Global Outreach

As part of our congregation’s mission, “Knowing Christ – Sharing Christ – Making Disciples,” we want to do our part in bringing Christ to others in our global community.

We not only have on-going relationships with organizations dedicated to global outreach and missions (see below our Global Partnerships), but we have within our faith community two of our own opportunities for global outreach: Guatemala Missions, American Leprosy Missions.

Global Partnerships

Since 2004, we have sponsored two students each year at this vital United Methodist university

Contact Debbie Owens or 615-414-8842 to find out how you can partner with Franklin First UMC to support Africa University students. Visit the Africa University website to learn more about the university.

United Methodist Volunteers in Mission The United Methodist Volunteers in Mission site provides information on all the VIM teams operating and needed in a variety of places across the globe.As part of our congregation’s mission, “Knowing Christ – Sharing Christ – Making Disciples,” we want to do our part in bringing Christ to others in our global community.

Contact Pastor Jason Brock for additional information.

We partner with two organizations with teams and funding to support children and families. ACD Guatemala–spiritual and educational enrichment for 60 children and newly opened community clinic. Herencia Viva–15 student scholarships; 2-3 construction/medical/VBS teams a year.

Invitation to Participate and Serve:  Rev. Jason Brock at jbrock@franklinfumc.org

What You Can Do:

  • Sponsor a child for education ($500-600/year)
  • Sponsor children for nutritional supplement ($140/year)
  • Donate air-miles for missioners traveling
  • Teaching (Bible; Life skills per their need/desire)
  • Medical and dental clinic
  • Teach Spanish to team members
  • Create cards for children we sponsor
  • Offer music teaching

Why We Do This:
Guatemala is a developing country with incredible strengths and challenges. Being in the culture and context helps us grow spiritually by establishing relationships with people who live there. Honoring the culture and the people, then working with them on mutually agreed upon needs, such as medical care, construction of schools/churches/clinics, educational support, or Bible teaching, opens all of us to see how God created us to be in relationship with one another.

Village Alive is an exciting grassroots community development initiative from American Leprosy Missions, reduces poverty, increases education, and improves health and sanitation. Your partnership with Franklin First UMC will help transform the village of Dathora in Nepal, bringing hope and healing to people struggling with disease and despair.

More about American Leprosy Mission: www.leprosy.org

Our youth’s first mission experience with Benito Juarez Children’s Home was in 2013, but this home for children was established in 1967 by Don & Opal Russell. Their son, Mark, currently runs the mission. The home sits on a 50 acre complex that includes dorms, a school, staff housing, chapel, garden and animal farm, etc.

This mission is about relationships. Benito Juarez offers children a peaceful, Christian environment and home when they are not able to stay in the homes of their parents. Most children come from single parent homes and the mothers cannot afford or handle keeping all the children at home. Some children may get to go home over the weekend, but these visits can be sporadic or non-existent. Their days and nights spent at Benito Juarez give them experiences of Christ-like love and education to provide for their futures. The youth team goes in July but this location is open for families, individuals, and other groups to come serve at any time. Teams fly into Pharr, Texas and cross the border with leaders from the mission. Teams stay on sight at the orphanage the entire time.

Franklin First UMC Contact:  Hank Hilliard 615-794-2734 or hhilliard@franklinfumc.org

What You Can Do:

  • Help sponsor youth going on the mission
  • Pray for the children
  • Invite a few youth to come share their experience with your class or group
  • Teach Spanish to team members
  • Go serve with your family! This is a great place to do a family mission experience.

Guatemala Missions

We partner with two organizations with team and funding to support children and families. ACD Guatemala-spiritual and educational enrichment for 60 children and newly opened community clinic. Herencia Viva-15 student scholarships; 2-3 construction/medical/VBS teams each year.

There are several ways you can be in mission in Guatemala.

  • Go on mission
  • Sponsor a child
  • Donate air miles to someone who is going on mission
  • Pray

For more information about the Guatemala Team, email Jason Brock.

Upcoming Guatemala Missions

Medical Care, Construction, Activities with Kids

May 25-June 2

Medical Care, Construction, Activities with Kids

Medical Care, Construction, Activities with Kids

November 2-10

Medical Care, Construction, Activities with Kids

American Leprosy Mission

Village Alive is an exciting grassroots community development initiative from American Leprosy Missions, reduces poverty, increases education, and improves health and sanitation. Your partnership with Franklin First UMC will help transform the village of Dathora in Nepal, bringing hope and healing to people struggling with disease and despair.

The village of Dathora is located in central Nepal, a remote and mountainous region. In Nepal, the life expectancy at birth is only 63 years and the average will directly benefit more than 1,300 children, men and women. With your partnership, American Leprosy Missions will be able to come alongside these villagers and empower them to fight poverty and disease by improving nutrition, farming and animal husbandry practices, education, women’s rights and sanitation through local self help groups.
For more information about Village Alive, contact Shannon Bennett at benmsjj@bellsouth.net or 615-828-7879. Franklin First UMC is in partnership with the American Leprosy Missions, visit them online at www.leprosy.org.