Prayers of gratitude and intercession

  • Thursday night

    In April, I received an invitation of sharing on the topic “living together in the hostile environment.”

    The title really stirred my heart. And I think one of the reasons of my invitation is that they know we Hong Kong people were living in a hostile environment in the past few years, an environment that was not favourable to us.

    And the Scripture that caught my eyesight was 2 Corinthians 4:1.

    “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not” (KJV).

    As a man of 60-some years, I grew up in a very good environment, I would say. Before all these changes, when people asked me how good Hong Kong is, I would say that Hong Kong is very good. If you live in Hong Kong, you’ll feel safe – let’s say you can walk on the street even at midnight; you’ll enjoy freedom of speech; good education system; good and low-priced hospitals; access to a job if you’re willing to work. And most of all, things work in Hong Kong.

    However, it has changed. The Hong Kong I’m living in now is not the Hong Kong I used to know. Some people will say that it started in the year 2014. For me, the significant changes started in 2019.

    On 4 June 2019, more than 180 000 people gathered at Hong Kong’s Victoria Park to commemorate 30 years since the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

    On 9 June 2019, more than 1 000 000 people went out to the streets: they struck, they sang hymns.

    It was basically a peaceful protest. However, one day after, there were clashes between police and antiextradition bill demonstrators.

    On 12 June 2019, Hong Kong faced more protests against the extradition law change. This time, many church leaders came out and spoke to the government. Some brothers and sisters prayed and sang hymns in the spot. Christians were caring for peace and nonviolence in all the actions. Many people followed the Christians to sing the chorus: “Sing Hallelujah to the Lord” on the streets. This time, more than 2 000 000 people came out to protest for their freedom.

    Since then, protest and demonstrations never ceased. As time goes on, both the police and the demonstrators have gotten more and more violent. I have never seen this since 1968.

    The slogan of the demonstrators changed from “Hong Kong people: add oil” to “Hong Kong people: protest” to “Hong Kong people: revenge”

    For some time, there were protest almost every day. By the end of 2019, more than 7 000 people had already been arrested by the police.

    “Where should we stand?” People outside the church want to know the church’s position. People inside the church ask their church leaders on which side their churches are standing.

    In fact, Hong Kong people are divided into the Blue and the Yellow. The Blue are those who are for the government and the police. The Yellow are those who are against them.

    There are conflicts in this society, in the families and in the churches. There is no peace. Our challenge is that: how to be a peacemaker when others choose to be violent? And how to live together in a hostile environment?

    What positions are the churches taking?

    I will never forget this: On 12 June 2019, I was standing in the middle of the road next to the Hong Kong government headquarters. On my right hand, there were Christians singing hymns and praying for Hong Kong, while on my left hand, there were protesters trying hard to block the main road outside.

    In Hong Kong, some churches choose to stand on the Yellow side, and some choose the Blue. However, we Mennonites, as a Peace Church, we choose standing on Jesus’s side. We want to be a bridge between the Yellow and the Blue, a bridge between the peaceful and the violent, a bridge between the people and the government, a bridge between the protesters and the police. We have the obligation to promote peace. We regard that this is a way to fellow Jesus and “Here we stand!”

    Right now, people are leaving Hong Kong. In our church, Agape Mennonite Church, 10 percent of our members already gone, mainly immigrated to England. And people are still planning to leave Hong Kong, to seek for a place of freedom, a place of hope.

    Many years ago, I wrote a song inspired by a poem.

    The title is like this: “Running away from famine – 3 million refugees leaving their hometown painfully.”

    The poem was written in the year 1933. It describes the situation and feeling of refugees who moved to the northeast of China from their motherland because they had nothing to eat.

    However, by that time, the northeast of China was under the control of the Japanese army. For me, they were running away from a place of hopelessness to a place of hopelessness. It touched my heart, and so I wrote a 13-minute chorus.

    For these people, they did not know what their fate will be. They would not know what would happen after they went to the northeast. One thing they did know was that if they didn’t leave they would die.

    Many people describe the immigrants from Hong Kong as refugees. If you immigrate, you’ll make good plans. If you don’t have any plans or if it is not your plan to immigrate, then you are a refugee.

