Mission Spotlight

Check out some of Midwest Missions biggest stories!

ambulance to belize

In February of 2020 our Executive Director, Chantel Corrie attended the United States Southern Command conference which brought together military members from all over the country. In attendance were military members and nonprofits in charge of the humanitarian aid mission in Belize along with Belize military government officials, Minister of Education, Minister of Health and the Veterinarian Services in the Belize embassy.


All those in attendance had the opportunity to do a short introduction and before Chantel had shared who she was the women sitting next to her asked, “Can you get your hands on an ambulance?” Taken aback, Chantel said, “Hi my name is Chantel with Midwest Mission and yes, we have shipped an ambulance before!” 


Once introductions were over, this woman introduced Chantel to the Belize delegation and to Dr. Seja, the lead doctor of the Corozal Community Hospital in Belize. Dr. Seja informed Chantel that they were transferring 60 patients a month from their hospital to two other facilities, one of which is a 10-hour round trip and the other a 5-hour round trip. While learning all this the Minister of Education then shared that he had transported somebody with a head injury in the back of his own truck due to the lack of transportation. At that moment Chantel knew Midwest Mission was meant to be in this exact place to assist them with the task of obtaining an ambulance.


Dr. Seja stated they needed a diesel ambulance instead of a gas ambulance because they receive a 200-gallon credit from the government each month and a diesel ambulance would allow him to transport patients all month long while a gas ambulance would only run half the time due to its lower gas mileage.


Chantel shared this story with Brad Walton, our Operations Manager, and he immediately began to search online through GovDeals.org. Right away he found a diesel ambulance. Dr Seja was able to view and approve this ambulance that same day at the conference. Brad began bidding on the ambulance and Midwest Mission purchased it with the winning bid of $8,150.


Brad then flew to Ohio to pick up the ambulance. While there he learned that the ambulance is actually worth $199,990.  He was told that Midwest Mission was being guided by God, for the entity that had the ambulance was supposed to sell it for much more.


The ambulance is a fully-equipped mobile clinic that will serve as a traveling clinic and transportation for the severally injured.


Once it arrived onsite, Midwest Mission was able to logo the truck for the Corozal Community Hospital and get it ready for it next destination, Belize. In September, Chantel and Brad drove the ambulance to Scott Air Force Base in Illinois were it was put on a C-5, the Air Force’s largest plane. The morning of November 9th the ambulance left Charleston, SC on a UAF C-17 and then arrived that afternoon in Belize!


Thanks to everyone involved, especially our precious God for making this a possibility. 

Two Food for the poor Shipments in One day

Midwest Mission is overjoyed to share that they were able to complete TWO Food for the Poor Shipments in ONE day to provide humanitarian relief to children and families in Guatemala, Honduras and America!

 

The first shipment that left Midwest Mission on October 29, 2020 was to Guatemala. They received $165,743 worth of relief supplies consisting of:

  • 13,651 lbs of tarps
  •  4,560 Rice Meals that will feed 27,360 individuals
  •  1,155 Layette Kits

In the first six months of 2020, Food For The Poor shipped 221 tractor-trailer loads of supplies to Guatemala, built 79 homes, worked with 24 Angels Of Hope children’s homes and supported 300 communities that provide women with immediate help and training to create a better future.

 

The second shipment with FFTP left for Honduras! This shipment worth $189,646.88 consisted of:

  • Bikes
  • Sewing Machines
  • PPE supplies
  • Midwest Mission Layette, Birthing, and Student Kits
  • Midwest Mission Desk
  • Additional School and Baby Supplies
  • Medical Equipment (incl Ultrasound machine) and books
  • Boy and Girl Outfits and redirect clothing
  • Cover Them with Love Quilts and blankets
  • Tarps
  • Building Materials and Household Furniture
  • 250 Gallon Water Tanks

Honduras remains one of the countries most vulnerable to natural disasters in the world, and with more than 60% of the population living in poverty they need these supplies more than ever.

