AHMEN Meeting Minutes

AHMEN MEETING Minutes

SIFAT Headquarters – Lineville, Alabama

October 23-24, 2009

The annual meeting of the Alabama Honduras Medical Educational Network was held on the campus of Servants In Faith And Technology (SIFAT) near Lineville, Alabama on Saturday, October 24, 2009. The evening prior to the Annual Meeting, the AHMEN-SIFAT Task Force met to formalize a proposed collaboration between the two organizations. AHMEN was represented on the Task Force by Tom Camp, Mary and “guf” Guffey, CD and Linda Tripp, Pat and Cindy Richards, April Aaron, Lou Altman, Lexie Hilton, Michael Franklin and Lynn Giedinghagen. Jesus Cacho and Bud McKinney were there from Chimes and Janet Mahoney represented Limon Aid. Carl Dickerson represented Give-a-Book Foundation and Rotary International. Paulette West and Sara Watson were at the meeting from UMVIM. Tom Corson and Kathy Bryson represented SIFAT.

Tom Camp discussed the origins of the idea of a joint effort and told the group about a preliminary review of the AHMEN projects by Bryon Morales, a field agent for SIFAT. Bryon accompanied Tom’s August team and observed most all of our in-country projects. Kathy Bryson explained how each fall SIFAT provides a ten week training course for foreign nationals at the SIFAT campus. Graduates of this training then return to their home country and become “facilitators” aiding both short and long term mission groups in their efforts to provide sustainable aid projects. Then Tom Camp explained how he and Tom Corson had discussed the possibility of having SIFAT provide similar training in Honduras for potential leaders. The prospects of some form of mutual effort resulted, in part, from SIFAT’s desire to have a permanent training facility in Honduras.

Two potential Honduran training sites were presented. One is at Cosuna, where the current Library training is held, and the other is at the Caribbean Methodist Retreat site is near La Ceiba in El Pino. Most of the resulting discussion centered on the comparative economics between inviting potential leaders to SIFAT for their fall training or attempting to host training in Honduras. The cost of the SIFAT based course was estimated to be around $3800 per candidate. The cost per individual for in-country training would actually likely be higher since each of the course instructors would have to be sent to Honduras.

The obvious strength of having training in Honduras is in the numbers that could be trained. In-country training would be spread out over a two or three year period with the trainees coming to the training center one or two weekends per quarter. The expected class size would be twenty students. It would be hoped that one or two potential facilitators would be drawn from and supported by each of the existing and future project sites. It was emphasized that selection of the candidates should come from the local communities and not from the AHMEN sponsors. The potential power of this overall approach is to let strong local leaders “rise up” from the community and thereby be able to garner the support of the community.

After considerable discussion it was proposed that for 2010, we would attempt to have a dual approach. First, everyone within AHMEN and its various sister organizations is encouraged to promote this type of training to their Honduran constituents with the idea being that we would seek to identify one candidate to be invited to join the 2010 fall training class at SIFAT. AHMEN would match any scholarship funds provided by SIFAT. The remaining money would have to be raised by the Honduran community. A fundamental aspect of this program is that properly trained in-country facilitators are a vital resource to the local community. As such it should be the local community’s responsibility to provide most of the funding.

The second prong of the proposal was to attempt to develop a trial version of the in-country training for this coming year in Cosuna. An introductory version of the training would be prepared and presented as an extension to the Library Seminar. Each team and project is encouraged to identify and fund at least one Honduran individual to attend this trial training. Benny Rowe has agreed to be the AHMEN liaison with SIFAT to establish this trial program. The two phase program that is outlined above was presented to the Annual Meeting and was accepted

The Annual Meeting was begun by Reverend Dale Hyche with a prayer and a devotional on God’s Provision based on the story of David and Goliath. After a few introductory remarks by Tom Camp, reports were given on individual team missions and projects. The first report was given by Reverend Carol Goforth for the Central Decatur UMC team. Carol was accompanied by Carole Beach, Tina Corley, Katherine Hollingsworth and Nita Tutwiler. The Central Decatur team had been scheduled to go to Yorito, but the political situation caused them to divert their mission to the island of Roatan. Because of the shift in destination, Decatur Central had to abandon their plan to have an eye clinic, but they were successful in their medical and evangelism efforts.

