Sowing kingdom seeds down under
In a poem written in honor of Oscar Romero, called “A Future Not Our Own,” are these lines that we find meaningful for our ministry in Australia and New Zealand: This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water the seeds already planted knowing that they hold […]
Sharing hope
The story of Mennonite Mission Network’s partnership in Benin is a narrative of hope and perseverance. It demonstrates the value of ministry partnerships—an investment in hope. When hope wears thin, the encouragement of small financial investments can yield big spiritual dividends. If we live in the United States, we tend to see ourselves in the […]
Time to give back
Although the number of Mennonites is increasing in different African countries, Benin is still one of them where there aren’t any Mennonite churches. Yet the presence of Mennonites is tangible through social and educational projects. I had the privilege to be formed and profoundly impacted by two institutions. Indeed, the Benin Bible Institute (BBI) was […]
Tending mind, body and spirit
Bethesda Hospital ONG Bethesda is a health-care complex that took its inspiration from the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan who cared for someone deemed unworthy by people with resources and power. The churches of Benin founded the hospital in 1990 in partnership with Mennonite Mission Network. Through this ministry, the churches reached out to […]
Christ-like love from chicken breast
I developed an anaphylactic allergy to milk very early in life. Anaphylaxis means that multiple body systems are involved in a reaction, which then carries the risk of shock or death. For those of who you are wondering, I was a horrible baby, because most foods made me cranky and sick – so I was […]
Community, service, and faith
Our North American culture has lost the important ceremonies and guided experiences that ritualized the transition from adolescence to adulthood. These rituals didn’t just acknowledge a physical change or change in responsibilities, but created a shift in perspective and spirit. Now, our culture only uses the societal road map as a checklist to mark adulthood: […]
Stanley Green’s Bunny Chow (Bread Bowl Curry)
“Bunny chow, now a popular street food in South Africa, originated in the Indian community in Durban," said Stanley W. Green, executive director of Mennonite Mission Network. "Two common stories of the dish’s origin circulate. One story is that bunny chow, a curry served in a bread bowl, was created as a means for indentured […]
Recipe- Carrot and Greens Quiche
The last thing that people think of when deserts come to mind is fresh, local produce. Can fruit and veggies grow in soil that is less “soil” than clay-covered caliche, or hardened rock-like ground, and receives just over 11 inches of rain per year? Well, no, they can’t. However, as they say, necessity is the […]
Taste of home for refugees
David Shenk, Eliana Tejedor and their son, Kaleth, serve in Quito, Ecuador with Mennonite Mission Network and Virginia Mennonite Missions. Download full-resolution image. QUITO, Ecuador (Mennonite Mission Network) — In Ecuador and Colombia, as in the United States, the Christmas season is a time of celebration, joy, family gatherings, and gift-giving. People’s enthusiasm for the arrival […]
Mongolian fried meat pies
The Mongolia Partnership between Joint Christian Services International, Ohio Conference churches, and Mennonite Mission Network began in 1993. The ministries in Mongolia serve a variety of people. Some examples are, ArtisAltaï, a project started to teach women life and business skills through creating jewlry and felt products, and Eagle boxing club, teaches chidren discipline, discipleship and […]
In another’s shoes- Kids activity from Ecuador
There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. — Galatians 3:28 While serving with Mission Network in Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, I was walking down the street one day. As I walked, […]
French Cooking Class 101- Ratatouille (more than just a Pixar movie)
Many Americans became familiar with the French dish "ratatouille" when the animated film of the same name produced by Pixar came out in 2007. And when I say "many Americans," I mean at least me and my then-boyfriend, Brad, who watched it holding hands at the old drive-in theater in Ruskin, Florida, and left dreaming […]