VEN IN THE denominational news game, the adage rings true: when it rains it pours. Our BodyLife department this month is bigger than it's ever been. A good share of the load is our coverage of Assembly Scattered, the out-and-about portion of Mennonite World Conference in India.
We hope you'll fmd the reports and photos of my encounter with the India MB Conference (page 16) to be interesting reading. I tried to communicate the experiences of those days in a way that you might feel you were riding along with us.
I should also say that I'm aware that some of my observations about India, past and present, may not be appreciated by everyone. I'll be the first to admit that our travel schedule in India did not afford me the luxury of in-depth research. My reports reflect how one person-me-experienced it. But my goal always is to be accurate, fair and honest-realizing that "truth" is an elusive commodity.
Beyond the India material, though, a couple of other significant stories arose this past month. They involve the Esengo tour, the havoc of a hard winter, a key appointment at MB Biblical Seminary, and the death of a veteran conference leader. You'll also be interested to read about the significant medical career of overseas workers Herb and Ruth Friesen.
Finally, we're also pleased this month to focus our thoughts on Easter, the greatest of all Christian holy days. David Faber, a philosophy teacher by trade, helps us respond to some of the bizarre theology coming out of the well-publicized Jesus Seminar, where scholars pick and choose the truths of Scripture (page 4).
Then, we offer several "conversion" stories that come right out of our churches. Sometimes we're tempted to think the Holy Spirit isn't doing much among us these days. Here's some evidence to the contrary. God is still in the business of changing lives-and we still have a role in that business.
In that vein, we wish for all of us a blessed Easter season-and a resurrection of the life of Christ in each of our hearts.-DR
• APRIL 4-5-West Coast MCC Relief Sale, Fresno, Calif.
• APRIL 11-12-Mid-Kansas MCC Relief Sale, Hutchinson, Kan
• JULY 10-12, 1997-General Conference convention, Waterloo, Onto
4 The case for an empty tomb
Some theologians are suggesting that the bodily resurrection of Jesus didn't really happen. How should we respond? Is it important? BY DAVID FABER
7 Up from the grave we arose
The power of the resurrection is evidenced in the changed lives of people who encounter the living Lord. Here are five testimonies of new life from within our midst:
7 I believe more and more, BY DOROTHY PAQUIN
8 Protected in God's plan, BY ANGIE LACY
9 Finding a new path, BY JAMES FOWLER
10 God never forgot us, BY RICHARD GREMSA
11 'Grace' means forgiveness, BY ANITA SNYDER
•
• A hard
• Playing the stock market
• The spiritual concern of MCC workers
• Tante Liese
• SPECIAL REPORT: Assembly Scattered, Mennonite World Conference
• Goodwill in Gadwal 16
• India Conference : A century of growth 20
• First impressions: A reporter's notes on the MB Church of India 21
• Profile: P.B. Arnold 22
• Profile: P Karuna Shri Joel 24
• 'Miracles' open doors for Esengo 26
• Midwest and West battle a hard winter 29
• Reedley pastor accepts MBBS assignment 31
• Africa chosen for next MWC assembly 32
• Waldo Wiebe dies at 83 33
• The legacy of Herb and Ruth Friesen 34
• Church notes 35
• Deaths 36
• On the road to
ART CREDITS: Cover and page 4, Religious News Service; pages 7-11 , CLEO
pages 16-25, Leader staff photos by Don Ratzlaff unless other· wise noted; page, 27, MBM/S; page 29, courtesy of Ron Seibel
Don Ratzlaff
Connie Faber
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by David Faber
The case for an rnU!ilrPl1W TI'CDU!il[B
Contrary to some popular assertions today, belief in the bodily resurrection ofJesus is credible... and absolutely necessary
Y FIRST-GRADE DAUGHTER RECENTLY READ ME A BOOK RETELLING A
Cherokee legend in which the sun resolves a quarrel between the first man .........,..,_ and the first woman by creating raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries. The story concludes by noting that to this day when Cherokee people bite into a strawberry they are reminded of the goodness of friendship and respect.