    Why do they leave Hong Kong? They are afraid of tomorrow. They have lost their hearts for Hong Kong.

    In 2 Corinthians 4:1, the apostle Paul encourages the church:

    “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not.” (KJV)

    Paul encourages them not to lose heart. Why? Paul says that it is because “we have this ministry.”

    Brothers and sisters, I’m telling you now that I’m not going to leave Hong Kong. We pastors are at high risk. We are the ones who need to leave. But I’m not going to leave because I am called to stay and to build the Mennonite churches in Hong Kong until I have finished my task and until I receive a new call from my boss, my heavenly Father.

    Brothers and sisters, if you are in time of darkness, if you are facing an unpredictable tomorrow, if you are disappointed with people, just look up to God and look back to your calling.

    At the end, I would like to draw your attention to the prayer of apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:17-19.

    Paul asks God to open the eyes of the Ephesians in order that they will see three things:

    1. the hope of his calling,
    2. the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
    3. the exceeding greatness of his power.

    May our heavenly Father open the eyes of the Hong Kong Christians.

    May Jesus open the eyes of you and me.

    May the Holy Spirit bless us all.

    Because “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21, KJV).

    —Jeremiah Choi serves as pastor of Agape Mennonite Church, Hong Kong, and as Mennonite World Conference regional representative for Northeast Asia. He is also trained as a composer.

    This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier October 2022.

  • Assembly activities

    Connecting with people is at the heart of MWC Assemblies. Participating in local tourism and serving with local ministries provided another chance to connect.

    “I get a lot of value and joy out of helping people,” says Daniel Beachy, who signed up for a service activity. “It was a lot of fun planting trees knowing that they will grow to feed future people that attend the seminary”

    Others went to an orphanage where “Singing together with actions helped to bridge the language barrier,” says Gerald Neufeld. Participant Hakjoon Ko (“Joe Ko”) taught a Korean song with actions that urged children and volunteers to learn something new.

    “I learned from young volunteers that whatever work is done, it has to be done happily. All of them were always smiling and discharging their responsibilities,” says Ranjana Nath.

    Some tours encountered barriers in seeing the sites, but “We met new people from US and Canada and had a great feast together, sharing our views and culture,” says Arpan Nath of India.

    Sharing Indonesian food in a little café with mothers and their children from India was “the best part of the trip” says Carla Rupp from the USA who was also attending with her son.

    Felo Gracia from DR Congo crossed cultural barriers on the tours. “I was the only black person in the two trips, but I felt that I was among family,” he says.

    “The tour helped me in bonding with new people,” says Subhashini Biswas. “It was really heart warming to feel the same devotion and blessings and love we have for each other even though we all belong to different culture and country. I was able to see the deep connection that people have with the Almighty even when the world in general is undergoing the hardships of war, pandemics and political turbulence.”

    “The tastes of durian and selabi were totally new for me”, says Didier Bellefleur from France. “The tours helped me to better discover the culture, history and countryside of Indonesia.

    “I take away a more observant and open mind to evaluate things, both in my national church and my local congregation,” says Clemens Rahn of Paraguay.

    This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier October 2022.

  • Christmas around the world 

    One of the most outstanding Christmas traditions among communities in Kenya is having vigils popularly know as “Kesha” on the Christmas Eve. Most worshippers come together to celebrate birth of Jesus Christ by singing hymns and carols and even at times recreate the holy event by nativity plays. At midnight, churches ring bells to mark the birth of Christ while people sing praise songs to honour the start of Christmas day. 

    On Christmas day, people serve nyama choma (grilled meat), kuku (chicken) and the famous chapati (flatbread). Wherever you go or whatever you eat, everyone is welcome. 

    This tradition always reminds me of the joy and the love we have for each other as a community. Getting together to share meals and storytelling is usually the best part, but the most amazing and wonderful time is during the night vigil when one connects with Jesus though praise and worship, giving a sense of belonging and restoring one’s hope of starting anew with the birth of Christ. 

    Valary Otieno, Songhor Mennonite Church, Kenya 

     

     

     

    Christmas around the world

    Sharing love – with sprinkles – in Germany

    This tradition reminds me of the message of hope, peace, joy and love at Christmas because you can enjoy a peaceful time together with your loved ones and you can even share this love by giving Christmas cookies to others.

