Prayers of gratitude and intercession

11 January 2019
At Renewal 2027 – The Holy Spirit Transforming Us in Kisumu, Kenya, 21 April 2018, several people shared a testimony of experiencing the Spirit’s work changing people in the church. The columns in this section have been adapted from their presentations.

It was time to come together for a church community day and celebrate – but celebrate what? God’s faithfulness in the past in our long history despite the threat of decline in the present days? Our rich heritage still present in the churches today?

For the last 15 years, there had been no such gatherings in the Swiss Mennonite churches. The preparations for this one took two years.

We dedicated much time to find a theme to focus of our celebration.
- Someone thought that as we gather together, all the distinct identities of our 14 churches should become visible, a landscape of profiles displaying the richness of the gospel of Christ incarnate in many forms of church communities, each quite different one from the other.
- Someone else suggested that we model the letters to the seven churches in John’s revelation. Churches would be invited to write a letter imagining God would say about their church today: dangers, their strengths and weaknesses.
- Someone else said that our churches need encouragement to step into renewal, to cast a vision for the future that would guide us in the years to come.
We listened to each other. We took home what was discussed, prayed it through, discussed it in other groups.

When we came together again, the idea of writing a letter stuck with us. But we had concerns about taking the letters in Revelation as a model. Who can speak from God’s perspective? This might encourage us to judge one another.

Following the threads of what was in our hearts for our churches, we finally decided that we would indeed invite the churches to write a letter to all the other churches in our denomination.

But it should be a letter about hopes. Imagining 10 years into the future, they would look back on the time that now lies ahead. They would describe how God led them, what paths they travelled, what changes they went through.

We invited them to write down their dreams for the future growth of their churches.

Would the churches respond? Would they show themselves so vulnerable before the others? We were not sure whether they were ready to do this work.

We took the risk.

The theme of the day would be “Morning Air.” Through the letters, we hoped to take in a fresh breath, an aroma of the future that God had laid on our hearts.

The morning-wind of the coming kingdom of God was already present as a scent in our dreams.

The response was amazing.
- Some churches asked if they could write two letters because they were about to found a new church.
- Many churches gathered to discuss how they saw the 10 years ahead of them.
- Most churches wrote a bold story, full of courage. They knew the challenges lying ahead. But they saw these coming changes as a birth of something new they were looking forward to.
This was a first transformation by the Spirit. We followed a scent already in the air. The faithful God weaving our future came to meet us in the present.

For our community day, we printed out all the letters on banners. With great curiosity, people from all churches gathered to read what others had written.

This day became the churches’ pledge to each other: We will pray for you, that God will fulfill what he has laid on your hearts, even if it is very different from what we imagine for our own future.

This was a second transformation. We recognized and affirmed that God is incarnating his gospel in many ways that complement each other.

At the end of the day, I asked the congregations to come forward with the panel displaying their letter. As the banners moved through the room, I suddenly saw that they were like sails, ready to catch the wind of God.

In the two years since, we have seen some of these dreams come to be realized.

As a conference, we are discovering common hopes that unite us. Some differences may create tensions that threaten our unity and need to be discussed. But the openness and sincere prayers of these letters ignite a renewed love for each other so that we can approach difficult questions that otherwise might break our unity.

Through a process of listening to each other, what God has laid on each heart, both on the level of local churches and conference leadership, we experienced God’s Spirit transforming us.

—Jürg Bräker is a member of the Deacons Commission. He is general secretary of Konferenz der Mennoniten der Schweiz (Alttäufer)/Conférence Mennonite Suisse (Anabaptiste), the Anabaptist church in Switzerland.

He spoke at Renewal 2027 – The Holy Spirit Transforming Us – in Kisumu, Kenya, 21 April 2018. This paper been adapted from his presentation.

This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier October 2018.
11 January 2019

At Renewal 2027 – The Holy Spirit Transforming Us in Kisumu, Kenya, 21 April 2018,several people shared a testimony of experiencing the Spirit’s work changing people in the church. The columns in this section have been adapted from their presentations.

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). That is what my church, Brethren In Christ (BICC) in Zimbabwe teaches. We cannot see the Holy Spirit with our eyes, but we see God in action through his Spirit, and the outcome is always astounding and awe-inspiring.

When I was a little girl, we were taught about God the Father, and Jesus, the great friend of children, and our Saviour. The Holy Spirit was hardly mentioned, although we sang songs that espoused the power of this comforter and teacher.

