Serving Overseas
There are 3 main ways in which Christians can serve overseas with the Methodist Missionary Society (Ireland):
Mission Partner:
3 year minimum placement with partner church overseas
Experience Exchange Programme:
6-12 month placements with partner church overseas
Volunteers in Mission:
2-3 week work/witness teams
If you feel God may be calling you to serve overseas then please contact our office. We would be delighted to talk with you.
Mission Partners
Mission Partners follow God's call to serve him in another country. The mission partners currently supported by the Methodist Missionary Society (Ireland) are:
You can receive monthly emailed prayer points from all Mission Partners by contacting the office - office contact.
Alan McIlhenny - South Africa & Northern Ireland
Dr Alan McIlhenny is working as an Educational Consultant for the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). He is developing educational strategies for church groups and Christian schools working with children who have been denied access to traditional schooling in Southern Africa. Alan is working partially from home in Lisburn, where he lives with his wife Margaret, and also from the ACSI office in Johannesburg, South Africa. The work has recently received funding from the Irish Government for which MMS(I) is very grateful.
Further information is available on the Association of Christian Schools International
David & Rhoda Nixon & Family - Zambia
David co-ordinates the work of the Chodort Centre offering opportunities to learn skills in carpentry and tailoring. Rhoda home-schools the boys, Samuel (20/11/96) and Christopher (16/05/98), and helps to run the church library. The family are presently on extended furlough until June 2008 as David completes a Masters in Development Studies. This will help him as he returns to Chodort and aims to see the centre become self-sustaining.
Barry & Gillian Sloan & Family - Germany
Barry & Gillian and Michael (12/3/93) and Megan (22/3/95) went to the former East Germany as mission partners in1999. Chemnitz is the main church where they minister but they are in charge of two other churches in Floha and Augustusburg. Check their church web-site for further information. The site is mostly in German but there is a limited English version on the homepage (see the top right of the menu bar). Gillian teaches English as a foreign language to local people and also coordinates the children's programme in Chemnitz. Barry is Secretary for the Congregational Development Board for the national church.
Ruth Watt - Tonga
Ruth had been teaching technology and computing in Tupou High School for 4 years. Teaching resources can be scarce, making practical and theory classes difficult at times. She not only passes on her knowledge but is a Christian witness to the young people.In the last 12 months Ruth has been acting as an Education Officer, travelling to various campuses to support and resource teaching colleagues. Ruth finishes her period of service in May 2008 when she will return to Ireland.
Helen Moorehead - Kenya
Helen, from Edenderry Methodist Church in Portadown initially settled into her new post in Kaaga Methodist School for the Deaf north of Nairobi. She has relocated to Tharaka (from January 2007), a dry barren area 3 hours drive from Meru town, where there is no provision for deaf children at all. A building programme of classrooms and dormitories has begun. There is also need for the building of a kitchen and dining hall so that the school can receive government recognition and funding. There has been recent violence and unrest in Kenya following elections. Helen is safe and well at the moment in her part of the country (posted 10th January).
David & Sarah Hall & Family - Bangladesh
David is a developmental consultant with a focus on water and sanitation issues. Recent work has also included work in raising awareness about the dangers of human trafficking and the rehabilitation of those who have been caught up in this horrific trade. Sarah is an education advisor to the church schools and teaching English to theological students. Rebecca (25/4/05) is two and little Reuben was born in March 2007 (6/3/07). The recent cyclone did not affected the Hall family terribly. However, David's priorities in the development programme have changed slightly as a result.
Experience Exchange Programme (EEP)
MMS(I) sends a new volunteer overseas
Kiran Griffin is the first Methodist from Ireland to participate in the Experience Exchange Programme (EEP) which is a self-funding volunteer programme run jointly with USPG (Anglican agency). Kiran is in Mauritiius based in Rosehill using her skills as a special needs teacher with schools in the Anglican Diocese there. Kiran has taken a career break from the Autism Unit of Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Drimnagh. Mauritius is a country of contrasts with the beautiful holiday destination image being balanced by the poverty experienced by a high proportion of the population.
Please pray for Kiran, especially as she settles in the first few weeks. Also pray for her students and colleagues.
EEP places volunteers to work alongside partner churches overseas for periods of 6-12 months. Volunteers use their skills and training to benefit a new community and culture. Contact the office for details.
Download a Powerpoint slide of our current EEP volunteer
Volunteers in Mission
ViP is a programme which takes groups of 10-20 adults from all over Ireland to work alongside communities and members of partner churches overseas. There is usually a practical focus but also children's work and being involved in local church life. There is no curretn team planned. The last one visited Togo, West Africa in July 2007.
Process for serving overseas
There is still very much a need for Christians to offer for overseas service. Requests come from overseas partner churches all the time. Through the Methodist Missionary Society (Ireland), there is a process of initial conversations and prayer and subsequent interviews should the individual wish to take it further. Such a process helps Christians test their call and find the best way forward for them. There are experienced people within MMS(I) who have had overseas experience themselves and who can offer advice and be a listening ear.
As a result it may be that either the Mission Partner (usually 3-6 year commitment) or Experience Exchange Programme (6-9 month commitment) are the right way ahead.
It is the hope of MMS(I) that it can help those earnestly seeking God's will for them in relation to their place in the World Church. To have an initial chat or make enquiries please contact the office and ask to speak to Tim Dunwoody, the World Mission and Development Officer.
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