 

We want to thank the following Mission Teams for donating their time, talents, and treasures for making the needed supplies for these two FFTP shipments:

 

FFTP Guatemala



Midwest Mission Layette Kits:

  • Evangelical UMC - Bonfield, IL
  • Debbie Nielson - Jacksonville, IL
  • Ramsey Life Group - Illinois
  • First UMC - Lansing, IL
  • Dawn Bethke - Sun Prairie, WI
  • Petersburg UMC Youth - Petersburg, IL
  • Theresa Noel Group - Petersburg, IL
  • Monticello UMC - Monticello, IL
  • Metro East Christian Fellowship - O'Fallon
  • Pat Fowler - Columbus, NE

Rice Meals:

  • Southside Christian - Springfield, IL
  • Tampico UMC - Tampico, IL
  • Donna Downen - Tolono, IL
  • Karen Chumbley - Savoy, IL
  • Justin Clemmer - Springfield, IL
  • Frazee and Friends - Chatham, IL
  • Saint Mark's UMC - Carmel, IN
  • Karen Porter - Brighton, IL
  • Jane and Jeff Johnson - Glen Carbon, IL
  • Stadel Family - Yorkville, IL
  • Saint Mark's UMC - Kankakee, IL
  • Wesley UMC - Bradley, IL
  • Monticello UMC - Monticello, IL
  • First UMC - Lansing, IL
  • Scott and Dawn Bethke - Sun Prairie, WI
  • Pat Fowler - Columbus, NE

FFTP Honduras

 

Midwest Mission Student Kit:

  • First UMC - St. Joseph, MI
  • JoAnn Orthel - Ankeny, IA
  • Karen Porter - Brighton, IL
  • Frazee and Friends - Chatham, IL
  • Petersburg UMC Youth - Petersburg, IL
  • First UMC - Nebraska City, NE
  • Kay Billings - DeKalb, IL
  • Mary Snider - Springfield, IL
  • Donna Behl - Rochester, IL

Midwest Mission Layette Kit:

  • Nancy Coziahr - Council Bluffs, IA
  • Margie Dresbach - Leipsic, OH
  • Pat Fowler - Columbus, NE
  • Dwight UMC - Dwight, IL
  • New Knoxville UMC - New Knoxville, OH
  • Spooner UMC - Spooner, WI
  • Women on Wheels - Illinois
  • Metro East Christian Fellowship - O'Fallon, IL
  • Petersburg UMC Youth - Petersburg, IL
  • Theresa Noel Group - Peoria, IL
  • Monticello UMC - Monticello, IL
  • Westwood UMC - Kalamazoo, MI
  • St. Matthew UMC - Anderson, IN
  • Justin Clemmer - Springfield, IL
  • Margie & Mark Dresbach - Leipsic, OH

Follow up from Food for the Poor: 

Masks donated by Midwest Mission Distribution Center to fight COVID-19 arrived in the Food For The Poor warehouse on Thursday. MMDC is a central Illinois-based mission and dedicated FFTP partner that has been helping those in need for 20 years. FFTP is an international relief and development organization, but this shipment of more than 150,000 face masks will be donated to organizations in the United States.

us southern command

Midwest Mission would like to recognize one of our international partners, the U.S. Southern Command. We have been in partnership with SOUTHCOM since 2012, completing 17 shipments and sending out $878,769 in humanitarian relief supplies.

 

SOUTHCOM is responsible for providing contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation in its assigned Area of Responsibility which includes:

  • Central America
  • South America
  • The Caribbean (except U.S. commonwealths, territories, and possessions)

The command is also responsible for the force protection of U.S. military resources at these locations. 

 

SOUTHCOM is a joint command comprised of more than 1,200 military and civilian personnel representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and several other federal agencies fulfilling missionary work.

 

See a short video below regarding one of the many reasons why we chose to partner with SOUTHCOM.

LOADING PLAYER…

American indian christian mission - 2020

A large request for relief was submitted and with some of the funds donated from the #20DayChallenge we were able to pay it forward - your generous gifts helped purchase supplies for those in need during this pandemic.

 

The request first came through our partner South Side Christian Church in Springfield, IL. South Side is a congregation that is generous with their time, talent, and treasure. It is their desire to leverage the unique collection of gifts that make up their church family to achieve a greater impact for the Kingdom. They select missions all around the world to support. Midwest Mission was chosen to be one of their National Partners. South Side received a letter from another of their National Mission groups, American Indian Christian Mission (AICM) in Arizona, requesting immediate supplies to help those in the Navajo and Apache Reservations that are being affected by COVID 19.