This legend teaches a fme lesson. But it does not truthfully explain the origin of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.
Some contemporary biblical scholars regard the Bible's account ofthe empty tomb and the resurrection in much the same way The story of Jesus's burial and resurrection shows the impact that Jesus had on his followers, but it is not reliable history
While skeptical biblical critics are nothing new-they have been around for the past 200 years-they have achieved a new level of popular visibility. In 1985, Robert Funk, a University of Montana professor, organized the Jesus Seminar, a group of about 50 scholars who seek to popularize their conclusions about the historical accuracy of the gospels.
One of the prominent participants, John Dominic Crossan, is quoted in Time magazine as saying that the Jesus Seminar was nothing new "I'd been working on the historical Jesus since 1969. What was new to me was [Funk's] argument that there was an ethical necessity to let the public in on what [we] were doing." Time, Newsweek and other large-circulation magazines have included cover stories highlighting revisionist understandings of Jesus.
Because of this popularization, our friends and neighbors may be hearing accounts of the burial and resurrection like this one:
There was no empty tomb on Easter morning becauseJesus's body was not there in thefirst place. Jesus's followers didn 't know where the tomb was because they fled when he was arrested. But they were horrified by what might have happened to the body of their beloved master.
The body ofJesus may have been left to be eaten by dogs. Or maybe it was in a shallow mass grave with the other victims of Roman oppression. So jesus's followers constructed a story of a burial.
The Romans, of course, would not have let any of them-poor, powerless jews-claim jesus's body. So the author of Mark invented a character, joseph of Arimathea, who was pow-
she is not at least 35 years of age . Similarly, while it is true that the empty tomb does not guarantee that Jesus is alive, Jesus cannot be alive if the tomb is not empty. If the Jesus that appeared to Mary, the disciples and eventually 500 people is not the body that was buried in the tomb, then what is he?
The gospels make it clear that he cannot be a ghost, for he eats and can be touched . He cannot erful and sympathized with jesus. joseph took jesus's body and buried it in a rock-hewn tomb.
Was the body of Jesus-
Later on other followers of the one that was nailed to the
be a hallucination, for hallucinations are private, and Jesus's resurrection appearances are public events. So, the empty tomb is inescapably connected with the resurrection. As Paul notes, "If Christ has not been raised, our cross, the one touched by the jesus, in an attempt to establish their own authority, claim to have seen a risenJesus. But such claims are clearly inventions that have no
While most Mennonite Brethren will find this story implausible and possibly even offensive, it is the kind of account of the empty tomb and resurrecand drank with the discipleswas that body in the tomb donated by Joseph of Arimaihea?
woman who had hemorrhaged preaching is useless and so is your faith" (1 Cor. 15:14). for 16 years, the one that ate What leads readers of the Bible like Crossan to believe that the gospel accounts of the empty tomb are unreliable? One of the most frequently cited reasons involves inconsistencies in the gospel accounts. For instance, the gospels disagree on which people discovered the empty tomb. They basis in fact.
tion that is being widely publicized. The account above is, roughly speaking, the account given by John Dominic Crossan.
How does a Christian respond to a proposal like Crossan's? The issue is straightforward. Was the body of Jesus-the one that was nailed to the cross, the one touched by the woman who had hemorrhaged for 16 years, the one that ate and drank with the disciples-was that body in the tomb donated by Joseph of Arimathea?
Curiously, some Christians argue that it does not make any difference if the body was in the tomb. They argue that faith in Jesus was not produced by seeing the empty tomb. After all, someone, either a friend or an enemy, could have stolen the body. Or a wild animal could have dragged it off once the stone was rolled away from the mouth ofthe tomb. Faith in Jesus was produced by seeing Jesus. Mary, for instance, was puzzled until she realized that she was talking with Jesus. So, they argue, the important thing is the belief of early Christians that Jesus rose, not that his tomb was empty.