    Read more

    A month of celebrating Charni Daan

    In India, Christmas is celebrated with great enthusiasm from mid November to New Year. Christmas is more special because we get a chance to meet our family and friends.

    Read more

    All voices praising Jesus together in Uruguay

    I really love the simplicity of our Christmas parties where we meet to enjoy each other’s company and remember the one that keeps us united.

    Read more

    A gospel light in the USA

    Christmas around the world Every year on 24 December, my family goes to the Christmas Eve service at Park View Mennonite Church (Harrisonburg, Virginia). It’s a traditional ‘lessons and carols’ service, where we read the Christmas Story from Luke and sing accompanying hymns as we work our way…

    Read more

  • In remote corners of Tamil Nadu, India, gospel workers trained by Gilgal Mission Trust (GMT) are shining the light of the gospel hand-in-hand with education and vocational training.  

    Along the Amravati River in Coimbatore District, many people in the Anaiamalai forest are uneducated. They work as day labourers and live in neglected government-built houses.  

    One such family is Mrs Selvi, her husband Aruchami and their sun Arun Kumar. Arun Kumar was in poor health, unable to go to school, dependent on his mother’s care.  

    Gilgal Mission Trust gospel worker Mr Ruben began to visit the village to start a prayer cell and children’s classes. He is trained in GMT’s discipleship program.  

    Hearing of Mr Ruben’s work, Mrs Selvi brought Arun Kumar for prayer for healing. His condition improved; within a month, Arun Kumar began attending school five kilometres away.  

    Mrs Selvi and Aruchami are happy to see their son on a pathway to fulfill his dreams. At school, Arun Kumar receives nutritious meals and the teachers are attentive to Arun Kumar’s slowly improving health. Mrs Selvi has been able to join the workforce to improve the family’s finances.  

    In the evenings, the family comes to the prayer centre to learn more about Jesus.  

    “This incident lightened a great brightness in their life,” says Paul Phineas, president of GMT.  

    GMT initiated 15 adult literacy centres in the religiously sensitive Kaliyapuram Panchayat region of Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, India. The motto of the centres is to educate everyone to know the Saviour.  

    GMT also opened a sewing centre in Ettidurai, Tamil Nadu, India. Women learn tailoring as a life skill and are taught the gospel by a local pastor.  

    “A new move of God is evolving in the Southern part of India after COVID-19. We are experiencing and hearing of church attendance growing beyond our expectations, and many newcomers are experiencing the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit,” says Paul Phinehas.  

    Daily power outages, corruption and violence are some of the challenges Indians face. “The church has to influence society with the life-changing gospel of Jesus,” says Paul Phinehas.  

  • Le rassemblement de la Conférence Mennonite Mondiale (la CMM) avait pour thème « Suivre Jésus ensemble à travers les frontières ». Le thème en anglais est formulé ainsi : « Following Jesus together across barriers », ce que je traduirais plutôt par « Suivre Jésus ensemble au-delà des barrières ». Ce séjour en Indonésie a été pour toute notre équipe l’occasion, non seulement de traverser des frontières, mais d’aller au-delà de nos propres barrières.

    Une expérience inoubliable

    J’ai participé au voyage organisé par l’association Joie et Vie. Nous étions un groupe composé de trois personnes de Suisse et six de France. En 2021, j’ai eu l’occasion de faire un film de dix minutes sur la relation entre les musulmans et les mennonites d’Indonésie. C’est une équipe locale qui l’a tourné et j’ai pu la rencontrer et visiter certains lieux de ce tournage. Pour moi, une expérience inoubliable ! Paulus Hartono et Danang Kristiawan, qui sont des intervenants dans le film, ont été nos guides avant et après le rassemblement.

    Si je connais un peu l’islam, je ne connais quasiment rien de l’hindouisme, du bouddhisme ou du confucianisme. Or ce sont quatre religions reconnues par l’État Indonésien avec le catholicisme et le protestantisme, dont les 110 000 mennonites font partie. Rappelons que l’Indonésie compte 275 millions d’habitants, dont 87 % sont musulmans et environ 10 % sont chrétiens.