We went to church to worship God with other believers through prayer, Bible study/Sunday school, hymns (praise and worship), offering and the sermon.

For many years, our churches taught the Bible well, but our actions in worship, though proper in form, did not match the ethics, particularly in giving of tithes and offering as well as any other giving.

Then came teachings about the person of the Holy Spirit. I began to witness attitudes changing.

When a church allows the Holy Spirit’s transforming power, we see the fruits of love, joy, peace, kindness, longsuffering, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22, 23).

Prayer time has become a time of truly communing with God.

During praise and worship, the team is genuinely worshipping God, able to lead the rest of the congregants into the presence of God. The lyrics of the hymns take on new meaning.

Giving is improving. Worshippers are no longer giving tithes and offerings because of obedience of the law; but out of love, joy and grateful hearts. Giving generously as did the Macedonians in 2 Corinthians 8 does not come easy with most people, but we keep witnessing transformation that we can only put to the work of the Holy Spirit.

One example of the Holy Spirit at work happened in 2011, during the BICC women’s conference at Mtshabezi Mission.

On the last day of the conference, evangelist Silibaziso Nhliziyo based her message on Genesis 9:17–26. This beloved woman of deep faith challenged the church to care for our spiritual parents, our pastors and leaders who are exposed by lack and want.

She came closer home: “Mam Bishop Ndlovu visits the sick and bereaved and does a lot of church errands on foot, or by commuter taxis. Yet we live in comfort and drive good cars. Is that right? Today, we are going to give, so that our Mam Bishop can buy a car. Give, women: sow a seed to ease Mam Bishop’s life as she serves God.

“We are going to give $5,000 to buy the vehicle. What you do for her, you are doing for God.”

That seemed like a tall order for many who usually gave the barest minimum.

Surprise of surprises, women brought forward pledges that surpassed the amount stated. We all agreed the Holy Spirit was at work. To date, the 10-seater vehicle we purchased is used by the Bishop’s wife and other church ladies as they go about the business of women’s ministry.

Silibaziso continued: “I feel in my spirit that there are women who are having a problem conceiving. Your hearts are crying for children. Some of you are giving up. Never give up on God!”

Many women flocked to the front for prayers.

Six years later, during the annual BICC women’s conference, Lovewyn Mhlanga, a gifted teacher and conference speaker, married to a minister of the gospel at BICC Lobengula in Bulawayo, gave a personal testimony.

“I met with my Jesus in a special way at Mtshabezi [the 2011 women’s conference],” she said.

“I was reluctant to go forward. I had had four miscarriages. Many prayers had been prayed for me before, but my hope had been dashed many times.

“I reluctantly found myself walking to the front, tears rolling down my face. God touched me as prayers were said.

“Soon after, I had a pregnancy that I nursed with joy and anxiety wrapped in one. After nine months, I went into hospital for a Caesarean-section birth. I heard my baby cry while I was still in theatre and I said, ‚ÄòGod, you are so good! You are faithful. You are Jehovah and you deserve all the worship!’

“As you sit here, there are things you believe God for. Believe that God will bring a breakthrough in your life,” said Mhlanga. “I had my baby girl, Princess. I prayed for another baby, and God gave me a son, Prince Joshua.”

Is the Holy Spirit in our midst transforming lives and situations? Yes, the Spirit is! The same Holy Spirit who brought missionaries who gave us the gospel that came with schools and hospitals is the same Spirit at work today, building the kingdom of God.

‚ÄîBarbara Nkala is MWC regional representative for Southern Africa. She is a member of the BIC church in Zimbabwe. She spoke at Renewal 2027 – The Holy Spirit Transforming Us – in Kisumu, Kenya, 21 April 2018. This paper been adapted from her presentation.

This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier October 2018.

08 January 2019

Renewal 2027 testimony: Anabaptists today

Renewal 2027 is a 10-year series of events organized by Mennonite World Conference’s Faith and Life Commission to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the beginnings of the Anabaptist movement. This series highlights leaders in the movement from history to the present

“People feel excited about the Word even as their problem vanish through prayers. Also, when they have physical need, we grant them welfare,” says Bishop Victor UmoAbasi. This is the legacy of Mennonite Church Nigeria, which celebrated its 60th anniversary November 2018.

