Q & A

What is your Seminary assignment while you are there?- Seth Hinkley

Seth, thank you so much for your question.  During your middler year of seminary at the Seminary of the Southwest, you are required to do either an immersion course or volunteer at a non-profit that does outreach work.  I have a relationship with a Haitian priest and his wife who is a nurse through the Diocese of Alabama.  I asked Kellaura if she would join me in Haiti for a three-week experience and thankfully she said yes! 

Kellaura and I wrote two grants and receive both.  One grant is the Seminary Consultation on Mission (SCOM).  The purpose of SCOM is to develop and deepen a global perspective in seminary life and curricula and there by helping renew and extend effective commitment to mission, both foreign and domestic, throughout the Church.  The second grant is the Episcopal Evangelical Society (EES).   The purpose of EES is to encourage programs and cross-cultural experiences that promote evangelism and education. 

Kellaura and I had a vision to communicate the stories of the Episcopal Church in Haiti in a manner that magnifies the mission of the Church in Haiti and inspires people to view the Church in a new light.  Part of this vision is to use multiple media to express these stories in a way that reaches people interested in social justice, the arts, and social media, but who may not know have knowledge of the Episcopal Church and the stories that make up the Episcopal experience.

We believe that vision is becoming a reality.  We have been able to not only immerse ourselves in the country of Haiti but also to document our experiences.  We have tried to be thoughtful and creative about telling the story of the Episcopal Church in Haiti.  We hope you feel the same about our work!  Thank you for your question.

Blessings,

Mary Balfour