    L’ombre du COVID

    Pour les organisateurs du rassemblement, la pandémie avait depuis longtemps anéanti les espoirs de remplir la méga-église anabaptiste de 12 000 places à Semarang. On estime que 5 % des participants ont eu le Covid et ont dû être confinés plusieurs jours, ce qui les a empêchés de participer en présentiel à certaines rencontres. Heureusement, personne n’est tombé gravement malade. Durant toute la durée du rassemblement, il a été demandé aux participants de porter un masque à tout moment.

    La CMM avait limité le nombre de participants à un millier parce que, comme l’a expliqué Liesa Unger, responsable des événements internationaux de la CMM, « nous ne voyions pas comment suivre toutes les règles gouvernementales pour plus de 1 000 personnes. Notre plus grande crainte était de voir toutes les rencontres annulées par le gouvernement ».

    Une assemblée peu nombreuse mais pleine de joie

    Avec sa devise nationale « L’unité dans la diversité », l’Indonésie s’est avérée un pays hôte idéal pour la 17e assemblée de la CMM. Les anabaptistes de 44 pays se sont retrouvés pour la cérémonie d’ouverture dans le hall aménagé d’un séminaire mennonite, le Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Sangkakala (STT), situé sur le flanc d’une montagne surplombant la ville de Salatiga. Plusieurs prestations artistiques remarquables ont enrichi cette cérémonie, comme un opéra traditionnel de Gamelang, et un temps de louange conduit par un groupe international, puis par le groupe au style décoiffant de la Jakarta Praise Community Church, une Église comptant 18 000 membres.

    Les retransmissions des jours suivants rassemblaient en moyenne 700 personnes au STT et une poignée d’autres participants dans des églises de quatre autres villes. Au total, environ 800 personnes ont suivi les rencontres à distance à travers le monde. Matin et soir avaient lieu des célébrations, qui débutaient par un temps de louange conduit par un groupe de chant international. Les après-midi étaient réservés à des excursions ou des ateliers. Après le rassemblement, notre groupe – auquel se sont ajoutées d’autres personnes – a prolongé le séjour en Indonésie, à la rencontre de mennonites, mais aussi de musulmans, d’hindous et de bouddhistes qui nous ont fait découvrir leurs lieux de culte et leurs coutumes.

    —Max Wiedmer, SMM

    References:

    https://www.editions-mennonites.fr/2022/02/deuxieme-video-de-la-serie-transmission/

    L’Indonésie compte trois unions d’Églises mennonites : GKMI – Église chrétienne de Muria d’Indonésie, GITJ – Église évangélique de Java et JKI – Assemblée chrétienne indonésienne.

  • Le Réseau Mennonite Francophone (RMF monde) de la Conférence Mennonite Mondiale ne se réunit officiellement que tous les trois ans. C’est-à-dire lors des réunions des délégués de la CMM.

    En Indonésie, seules 12 personnes étaient présentes à la réunion dont quatre Congolais, les seuls Africains ! Quand on pense que nous étions plus de 80 personnes en 2015 en Pennsylvanie ! Pourquoi si peu ? La réunion s’est pourtant tenue juste avant l’ouverture de la Conférence pour favoriser la rencontre. Mais certains francophones n’étaient pas encore arrivés, d’autres étaient en excursion.

    Que retenir de la rencontre ?

    Il n’est pas évident d’organiser des rencontres en présentiel en Afrique, et même les rencontres en ligne n’ont pas vraiment de succès. La technique fait souvent défaut. En Europe, un groupe d’une quinzaine de personnes se réunit deux fois par an, dont une fois au moins en présentiel. Nous voulons essayer d’inclure en ligne ceux « d’ailleurs » pour un réseautage plus international. Ce point a été discuté lors de la réunion. Les participants congolais ont dit leur volonté de s’investir dans le réseau, en lien avec des mennonites burkinabè contactés après la réunion.

    Compte-rendu de les réunions

  • “MWC [Assembly] was a really wonderful experience. It showed me the face of the global Mennonite church,” says Peter Buller, a student at Bethel College and a member of Buhler Mennonite Church, Kansas, USA. “Thanks to the great International Ensemble that brought different languages and cultures to life.” 

    That global face is visible online through MWC’s website and social media. Assembly sessions can be relived through videos and the October issue of Courier. 