This approach is based on a mistake in logic . Consider an example Being over 35 years of age is not enough to guarantee that a person will be president of the United States. However, a person cannot be president of this country if he or
don't agree on when the visit took place . They differ on the location of the stone when the women arrived. The gospels disagree on the number or location of the angels seen by the women. And the gospels do not agree on the reaction of the women to finding the tomb empty. Since the gospel accounts are inconsistent, the argument goes, the stories of the empty tomb are unreliable
Lrlre the gospel accounts reliable? The case I for the empty tomb is strong. The accounts of the burial and resurrection in the four gospels are remarkably similar. The outline is clear. Some women, including Mary Magdalene, went to Christ's tomb on the mOrning of the first day of the week. When they arrived, they discovered that the tomb was empty. While at the site of the tomb, they spoke with an angel or angels who told them that Jesus was no longer in the tomb. They reported their fmdings to other disciples who in turn came to see the empty tomb.
Far from undermining the credibility of the gospel accounts, the disagreement about details suggests that these accounts were composed independently. Suppose that I read accounts of the recent inauguration of President Clinton in
Time, Newsweek, the New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times. If the accounts have all of the same details, I suspect that I am reading a news release or wire service report. If the stories differ in some details, I conclude that each story was composed independently. Since the gospel accounts differ in some details, a logical conclusion is that they were written independently. Since the four gospel accounts are independent of one another and report roughly the same thing, they constitute strong evidence for the
On the Gospels we find that the story being told Is, somehow, our story. And we are moved to realize that this book is
belief that the body of Jesus was no longer in the tomb on Easter morning. Furthermore, it would have been impossible to preach that Jesus was resurrected if the tomb were not empty. The claim to resurrection could be discredited by producing the body. Thus the reference to the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea is vitally important. speaking the truth.
Joseph, it is said, was a member of the Sanhedrin. If he wasn't, opponents of the disciples could have easily disproved it. Membership in the Sanhedrin was public, widely known information In addition, presumably the location of Joseph's tomb would have been widely known. So opponents would have known where to look for the body of Jesus . One can see why Crossan tries to show that Joseph of Arimathea was invented by the author of Mark. The mention of Joseph of Arimathea makes the account of the empty tomb credible . If the gospel accounts of the empty tomb are not fabrications, then there are only three other explanations : Jesus did not really die, the witnesses at the tomb were all hallucinating, or the tomb was really empty.
[t)
0 plausible evidence is available for the claim that Jesus did not really die. Even most skeptical readers of Scripture agree that Jesus of Nazareth died on a Roman cross. Hallucinations are individual phenomena, not group phenomena. It is extremely implausible to think that a large number of people all experienced an extraordinarily similar hallucination. So, the reasonable conclusion is that the story of the empty tomb is true.
A second, and possibly more basic, reason that skeptics reject belief in the empty tomb involves the assumptions with which the Bible is approached. We accept a scientific view of the world in most aspects of our lives, for instance in our use oftechnology. Some hold that this scientific view of the world prohibits belief in the
supernatural. To paraphrase German biblical scholar Rudolf Bultmann's colorful comment: You can't use a computer and believe in the empty tomb . If our friend or neighbor assumes that there is no divine intervention, then the story of the empty tomb is, indeed, implausible.
We can respond to their assumption in two ways. First, we need to remember that a scientific view of the world need not reject the possibility of a God who is active in the world. Indeed, the Christian view of a God who reveals himself, in part through nature, may lie at the basis of much scientific inquiry God made the universe in an orderly way so that we could learn about him from nature.
Second, we can respond by noting that a significant assumption is being made At this point everyone is faced with a watershed decision. Is the Bible unique among all books because, though it is written by fallible human beings, its composition is guided and guarded by the Holy Spirit? Or is the Bible entirely a human production that is comparable to other masterpieces of human creativity?
One of the ongoing miracles of the Christian life is that the Holy Spirit repeatedly convinces us that in the Bible the nature and acts of God are being revealed. When we read the Old Testament story of Israel-a cycle of trust, followed by idolatry, moral decay, pain and repentance-we see the story of our own lives.