The church began 22 November 1958 with pastor Francis Umana Ekerek sending an invitation letter to a mission board in the USA. As a result, Americans S.J. and Ida Hostetler and Edwin and Irene Weaver worked alongside the Africa-initiated churches who have since grown in leaps and bounds.

“As [new Christians] were coming in streams, the major challenge was how to make them true disciples; the land and the buildings were not a problem because the manpower was there,” says UmoAbasi.

Church growth

The church now has 18,000 members in five dioceses. “Indeed, this is worth celebrating,” says UmoAbasi.

“We pray, preach and share the Word of God as well as interpret to the people,” says UmoAbasi. Churches meet Sundays for worship, Fridays for Bible studies and Wednesdays for prayers and deliverance.

Peace work

“There will be no prosperity to the community that is not at peace. And where there is no peace, there will be no eternity with God,” says UmoAbasi. At the anniversary event, members and community leaders who pioneered peace work in their community or state will receive awards.

Leader development

“Young people are the hope of the church,” says UmoAbasi. “Some of the youths that I have seen with enormous talents and potentials. If opportunities are given to them to showcase their worth at the international programs, it would be an amazing discovery.” Young people will display their abilities in a talent show at the anniversary event.

Some 50 percent of Mennonite Church Nigeria leaders are trained at Bible college; other leaders – men and women – are trained through seminars and summits every three months.

Skills acquisition and regular conferences also help people come into their destiny.

Children’s ministry

In the aspect of education, the church has an orphanage, nursery and primary school in about six centres in local government areas. The church has employed more than 40 staff with 400 children in these schools.

The chilren’s camp 13–19 August 2018 for ages 3–12 included activities such as singing, talent hunt, football competition and Bible quizzing.

In addition to education, the church is working toward the skill acquisition centre for the vulnerable groups. “Being a custodian of moral consciousness, we raise them through training,” UmoAbasi says.

Social enterprise

The church also has a Purified Water Factory. It is managed by a seasoned investor, though owned by the church and overseen by board of investment of the church. “This has also created employment for the people,” said UmoAbasi.

“The church has faced great and turbulent times; yet, God has kept the church strong,” says UmoAbasi.

An event tagged “Change for Dominion Conference” at the national headquarters in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, celebrated the 60th anniversary in November 2018.

“We need more understanding from the new leadership… and we want to have collaboration… as an organization that is spreading the gospel of peace and also integrating people into international activities,” says Umo Abasi.

Over the next 60 years, Mennonite Church Nigeria will be “a formidable movement” that engages youth and the global church.

—Monday Ekpo is a lay leader in Mennonite Church Nigeria.

31 December 2018

Missional Frontier: Our goal is to share every year one missional frontier with the members of GMF and GASN networks. The idea is to inform, learn, and inspire about the work and challenges that Anabaptist churches and organizations are facing in a particular country.

Country context in Brief

Kenya Mennonite Church (KMC) is a conference registered in The Republic of Kenya. Kenya has a total land area of 581,309km2. Around 9.5% of this total land area is arable. The population is 48 million with a growth rate of 2.3%. Women constitute 52% while 75% of this population is below 30 years while 8 million are aged between 15 and 24 years. Life expectancy stands at 50 years. Kiswahili is the national language while English is the official language. There are 43 other ethnic and urban youth languages. Adult literacy rate stands is 78% with female rate at 42.7%.

Kenya is a secular state. However, Christianity remains the dominant religion with Protestants and Catholics constituting about 45% and 33% respectively. Islam is at 11%, while Indigenous at 9% and 2% being other minority faiths. The constitution K2010 guarantees full religious freedom. There are twenty-two unreached people groups (UPGs).

Economically, the country is an agricultural producer with light industries. Kenya is also a tourist industry. Nearly 50% of the population survives on less than $1 per day while 40% of labour force is unemployed. Real GDP growth is 4-5% with inflation rate recording 5% as at January 2018.

KMC’s history and mission structures

KMC traces her beginnings from Tanzania Mennonite Church (KMT). KMT inspired evangelists planted pioneer congregations in Kenya from 6 December 1942. Up till 1977 when the Conference was registered under Societies Act of Kenya, the KMT leadership oversaw the congregations. KMC exists to obey the great commandment (Matt 22:36-40) and commission (Matt. 28:18-20). The Church envisions a holistic empowered dynamic and multiplying missional church that impacts God’s shalom in a transformed world. In mission, we evangelize, disciple and equip individuals to witness a Christ centred peace and compassion within our families, across cultures and in public spaces. Our rallying call is “Everybody is a missionary where is and everywhere”.

