WALL TWP – Ebenezer (Ebbie) Shim, a senior at Communications High School in Wall Township, and her mom, Rev. Sunny Shim, Senior Pastor of Wall UMC, traveled to Leogane, Haiti on a volunteer mission last month along with 19 youth and adults from different parts of the U.S., organized by Group Mission Trips.
In the past, the mother and daughter team travelled to Virginia with their church’s youth on week-long mission trips. This year however, they embarked on a journey outside the U.S. to offer their services in a place with limited resources.
While there, they learned more about Haitian culture and the many challenges the people of Haiti experience; everything from lack of clean water and good sanitation to obstacles surrounding education and economic challenges. They also served at an orphanage doing repair and maintenance projects while spending time serving local children through VBS and sport camps.
“This gave us a chance to connect personally with Haitian kids and share God’s love through our actions,” said Rev. Shim, who had visited Haiti twice prior. The group brought toiletry items collected by students of Spring Lake Heights Elementary School after Hurricane Matthew.
Ebbie was able to fund this mission trip with savings from her job at the Arbors Home for Senior Living, through generous sponsors she received from a letter campaign to her church families at Wall UMC and Harvey Memorial UMC and through the support and generosity of friends and families.
Lay and clergy interested in joining a mission trip to Haiti next year are invited to be a part of the GNJ United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) Water Filtration team on January 6-13, 2018. For application and further information, email Brittany Rusk at brusk08@gmail.com or call (609)790-0480.