    Peter Buller participated in the global Assembly as a Global Youth Summit attendee and also as a member of the !Explore program at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. 

    He presented video clips as he spoke from his experience to his church after returning home. “The sermon that is still in my mind from the general Assembly is Jeremiah Choi’s sermon on his ministry and calling to the people of Hong Kong. As an aspiring, pastor I was inspired and called further into that calling by his words.” 

    Plenary videos are being published on the website including songs from the international ensemble, and dozens of recorded workshops are online for learning by yourself or with a church group.  

    Click here to view videos from Assembly

    Workshops

    Plenaries

  • “But you, O Lord, do not be far away! 
    O my help, come quickly to my aid!” Psalm 22:19 

    “We raise a cry of alarm to the different faithful members of the Mennonite church around the world,” writes Reverend Alphonse Kisubi Kassa, a leader of Communauté des Églises des Frères Mennonites au Congo (CEFMC – the MB church in DR Congo).  

    A delegation from CEFMC Goma who visited the church in Munigi in eastern DRC in November 2022 report finding many displaced persons (older people; pregnant and nursing women; children younger than 5, school-aged children, some of whom are separated from their parents) who lack sanitation facilities, food, potable water, clothing.  

    We pray for needed supplies to reach the area and be equitably distributed.  

    We praise the Lord for the nongovernmental organizations and for Église du Christ au Congo (association of churches) who are responding.

    We pray that the ceasefire regarding the M23 which Kenyan and Rwanda leaders are negotiating would be respected and sustained.  

    “The Spirit of Jesus empowers us to trust God in all areas of life so we become peacemakers who renounce violence, love our enemies, seek justice, and share our possessions with those in need.”
    —Shared Convictions #5

  • Thursday morning

    A year ago, our conference leader – whom you might remember as “the Hallelujah man” – Bishop Ambrocio Porcincula died due to stroke. I want to remember him today, because he is close to me like my own grandfather. As far as I know, he never skipped the MWC Assembly ever since he started joining. I know he would be here too if he were still alive, and he would be proud of me standing on the stage today.

    Three days after my bishop’s death, my father tested positive for COVID-19 and got a severe pneumonia. It was one of the worst crises we ever experienced as a church and as a family because my father is the next person to lead the conference after Bishop Porcincula’s death. During our time of mourning, my father’s life was also hanging on a thin thread.

    I thought we will lose my father too, because we could not find a hospital that would take him in. But even though me and my siblings were deeply distraught, we gathered our faith and agreed to take care of our father at home. We did our best to get everything he needed as much as we could to help him survive.

    I could not imagine a second death of a loved one and a church father to all; it would be devastating. But, in the middle of our struggle, we found comfort in the knowledge that God is in control. We found peace in faith that whatever happens, it is God’s will.

    After two weeks of home care, my father recovered and was healed by the Lord.

    I believe my family’s COVID crisis story is just one of millions. None of us are free from crisis these past two years, but despite the presence of affliction and pain, our faith is our constant source of peace.

    Many people are suffering — crushed by the weight of their troubles. But Psalm 9:9 says the Lord is a refuge for them, a safe place they can run to.

    Our struggles are our constant reminder that God is our help. Now, we need God more than ever.

    As a communion, we are praying about the struggles of our churches in India as they are facing persecution because of their Christian beliefs, In Myanmar, our brothers and sisters are suffering from political uncertainties that resulted in violence. And in Ukraine, many are displaced due to war.

    But despite all of that, we are here: you came! For those who are online: you are showing up! (It’s either you need to wake up too early or stay up late, but you show up!)

    Isn’t it beautiful to see each other again? Isn’t it beautiful to see the gathering of your brothers and sisters in this place today?

    Isn’t it beautiful that despite the pandemic and war, we registered early this year and trusted that everything would be fine by July? That was a huge leap of faith!

    As part of the registration team, I am amazed to see how a lot of you registered immediately as soon as we opened the on-site registration. You registered early despite the uncertainties happening around us. During that time, we didn’t even know how the war in Ukraine would turn, but still people from Europe were some of the first people to register.

