Every organization has a purpose; an answer to the deceptively simple question, "Why?" At Mennonite Mission Network, that "why?" is to lead, mobilize and equip the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ across the street, all through the marketplaces and around the world.
In this Q&A series, Mission Network asks staff members to think about the role they play in the agency, and how they see their daily work joining into what God is doing around the world.
In this installment, Gloria Guadarrama reflects on her role as Project Coordinator for Constituent Engagement and Training and Resources
What brought you to your role with Mennonite Mission Network?
I was looking for a part-time job and Marcella Hershberger, a good friend and co-worker, introduced me to Mennonite Mission Network. I really didn’t know then what it meant to be Mennonite or Anabaptist. So, I have been learning a lot since I started in late 2011, which has helped me grow, personally, spiritually, and professionally within Mission Network, from part-time assistant (general office work) to now full-time Project Coordinator for Constituent Engagement and Training and Resources (with a couple of other positions in between).
I never imagined that I would work in a place that prays regularly before any kind of meeting and as an organization, we start the week with an all-staff prayer time. I just can’t believe it.
What is your favorite part of your role with Mission Network?
In my role as project coordinator under two departments, Constituent Engagement and Training and Resources, I do different kinds of things.
Some examples are:
- working with a team to plan for virtual or in-person events
- working behind the scenes to ensure all events go smoothly
- offering support to international workers by helping them arrange their church visits when they are in the States for North American Ministry (NAM)
The best part of my job is meeting people, learning about their ministries, their work, and the impact everyone makes by sharing our gifts. Without the workers, participants, our partners, congregational support, conference support, constituent support, MC USA support, there is no Mission Network. The work is not possible without everyone’s commitment, gifts, and hard work.
How has your perspective on your role with Mission Network changed over your time with the agency?
Life doesn’t wait for you to decide that the timing is right because we might be afraid to try something new or to move forward with innovations ‘because this is how it was always done.’ We live in a world of constant change and many unknowns; Mission Network has had to adapt to the changes.
One example of that was in early 2020, Mission Network, like all other agencies, had to grapple with the unknowns of the pandemic. Everyone at Mission Network was impacted by this, and we had to make sure all our workers, participants and staff were safe.
We had international workers scheduled to come for their NAM, after a few years doing international ministry, and we had to postpone and eventually cancel church visits. We changed to virtual visits, the workers could Zoom in live or send a pre-recorded greeting from their location. We also designed the Hope series to continue to reach out and connect virtually.
The one thing that was always clear to us, we needed to find ways to communicate with our staff, international workers, service participants, partners, constituency, congregations and conferences.
How do you view your role with Mission Network fitting into God’s mission for the church?
I’m always looking for ways to improve communication within Mission Network, as well as our online courses or events. I bring unique gifts and perspective that have helped me evolve and adapt to new changes and as a team, brainstorm about new possibilities for Mission Network and its communication.
Knowing that by just adding my two cents or a seed to the work I do, I already made a difference in this world.
What is something that has surprised you about your role with Mission Network?
Realizing how much we, at Mission Network, have changed in the ways we communicate and share virtually, locally, and globally in the last few years. Yet, in some areas of the world internet is not reliable. So, we continue to explore new ways of outreach, as we look for volunteers and people to work where our international partners have expressed a need.