When we hear a prophet's passionate denunciation of injustice, we resonate with the desire to see righteousness reign . And we also feel ashamed that someone has seen inside of us.
In the Gospels we fmd that the story being told is, somehow, our story. And we are moved to realize that this book is speaking the truth . When the Bible seems to know us better than we know ourselves, that is the work of the Holy Spirit. Without this Spirit-led illumination and conviction, the Bible is one great book among many great books. But with this illumination and conviction, the Bible is the unique, trustworthy revelation of God.
Neither the arguments nor the assumptions being popularized by skeptical scholars are strong enough to separate us from our conviction. So we can stand confidently on the belief that the tomb is empty. Jesus is risen indeed! •
David Faber teaches philosophy at Tabor College He is a member of the Ebenfeld MB Church near Hillsboro, Kan.
Up from the grave we arose
The greatest proof of Christ's resurrection is the evidence of changed lives through faith in him. Here, from our own churches, arefive stories of new life in Christ...
I believe more and more
by Dorothy Paquin
IWASN'T RAISED IN A CHRISTIAN HOME, though I did go to Sunday school for as long as I can remember. I always looked forward to Sunday so I could go to Sunday school. My parents never went to church. My dad was Catholic, my mother was Lutheran and I went to the Methodist church.
When I was in high school, I lived at school so I would go to church with whoever needed someone to go with them. Girls were not allowed off campus unless there were at least two girls together. Usually I went to the Methodist church but I visited a lot of other denominations too. I saw what other churches were about and what their worship was like. After I got married I didn't go to church
much. But following my parents' system, I always made certain my two daughters went to Sunday school. My husband was not interested in church and, while I missed going to church, I didn't go by myself. Through all those years, I prayed and talked with God. I felt I was a Christian-but a weak one.
Three years ago, a couple we had known many years previous ran into my husband at work and invited us to church with them. When Jacques came home and told me that he had said yes, I about fell over. This was something I had hoped for and prayed about for years. We went
to Community Bible Fellowship in Bellingham, Wash., with our friends . After that, I would pray that we could go back the following week.
We have been going every week for nearly three years. Now I realize I wasn't a Christian all those years. Since attending CBF, I have learned
I thank the Lord every so much about God and how to live for him. I thank the Lord every day for the opportunity to learn about him and for his leading us to CBF.
opportunHy to leam about him and for his
leading us to CBF.
We have been attending church regularly, going to Bible study groups and learning more each day. I feel my conversion has been very gradual because I have always believed. But now
I believe more and more; I become stronger in my faith every day.
But the really good news is that my husband accepted the Lord just before Christmas, 1996. He is now reading his Bible and learning about things he never knew about before.
Dorothy andJacques Paquin continue to attend Community Bible Fellowship. Dorothy adds that Jacques plans to be baptized this year and that their daughters are active in congregations in their communities.
Protected in God's plan
by Angie Lacy
ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO MY UFE CHANGED so much and so fast I scarcely knew what was going on. I was 15 years old and had lived with my grandma since I was 1 year old. My natural mother was called "unfit" by the state. Among other things, she was a drug addict. As I
said. I think reading it was my way of trying to be a good person.
At the end of my freshman year, the arguments between my grandma and me escalated I wanted to be away from home as much as possible. Since I was 10 years old, my way of escaping problems at home had been babysitting my aunt's kids.
The more time I spent at my aunt's house, the more she urged me to go to her new church with her. I finally gave in that summer. When my grandma heard about it, she was concerned. She told me I was getting involved in some mindless cult. I had no idea how close she was to the truth. But I resented the remark and kept goingmaybe half to spite her and half to make myself feel better.
My grandma was serious, though. When I didn't listen, she told me I could leave. I jumped at the opportunity and moved in with my aunt. As I learned what this "church" believed, I grew wary but wasn't sure why They believed Jesus was only human while on earth and was an angel while in heaven. We still had to keep working to be loved by God and we could never know if we were working hard enough. The Holy Spirit was basically electricity. There was no hell, no need to be born again, no heaven except for the leaders of the church, and a lot of other strange doctrines.