Structurally, the Church has a hierarchical organization based on seven geographically defined dioceses. The overall authority of KMC is vested in the congregation of voting members at an Annual General Conference. Conference attendees are diocesan delegates, pastoral teams and lay program leaders. The Church organs include: Mission Field Cell Fellowship (MFCF), Congregation, Local and Diocesan Church Councils. A National Executive Council (NEC) is the superior mission and administration organ that runs Conference affairs.

Historical and ongoing mission challenges

KMC celebrates the contradictions manifest in most post-modern Christian church, periods of vibrant growth, stagnation, decline and renewal. The Church has for decades recorded impressive growth with adherents once reported at 35,000 members. This exponential growth witnessed congregations being established beyond the traditional geographical rural regions of Nyanza. However, this growth encountered challenges which include:

Poverty and marginalization:

Congregations are predominantly feminine and rural based with very high incidence of illiteracy, poverty and disease. Despite women membership constituting two thirds, patriarchal traditions continue to marginalize their access to leadership roles. Minority people groups such as refugees have also remained neglected. These fragile conditions diminish the Church’s capacity to adequately resource mission work.

Inadequate Anabaptist theological and Leadership training:

Historically, KMC blossomed under evangelist oriented dual leadership for mission and congregation. The place of theology, academics, structures and systems remain held in suspicion, doubt and contempt. The Pastor’s congregational governance duties has diminished mission to a non-priority business.

Negative ethnicity, clannism and inequalities:

Secular and Church politics share a history of rewarding negative otherness, tribalism and clannism. These factors influence the way both the pews and the pulpit are populated. Congregations tend to emerge as alternate ethnic and clan social security formations with large populations of baptized but nominal and secularized Christians.

Changed environment of Idolatry and youth exodus:

The working class and students have affinity for idols, self-gratification and instant answers to generational life challenges. This group despises the promise of faith and the “Jesus Kingdom”. Instead they have embraced anti-intellectualism, syncretism, legalism and unmitigated human rights narratives. The resulting trend is dechristianization and exiting the Church.

Inter-faith competition, conflict and violence:

Kenya faces the dual challenge of, an aggressive spread of Islam and the threat of insecurity posed by Al-Shabaab Islamic extremists. The terror group trains and arm young Muslims to kill Christians and destroy Churches. Evangelism and mission work, in predominantly Muslim regions, is a high-risk undertaking that few Christians would dare try.

A record of hope and fruit-bearing practices

KMC is celebrating several mission patterns by reaffirming mission as the core business of the Church. The Church established a mission agency styled KMC-SPAN Ministry (Sending Peace to All Nations). The Church confesses that Jesus is the Peace for witnessing in the ever-violent mission context. SPAN undertakes planning and implementation of programs under the NEC’s Secretariat. The renewal outcomes are both a product of faithful prayers and strategic visioning, planning and execution.

The replicable approaches include:

Partnering for synergy and gift sharing in the Body of Christ:

KMC successfully established cross-cultural missions in Uganda and Kenya among the UPGs. Through own initiatives and partnerships, the Church runs several unique community mission and inter-faith interventions.

Everybody is a missionary:

We exploit the job-seeking push and pull factors that drive the work and education migration trends as an opportunity. Members share the gospel and promote the establishment of pre-congregation MFCF in their new cross-culture locations.

Interfaith peace discipleship and contextualization:

Christian-Muslim relations is a priority for the Church’s mission. We conduct specially designed cross-culture, community and school focused mission ministries through Eastleigh Fellowship Centre (EFC) and Centre for Peace & Nationhood (CPN) initiatives in predominantly Muslim neighbourhoods of Nairobi County. These mission programs promote coaching, discipleship and person to person witnessing through trainings, youth sports, business entrepreneurship, community wellness, school peace clubs, inter-faith dialogues, community health and nutrition.

Mapping, sending and relational building:

We respond to Church planting as shared by missional surveys and contacts. Specifically, we take the gospel to UPG areas by directly sponsoring missionaries who to evangelize and plant churches in identified priority cross-culture communities.