 

The AICM had no masks, hand sanitizer or toilet paper. On Friday April 24th Midwest Mission sent a shipment to the AICM with a Record Breaking Shipment valued at $435,580.60!

 

On this shipment we had:

  • 6,444 Rice Packets which will feed 38,664 individuals

Assembled by:

Savoy UMC in Savoy, IL

First UMC in Springfield, IL

Aldersgate UMC in Marion, IL

IGRC

First UMC in Fairbury, IL

Concord Trinity UMC in St. Louis, MO

First UMC in Batesville, IN

Edwardsville UMC in Georgetown, IN


  • 14,300 8 oz bottles of hand sanitizer bought in bulk from Kennay Farms Distilling in Rochelle, IL and bottled on-site
  • 1,170 Homemade Cloth Masks
  • 4,080 N95 Masks
  • 585 Bottles of Household Cleaner
  • 10 - 30 Gallon Empty Barrels and 4 - 250 Gallon Plastic Water Tanks to haul and store water
  • 1,557 Rolls of Toilet Paper
  • 640 Personal Dignity Kits
  • 20,016 UMCOR Hygiene Kits
  • 28,800 Sponges
  • 800 Scrub Brushes
  • 1,008 Bottles of Water
  •  250 New Pairs of Shoes

Please continue to send prayers for the Navajo and Apache Tribes as they continue to cope with this pandemic. 


"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
-Matthew 5:16


Hear Deanne's Prayer as she explains what it felt like for herself and those that received the supplies. 



hurricane dorian

Hurricane Dorian first shipment arrived September 7, 2019. Midwest Mission's items were prestaged at our partner Food for the Poor Warehouse in Jacksonville, Fly in May 2018 in anticipation of hurricane season. Personal Dignity Kits, Rice Meal Packs and Linens where airlifted into the Bahamas on September 7, 2019. 


"I am working the primary relief effort and we ware handing out your lovely personal gift packages. They are so appreciated. Many thanks and God Bless you." Michelle Cove September 7, 2019


Michelle took the time to email our Executive Director to thank Midwest Mission in the midst of the relief effort. The pictures to the left are of the Personal Dignity Kits that were handed out in the Bahamas and children playing while waiting for supplies to be disbursed to their families. 

Meet our partner

cICIM

Central Illinois Christians in Mission (C.I.C.I.M.), Inc. provides their neighbors in the Decatur, Illinois area with household goods. In addition, they make dressers and bed frames. The past few years they have served over 1400 families each year, providing everything from cereal bowls to refrigerators. All items are provided at no cost. Clients are referred to them by social organizations, schools and churches in the Decatur area. The abundance of donations come from people and organizations in the Decatur community.  They also depend upon the generosity of the community for monetary donations that provide the funds to operate.


Midwest Mission has been partnering with C.I.C.I.M. since 2007 and since November of 2019 we have been sending missionaries to help them on Tuesday and Thursday mornings when they are open.

What we take for granted, others are not so fortunate to have. We thank God that Central Illinois Christians in Mission is there to help so many of their neighbors. It was truly a beautiful day in their neighborhood.

USNS Comfort:

Humanitarian Mission

The Comfort is a US Navy hospital ship that is deploying to South America to help with the 1.5 million Venezuelan refugees who have fled to nearby countries. On September 28th, 2018 the donated trucking arrived and was loaded with medical and education supplies.  In this shipment, you helped provide 11 Wheelchairs, 96 pairs of Crutches, 73 Canes, 122 Walkers, 90 Jr. Desks (made from Recycled Bleacher Wood), 1,931 Personal Dignity Kits, 1,388 Student School Kits, 42 Teacher School Kits, 300 Blankets, 156 Handmade Cover them with Love Quilts, 218 Handmade Preemie Hats, 443  Handmade Girl Outfits, and 96 Handmade Boy Outfits.  In addition to the medical supplies, you also donated 1,850 gently used and new stuffed animals in only a week's time. Children that will be treated by the Comfort team will receive a stuffed animal.  The value of this shipment was $89,236 but the value of bringing hope is priceless. Oh, to see the smiles on the children's faces as they cuddle with a stuffed animal.   Your prayers and generosity brought this shipment together and we ask you to continue to pray that those who receive these supplies will heal inside and out and feel the love of God. Please continue to pray for this mission, the refugees and the US Military. 