I accepted the teachings because I thought the adults must know more than me. After awhile I learned that they were Jehovah's Witnesses, but the name meant nothing to me.
I started school at my new high school and made friends right away. Unfortunately for my aunt, two of them were Christians and one was very persistent. He made me explain why I believed the Jehovah's Witnesses. I couldn't very well. He told me what he believed and that I was supposed to tell him if I objected to any of it. I grew up, I realized my grandmother was too. When I was older, my I had been taught grandmother and I began to fight that Jesus being about this. Although I had grown up
with no sense of right or wrong, my God was Satan's main goal was to not end up like my lie. But the Bible grandma and mom.
My grandma always had a Bible around the house I had begun said otherwise. reading through the New Testament about a year before everything started happening. I guess it was God's way of getting me ready. I read the Bible but it never really sunk in-what any of it meant or that it was more than a story. I didn't really care or pay attention to what the Bible
did at first, but the problem was every time he had me open the Bible to settle the dispute, he won.
He gave me a book by Josh McDowell called More Than a Carpenter and asked me to read it. I did and it made too many good points for me to ignore. For example, I had been taught that Jesus being God was
Satan's lie. But the Bible said otherwise.
In the back ofthe book, I found a prayer. The night I fmished reading the book, I got down on my knees and prayed for close to an hour. I was still confused over what I had been taught Why was my church lying to me? The truth was
so obvious in the Bible. My heart was settled and that night I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I prayed for help because I knew I had to stand up and tell the Jehovah's Witnesses that they were wrong, and that I couldn't be part of the lie. When I did, my aunt told me to lie until I was 18. When I refused, she and the church decided I needed to find somewhere else to live.
I have switched homes twice since then, but am now in a safe, Christian home. The same friend who helped show me the truth invited me to attend New Hope MB Church. I accepted the invitation; last October I was baptized and am now a member.
It has been hard, but now I look back over the last two years and see how God protected me and took care of me. I know it was all part of his plan. I wouldn't change a thing that happened.
Angie Lacy is a member of New Hope MB Church in New Hope, Minn. She is 17 years old and a student at Patrick Henry High School in north Minneapolis.
Finding a new path
by James Fowler
EARLY IN THE EIGHTH GRADE I STARTED hanging out with the wrong crowd. My new friends were the kind of people who were fighting, getting kicked out of class, and being suspended from school. I knew they weren't the best friends but they accepted me and that's what counted.
By the middle of my ninth grade year, we were out of control. We lied, cheated and even stole stuff from stores. Meanwhile, my relationship with my mom was awful It got so bad that I even ran away from home. I didn't want to live by her rules and I had a bad attitude. I didn't care about anybody else, or whether I hurt them. I just cared about me.
While all of this was happening, I was going to the youth group on Wednesday night at North Fresno Church. But the only reason I went was because I wanted to play basketball in their awesome gym. I would come an hour early and stay an hour late just to play ball.
I only had one friend at the church; his name was Nick Chandler. One night Nick called and invited me to a youth event called "Locker to
Locker." I had no idea what it was but I said, "Sure, I'll go."
That night the speaker talked about what it meant to be a Christian. What he said really hit hard and made me think about the path I was heading down. I prayed with a counselor and later found out he was a senior in our high school group. From that night on I slowly began to change. I began breaking away from myoid group of friends, attending church, and growing stronger in the decision I had made to become a Christian.
It was just a year after I made that decision that "Locker to Locker" was
I'm trying to influence my old friends and am hanging out wnh new and better ones.
held again in Fresno. I was driving home with Pastor Tim (Neufeld) a month before the crusade and I asked him if I could be "one of those things." He said, "What do you mean?"
"You know, one of those guys who helped me last year," I replied.
"You mean you want to be a counselor?"
"Yeah, that's it!"