    Today, I want to remember our brothers and sisters in Ukraine. Many of them choose to stay in the middle of the war and help with those who are in need. Anabaptist-Mennonite churches gather whatever they can to help the people of Ukraine. War is ugly but when people choose to come together, helping each other in times of need, it is a beautiful sight.

    In times of trouble, we are the extension of God’s hands. The miracles of God come through us.

    That is what living together in times of crisis looks like. We forget about our differences, our disagreements, and find our common goal for peace. Peace is not a destination, but a journey and on that journey, we cannot walk it alone; we need each other.

    To everyone who responds to their brothers’ and sisters’ call for help; to those who give donations; for you who volunteer; to those who help people find justice; to those who take care of people that are strangers – thank you!

    You already took one step closer to peaceful world we all desire. You are the extension of God’s arm

    Now I challenge everyone to do the same for our brothers and sisters in India and Myanmar too, Let us try to learn more about their situation and find out how we can be the physical hands of Christ in their time of need.

    A year ago, during our COVID crisis, my family needed to stay in home isolation for more than a month while my dad recovered from COVID. We needed to depend on the generosity of our friends and churchmates for all our needs like food, oxygen refills and medicine. Looking back on how God used people to provide for our needs during the time we needed them most still amazes me. Even in the middle of the night, there were people who did not hesitate to offer help. Even the most unexpected person, whom you think cannot give you anything because they are also in need, would knock on our gate to give us something out of genuine care for us.

    Truly, crisis and hardships bring out the best in us. We see the hands of God working through all of us.

    I want to end with Romans 15:13 which says: “I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit” (ERV).

    Trust in the power of the Holy Spirit that there is hope in this difficult time. We, as a communion of churches, will be each other’s help in times of need. When the power of the Holy Spirit flows through us you cannot help but take action. The Holy Spirit is our driving force to reach out to those who are in need. And this is what living together in times of crisis look like for those who follow Christ.

    —Ebenezer G. Mondez is the YABs (Young AnaBaptists) Committee representative for Asia and the Pacific (2015-2022), YABs mentor (2022-2028). He is a member of Lumban Mennonite Bible Church, Philippines.

    This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier October 2022.

  • “We were far away from peace, but now we are friends with Christians. We are working for peace and humility.” Through an interpreter, Commander Yanni Rusmanto from Solo, Indonesia, spoke at the “Mennonites in Indonesia and Radical Muslims making peace” workshop at Assembly 17 in Indonesia.

    This was one of several workshops on interfaith relationships with a focus on Christians and Muslims. In total, more than 50 workshops took place at Mennonite World Conference’s Assembly 17 in Indonesia, with many of them recorded to watch later.

    Yanni Rusmanto is a leader of Hezbollah, an Indonesian paramilitary group. (“Hezbollah” means “party of God” and is the name of many Muslim groups with no relation to each other.) They monitor the community for drunkenness and lawbreakers, offering warnings and liaising with the police when there are street fights.

    In the workshop, GKMI pastor Paulus Hartono and Yanni Rusmanto talked about their cooperation.

    After the 26 December 2004 earthquake and tsunami that devastated part of Aceh, it wasn’t enough for Solo-based Mennonite Diakonia Service to respond alone. MDS founder Paulus Hartono reached out to invite the local Muslim commander to join with MDS in the aid efforts.

    “Why does this infidel want to dialogue?” Yanni Rusmanto wondered when Paulus Hartono approached him. He was afraid he might be converted. He tried to rebuff, but Paulus Hartono kept asking.

    “He spoke to me about humility and about the earthquake in Aceh. I started to open my heart,” says Yanni Rusmanto.

    The two groups worked side by side in Aceh for 15 days, living under the same roof. “We started to know each other. We respect each other though we are very different in many things. But that doesn’t mean we can’t work together,” says Paulus Hartono.

    Yanni Rusmanto still regards Hartono as kefir – an infidel. But “Paulus is a good kefir. I want to be friends with Paulus, and I want dialogue.

    For Paulus Hartono, peacebuilding and humanitarian aid work hand in hand. MDS responds to disasters, builds environmental sustainability and conducts interfaith dialogue. The three are inseparable, even indistinguishable at times.

    People ask Paulus Hartono for the secret to his thriving congregation and groundbreaking ministry: “We must do Jesus’ mission: not our organization’s mission or our church’s mission. We live out kingdom values: mission, peace, truth, justice and love, guided by the Holy Spirit.”

