New York – United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) announced today that twelve teams scheduled to travel to Haiti as part of the Haiti Response Plan in January 2011, have been cancelled.
The decision was made in light of recent experience in Haiti surrounding the response to the presidential election.
“Team safety and welfare is our first priority,” remarked Rev. Tom Vencuss, Volunteer Management Coordinator, “and regrettably the events of the last week have led us to the decision that it would not be safe to have these UMVIM teams present in Haiti around the presidential run-off, scheduled for January 16, 2011.”
No one on the five UMVIM teams present in Haiti on December 8 and the following days were ever in imminent danger. However, the staff at the Methodist Guest House could not reach teams at the field sites of Petit Goave and Mellier for several days and teams could not be sent to work sites nearby to the MGH (due to road closures); teams’ stays were extended beyond their expected departure dates (due to flight cancellations) and caused significant additional expenses for the teams; and in some cases, stays were extended beyond team members’ comfort and anxiety levels.
“The December teams were very accommodating,” Vencuss continued. “The team leaders were great, and the Haitian and American staff at the MGH went above and beyond in caring for the many guests.
However, as we looked at this experience and the potential disruption unfolding in January 2011, we recommended to GBGM, and they concurred, that the trips within this time frame be cancelled and rescheduled.”
The decision to cancel was made by Vencuss and the staff in Haiti; Susan Meister, US-based Calendaring Coordinator; Una Jones, Assistant General Secretary for Annual Conference Relations & Mission Volunteers Program, GBGM; and Greg Forrester, Northeast Jurisdiction UMVIM Coordinator, in consultation with Rev. Gesner Paul, President of the Methodist Church of Haiti.
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