SWINE FLU UPDATE

Dear North Park UMin Global Partnership Participants and Families,

The safety and health of North Park students is a number 1 concern for the university. This is the case while students are on campus as well as when they travel abroad.

As of today, the countries we are traveling to with Global Partnership trips this summer have no known cases of swine flu reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, we are heeding the advisement of the WHO as follows:

WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities.

There is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.

We have protocols for illness and emergency medical situations that are followed on all Global Partnership trips. This includes instruction for the trip advisor (traveling with the students) to contact the North Park supervisor with any concern. The North Park supervisor would then call the emergency contact the student has provided. Clinics and hospitals have been identified in the areas where our students are traveling.

Please use our blog or UMin Emergency Phone number for communication during the weeks of your student's trip.
UMin Emergency Number: 1-773-649-8914


Influenza A(H1N1) - update 17 http://www.who.int/csr/don/en/


6 May 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 6 May 2009, 22 countries have officially reported 1516 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection.

Mexico has reported 822 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 29 deaths. The United States has reported 403 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria (1), Canada (165), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Colombia (1), Costa Rica (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (4), Germany (9), Guatemala (1), Ireland (1), Israel (4), Italy (5), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (6), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (2), Spain (57), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (27).

It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.

WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders.

There is no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products.

Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.

Donation Versus Payment

Sometimes we have confusion over what is considered a payment and what is considered a donation. Hopefully the following will help clarify any confusion.

We attempt to identify payments that come from Parents, friends, and other relatives to support students on these trips and when these payments are processed and there is no direct benefit received by the donor (they are not taking part in the actual trip), then the gift is noted as a tax-deductible donation when receipted.

If a student who is going on the trip and receiving a benefit of trip support in exchange for his payment, this is not considered a tax-deductible donation.

These are the guidelines that our University Business office has approved for audit purposes.

Safe Arrival

All three teams--Appalachia, New Orleans, and Mexico--have arrived safely at their respective destinations. Please continue to pray both for their safety and for God to use this time to nurture and strengthen their faith even as they seek to obey his will by serving others.

And We're Off!

41 students are headed to Appalachia, New Orleans and Oaxaca, Mexico for spring break. Please pray for us and our partners while we are gone.

Thanks,

Julia

Zambia Team has landed

Earlier this evening the Zambia team safely landed in Lusaka and is with our partner organization Hope Ministries. Please pray that God will work with them and through them during this trip. To learn more about our partner go to www.sparkventures.org.

Mexico team has landed

The Mexico team landed safely in Oaxaca on Saturday afternoon. They will be serving at Foundations for His Ministry through next Saturday. Please pray for them while they are away.

Important Dates September through January

· Wednesday, September 10^th 4:00-5:00 or 6:30-8:00 GP Leader meeting on Recruitment and Interviewing

· Sunday, September 14^th 9:00PM –GP Expo Hamming Hall

· Monday, September 15^th-Monday, September 28^th—Winter Trip Interviews

· Wednesday, September 17^th-Winter Trip Leaders Meeting 6:30 PM

· Friday, September 19^th-Diversity Training with Terry Lindsay (optional)

· Sunday, September 21^st-Winter Trip Applications DUE

· Wednesday, September 24^th-GP Leaders Meetings at 4 or 6:30 (Fundraising)

· Friday, September 26-27—SVM2 Chicago Retreat (5-6 reps optional)

· Saturday, September 27^th-Homecoming Block Party (fundraising opportunity)

· Wednesday, October 1^st—Winter Team Leaders 6:30 PM (Final selection of teams)

· Saturday, October 4^th—All day mandatory retreat for Winter Teams (make sure you get off work for this day)

· Wednesday, October 8^th—Winter Team Leaders 6:30

· Wednesday, October 15^th—N0 MEETING

· Friday, October 19-21-Fall Break

· Wednesday, October 22^nd—Winter Leaders 6:30

· Friday, October 24-25-Women’s Retreat

· Wednesday, October 29^th—Winter Leaders 6:30

· Tuesday, November 4^th—National Election Day (Go VOTE!)

· Wednesday, November 5^th—All GP leader Meeting 4:00PM and 6:30 PM

· Monday, November 10^th—Spring and Summer Applications DUE

· Wednesday, November 12^th—Winter Team Meeting 6:30PM

· November 16-22-Global Partnership Auction online

· Wednesday, November 17^th—Spring and Summer Leaders Meeting 4:00PM & 6:30 PM-Teams Chosen and Announced (please come with your co-leader if possible)

· Sunday, November 23^rd-College Life GP commissioning for Winter Trips

· Wednesday, November 26^th-NO MEETING

· Monday December 1^st-All Money Due for Winter Mexico

· Monday December 8^th-All money due for Winter Trips

· Wednesday, December 3^rd—Fundraising Meeting for Spring and Summer Participants 4:00PM

· Wednesday, December 3^rd—Winter Leaders Meeting 6:30PM

· Tuesday, December 9^th—UMin Leaders Christmas Party 5:30PM? Hamming Hall

· December 13-20—Mexico Trip

· December 28-January 10—Chile, Thailand, Zambia

· January 3-10—Gulf Coast

· January 17^th—Mandatory All-day Retreat for Spring and Summer Trip Participants