    “We see the hearts of the Mennonite people. In humility, they make peace. They build good relationships with the other religions – even for us with Hezbollah,” says Yanni Rusmanto.

    Yanni Rusmanto now puts Paulus Hartono into a third category: a kindness infidel.

    “Peace is better than violence. The world is full of violence including war. This is the time for us to make peace together,” says Yanni Rusmanto. “Hezbollah serves God and the world: with Paulus, we serve the world. In the end, I say to you all my Mennonite friends in all the world, to love peace, humility and nonviolence.”

    This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier October 2022.
    Watch workshop here

  • Introducing the global family: 

    Convenção Brasileira das Igrejas Evangélicas Irmãos Menonitas- Brazil (COBIM) 

    ICOMB & MWC national member church

    We want to thank everyone who participated in the ICOMB Summit and Despertar in Brazil in May 2022. God is creating a new awakening in Brazil and for sure your contribution, either with your presence or with your prayers, is leading COBIM (Mennonite Brethren Convention in Brazil) to a new movement of God. 

    In September we had the national congress of women with the participation of more than 300 women from different states of Brazil. It was visible the move of God promoting healing, addressing body, soul and spirit. 

    A week later, we had the national meeting of youth leaders, aimed at aligning the work, listening to the challenges of young people in different regions of Brazil and integration among leaders and prayer time. The leaders were challenged to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, taking young people to God’s presence and making disciples. 

    In mid-October we held the national congress of pastors and leaders with the theme: This is God’s time for us. More than 170 people participated. We had speakers from COBIM itself who dealt with the subject of our DNA, our identity in Jesus, as people of the Book, of the Kingdom, and of the Church; it is time for healing – we cannot be spiritually healthy if we are emotionally immature; it is time to return to the first love, to God, to the called ones, and to the lost ones; it is time for the church to multiply and to send workers to all the states in Brazil and abroad. 

    We are deeply blessed by the Lord. 

    —Paul Dück, ICOMB Update 

    ICOMB
    The International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) is made up of 22 national churches in 19 countries. ICOMB also has associate members in more than 20 countries, all at different points along the pathway to full membership. ICOMB exists to facilitate relationships and ministries to enhance the witness and discipleship of its member national churches – connecting, strengthening and expanding.

  • Stephanie Setiawan from Sidoarjo, Indonesia, had no plan to go to Latin America. She applied for Mennonite Central Committee’s International Volunteer Exchange Program in 2013/2014, but the slot for her synod was already taken. The coordinators offered her a YAMEN placement in Colombia instead.  

    As a result, Stephanie Setiawan discovered a love for Latin culture and training for future service. “I am so grateful to have served in Colombia. There, God prepared me for serving at Assembly in Indonesia,” she says. 

    The Young Anabaptist Mennonite Exchange Network (YAMEN) program is a joint program between Mennonite World Conference and Mennonite Central Committee. It places emphasis on expanding the fellowship between churches in the Anabaptist tradition and developing young leaders around the globe. Participants spend one year in a cross-cultural assignment starting in August and ending the following July. 

    “I’d never paid attention to Colombia before,” Stephanie Setiawan says, but she began to learn. She initiated correspondence with a young person from the church where she would be serving. “It felt great to have a friendship before I went there.” 

    “When I arrived, I didn’t speak any Spanish and my host family could not speak English. They were so committed to teaching me the language,” she says. “They explained Spanish words; if there were things, they showed them; if there’s an action, they acted it out for me. Every time we had free time, they gave it to conversation with me.” 

    In her service placement, “the children were so patient,” she says. She showed them pictures to teach English vocabulary and the children taught her Spanish in turn.  

    After several months, Stephanie Setiawan was able to speak and understand Spanish, but “I still didn’t get the jokes. It’s weird when people are talking and I couldn’t see the funny things. One day when I laughed, it felt really good. Finally, I could get the interactions.” 

    “It would be great to meet more people from other cultures,” she thought, as the YAMEN program introduced her to friends from around the world. She began to anticipate the MWC Assembly in Indonesia which her host mom told her about. “It would be really powerful to worship God together with our diversity.” 

