed. The pastor is currently living in the mission church, where a bedroom apartment is to be built. Local living conditions are primitive and those of the pastor are of no exception. Medical teams are also needed, since medical services are only available once every two months.
  
  
• Las Delicias, San Martin, San Salvador - Iglesia Evangelica Metodista Bethel: This is a house church where the home is divided between living space and space for the church. Earthquake damage in this area has severly limied infrastructure to the people. Bathrooms, water lines and potable water are primary needs to improve the sanitation and health of the community.
• #12209A - Children's Feeding Program - Education and food for children
  
  
• Ahuachapán - Iglesia Evangelica Metodista un Rancho y un Lucero: In a poor community with more than 50% children, the local mission church needs help in constructing and finishing the temple.
• #14600A - Rehabilitation Program for Former Gang Members and Drug Addicts - A ministry offering help and hope to youth and adult alcoholics and drug addicts.
  

Methodist HABITAT and the Methodist Church in El Salvador

Build a Methodist Habitat house in a week.  Team up with other U.S. Methodist groups and local Methodist churches to blitz build Methodist Habitat houses during Building On Faith Week in Santa Ana and Ahuachapan (the region of the country where the local Methodist churches is stronger).  Construction opportunities are also available year round.   Volunteers can dig holes, lay and cut concrete blocks, put on roofs, level floors, shovel and mix mortar, transport sand and dirt, carry materials, and do anything they can to help with the building of houses.  No experience needed.  Click here for photos.

#982404 – Habitat for Humanity

GUATEMALA

More info at www.guatemalavim.org   

#14819A - Volunteers in Mission Program - Assistance to Guatemala 's Methodist churches through construction, educational and medical projects.

 q       Build a new sanctuary for the Methodist Church Patulup

 q       Kitchen/Dining Room for the Methodist Camp / Retreat Center Lemoa  - Building a Kitchen/Dining Room for the Methodist Camp / Retreat Center.  The Methodist churches of Guatemala as well as other churches use this facility.  Skills Needed: Masonry Construction. Distance to Hotels 20 Minutes

q       Build a new sanctuary for the Methodist Church in Lemoa; foundation already in place.  Skills Needed:  Masonry  Construction. Distance to Hotels 1 Hour

q       New Sanctuary Salinas Magdalena - The current building is very damaged.  The foundations of the new church are being built up around the existing one.  One team has started the construction.  Skills Needed:  Masonry Construction. Distance to Hotels 5 Minutes from Village

q       Multipurpose Building La Esperanza - Build a multipurpose room for the Methodist church.  They will use it in many different ways.  Skills Needed: Masonry Construction. Distance to Hotels 20 Minutes

q       Caretaker's Home Xela - Caretaker's Home. Skills Needed: Masonry Construction. Distance to  Hotels 10-15 Minutes

q       Dormitory Building Xela - Skills Needed: Masonry Construction. Distance to Hotels 10-15 Minutes

q       Sunday School Building Saquiya II - Skills Needed:  Masonry Construction.

q       Church Kitchen and Classroom Patzibal - Skills Needed: Masonry,  Construction.

q       New Sanctuary Paxocol - Skills Needed: Masonry,  Construction.

q       Finish Sanctuary San Jose Sinache - Skills Needed:  Roofing, Flooring, Windows.

q       Finish Sanctuary Potrero Viejo - Skills Needed: Ceiling,  Flooring.

q       Finish Sanctuary Boqueron - Skills Needed: Roofing,  Flooring, Windows.

q       Salud y Paz clinics Camanchaj / Urbina - Clinics in Camanchaj and Urbina.  60-70 patients seen daily for medical and dental.  Once a month, eyeglass component is added.  Medical laboratory is being added;  help required for laboratory.  

#14060A - Health And Peace - Medical and dental services.

q       New Sanctuary Chogerja - Build a new sanctuary for the Methodist church there.  Skills Needed : Masonry Construction. Distance to Hotels 1.5 Hours

q       New security wall for medical clinic in Camanchaj.  No special skills needed; some construction skills desirable.

q      Classroom for Bible school in Chucham.  No special skills needed; some construction skills desirable.

q      Homes for local families in Chuisamayac.  No special skills needed; some construction skills desirable.

q      Classroom for children's orphanage in Lemoa.  No special skills needed; some construction skills desirable.

q      Church in Paxtoca needs remodeling; classrooms built for Bible school.  No special skills needed; some construction skills desirable.

q      New sanctuary building in Portrero Viejo.  The existing building is damaged.  No special skills needed; some construction skills desirable.

q      Sanctuary building needed for church in Santa Clara.  No special skills needed; some construction skills desirable.

q      John Wesley Methodist School needs remodeling in Santa Cruz del Quiche.  Building used to be the Methodist orphanage.  This is the first Methodist school in Guatemala.

