Introduction: Dr. and Mrs. Carpenter, members of the Rockport UMC, first started taking VIM teams to Falmouth in 1990.  Their first team held a medical clinic in a room in the Methodist Church.  In the past 12 years a nice clinic has been built.  Medical teams regularly staff the clinic, which serves a real need in the community.  Services are basically free, however, those who can pay do pay a little. 

Location:  The project is located in Falmouth, Jamaica which is located on the northern coast of the island.  It is a hour east of the Montego Bay airport.

 Current Projects:   

Medical:  There are always opportunities for doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacist and lab technicians to work in the clinic.  For years the Carpenters and medical teams have been attending to the residents of Falmouth and have built up a wonderful relationship with people.  Every medical team needs non-medical people to help out in the pharmacy, doing recording keeping and assisting in various ways.  The clinic is on church property just behind the parsonage.  

Educational:  Teams can arrange to do some tutoring with students from the school Falmouth.  Tutoring is arranged with the teachers at the school.  There are several schools who have welcomed tutors for their classes.  There are also several communities close by where teams may do educational work.  There is  now a computer lab in the Basic School so computer learning software is welcome.

Construction:   A new residential infirmary for the residents who are elderly, disabled or mentally ill is completed and the work consists of repairs on the original buildings and work to provide sewers so the new building can be used.  The building is of concrete block construction.  The building site is ocean side and about ¾ mile from the church and clinic.  A number of tools are on hand but each team will need to check to see if there are tools they will need to bring.  

 Accommodations:  Teams sleep in the educational building of the Methodist Church.  There are 12 rooms that have 2 beds each.  Sheets are provided.  If needed there are blankets as well.  Each person need only bring a towel.  There are 7 toilets and 5 showers.  There are electrical outlets in the room.  Current is 110 volts.

 Food:  There is a large fellowship hall time dinning area and a good size kitchen for cooking meals.  A local woman is available to either lead in the cooking or assist a team cook.  Other team members will also need to assist in the cooking and washing duties. 

 Transportation:   Teams use a local Methodist driver who owns a bus.  He will provide transportation for the airport and excursions for the team. 

 Cost: The biggest expense is for the airline tickets which vary between $450 and $650.  Expense for everything else including some project money usually comes to $350 to $400.  So the per member expenses will range from $900 to $1200, depending largely on the airfare

 Sightseeing:  There are a number of local tourist attractions including Glistening Waters, River Rafting and of course the beach.  With a two hours bus ride, Dunns River Falls, in Ocho Rios, one of the main tourist attractions can be reach.   

 Contact: Mrs Marjorie Chin, Methodist Church of Falmouth. Call: 1-876-617-2866.   

Weather and Clothing: In Falmouth it is warm the year around with an average temperature in the 80s, hot in the summer.   Clothes need to be lightweight.  There is a washing machine in the church were clothes maybe washed.  
 

Other: On Sundays the team may worship at the local Methodist Church.  Dress is causal.  Skirts for women are preferable. Teams normally work from 8 am till 5 pm and eat together in the dinning room at the church.

 United Methodist Volunteers In Mission

Missouri Conference
OFFICE OF CREATIVE MINISTRIES
3009 David Drive
Columbia, MO 65202
573-474-7155
fax: 573-474-6898

 Web: www.umocm.com