Wisconsin flood relief

When the floods hit Wisconsin, Midwest Mission responded within 24 hours. On September 4, 2018, you donated a total of 2,555 Hygiene Kits, 5,040 Cleaning Kits (Flood Buckets), and 2,060 School Kits to the Wisconsin Disaster Relief Distribution Center to support their local communities after receiving rainfall that caused flood damage to multiple counties in that area. The Hygiene Kits gave individuals the essential hygiene items while they were in shelters. The Cleaning Kits were there for families to start the clean-up process in their homes and will be used by United Methodist Emergency Response Teams (ERTs) from around the county. 

The School Kits helped replenish school supplies and book bags for 2,060 children that had lost their book bags due to the flood. Midwest Mission will continue to monitor and take calls for support as any type of disaster takes place in the world. 

Wheelchair for woodjy part I

Jacqueline Parks Raitano and her daughter Julia are regular donors at Midwest Mission. Last year, Julia asked her friends to bring items for Cleaning Kits to her 8th birthday party, instead of presents, to help hurricane survivors and Julia brought in stuffed animals for the USNS Comfort shipment. On September 25, the family reached out to Midwest Mission with a request. Last year, they had the opportunity to visit La Victoire, Haiti where they met a kind and loving young boy named Woodjy Luis Pierre. After engaging in the village, school, and church they discovered that Woodjy had to be carried every time he left his home because he is unable to walk. They recently found out another family would be visiting this same village in Haiti in November of this year and Woodjy still needed that youth-size wheelchair. 

We did not have a youth wheelchair but knew God was calling us to help. Phone calls were made to local community partners,  hospitals and wheelchair manufacturers and no one had a youth wheelchair (or they could make one for the child but would need his measurements and would not have it completed before November.) But the next day a call came in - a youth-size wheelchair had just been donated back to Numotion in Peoria, IL and they were thrilled to donate it to young Woodjy. 

Building relationships are the most critical part of mission work. Midwest Mission is here to help with supplies but it's most important mission is to show God's love in a practical way, here at home and around the world. Midwest Mission wants all God's children to know his love and experience his Grace.  Oh, the Joy that comes from serving others. 

World Mission Outreach (WMO)

Nicaragua

Midwest Mission sent two shipments totaling 28,990 pounds of medical supplies, sewing machines, Personal Dignity Kits, school bags and much more to World Mission Outreach (WMO) ,in Hickory NC. In April WMO sent a group to Nicaragua on a mission trip. A mission they focus on is teaching Trade Skill Education. One of the days they focused on sewing to make clothes, blankets, sheets and anything else they may need for their daily life or to sell and make a profit!  They also handed out school bags and Personal Dignity kits to the children.


Check out their ministry at www.wmoc.org.


Er Abroad

Mission Possible

ER Abroad is a not-for profit organization that provides basic healthcare to villagers in the impoverished areas of central Guatemala. Founded in 2008, ER Abroad continues to provide basic health care to people who rarely get to see a doctor.


ER Abroad typically sends teams of 8-10 medical professionals who provide basic healthcare, medications, vitamins and over the counter pain medications  to those who do not have access to health care.  Treating everything from skin infections, internal parasites and machete wounds. Teams have also diagnosed serious illnesses including diabetes, cardiac abnormalities and skin cancers.  The second ER Abroad team even delivered a baby their first day of clinic.  


The most recent ER Abroad team was in Guatemala February 11-19, 2016. Along was 2 Doctors, 1 Nurse Practitioner, 3 EMT's and 2 RN's. The base of their operation is the old city of Antigua but they traveled up to an hour and a half to provide services to the most needed in small villages and towns.  


During these five days of clinics ER Abroad examined and treated 552 patients.  Each family that was served at their clinics received a Personal Dignity Kit from Midwest Mission.