Seven pastors, a seminary student and a certified lay minister from the Desert Southwest Conference have been preparing to serve on a Disaster Relief Early Response Team (ERT), in cooperation with UMCOR efforts. This ‘Pastor Team’ is set to travel on a red-eye flight to Puerto Rico on Monday, April 23 for a nine day mission. Duties will likely be physical, clearing debris ravaged by Hurricane Maria from damaged homes, in a humid climate, which is much different from Arizona or Nevada. The assignment will be based near Camp Corson in Jayuya, a mountainous region located in central Puerto Rico. The team is awaiting specific duties expected during the mission and was warned there would be a chance of running water, but electricity is highly unlikely.
The ‘Pastor Team’ to Puerto Rico includes Fred Heggestad (First Henderson UMC), Tom Mattick (Retired – Las Vegas area), Susan Holden (University UMC in Las Vegas), Robin Lee (Hope UMC in Bullhead City), Jen Lambert (Red Mountain UMC in Mesa), Doug Handlong (Central UMC in Phoenix), Brooke Isingoma (Page Community UMC), Sarah Allen (Seminary Student & CLM in Page, AZ) and Terry Allen (CLM in Page, AZ). Please keep these pastors, their families and the churches they serve in your prayers during this Puerto Rico mission.
Puerto Rico is looking for additional teams to serve throughout 2018. The cost of serving in Puerto Rico is a little higher due to travel costs and working with other efforts through the Puerto Rico coordinators (approx. $110 per person/per day). Some of the differences from other ERT trips include pick up from airport in an assigned rental van, all meals provided by local volunteers and interpretation services if needed. We are attempting to form future teams now! If anyone would like to join a future disaster relief team to Puerto Rico, contact the conference disaster relief coordinator Fred Heggestad or the ERT coordinator Polly Turner, using the information below:
Praising Through Service,
Fred Heggestad
Disaster Relief Coordinator
Desert Southwest Conference
fheggestad@msn.com
Polly Turner
UMCOR Trainer & ERT Trip Coordinator
Desert Southwest Conference
polly@ix.netcom.com
