Dreams with the Cofán
One rainy morning, Jerrell and I found ourselves in our home with a group of neighbors who had gathered to wait out the storm. Everyone in the circle was Cofán except for the two of us. We were the guests, listening with curiosity to the lively conversation in Cofán buzzing all around us. The room quieted […]
Breath-taking sweetness in the eye of God’s storm
We love to hear about new initiatives. Stories of God’s people responding to a need inspire in a world that often feels lacking in hope. But, it’s not popular to share the end of a ministry. That could be interpreted as the failure of God’s collaborative, kingdom-building project. However, reality teaches that finalization does not […]
Howard Habegger: a committed mission leader remembered
ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Mission Network) — Howard Jay Habegger tended to the church in North and South America. A leader in God’s mission, Habegger was born Sept. 6, 1932, in Berne, Indiana, and died Dec. 28, 2018, at Schowalter Villa in Hesston, Kansas. Howard Habegger circa 1970. Habegger dedicated himself to ministry through teaching, pastoring, […]
Join Youth Venture to Peru
Youth Venture locations this year include Benin, Indonesia, Japan and Peru. Join with others to serve, learn, worship, and build relationships in local communities around the world. The deadline for applications is April 1, 2019. Apply today!
Join Youth Venture to Benin
Youth Venture locations this year include Benin, Indonesia, Japan and Peru. Join with others to serve, learn, worship, and build relationships in local communities around the world. The deadline for applications is April 1, 2019. Apply today!
Settling in and reaching out
My experience here with Service Adventure has been a lot different than I imagined it would be. When I came to Alaska, I had the same mentality I would have on a short-term mission trip. I’ve been on plenty of mission trips, and on every one, the flow was the same. At the start, everyone […]
A gut-punch of the divine: a redefining of faith
Several weeks into my year of Mennonite Voluntary Service (MVS), my pastor, Ruth, preached about faith as "a brush with the divine." I grasped eagerly at that idea and have held onto it tenaciously ever since. I was always taught, per the book of Hebrews and the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, that faith was "the […]
Four tools to great mentorship
NEWTON, Kansas (Mennonite Mission Network) – A Service Adventure leader inhabits many roles as the head of their unit household. On any given day, they might serve as the house pastor, teacher, confidant, or (occasionally) fire safety marshal. No matter the occasion, however, the spirit of mentorship is present in each role. Service Adventure leaders […]
Anabaptist wings help fledgling churches in Thailand take flight
CHIANG MAI, Thailand (Mennonite Mission Network) – On the outskirts of Chiang Mai, Thailand, down a narrow dirt road, a plot of land sits enclosed by a weathered concrete wall. Leafy banana trees arch over the wall, framing the mountains that stretch out along Thailand’s northern region. Rev. Ponchai Banchasawan, president of a governmental religious […]
Alternative education center honors indigenous knowledge
J. J. CASTELLI, Argentina (Mennonite Mission Network) – Bilingual education for indigenous youth in northern Argentina has been key to opening doors to more opportunities. The model not only integrates their language, but also their worldview. Specifically, in the Toba-Qom community in Castelli, Argentina, Mennonite Mission Network workers have found creative ways to support this education […]
Joy of the Lord under fire in Ukraine
ODESSA, Ukraine (Mennonite Mission Network) – Explosions shook the ground for hours as a fire raged through a munitions depot in Ukraine. Church members with cars rushed to ferry people out of the neighborhoods closest to the blaze. Repeated blasts shattered all the doors and windows in the church building they had constructed themselves. For […]
Missionary in Asia served in churches, health and children’s ministries
NEWTON, Kansas (Mennonite Mission Network) – Belva Unruh, who served as a long-term mission worker in both Japan and Taiwan, died Nov. 20, 2018. She was 94. Unruh was born Sept. 1, 1924, in Freeman, South Dakota, to Anna (Tschetter) and Edward Waltner. After graduating from Freeman Academy, she attended Bethel College in Newton, Kansas, […]