Conclusion

In spite of the daunting challenges facing KMC, our confidence rests in the words of Apostle Paul (Phil. 4:13). As the Church gets down to pray, we have prioritized two thematic areas for intervention. These are cross-culture entry and contextualized mission among Turkana County and South Sudanese. Secondly, Anabaptist leadership education for Youth and Women will equip and enhance their access to missional leadership roles for an integrated holistic ministry in a fast-changing world.

By Rev. Patrick J. Obonde (KMC-SPAN Missions)

17 December 2018

Mr Kannan kutty, 45, has terminal cancer. His wife is a labourer. She and one of his sons work any job they can find to earn money. Their other son is a student.

Already struggling to have enough funds for cancer treatments and living costs, the family was affected by the heavy monsoon flooding in 13 of the 14 districts in the Kerala region of India in September 2018.

India’s armed forces carried out the largest aerial search and rescue operation in the country’s history. Some 633 000 people are in 2 971 relief camps as of October 2018. The death toll is 450 plus 325 missing.

In partnership with Mennonite Central Committee India, Gilgal Mission Trust (GMT, a Mennonite World Conference member church) organized relief distribution in Palakkad district.

The GMT team worked for more than a month to identify the neediest people to receive relief– irrespective of race, caste, creed, colour or religion. They worked around the clock to distribute supplies to 500 families.

In Kalpathy, where Mr Kannan kutty lives, the Church of God campus provided the site for distribution.

Local councillor Udayakumar, GMT president, Mennonite Christian Service Fellowship of India (MCSFI)and MCC officials presided over the distribution day, giving out relief supplies to 75 households.

Long-term challenges remain for Mr Kannan kutty and his family. However, relief supplies from GMT offer him and his family some hope in daily life in the aftermath of the flood’s destruction.

GMT brings disaster relief to families like Mr Kannan kutty’s because “God’s Word reminds us to look on the fields for souls because God is not willing that any should perish,” says GMT president Paul Phineas.

—Mennonite World Conference release

17 December 2018

The people of Mennonite World Conference are always working to create space for relationship among the members around the world. Meet the newest faces on the team.

National co-coordinators for Indonesia 2021 work with the MWC Chief International Events Officer to plan the global Assembly that will welcome Anabaptist-Mennonites from around the world to a week of worship and fellowship together.
- World traveller and coffee lover. Sarah Yetty is the event organizer for JKI Injil Kerajaan Semarang (“Holy Stadium,” MWC Assembly host for 2021) and for other Christian events in Semarang. She also operates Olea Tour, a travel agency specializing in pilgrimages to the Holy Land. She has been married to Simon Setiawan for 13 years.
- Singer and table tennis aficionado. Agus Setianto is a business person with a passion for marriage and family ministry. He is an elder and church member of Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia (GKMI Mennonite church) in Semarang, Indonesia, and has served MWC as General Council representative (2009–2015) and Asia representative on the Executive Committee (2015–2018). Agus and his wife Jovita have three adult children.
Guitarist and traveller. Daniel K Trihandoyo is communications and marketing coordinator for Assembly. He has a background in business and marketing in pharmaceutical and consulting. He has served as vice general secretary for GKMI and as chairman in his local congregation. He is a member of the Communication and Partnership Development Committee of the Indonesian Bible Society. Daniel is married to Yohana; they have two young adult daughters.
Sea fisher and nature hiker. Ary Rusdianto is the Indonesian language coordinator for Assembly. He is an educator who is involved in his local GKMI church in Depok, West Java. He is married to Sri Haryani; they have two young adult daughters.

A new connecting point for Anabaptist-Mennonite churches across Southeast Asia is the MWC regional representative. MWC regional representatives are part-time volunteer staff responsible for developing and supporting relationships with MWC member, associate-member and potential-member churches; local congregations; and MWC-related partners and agencies.

Motorcycle enthusiast. Agus Mayanto of Indonesia is regional representative for Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand), starting October 2018. He is a pastor of Cempaka Putih Jakarta, a GKMI congregation, chair of PIPKA (GKMI’s mission organization) and has previously served MWC on the Mission Commission and as chair of the Global Mission Fellowship. Agus and his wife Rosmaida Simanjuntak have one teenaged daughter.

—Mennonite World Conference release

17 December 2018

The International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) is made up of 21 national churches in 19 countries with approximately 450,000 members. ICOMB exists to facilitate relationships and ministries to enhance the witness and discipleship of its member national churches – connecting, strengthening and expanding.

