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Copyright © 2004 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee | May / June 2004 |
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REACH
OUT: MISSION MATTERS Mission, outreach central to Christian life, work |
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“It’s a big world out there, and we have so much to offer,” said Annie vonRosenberg as she described “The World Among Us,” a conference and retreat she attended recently in the Dominican Republic with 50 other bishops’ spouses.
Phoebe Griswold, wife of Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, launched the spouse trips in coordination with the triennial bishops’ meetings. All the bishops’ spouses are invited on these trips.
The itinerary included presentations on Spanish family life, an update on the situation in neighboring Haiti, a talk on Latin American spirituality, a tour of churches and church programs, worship services and opportunities to meet Dominicans and absorb a new culture.
Participants learned the Dominican Development Group, an Episcopal mission organization, and volunteer mission teams have supported strong diocesan growth over the past 10 years. For example, the number of congregations has risen from 23 to 44, and the number of Episcopal schools is up from 7 to 17. The schools are supported through tuition fees, but 500 of the 4,000 students receive scholarships from U.S. sources.
Mission teams continue to make the short trip to the island — only a few hours from Miami — to build, paint, do maintenance, work in clinics, present summer Bible school instruction or provide other assistance.
American missionaries the Rev. Bob Snow and his wife, Ellen Snow, have lived and worked in the diocese for nearly 10 years. Through the diocese, they handle in-country logistics for mission trips, including housing, transportation, work-site meals, purchase of needed materials, sightseeing and more. Teams fund their own trips and arrange their own air travel to and from the D.R.
“You come back with a whole other idea of what makes you happy, what makes you want to get up in the morning and share with other people, what you have to offer,” vonRosenberg said.
Mission is not about “haves” giving to “have-nots.”
“It’s really not about money; it’s about who you are inside and how you share it,” she said. “You don’t know what you have that they want. It’s true in Haiti, it’s true in the Dominican Republic; it’s true in Appalachia.”
For more information or to set up a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, call Annie vonRosenberg at 865-521-6768.
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