    When Assembly arrived, Indonesian language coordinator Ary Rusdianto turned to Stephanie Setiawan, now working as web communications assistant for MWC. Interpreters for Spanish and Indonesian were scarce: she knew both languages.  

    “I’ve never been a translator. I rarely talk in a big group. This is the biggest stage in my life. If I had an option I would say no,” says Stephanie Setiawan. Friends encouraged her and helped her prepare.  

    And she remembered the neighbourhood Barrio Tokio in Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia.  

    Part of her YAMEN work took her to this neighbourhood with a difficult reputation. “Never once did I feel afraid,” she says. “My interaction with children and parents is still fresh in my memory. I felt the peace of God in that place and the warmness of those people.” 

    The miracle of peace amid uncertainty occurred again on stage in Salatiga as she interpreted for José Rutilio Rivas. “It was an honour to serve in this way.” 

    “I feel it is really important to have connections to people from around the world,” she says. “When you embrace the differences and diversity you can grow, and your soul can be rich. There is always something good in another culture just waiting to learn.  

    “When you know someone from far away is praying for you, it will touch your heart. It’s important for us to pray for our brother and sister around the world especially when you know they are facing difficulty.”  

    YAMEN 2022-2023 Participants

    Name  Country of origin  Country of placement  Member church  
    *indicates MWC member church 
    Emilia Macono Guzman  Bolivia  México  Sinai Evangelical Mennonite Church (IEMB) *
    Uziel Zambrana Hurtado  Bolivia  Colombia  Smyrna Evangelical Mennonite Church*
    Sina Dy Cambodia  Kenya  Community of Changed Hearts Church 
    Sokvoleak Chum  Cambodia  Uganda  Tumnup Tek Khmer Evangelical Church 
    Sovanich Chhoun  Cambodia  Nicaragua  Nation Church Phnom Penh 
    Lilibeth Guzman Macea  Colombia  Honduras Communidad Menonita Nueva Vida en Cristo Jesus 
    Nidia Marleny Linares Martinez  El Salvador  México  Mennonite Evangelical Church of El Salvador* 
    Esther Abigail Aguilar Velasquez  Honduras  Bolivia  Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Santa Rosa de Copan 
    Eve Franklin  India  Kenya  Mennonite Church Durg (MCI, Dhamtari)* 
    Mahima Tandi  India  Uganda  Bethlehem Mennonite Church Memra Pithora (BGCMC)* 
    Shepher Sona  India  Cambodia  Hebron Mennonite Church (BGCMC)* 
    Cahya Putri Wulansari  Indonesia  Rwanda  GITJ Kelet* 
    Johana Christianti  Indonesia  Burkina Faso  GKMI Bogor* 
    Setyawan “Adi” Nugroho  Indonesia  Bolivia  GKMI Kudus*
    Rael Kiptoo  Kenya  Uganda  Shalom Mennonite Church 
    Sarah Pariken  Kenya  Cambodia  Dominion Chapel International Ministries 
    Febe Daniella Madirgal Salgado  Nicaragua  Guatemala  Fuente de Vida (Convenci√≥n de Iglesias Menonitas)* 
    Melania Elizabeth Chaparro  Paraguay  Honduras  Dulce Refugio 
    Monika Warkentin  Germany/Paraguay  Palestine and Israel  Iglesia Hermanos Menonitas Concordia (AHM)* 
    Denise Dushime  Rwanda  India  Gatenga Evangelical Friends Church 
    Yejin Kim South Korea  Bolivia  Jesus Heart Church 
    Sondobi “Daniel” Chacha Sondobi  Tanzania  Cambodia  KMT Bukiroba*  
    Ladia Zulu  Zambia  Cambodia  Baptist Community Church 

     

    ‚ÄîA Mennonite World Conference and Mennonite Central Committee joint release by Karla Braun, a writer for Mennonite World Conference who lives in Winnipeg.  

    The Young Anabaptist Mennonite Exchange Network (YAMEN) program is a joint program between Mennonite World Conference and Mennonite Central Committee. It places emphasis on expanding the fellowship between churches in the Anabaptist tradition and developing young leaders around the globe. Participants spend one year in a cross-cultural assignment starting in August and ending the following July.