So after attending three training sessions, the night of the youth crusade fmally arrived. This time I invited one of my friends. He was one of myoId gang, and in exactly the same situation I was a year ago. He heard the speaker's words, came forward for the altar call, and I got to pray with him. He became a Christian that night!
Today things are going a lot better at home. My relationship with my mom is stronger and my family has just started to come to church. I'm trying to influence myoid friends and am hanging out with new and better ones. I'm trusting more in God to take care of me, and I've put my life in his hands. I'm going to church every Sunday and Wednesday-and I don't even like basketball anymore. Now I go for the right reasons!
James Fowler is a sophomore in high school and has been attending North Fresno Church's youth activities for three years. He is now a leader in the youth group.
God never forgot us
by Richard Gremsa
My SALVATION EXPERIENCE BEGAN IN 1992 with a search of the Olathe Yellow Pages. My wife Janet and I were looking for a church for ourselves and our three young children. We had recently moved to Olathe and I was starting to feel guilty about a promise I had
Some of my earliest memories of church made to my father-in-law prior to his death in 1988. My promise had been to give his grandchildren the opportunity to learn about Jesus Christ. I hadn't done much about it up to this point and my conscience was tugging at me.
were of apparent hypocrisy and wondering why While I was out of town, Janet received a call one night from Dennis Ortman of Community Bible Church. everyone didn't see n. They were trying to call everyone in our neighborhood and inviting the nonchurched to visit CBC. Dennis was the perfect person to call Janet-they spoke for more than 45 minutes. Janet grilled him about everything from Sunday school to the church's confession of faith. The answers Dennis gave and the spirit with which he gave them convinced Janet that we should visit CBC.
After a few visits, we were sure CBC was the place for us to make some new friends and to teach our kids about Jesus Christ. We enjoyed the friendly folks and thought the music was really great. I had no idea that I would find anything other than just that.
Phil Plett, CBC pastor at that time, paid several visits to our home and got to know us as a family. I was impressed by his sincerity. After a couple of months, Phil asked me to have breakfast with him.
Over breakfast, Phil asked permission to ask me some personal questions and I agreed. The questions he asked were somewhat threatening but were asked in a loving way. The questions concerning my beliefs accomplished their goal : they got me thinking.
Phil and I decided to have breakfast on a weekly basis and over the course of several weeks the questions became more probing. Did I believe in God? Sure. Did I believe that the Bible was the word of God? OK, sure I guess. Did I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Huh, what?
Well, I guess the bubble had to break sooner or later The reason I was unchurched was because I had been force-fed religion from an
early age. Some of my earliest memories of church were of apparent hypocrisy and wondering why everyone didn't see it.
When I left home at 17, I decided I would not darken the doorway of another church as long as I lived. I thought that maybe CBC was a church that was an exception to my rule. That is until Phil brought up the idea of a personal relationship with a guy who died 2,000 years ago .
I was disillusioned and tried to get Phil to change the subject. He was adamant and asked if I would read some more Scripture prior to our next meeting and come prepared to discuss it. I agreed.
Our next meeting was at the Ponderosa restaurant at noon. The place was really crowded . "He will surely back off with all the people in here," I thought. But anyone who knows Phil Plett knows he would not be intimidated by a restaurant full of people-and he was not.
The questions came again. Did I believe that the Bible was the word of God? Yes. Did I believe what Jesus said about needing to be born again? Yes. Was there some particular reason that I was putting off the act of becoming a Christian? Well
A tremendous battle was waging inside of me. My emotions were confused and told me to run. Phil sat there smiling, reassuring and loving me . I calmed down and understood that Phil was not acting out of any motivation other than love.
So I did it. I asked Jesus to come into my
heart, to be my personal Savior, to be Lord of my life. My anxious emotions calmed and I felt a peace come over me. I felt at peace with God. Phil asked me to go home and share this good news with my wife. Janet also accepted Jesus that day. Our lives have changed dramatically. Janet and I will always be grateful to God for not forgetting us when we forgot him. Thanks to Phil Plett for being a faithful servant and for doing God's work. Thanks to all the wonderful people at CBC. They made us feel welcomed and showed us love, understanding and compassion
Richard andJanet Gremsa and their children John, Steven and Margaret Ann continue to attend Community Bible Church.