In October, the Trujillo church La Familia de Dios (The Family of God) commissioned 12 people (11 of them women) as ministers of the gospel after apprenticing them in a practical training program called Train & Multiply, introduced by Robert and Anne Thiessen of MB Mission/Multiply. The participants in the program have completed the first level of an ongoing apprenticeship. They received a laying on of hands and ICOMB recognition during the latest conference meeting and served the Lord’s Supper to the gathering of pastors. They are poised to multiply not only their own leadership over the next year, but also four new house churches in Trujillo, Peru.

After witnessing this, four other churches from the conference are now planning to adapt this model under the Trujillo church’s mentorship. This is a new model for the churches of Latin America, where churches multiply leadership and congregations through in-house, just-in-time, on-the-job apprenticeship, focused squarely on simple, loving obedience to Jesus – a truly Anabaptist approach.

—report from Anne Thiessen

14 December 2018

“With the help of God’s Spirit, the retreat has been the means to open and free our hearts of knots and situations that prevent us from fully being women in every sense of the word,” says Gladis Velásqez Maldonado.

Velásqez Maldonado is part of an emerging worldwide network of Anabaptist Women Theologians inspired at the 2003 Mennonite World Conference Assembly in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Leaders in Latin American organized MTAL Movimiento de Mujeres Anabautistas haciendo teología desde América Latina (MTAL Movement of Anabaptist Women doing Theology in Latin America), a continental group of women theologians.

Velásqez Maldonado experienced this sister solidarity at the 13–15 August 2018 Central American MTAL meeting in Lake Yojoa, Honduras, where 36 women gathered from Mennonite churches in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Colombia and the United States.

Devotionals, workshops, plenary presentations and space for interactive participation marked the event.

“I can testify to the progress that the Lord has allowed over the 15 years since the movement began,” says participant and presenter Ofelia García de Pedroza. “We have made changes and reoriented the original plans that we had and it has been a great lesson to see how the Spirit of God moves where it wants to and guides us towards fulfilling God’s purposes.”

Due to the cultural and structural violence prevalent in many of their homelands, women experience physical, emotional and spiritual health problems that hinder them from developing their gifts and building healthy communities.

The meetings allowed women to process some of this trauma in a safe environment.

“I was able to share things that I had never talked about to anybody before… It was freeing to feel listened to and to be able to hear suggestions and ideas from other sisters about how to face these situations,” says Velásqez Maldonado.

Meeting with other women in similar ministry situations from different countries, “we completely understood the words that were spoken from the heart. We expressed ourselves in a safe environment,” says García de Pedroza. “To be there was to experience God’s mercy, overflowing love, limitless compassion and holistic peace.”

MTAL offers opportunity for women in leadership “to talk about what my heart felt was a heavy burden, to allow myself to be loved and allow others to care about me, to be encouraged through hugs, in essence… to be vulnerable and to enjoy the company, the nature around us, the food that is laughter, the lake, the coffee, the rainy afternoons,” says García de Pedroza.

—Mennonite World Conference release

11 December 2018

The problems in Venezuela affect the economy, relationships, health services, crime, insecurity, public services, corruption, politics, malnutrition and inflation. We decided to come to Colombia to improve the living conditions of our families, look for new opportunities and have a change in our lives. On arrival, we suffered a heavy emotional blow when we saw other Venezuelans living in a state of begging. It was hard to compare the economy of Colombia to Venezuela: we suffered a lot when we saw the amount of food in supermarkets, stores, marketplaces and warehouses, food that is not available just across the border in our own country.

Thank God, we are very grateful to the people who welcomed us in their country. We have received no assistance from the state. We did not intentionally decide to come to the church. Rather, we think it was God who brought us here, since we did not know that the Mennonite church existed. Now Carlos has been baptized and is a member of the church. We have known God here in this church. Every day, we receive a word through the pastor and the children’s ministry. We have received unconditional support, a lot of love, and accompaniment every day from Riohacha Mennonite Church.

In this church, we have learned to listen to the Word of God through devotions, Sunday school and prayer vigils, and we have learned to live in community, to help each other. We have learned to accept our change of life. We have learned to value people, our family, our friends, those who help us every day. We thank God first for all the support received in this place, to the pastor for teaching the Word, to the Sunday school teacher for allowing us to help out in the work with the children. We have learned a lot about caring for people who are elderly, which is the ministry of the Mennonite church in Riohacha. We have learned about brotherhood and unity. We have learned to love God. For this reason, we thank the Mennonite church for taking us in and giving us the opportunity to continue growing spiritually.

