We are sharing two videos developed by workers in Ecuador, Delicia Bravo and Peter Wigginton, and Jane and Jerrell Ross Richer, who serve with Mennonite Mission Network through the Ecuador Partnership. We also encourage you to read an article that features Jaden Hostetter, a new worker in Ecuador.
The two primary priorities of the partnership are indigenous ministries and the development Anabaptist churches. In the two videos you will see Delicia, Peter, Jane and Jerrell share about these ministries that they are involved in.
We are delighted to partner with Iglesia Cristiana Menonita de Colombia and Central Plains Mennonite Conference in this partnership. Years ago, Alix Lozano, former president of the Colombia Mennonite Church, referred to the partnership using the analogy of a cord with three strands that is strong and difficult to break. Certainly, in the Ecuador partnership we have seen how each partner brings gifts and how these gifts complement each other. Alix wrote:
"For the Colombia Mennonite Church, this experience has been very important because there are contributions that each one can make. Mission Network has brought a wealth of experience in mission, personnel, and hiring workers. It is key to have a member that manages those issues. Central Plains comes with a wealth of church experience to offer, as well as a generous economic commitment.
"It was a new model for us in the Colombia Mennonite Church, and in terms of finances, infrastructure, or support personnel, we weren’t sure we had much to offer. But one of our contributions has been human resources. We sent César Moya and Patricia Urueña initially … We have given spiritual oversight and vision from a Latin American perspective. It was a process of discovering that no one came to the table with empty hands, that each one had a richness to offer."
Although our reporting often focuses more on Ecuador, certainly one of the joys of this partnership is seeing how the Colombian church has come to see themselves as partners in mission, rather than objects of mission. In 2014, they invited Mission Network to join them in their mission work in Venezuela also. Forming relationships at that time, while travel was still realistic, has led to ongoing support and encouragement that the Venezuelans value highly.
Find out more about our work in Ecuador on our website.
The videos were made by request of Central Plains. We at Mission Network are grateful for this partnership with Central Plains and the Colombia Mennonite Church, and know that we are able to do much more together than we could separately. Thank you very much.