The next person to speak was Tom Corson. Tom is the Executive Director of SIFAT. Tom and his sister, Kathy Bryson, who is the International Training Director for SIFAT, are responsible for carrying on the SIFAT ministry that was established by their father and mother, Ken and Sara Corson. Tom welcomed the group to the SIFAT campus and explained their world wide ministry. In addition, Tom described how the SIFAT campus is used to introduce Alabama youth to the plight of less fortunate people living in the two-thirds world. Tom concluded by expressing his hope that an alliance with AHMEN might be formed to further aid Honduras.

The next team report was given by Cindy Richards. Cindy is the team leader for the 316 Fellowship in Hoover, Alabama. Other 316 Fellowship team members present were her husband Pat and Mary and “guf” Guffey. Cindy’s team returned to La Union in the department of Olancho where they held a medical and an eye clinic in the annex to the government clinic and had a mobile veterinary clinic that tended animals in the surrounding countryside. 316 Fellowship is planning on returning to La Union for the third straight year in 2010 plus sending a smaller medical brigade into the Moskitia.

The next report was given by “guf” Guffey on the Extended Eye-Care program. It was noted that participation in the program continued to grow with five teams providing eye clinics in 2009 (Had Central Decatur not been diverted to Roatan, the number would have been six). Total patients served were 925, with 562 readers dispensed and 337 prescription glasses fitted. Guf reported on the special project in Balfate, where the Columbiana team assisted in establishing a permanent computerized eye clinic in the Christian missionary hospital Loma de Luz. He also reported on the Soles4Souls shoe distribution project that has sent 1540 pairs of new shoes to Honduras and on two new Christian literature distribution projects. The report was concluded by introducing Team Belaire, a new team that will go to the Clinica de Los Angeles in 2010.

The next team report was given by Brenda Hyche. Brenda and her husband Dale were instrumental in leading the prayer tables for the Livingston Chapel teams on the island of Utila. Livingston Chapel sponsored two concurrent teams in Utila, the Alpha and the Omega “It’s A God Thing” teams. The Alpha team was led by April Burgess and the Omega team was led by Stephanie Wright. Both teams were supervised by Larry “Bucket” Guthrie. Brenda reported that the Utila teams were extremely successful. During the two weeks, 59 people were led to Christ on profession of faith with many more rededicating themselves to Christ. Brenda advised the group to “know your passion, know your heart and know the method in which to use your talent”. In addition to Dale, Brenda was accompanied by other members of the Livingston Chapel teams, Lynn Giedinghagen and Mary and “guf” Guffey.

Michael Franklin was the next presenter. He spoke of the need for and success of providing basic health and hygiene education as part of our mission efforts. Michael had conducted several basic training courses within the schools while in Utila with the Brianna White / Tom Camp team. He was amazed at the lack of understanding of even the teachers on basic health and STD issues. During his presentation, Paulette West noted that Michael is the individual responsible for providing AHMEN’s UMVIM Leadership training. In the future UMVIM expects that all mission team leaders will have completed this leadership training.

Janet Mahoney of the Limon Aid group from Michigan spoke regarding the developments of a new orphanage facility in Limon for Sister Leonarda. Land has been procured adjacent to the high school and architectural plans drafted for “Leonarda’s Home of Hope”. This new structure will house up to 94 children plus four adult workers. The budget of funds needed to construct and furnish this home is a half million US dollars. To see the building layout go to http://www.leonardashomeofhope.org. Janet also displayed some of the crochet items that are being made by the 12-14 year old girls at the orphanage as well as by the local women and note cards with pictures drawn by the children of the orphanage. She then showed pictures of the S4S distribution of shoes for the children.