#11322A - John Wesley School - Teacher salaries and school supplies.

q      Classrooms need building and finishing in Bible school in Xepocol.  Finish walls, poor concrete roof, floor; doors and windows, electrical installations.

q      Spanish Language Immersion training specifcally designed for mission teams is available in Xela, Guatemala with MesoAmericas Spanish School.

Jalapa –

q       Medical and Construction support to Jalapa, assist United Methodist Missionaries.  Work on hospitals, and schools doing general repairs.  $20 a day per team member for room and board, supervisor on site.  Translator provided.  35 max, youth accepted.  4 teams per year needed.

Curamericas – more info at http://www.curamericas.org/

q       Curamericas works to provide primary health care to 26,000 women and children in Guatemala.  NEEDS:  mission trip volunteers to construct a maternal birthing center and health centers.

q       Medical teams are needed in ‘The Boca Costa de Solola’ area of Southwestern Guatemala. A group of medical clinics, both regularly scheduled and team based, maintained and staffed by Christian missionaries, Jim and Dianne Thompson, serve the Indigenous people of this area. The base clinic, in the village of Paquila, is about 1 ½ hours south of Quezaltenango and about 2 ½ hours west of Guatemala City.

- Location: San Juan La Laguna.  The Church Conversion Project.  Teams are needed to convert an abandoned church into a medical/dental clinic and multi-use building.  12 teams needed, and the project requests a $2000 materials fee per team.  Meals not provided, or housing.  Cost of room and board for one day per person- max $30. 

HONDURAS

 United Methodist Mission Church of Honduras (Interior of Honduras)

• All sites: - The Honduras United Methodist Mission Church works throughout the interior of the country of Honduras.  UMVIM teams of all kinds are invited and needed to work alongside the Methodists in Honduras at the following sites.  All sites welcome prepared educational programs and activities for children.  
• There are 12 congregations in 5 areas. The current priority sites are Ciudad Espana, El Paraiso, Talanga, and Subirana.
• More information on all sites (with photos) and on how to organize a team to Honduras can be found at http://www.gbgm-umc.org/hondurasini/
• #12928A – Honduras Mission Initiative

PRIORITY LOCATIONS:

• CIUDAD ESPANA - CIUDAD ESPANA Methodist Church
  • Construction of a “worship” room has been completed which allows the congregation to meet on the site.  Adjoining rooms will be completed in the coming months for Sunday School rooms. Construction will then progress to the narthex and other parts of the building.
• Danlì Area - El Paraìso United Methodist Church
  • We have made a great deal of progress on this building this past year. The first floor is ready for windows, doors, and finishing the walls and floor. In 2007, we plan to finish the first floor so that the congregation can begin worshipping in this building.  The next phase of building will be the parsonage.
• Talanga Area - Talanga Central United Methodist Church
  • The security wall on the church property where the parsonage and church building will be located for the Talanga Central congregation was completed this past summer.  The blueprints are almost completed and a team will begin clearing the lot and digging the foundation in Jan. of 2007.
  • Medical teams are invited to run clinics in this high-need area; to offer workshops on preventing illness; and to help establish a sustainable medical clinic in the community.  Clinics can be run with the cooperation and help of a local doctor who is connected with the congregations.
• Subirana (in the Deptarment of Yoro) - Subirana United Methodist Church
  • We have almost completed the first floor of the parsonage and the floor of the second story is in place. We are planning to finish the first floor in 2007 so that future teams can stay in the parsonage while construction continues on the second floor.

   

