Members of Chelsea: First UMC’s mission team presented a touching gift to the Flint Freedom Schools, symbolizing their ongoing commitment to this vital literacy program.
FAITH GREEN TIMMONS
Michigan Conference Communications
“Harambee!” It’s an enthusiastic cheer as well as a community concept. The word means “all pull together” in Swahili. It’s also a long-held Kenyan tradition of community self-help events, such as fundraising or development activities. Members of the mission team at Chelsea: First UMC, near Ann Arbor, are thrilled about their immersion experience in the long-standing East African tradition.
Marna Balazer, Kathryn Putnam, Marjorie Switz, Cathy Fitzgerald, and Edie Wiarda, all members of the Chelsea team, made a significant impact at the Flint Freedom Schools Collaborative (FFSC). Their vibrant contribution, carefully hand-lettered on a large banner, brought a sense of pride and inspiration to the entire community. The banner symbolized the team’s dedication and support for the highly respected literacy program, as well as the recent donation of $4,000.
“We got to interact with the Flint leadership, trainers from the national Freedom School staff, the teachers, and the school’s principal,” said Wiarda, explaining that her team’s workday back in June happened to coincide with the last day of intensive training for FFSC staff. A very meaningful moment was the presentation of a beautiful Harambee banner, designed and painted by Marna Balazer.
About 100 students and their teachers gathered each morning in the gymnasium for Chants and Cheers. “That circle-up time under the Harambee sign is a critical component of all Freedom Schools sites around the country,” Wiarda added.
During their time in Flint, the team was also tasked with creating large, handwritten copies of the lyrics to “Something Inside So Strong,” the Freedom Schools’ anthem. Singing the song is part of every Harambee gathering. The lyrics were also posted in each Freedom School classroom, so the team had to create several copies.
The Chelsea team’s artistic contributions helped set the tone for the entire summer. At Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools, student participants, called “scholars,” arrive at a flurry of positive energy and exciting activities. The vibrant banner, along with the enthusiastic welcome from community leaders and staff, created a warm and inviting atmosphere for their task. The intent is for the initial enthusiasm to spill over into the program, which runs from late June to mid-August. During the 6 to 8-week summer session, community leaders, local workers, and area residents often join staff in greeting the kids with high-fives, broad smiles, and enthusiastic cheers to welcome them as they enter the facility.
For Lisa Batten, a member of the Michigan Conference’s Connectional Ministries Team, seeing these photos touched her heart, filling her with emotion. She explained, “During the Michigan Conference’s Readers to Leaders campaign, the church really got inspired and connected to the Flint Freedom Schools. That connection has grown deeper and stronger. The homemade banner, gifted by the church, brought tears to my eyes. What a joy!”
It is an ongoing decade-long relationship that the Michigan Conference played a role in creating, and Chelsea: First UMC, among other United Methodist churches, is faithfully maintaining.
At Potter Elementary School on Flint’s east side, Balazer, Putnam, Switz, Fitzgerald, and Wiarda worked hard to capture the ethnic flavor of the program, with an artistic flair. Potter Elementary is the only public school in the general area. The learning center’s multimillion-dollar renovation last year was a much-needed upgrade.
“I truly believe that every scholar in Flint deserves a place where they can call home, and deserves a place that’s modern and up-to-date so that they can learn and be our next professionals,” said Dr. Kevelin Jones, superintendent of Flint Community Schools, at the 2014 unveiling. Back then, he had little or no idea what was to come: Five United Methodist women at a church 80-some odd miles away were dreaming of special ways to make a significant impact during the summer months as well. For some, their commitment to this dream was bolstered by the church’s ongoing support, which strengthened their confidence in the future of the Flint Freedom Schools.
The CDF Freedom Schools program, which has established summer enrichment programs nationwide, aims to positively shape students’ lives by enriching the culture of their schools and communities through mentoring, encouragement, and fostering a love of reading. The Michigan Conference helped the Flint Freedom Schools get started in 2016, and they have since become a standalone nonprofit. Another Freedom School is held each summer at Grace Community UMC in Detroit, and this school continues to be an EngageMI Ministry Partner.
Educating children not only intersects with our work as United Methodist Christians but is also essential to our mission. Working through the theological collaboration between faith, reason, experience, and tradition (referred to as the Wesleyan quadrilateral), scholarly research indicates that Methodist founder John Wesley seemed to believe “if a child is properly educated they might make a commitment to Christ, not so much in terms of a conversion as in terms of affirmation” according to the Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies.
It is in that spirit that the support of our Michigan United Methodist churches aligns with the vision of the CDF Freedom Schools program, offering a path to success for struggling elementary school readers by creating opportunities for growth and achievement. The goal is to empower young people in underserved communities through intergenerational leadership development, academic enrichment, and civic engagement for K-12 students, broken into four program levels.
In addition to offering vital literacy and academic enrichment opportunities, the program aims to boost the self-esteem and socio-emotional skills of children and youth in vulnerable communities.
The Michigan Conference’s Readers to Leaders fundraising campaign was a two-year effort that officially concluded in 2024. All churches were encouraged to play a central role in the campaign, donating at least $600. The collective effort, coupled with Chelsea: First UMC’s ongoing involvement and commitment, is one more proof that this support remains strong.
The campaign raised over $320,000 to financially support education through both the Michigan Conference’s Children Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools Program and the Liberia Scholarship Program for United Methodist-affiliated schools in Liberia, again underscoring the significance of the word “harambee.” Harambee also describes an overall spirit of collective action and unity. It means supporting others in need through collaborative efforts.
Originally, “harambee” was a slogan and rallying cry used by Kenya’s first president, which became the nation’s official motto. As the popularity of the term gained traction, people and organizations harnessed its spirit to build schools and churches throughout Africa. Today, the term, depicted in lovely letters created for FFSC’s display, is considered both a modifier and a motivator. The act and experience of harambee are the catalyst for this highly successful program, supported by schools and United Methodist congregations across the state, such as Chelsea: First UMC and their mission team.
Visit their website for more information on the Flint Freedom Schools Collaborative and to learn about volunteering and supporting this program. You can also support the Michigan Conference’s Freedom Schools in Detroit through volunteering and financial gifts. Contact Lisa Batten at [email protected] to learn more.
Last Updated on October 20, 2025