The next report was given by Carl Dickerson. Carl is the World Community Service Chair for Rotary International and also heads up the Give-a-Book Foundation. Carl attended the 2007 annual meeting and helped us establish the library project. He updated the group on his ongoing work.

Jesus Cacho of the CHIMES organization, reported on the library seminar that was held in Cosuna this summer. She stated that most all of the libraries were functioning well. She said that some effort needed to be made to encourage more use of the libraries, especially in terms of checking out books. In addition Benny Rowe added that two libraries were established in Limon, one in Icoteas, one in Punta Piedra, one in Cosuna, one in Ciraboya, one in Iriona, one in Tocamacho, one in Pueblo Nuevo, and one in Paplaya. One new library was established in Plan de Flores during this year. Additional books were added to the collective libraries through Give-a-Book and through the Edwin Hodges Ministry in Decatur, Alabama.

The report on the mission trip to Yorito was made by CD Tripp. The Wesley UMC in Decatur was the sponsor of this trip. In addition to their medical and evangelism emphases, the team provided S4S shoes for the children in the nutrition program in Yorito.

Bruce McFadden, Jesus Cacho and Bud McKinney all represented CHIMES and reported on their continuing work “up the river” in the Moskitia. This trip requires a longer time commitment simply because of the distance and relative difficulty of travel from San Pedro Sula to Palacios. Palacios is located across the Laguna from Pueblo Nuevo and is the home base for the group. From there they take their medical teams up river in long canoes or police patrol boats. The group is actively recruiting anyone with the spirit of adventure for their next trip over the Easter weekend in April.

Ronald Mays, owner of City Skies made a presentation directly after lunch. City Skies is a new airline service flying twice a week from New Orleans to Tegucigalpa and then to San Pedro and returning. Ron has offered AHMEN a special guaranteed per person fare of $160.00 one way plus taxes for a twelve month period. Importantly, this offer allows two 50 pound check-in bags. In addition, Ron stated that it might be possible to send an airplane to Birmingham for pick up and return of significantly large mission groups. City Skies flight equipment is a full size 737 aircraft.

During the past year, Marianna at Plan de Flores has morphed what was the sewing school there into a school for deaf children. Beth Chatham, a nurse at the Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, is interested in visiting the newly formed deaf school as a liaison for the audiology department at Vanderbilt to assess the needs of the students/school. She spoke to the group about her passion for this project and her volunteer work in the children’s ward in the hospital in La Ceiba. Subsequent to her address she has joined Team Belaire and will visit Plan de Flores in addition to providing nursing assistance at the Clinica de Los Angeles in Belaire.

Joe Downs spoke about the August trip.

Lou Altman gave the report on the Limon Nurture Center. Funding for the center was increased during the year in an effort to improve the quality of food being distributed. Efforts have been made to involve the church membership in providing Christian training for the children in the afternoons. The S4S shoe distribution at the Nurture Center was also presented.

(The three teams delivering Soles4Souls shoes admitted they lost control of the children during the distribution despite all efforts to the contrary. This prompted an insightful e-mail as a follow-up after the meeting from Katherine Hollingsworth: “The comment re "a near riot" struck a note with me due to similar experiences. Our UMVIM manual recommends that we not be the people who distribute goods so that they are not coming from the rich Americans, but to give them to local church people e.g. Sr Eleanor or Sr Leonarda or Gloria or-- to give. That way they come from the church representing the love of Jesus in their own people not from missioners who are there and gone.”)

Lou also reported on the Sewing Schools. With the closure of the sewing school in Plan de Flores, only two schools remain. Both the school in Limon and the school in Punta Piedra are doing very well. Benny Rowe commented that the school in Punta Piedra had been so successful as to pay its own operating costs, leaving the money left by Mount Vernon Baptist for operating expenses virtually unspent.

