The next trip to Baldwin, Louisiana will take place January 7 – 19, 2024, continuing over 30 years of service with the Distribution Center and the Baldwin community.  Many of those years were coordinated by the efforts of Harold and Karen Biederman who, when asked, will share their stories of how this ministry provides blessings for participants and the served community. 

While UMCOR’s international strategies have shifted from material to financial support for disaster relief, the domestic requests for menstrual hygiene kits, hygiene kits and cleaning kits for those who have experienced the devastation of fire, flood, wind, and earthquake remain high.  The primary work of the team is to prepare and verify that those kits meet the requirements developed by years of research and adaptation. 

Team members are also offered missional opportunities to serve the community through food distribution, residential housing improvements, and other outreach efforts.  Our chosen dates allow us to celebrate the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King holiday on January 15th with the Baldwin community.  Many have found it to be a culturally rich experience. 

Participants live, dormitory style, in the historic Sager Brown campus, located on the even more historic Bayou Teche that still supports barge traffic.  Apartments and camper hook-ups are also available.  The food service will tempt the strictest of dieters with Southern cuisine and hospitality.

If you would like to experience something beyond snow in January, we encourage you to explore  https://umcmission.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/UMCOR-Sager-Brown-Know-Before-You-Go_2023v1.pdf   Contact Bill Dow, 608-547-4320, or Ruby Dow, 608-963-2954, if you feel the Spirit giving you a nudge.