“One body with different parts and different functions: Even though we exist in different locations and cultures, we share the same convictions central to our belief and practices,” says George Broughton, reflecting on Mennonite World Conference. He is one of several new people serving to building up the global family through MWC.
Regional representative: Caribbean
William George Broughton – known to friends as George – has been appointed MWC regional representative for the Caribbean. He served as pastor of Temple Hall Mennonite Church, a congregation of the Jamaica Mennonite Church (JMC), for 30 years. He served as president of JMC for eight years and currently serves as chair of the Pastors Fraternity. He studied at Jamaica Theological Seminary.
A bivocational minister, George Broughton also employed his education in urban and rural environment management (MSc) and public health (BSc) working as environmental public health officer for the Ministry of Health, Jamaica, for 40 years and for five years as a lecturer in a local university.
George Broughton represented JMC as delegate to MWC’s General Council meetings from 1997 in Kolkata, India, to 2018 in Kenya, excepting 2009 in Paraguay.
George Broughton and his wife Joan have two young adult children.
“I am excited about the fact and opportunity to be serving as the bridge between MWC and the conferences in my region, seeking to convey a better understanding of the Caribbean people to the worldwide MWC constituency,” he says.
YAMEN coordinator
MWC collaborates with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) on YAMEN, a yearlong service opportunity for young Christian adults outside Canada and the USA. Participants experience living in a different culture while serving alongside local MCC partners in schools, farms, community agencies and day cares, gaining hands-on experience.
In April 2024, MCC separated the position of IVEP (international volunteer exchange program) coordinator from that of YAMEN coordinator. Andrea Geiser Leaman continues to coordinate the North America based program while Carolina Pérez Cano, SEED Colombia coordinator since 2013, takes on YAMEN, also an MWC appointment. Additionally, since April, she work alongside SEED coordinators in 6 locations. (SEED is a two-year program that brings together young people from different parts of the world to accompany the community development processes of MCC partners.)
A member of El Rebaño, a Mennonite Brethren church, Carolina Pérez Cano coordinates the programs from Bogota, Colombia. She has training in nursing, social work and a master’s degree in international cooperation for development.
“The church is a great field of opportunities, from where you can build peace, create community and generate welfare/development,” says Carolina Pérez Cano.
YABs Committee: Europe representative
Saskia Horsch was approved as YABs Committee Europe representative, after Gaëlle Oesch (France) stepped down in 2023. She is a member of Evangelische Freikirche Schwandorf- Mennonitengemeinde, a congregation of AMG (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Mennonitischer Gemeinden in Deutschland).”
A student beginning medical school, Saskia Horsch is active in her local church and has gone on Christian service trips to The Gambia, Czech Republic and Greece, many through the Herzwerk Christian formation program of Forum Wiedenest e.V. JUWE (South German Mennonite Youth Organization) summer camp has been formative in her faith journey where she has participated as a camper and a volunteer.
“I have experienced how helpful it is to have other young believers to walk beside you, supporting each other and learning from each other; I want other young people to experience it as well,” says Saskia Horsch. “I am excited about working together with people from all over the world.”
Updated: 4 July 2024 – correction to Carolina’s work experience