Lou also gave the report from the Container Committee. The demand to send more and more items continues to increase and our shipping costs continue to rise without any increases in funding. This situation has once again placed AHMEN in a serious financial strain. The pledged funds for the Christmas container were short by approximately $1500. It was noted that money earned for shipping the Christmas shoeboxes would make up some of the shortfall. At that point, Carol Goforth and the delegation from Central Decatur presented Lou with a substantial donation for the container and for the sewing schools. The fall container was pronounced a go and Lou commented on the continuing need to label and manifest all items that are to be shipped.

Subsequent to the annual meeting, we have learned that we will lose the use of the Arley warehouse by the end of February. This has prompted a move for a special winter container to help clear out the warehouse while we look for a suitable replacement. For more information on the warehouse situation and the status of the winter container, go to http://www.honduranmissions.com/2009/Container/ChristmasContainer/Thanks.htm.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent in a presentation and discussion led by Tom Camp of the new AHMEN Standard Operating Procedure for 2010. A copy of that document is attached below to these minutes.

Tom explained that this new procedure for determining AHMEN membership and access to AHMEN resources was necessitated by two primary concerns. First, the reoccurring short fall in funding the containers required an increase in the annual dues for AHMEN members. Second, the potential legal problems with the use of tax exempt status by non-AHMEN member teams substantiated another concern. All of this has been exacerbated by the fact that AHMEN membership has been limited to the three originating Jasper teams. The new operating procedure opens AHMEN membership to anyone who shares the Vision of the organization as stated in its mission statement (given in the preamble of the Operating Procedure copied below) and offers membership on the administrative board to any team with ten or more individual AHMEN members. The advantages of team membership are clearly enumerated in the operating procedure, but the primary reason for a team joining AHMEN was articulated during the discussion by Benny Rowe. “I can tell you what the “Baptist Connection” (Mount Vernon Baptist) will do. All our team members will become AHMEN members simply to preserve the basic integrity of their involvement and the integrity of the program.”

The current Board of Directors has enacted this new policy in the hopes that everyone participating in an AHMEN team will elect to join the AHMEN organization. It is understood however that some individuals and/or teams may wish to continue operating without formal membership. Allowances are made within the operating procedure that will allow teams to utilize AHMEN resources on a “pay as you go” basis. The complete statement of this new policy follows:

The Alabama Honduras Medical Educational Network is a legally established faith based 501 (c) 3 corporation that demonstrates the love of Jesus Christ to the people of Honduras by sanctioning, mentoring, training, and giving organizational and logistical support to mission teams traveling to Honduras for purposes of evangelism, operating free medical, dental, eye, and/or veterinarian clinics, and by starting and supporting adult schools, and by construction and public works projects for the support and strengthening of Honduras, and by any other activity that will give glory of God.

As a tax exempt organization, AHMEN is subject to strict rules regarding the collection of monies, donated supplies and other resources, and in terms of the use of its name, logo and tax exempt status. The governance of AHMEN is accomplished by a representative Board of Directors as established in its charter.

Membership as an AHMEN team is available to any mission team that is described as given in the mission statement above, and that is composed of ten or more individual AHMEN members that are in good standing. Individual membership fees are $75.00 a year as directed by the AHMEN Board of Directors at their fall meeting. Thus the minimum cost for Team Membership is established to be $750 per year. Full AHMEN Team Membership includes:

Use of AHMEN name and logo.
Use of 501(c) 3 tax status to include allowing for tax exemptions for qualified receipts of donated supplies, monies and other resources.
Bookkeeping and tax receipts through AHMEN financial administrator.
Access to AHMEN money transfer system to get money to Honduras.
Access to advisors who have lead teams to Honduras before.
Assistance with logistics and planning.
Access to an emergency loan of up to $1000.00 from the General Fund for any emergency during their mission to Honduras. The Board of Directors may forgive the loan or ask for repayment depending on the situation.
Use of the two AHMEN warehouses (Arley, AL and LaCeiba, Honduras) for storage space.
Equal share of space (depending on number of teams participating) of all containers shipped by AHMEN to Honduras for team supplies to include shipping fees for container, customs fees, docking fees and unloading costs in Honduras.
Access to the Bradys in Honduras to help with organization of shipments in-country and interpretation with teams when available.
Access to specific grants that are approved for use by only AHMEN, INC. teams such as King’s Way, ALCON and DRI (Direct Relief International).
Includes the access and investment fees for the Extended Eye-Care Program. Teams participating in the Extended Eye Care Program will then pay only the direct costs of the supplies used in their respective missions.
Access and assistance to a container in the fall if enough interest.
One voting member on Board of Directors. Any individual members are welcomed as non-voting members.

Specific features and concerns:

1. Team Membership. Unless noted otherwise, herein, access to any of the benefits of AHMEN Team Membership is limited to Fully Participating Teams. That is, teams that have at least ten fully paid individual members, or have paid the minimum $750 cost (for teams with fewer than ten members in good standing). Individual or team membership fees must be paid before pre-loading of the spring container.

2. Individual membership. Individual memberships are available for persons who will not be traveling with any team but who still wish to participate in AHMEN benefits. The fee ($75.00) may be paid at the first of each year or at least 30 days before their trip to Honduras and use of container will be allotted on a prorated basis by cubic feet. Individuals that travel with multiple teams need not pay but one membership fee to be in good standing.

3. Use of benefits by non-AHMEN groups. Periodically groups of individuals who are not directly involved with AHMEN may want to utilize the benefits afforded through the AHMEN organization. This is especially true for groups wishing to ship goods via one of the AHMEN containers. Any organization that functions in a manner consistent with AHMEN’s stated mission can opt to become a participating AHMEN team by meeting the requirements for Team Membership (paying a minimum of $750). Alternatively, non-AHMEN groups or individuals might wish to use selected benefits by paying for the cost of those benefits separately.

The charge for shipping on any container by a non-AHMEN group is $1.75 per cubic foot. Any shipment on an AHMEN sponsored container must conform to the rules and regulations of Cruzadas’ dispensa license.

The charge for using the Extended Eye-Care equipment only is $450 in addition to the actual cost of supplies used. Any team opting to participate in the Extended Eye-Care Program must conform to the stipulations established by our partner organization, Kendall Optometry Ministries.

In both these incidences use will be granted on an “available space only” rule. Thus any excess space on a container can be purchased by non-AHMEN organizations after all the supplies for AHMEN teams have been loaded. Similarly, non-AHMEN groups can have access to the Extended Eye Care Equipment only if that equipment is not scheduled for use by an AHMEN team. Charges for other AHMEN benefits (access to emergency loans, to meds and supplies donated by ALCON, Kings Way Charities and Direct Relief International, to warehouses, to financial reporting, etc.) will be decided on by the Board of Directors on individual bases.

4. Small Teams of six or fewer members. Some teams simply may not be large enough to qualify as Full Member Teams as described in item 1 above (at least ten individual members in good standing). These teams can of course simply pay the full $750 despite their small size and be an AHMEN team. It may be that the full cost will be prohibitive for some small teams. In these incidences, it is expected that each of the members will become individual members and the cost of their individual memberships will be credited toward any of the benefits that they wish to use as described in item 3 above.

5. Payment Address. All checks should be made payable to AHMEN and sent to AHMEN/516 Ridgeway Drive/Jasper, AL 35504. Please state the team or project name (or Individual Membership) on the check. (Please phone 205-221-6024 and let Sharon Bowie, the Financial Administrator, know when you send a check for any reason)

Please alert Sharon Bowie by e-mail (aumomuna2@aol.com ) as soon as possible if, when, and where you intend to carry an AHMEN, Inc. team.