• Danlì Area - Escuapa United Methodist Church
  • Build a modest 2-room Sunday School cinderblock building.  Put finishing touches on the sanctuary building, and construct a fence to keep out roaming cattle.  Medical teams are invited to run basic clinics in this high-need area; to offer workshops on preventing illness; and to help establish a sustainable medical service in the community. Top-Priority Site
  • The Sunday School buildiing has been built but is not completed. The sanctuary still needs finishing touches and the fence is still needed.
• Danlì Area - Fuente de Luz United Methodist Church (in the neighborhood of La Cofradìa)
  • Construction has just begun on a building that will house a sanctuary and classrooms. Top-Priority Site
• Danlì Area - La Jagua United Methodist Church
  • The Sunday School building needs finishing touches as well as the sanctuary. A new all purpose addition is under construction at the rear of the church building. Only the foundation has been laid.
• La Ceibita (in the Tocoa Area) - La Ceibita United Methodist Church
  • Remodeling of a duplex to be a mission house, including: complete the ceiling, join the duplexes by taking out part of the joining wall and creating an arch, build 18’ x 18’ cinder block addition onto the back, add a front porch, complete windows.  Also, improve another building which houses a free meal program for children, including:  seal the roof, complete the windows, complete the bathrooms (install toilets and sinks), and put in a playground.  Medical teams are invited to run basic clinics in this high-need area; to offer workshops on preventing illness; and to help establish a sustainable medical service in the community.  Clinics can be run at the public clinic in the community, with the cooperation and help of the local public health nurse.
•  Talanga Area - Resurrecciòn United Methodist Church (in the neighborhood of 10 de Septiembre)
  • Replace present roof and frame. Construct cement water tank. 
  • Medical teams are invited to run clinics in this high-need area; to offer workshops on preventing illness; and to help establish a sustainable medical clinic in the community.  Clinics can be run with the cooperation and help of a local doctor who is connected with the congregations.
• Tegucigalpa Area - Fuerzas Unidas United Methodist Church
  • The plan is for an addition at the church to become a technical school to help residents learn a trade.
  • Medical teams are always requested to run the clinic. Dr. Ana Lamon and her husband, John Lamon (individual volunteers) are operating from the clinic one day each week.
• Tegucigalpa Area - San Jose de La Vega United Methodist Church
  • Construction (pending the purchase of a large piece of property) will begin on a multi-phase project that will include a  sanctuary, Sunday school rooms, community education workshop/classrooms, and the main offices for the United Methodist Church of Honduras.

Send Hope Puerta Limpira - http://www.send-hope.org/

Send Hope is a 501(c) 3 organization focusing on ministry among the people of the La Mosquitia coastal region of eastern Honduras.   This is an extremely poor and marginalized area, with many profound needs.

    In particular:

        1) short term medical, dental and construction trips

        2) providing food, clothing and school supplies to the people

        3) bringing children to the USA for urgent medical care

        4) providing training for local pastors

        5) helping students with their education

The MAMA Project (Mujeres Amigas Miles Apart)

This Mennonite project requests help from United Methodists & others for de-worming & vitamin A distribution teams.

Carolina Honduras Health Foundation Limon

Limon Clinic receives medical teams, health care workers, support/construction teams and individuals year-round.

NICARAGUA

El Ayudante Ecumenical Orphanage in Leon - Construction teams are needed to help with the construction of a building to hold 64 children. There are opportunities  for evangelism and vacation church school in the community. Materials costs $3,000 per team. On the web at www.nicamissions.com

The Methodist Church of Nicaragua & El Porvenir 

• El Porvenir Watershed Protection.  Team members will work alongside Nicaraguan villagers on a sustainable watershed protection and reforestation project.  Team members will work alongside beneficiary families to protect their micro-watershed.  Trees will be planted to protect the local water supply.  Also teams will build ecofogones - enclosed fireboxes with chimneys that reduce the amount of wood needed for cooking, thereby reducing future deforestation.

• El Porvenir Water and Sanitation Project.  Teams will help improve the health of an entire village by working alongside local villagers on a basic water and sanitation project, including, rehabilitating a well or building a latrine or a lavandero (village washing facility).  Clean water and sanitation facilities will reduce disease, resulting in healthier families and children.  

• #525000 - Clean Water and Sanitation - A communal well for five families.

Warehouse, Clinic Construction, equipping and staffing - World Mission Outreach, Managua

Completion of warehouse that receives materials and supplies for school and clinic.
Teams needed to complete a medical clinic near Managua. As an ecumenical project, it has the approval of the Methodist Church in Nicaragua and provides a valuable service to the people of the area. Equipment is also needed to supply the building for the ongoing work. Teams are also sought for medical, dental and optical work.  www.wmoc.org

The Rainbow Network www.rainbownetwork.org/ - Ciudad Sandino Managua, Nicaragua

The Rainbow Network provides medical services (needs especially dentists and ophthalmologists), public health support, housing, education and economic development assistance to their community. Teams may participate in these areas as well.

 The Rainbow Network has 5 interconnected offices serving 64 different communities and about 40,000 people in rural  Nicaragua.  This community development project welcomes teams to construct new homes in Christian partnership with  the poor (team members do not need Spanish).  The Rainbow Network also welcomes medical specialty teams, especially  pediatrics and public health professionals (Spanish is not required but is very desirable for medical teams).  The Rainbow  Network also operates education and economic development programs and teams may participate in these areas as well.  