—Venezuelan migrants welcomed to the Iglesia Menonita de Riohacha, Colombia

From foreigner to family

Sometimes people are excluded and marginalized, “strangers or foreigners” in their own land. Society has its “foreigners,” people it puts aside, regarding them as strangers who do not conform to social norms. The gospel approaches these people and invites them to participate. The gospel invites the church to treat them with dignity, hospitality and with attention. Marginalization annuls them. The church gives dignity that affirms their identity as beloved. The church invites them to enter the community of the kingdom of God. The church moves them from that foreign place to being at home.

— Comunidad Cristiana Menonita El Paraíso, Caracas, Venezuela

This testimony is part of the World Fellowship Sunday worship resource for 2019. Click here to see more: www.mwc-cmm.org/wfs

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10 December 2018

For more than 20 years, gangs clashed in Chamelecón neighbourhood in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The main street served as an invisible border, marking off the territory of the two dominant gangs. Even for people who weren’t in gangs, it was dangerous to cross the street.

This neighbourhood is home to Vida en Abundancia, a Mennonite church. In 2008, the congregation felt called to start a primary school to shield the children from the influence of gangs. However, the violence continued. Police and gangs fought in front of the school and even once inside the school before classes began. In 2013, threats to the security of the teachers and students was so great that the school had to close. The church accompanied its 38 students in the process of changing to schools outside the community.

In spite of all the fear in the community and reduced size of their own congregation, the church was determined to spread hope. Unable to influence the school anymore, the remaining members went beyond the safety of the church building to carry out activities in all corners of the neighbourhood, making “God-music” stronger than the sound of weapons.

The leader of the gang that controlled the territory heard the song and was drawn to seek out the pastor. With some trepidation, pastor José Fernández presented himself as the one the gang leader was looking for. “No one touches this pastor,” the gang leader instructed his followers. That moment strengthened the church’s resolve. Little by little, young people began to arrive at the church fleeing the horror of that world of violence and resentment.

Hope began to grow again. People began to return. Last year, the school reopened. Adolescents being developed in a mission program also contribute to the community.

The little church that remained steadfast in spite of hardship is flourishing, trumpeting out a song of hope to drown out the sound of violence.

—As told to Oscar Suárez, YABs committee member for Latin America

This testimony is part of the World Fellowship Sunday worship resource for 2019. Click here to see more: www.mwc-cmm.org/wfs

10 December 2018

Anabaptist groups and individuals gathered together 8–12 October 2018 at Sammuk Christian Academy, Chonburi, Thailand, for the fourth Thailand Anabaptist Gathering (TAG).

The Thai Mennonite Brethren leaders and MB Mission missionaries planned and hosted the biennial gathering attended by almost 160 people. Representatives came from the Brethren in Christ, Eastern Mennonite Missions, Rosedale Mennonite Church and Mennonite Church USA and Canada, the Hmong 9th District Mennonites, and the Mennonite Brethren groups in Thailand.

“It was a joy to see everyone making new friendships and memories together,” says Karen Huebert-Sanchez, director of Abundant Life Home and conference organizer. “It was a rich time together of lively worship, creative worship dances and interactive teaching.”

Two Cambodian Mennonite Brethren from Poi Pet joined the retreat, as well as two Pakistani asylum seekers from Bangkok and a group from Laos.

Groups travelled for up to 14 hours by public transit to Chonburi. Participants slept on simple mattresses in large open rooms in Baptist boarding school.

Speakers were César García, Mennonite World Conference general secretary, his wife and executive assistant, Sandra Báez, and Victor Wiens from the International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) and MB Mission. They spoke on Anabaptist theology (Jesus is the centre of our faith; community is the centre of our life; and reconciliation is the centre of our work) and relying on the Holy Spirit. They also covered agreement and divergence between Anabaptist and Calvinist theology.

Pastor Nantanong, conference minister of the Thailand MB conference of churches, said: “I understand now…why the Anabaptists encourage everyone to lead and have input. It is a beautiful picture of the body of Christ.” She is excited to use this concept in her own teaching and discipleship.

One evening, participants drove to nearby Bang Saen Beach where 10 South East Asian Anabaptists gave their testimonies publicly under palm trees on a busy government holiday. “They shared bravely how they turned from sin and idol worship to follow Jesus,” says Huebert-Sanchez.