'Grace' means forgiveness
by Anita Snyder
IHAD A HARD CHILDHOOD. MY MOM WAS a single parent until I was 11 years old. She had little help or support. We didn't have a car so we walked a lot or my brother and I stayed home alone.
While growing up, I was insecure. I had a lot of fears and was rejected many times because of who I was. My brother and I put up with a lot of racism, being half Mexican. Especially at our school. We went to a Catholic school and students came mostly from white, twoparent families . They didn't care for anybody who was different . I learned in catechism that God is the Supreme Being, but I never saw God as my loving Father. I only feared God. When I was 11, I accepted Christ. I was so happy! I prayed to him. I sang to him I even wrote poetry to him. I tried to go to church, but my family wasn't very interested anymore. So I eventually gave
up and soon lost the fire.
I had many tragic events occur in my life, but I kept them secret. I didn ' t want anybody to know. This was unhealthy. Combine all this with my step-dad beating my mom, and it made for some horrible teen years. Our family fell apart. By the time I was 20, I had two beautiful littie girls. When I was 22 I married a wonderful man I had known for many years. He came from a family of missionar- When I cried out to ies on both sides.
We called ourselves Christians but we didn't go to church or read the Bible. The only time I prayed was when I needed something.
Our marriage became very empty. My husband put his job first. I put my kids first. We became very
God, I teft his love completely surround me. Our lives changed. divided and didn't agree on anything anymore. I began to secretly plan a way to leave.
During winter 1995, my husband's grandmother was dying. He debated whether to make the three-hour trip. I told him this may be his only chance to say good-bye .
Before he even came back, I knew he had changed. He would have never stayed away from work a whole week. I didn't know it then, but he had rededicated his life to Christ during that week. He changed drastically and I began to feel love for him again.
He confessed many sins against me. The reality of what our marriage had become hit me hard. I thought I would die of heartbreak. I tried so many things to ease the pain, but nothing worked.
Then the truth hit me like a truck: I needed to give God total control. When I cried out to God, I felt his love completely surround me. Our lives changed We found a church. We read the Bible together and we pray in thankfulness everyday.
When we moved to Omaha we began attending Millard Bible Church. The church family helped because it was lonely being in a state without relatives. I was still getting over the hurts and Millard helped me feel like I belonged somewhere.
Some days are harder than others, but I realized something recently. "Anita" means grace. I used to think of "grace" as the kind a ballerina has-that's definitely not me. To me today, "grace" means forgiveness, not just what I have given to others, but what God has given to me.
Anita Snyder and herfamily attend Millard Bible Church in Omaha, Neb.
Laboring for a harvest
As a Mennonite involved with a mega church (Willow Creek Community Church), I'd like to respond to the comments (Ph'lip Side) of "been there, done that" about mega worship and "longing for a richer, more varied diet" (Inquiring Minds) regarding changes made to more relevantly reach the present generation, which were published in January. What about the masses of American unchurched who haven't "been there, done that? " There are thousands among the millions of urban people who never went to church except for a handful of weddings and funerals. That's equivalent to one month's church attendance for most Mennonites . It is a spiritual illiteracy, poverty of knowledge and lack of experience with God and his people . Willow Creek Community Church is one way of bridging that gap. We hear countless comments from previously unchurched people whose hearts have opened and whose lives are touched by the Gospel. These are some from people we know:
• "All my family and friends were atheists and then a new friend brought me to church and now I'm starting to believe in God-something keeps stirring inside and tells me there is a Holy Spirit. "
• "We never attended churchwish I had when I was a kid and life was so rough. Now I'm learning divorce is wrong, so help me work out my marriage."
• "My parents were decadent and our lifestyle was 180 degrees different than God 's ways; it's hard to work to change so much, and all my family mock my faith."
• "What an exciting new concept of serving others and not self I'm giving up a portion of job time to volunteernow "
• "This is our third marriage but now we're going to live God's way. Would you please list all Bible verses on blended marriages?"