#14194A - Rainbow Network - Health care, education, housing and economic development for rural Nicaragua

Medical, Construction, and Educational Support to community of Jalapa

Construction and maintenance projects defined by community and limited to local hospital and area schools.  Medical services needed in local hospital and village clinics.  MDs, RNs, LPNs, and PAs needed.

#10801Z - McCurdy, Nan - Salary support.

#12877Z - Mairena, Miguel Aragon - Missionary salary support.

ISLA needs health care teams in the border town of Jalapa.  This year, they have openings for five teams.

Accion Medica Cristian -- People of Nicaragua are still suffering the effects of Hurricane Felix. Accion Medica Cristian a leading NGO in Nicaragua, is leading the relief effort under the authority of the government. They have received funding from ACTS, which has received funds from UMCOR. Attached is a request for teams to help with housing rehabilitation in one of the most remote areas of the world.

Belinda Forbes is a GBGM missionary, a dentist, who also assists with teams for AMC.  Click here for information.

#14846A - Health, Development and Civil Society - An integrated health program for a community devastated by Hurricane Mitch.

#14841A - Community Health - In Tasba Pri, This project is alive and well, only complicated by the fact that this is the exact area where Hurricane Felix blew through on September 7, 2007 , so some of the long-term plans were put on hold in order to attend to the emergency. There are many emergency rehabilitation projects underway, but the basis for even this work depends greatly on the continued support of community health structures in Sahsa/Tasba Pri.

#14843A – Community Pastoral Program - this program is also working well at AMC, mostly in the central office, but the pastoral area is also responsible for retreats and spiritual support for AMC Field Teams, and lends a hand with volunteers that visit AMC.  The Pastoral Program is one of the most important program areas of AMC, since the very values that undergird the life of the organization are sustained by the work that this program carries out, but it is the least funded :) Most of AMC's funders are European development agencies who have a stronger focus on tangible projects.

PANAMA

El Espino Camp and Training Center

The Church has purchased a 40 acre property which is located about 2 hours from Panama City.  With the help of the International Christian Camps Association, we are developing the site which will be used for our Summer Camping Program for children and youth as well as for Spiritual Formation Retreats for the 3000 students of our Methodist school in Panama City (IPA).

The Master Plan of this Camp “based on a philosophy” will be presented to the General Assembly of the Church for final approval in January of 2007.  The design of the camp will facilitate small group interaction and foster the development of close personal relationships.  To that end we are now training volunteers who will work as camp counselors, each one responsible for the campers in their respective eight person cabin.

Facilities to be built include a Multi-Purpose Building for large gatherings (worship, conferences), a Dining Hall, Workshop Spaces (indoor and outdoor), a Small Office, a Recreational Complex with areas for soccer, basketball, swimming and other recreational activities, and about 15 eight-person Cabins.  We will also be reforesting a significant portion of the property to provide areas for hiking and “wilderness” camping.

Teams helping on this project will be housed at a small beach camp located about a half hour from the site.

Habitat for Humanity Panama - Chumical Kuna Housing Project

The Methodist Church is joining Habitat for Humanity Panama in the effort to provide affordable, decent housing for all of God’s children.  Currently we are helping to organize five to ten Kuna Indian families in the Chumical neighborhood which is located on the outskirts of Panama City.  The Kuna Indians are among the poorest of the poor in Panama.  Once the families have been identified, they will be trained to help in the building of all homes in the project as well as to prepare them for home ownership.

The cost of each house is $8,500, all inclusive.  Homeowners will be responsible for repaying that cost over a 15 year period, interest free.  Funds thus received will be reinvested by Habitat Panama for building other homes.

Teams assisting in this project may be housed at the church dorm facilities in Panama City (about a half hour from the site) or sleep on cots at our Community Center which is a five minute walk from the site.

#982404 – Habitat for Humanity

Medical teams are needed for the indigenous areas of: Potrero Palma/Cieneguita Health Clinic, & the campesino area at the Bongo Health Clinic. There is also a need for clean water for nearby communities.  

#14969A - Comprehensive Community Health Project - Improved quality of life of the Ngobe Indians by providing health workshops, seeds, cloth and necessities.

Chapel at IPA School (the Methodist School for the congregation around the school).

Inner City Church Panama City - Youth Service-Learning project working with inner city church with children in daycare.