Each one who gave a testimony was baptized by someone from their own church, while hundreds of holidaying Thai people watched curiously.

TAG participants cheered from the shore and sang “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” in Thai. Under the shade, they took communion with sticky rice and a Thai juice. Some handed out tracts and witnessed to people on the beach who were interested.

Each day began with corporate prayer, for personal concerns and for the region to experience a great coming to Jesus.

Thailand Campus Crusade for Christ ministry “Cat Band” led by “Boat” from the MB group worship in singing each day.

“A highlight each session was a special song and testimony from a different Anabaptist group,” says Huebert-Sanchez. The crowd joined in with the dances in traditional Thai styles. Testimonies proclaimed freedom from drug dealing or spoke of persecution for the sake of the gospel.

Donations from MWC, EMM, Mennonite Endowment Fund, and the two Thai MB Foundations in Chonburi (TMBF and Abundant Life Foundation) sponsored speakers, translation of Anabaptist materials and the retreat venue.

“It was encouraging to see these groups show a keen interest in learning about Anabaptism,” says García. Only the Hmong group is currently an MWC member church.

“Please continue to pray for our churches and believers in Thailand and the surrounding nations. We are thankful for unified hearts and deep bonds of friendship that were formed at our gathering. May God use this for his glory and to bring many to faith in Jesus Christ,” says Huebert-Sanchez.

—Thai Anabaptist Gathering news release

Click here to see the MWC Shared Convictions in Thai and other languages.

07 December 2018

In a region of Ukraine that thousands of Mennonites left generations ago, two dozen of today’s Mennonite leaders from across Europe gathered for three days of fellowship in October 2018. Hosted by Ukrainian leaders from Mennonite Brethren churches, meetings in the city of Zaporizhzhia included participants from Portugal, Spain, France, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Lithuania and Ukraine.

Few descendants of German-speaking Mennonites who once established more than 400 villages remain in Ukraine today.

Mennonites moved to Ukraine from Prussia starting in 1789 at the invitation of Catherine the Great. These German-speaking Anabaptists established successful farms, businesses and agencies. They began to leave in the 1870s when the Russian government withdrew conscientious objector status – and farmland became available in North America.

The 20th century brought severe hardship for those who remained in Ukraine – from anti-landowner violence during the Bolshevik revolution, to confiscation of land, executions by the Stalinist government and deportation to Siberia.

Today, many towns established by Mennonites are sparsely populated, poor and dilapidated. Residents often know nothing of who built the villages.

Meanwhile, in Western Europe and North America, descendants of Mennonite refugees from Ukraine are reassessing their own history. Mennonite history reveals there was both heroic, peaceful witness in the face of evil, and, in some cases, mistreatment of Ukrainian employees. Additionally, some Mennonite villages took up arms to resist marauding gangs during the post-Revolution chaos.

In front of the oldest standing Mennonite Brethren church building in the world (now a warehouse), Johann Matthies, MB Mission Europe Director, explained that sharing the gospel with other Ukrainians was forbidden in those days. One Mennonite who bought Bibles to distribute was excommunicated, Matthies said.

During their heyday, Mennonites in Ukraine built hospitals and schools that served more than themselves, and brought up-to-date farming practices to the region.

Since 2007, MB Mission has partnered with Ukrainian people to establish new Anabaptist congregations. At Heart of Christ MB congregation in the port city of Berdyansk, several visiting European Mennonites participated in Sunday worship. The congregation of 60 Ukrainians is youthful.

Less than 100 miles to the east lies the front lines of Russian occupation of Ukrainian provinces Crimea and Donetsk. Weekly, pastor Alexey Yuditsenko joins Pentecostal pastor Albert Xomiak to carry in food, clothing and Bibles, and show the love of Jesus. They report that the economy is devastated, and there are widespread problems of poverty, alcoholism, depression and unemployment.

Yuditsenko and his congregation have vision for thousands coming to know Christ. On the wall of their rented meeting space hang reproductions of paintings depicting Bible stories. Church members take these out to city parks and invite passersby to comment on what they think is happening in the picture. This gives opportunity to share the gospel.

In the midst of war and economic stress, God again is raising Anabaptist witness in Ukraine. Where thousands of German-speaking Mennonites once settled and then fled, Ukrainian and Russian spiritual descendants are guiding the church to rebirth.

—A Mennonite World Conference release by MWC president J. Nelson Kraybill.