Open to life-changing nudges – Interview with MVS alum Dana Tolle
Susan: This is Susan Nisly and I’m collecting another Mennonite Mission Network alumni story, so my guest today is going to introduce herself and tell us her name and where she served, and with what program. Dana: My name is Dana Tolle and I was in Boulder doing Mennonite Voluntary Service in 2006-2007. And I […]
God’s economy, not empire economics
I have met many Christians who say, "The story of a man building an enormous boat to save every type of animal that exists while the entire earth is covered in water is clearly literal and historical." In the next moment, they say, "Jesus’ call to radically love our enemies is an ideal that’s definitely […]
Celebrating 75 years of formation for young adults in shifting times
NEWTON, Kansas (Mennonite Mission Network) – When Gilberto Perez was 12, he hung out with the older guys who came from their Brownsville, Texas, Mennonite Voluntary Service (MVS) unit to help his parents, Elizabeth and Gilberto, build a Hispanic Mennonite church in Robstown. When he was 19, he said those memories emerged as a powerful […]
When your nonprofit job fails to live up to your expectations
People who are drawn to meaningful work are often drawn to the nonprofit sector. I am inspired daily by my coworkers and interviewees who have made (or are hoping to make) a career that serves the greater good. However, spend any amount of time in a nonprofit organization of ANY kind and you will find that […]
From participant to leader—Interview with the Rittenhouse sisters
Susan: I’m sitting here today with Krista and Leah Rittenhouse. Can you say what years you were in Service Adventure? Leah: I was in Service Adventure as a participant in 2008/2009 and then served as a Service Adventure leader from 2015 through 2018. Susan: I am wondering if you could share a little about how Service […]
Keep an open mind—Interview with Service Adventure alum Renee Neufeld
Susan: Hi. This is Susan Nisly (director of Service Adventure) and I’m sitting here with Renee Neufeld. And Renee was a Service Adventure leader for three years in Anchorage, Alaska, and then completed another term when there was an accident in one of the other locations that took the leaders away from there. So, Renee, I guess the […]
Church clinic helps community members navigate the jungle of photo ID registration
NEWTON, Kansas (Mennonite Mission Network) – Sharon Williams’ Bible study group had just concluded when she heard the news. It was the spring of 2012, and the Pennsylvania State legislature had passed a law requiring photo IDs in order to vote, catching many people, Williams included, off-guard. Donna Windle, who had brought the news to […]
Bucket list wish brings family together to serve
NEWTON, Kansas (Mennonite Mission Network) – For many, creating a bucket list means putting to paper the experiences that one would not want to leave this world without having savored at least once. For Lois Plank of Wellman, Iowa, service with SOOP was high on her list. Plank, who lives with cancer, was drawn to SOOP […]
Community: A place of belonging, sharing and love
All of us are a part of communities. Currently, I’m a part of Peace Building Community in Namyangju, South Korea, where family community, working community, and church community all overlap. (To learn more about us, see a description at the end.) Community is a place of belonging. I am an immigrant. When I walk around […]
Bethany Bible School expands with South African leadership
MTHATHA, South Africa (Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission/Mennonite Mission Network) – Bethany Bible School has provided biblical education and leadership training for African-Initiated Churches in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province since 1982. Last May, the school opened a branch in Lusikisiki and, this year, three more locations are being added in Port St. Johns, Elliotdale, and East […]
Discipleship—Copies of the Original
When they were hauled before the Sanhedrin, Peter and John, two of Jesus’ disciples, gave a very courageous defense to the question, "By what power or what name do you do this?" I love how the leadership responded to Peter’s defense. When they "realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they […]
Women’s literacy grows churches, communities
ELKHART, Indiana (Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission/Mennonite Mission Network) – In the past two years, more than 260 literacy teachers have been trained in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Now, they are helping 2,560 others learn to read and write in more than 100 locations. Most of the new readers are women and girls. Women leaders […]