WHAT READERS SAY
• "I never once thOUght the Bible had anything to do with me . I thought it was for people thousands
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of years ago. There's so much to learn."
• "Six of my Jewish family have crossed the line of faith to believing Jesus is our Savior. We're all praying for the rest of our relatives and another one just believed As a nurse God gives me almost weekly opportunities to share about Him."
• "I never heard the word 'hymn' before ."
With 1,000 baptisms at our church a year, the needs are enormous for so many "baby Christians. " There are never enough mature Christians to teach and influence them
The question I'm asking is not about the merits of a megachurch versus a Mennonite church. It's "where are the laborers because the harvest is ripe. " Where is the vision and passion to connect with the unchurched-people who matter to God? With imperfect Christians, how will we make this happen?
Joan Funk Lake Zurich, Ill.
In step with the Lord
When Vernon Wiebe was born 70 years ago , he was a joy to his entire family. It was an omen of what he was going to be in the future. When he went on to be with the Lord this last month, he left an empty spot in the Mennonite Brethren Conference.
He was about 16 when I sat with him one day as he shared his inward battle: Should he study to be a missionary or become a minister, sowing the seed here at home? He had made his dedication to the Lord. He was going to be God 's servant .
As we look back, we see that God
gave him the opportunity to carry out both desires. He became an ordained minister and served as a pastor. He also spent 14 years as head of our mission work, carrying on God's command there . Humility was one of his great traits Though he went on to gain his doctorate, his friends were among the crowd that operates under many handicaps. His childhood friends remained lifelong friends. The old and young, the rich and poor admired and loved him . Though he rose to great heights in life, he never forgot his roots.
Whether he was coaching basketball, pastoring a church, serving on the mission board or serving as interim president for Tabor College, he walked step by step with the Lord. For all his days, the welfare of the Mennonite Brethren Conference, the work of Mennonite Central Committee and Christian education remained high on his agenda.
I feel he truly deserves the lines of a famous American poet who wrote: Green be the turf above thee, Friend of my better days, None knew thee but to love thee. Nor named thee but to praise.
Dan Friesen Reedley, Calif.
The Christian Leader welcomes brief letters to the editor in response to our articles or of relevance to the Mennonite Brethren Church. All letters must be signed and will be edited for clarity and length. Send letters to Christian Leader, Box V, Hillsboro, KS 67063
BY PHILIP WIEBE
A hard listen
Though many of us hear an audio barrage every day... we don't often have time to listen. Hearing and listening aren't the same thing.
SOMETIMES when my wife talks to me I'll reveal my highly sensitive nature by responding with a blank stare or an intelligent reply like, "Huh?" In these cases Kim normally doesn't mind repeating herself, but once in a while she'll give me a look and inquire if my ears might need to be checked for waxy buildup
I can't blame her for responding that way. As one whose mind tends to wander, I'm not always the greatest listener in the world But I know that listening skills are essential for developing deep relationships, so I regularly tell myself to try to listen attentively. Not that I always listen to myself
It seems to me that listening is not one of our age's strong points. Though many of us hear an audio barrage every day from the jam of people, media and electronic gizmos that pack our lives, we don't often have time to listen . Hearing and listening aren't the same thing. Hearing happens by default, when our ears and a speaker (whether human or electronic) happen to be in the same viCinity.
Listening takes engagement of the attention span and comprehension ability-skills which seem to be falling more and more into disuse. In our fast-forward, multimedia age, having so much to hear and see makes it hard to listen and understand.
Last summer, while driving a lonely stretch of highway in southwest Wyoming, I was impressed with how quiet the landscape was. There was nary a tree to block the view nor another vehicle to disturb
the silence. When my son and I got out of the car to walk the rim of a broad rust-colored canyon, we seemed to be the only two creatures making a sound in the whole world. When Seth talked to me, I listened. There was nothing else to hear.
It occurred to me then, as it has at other times in the quiet of nature, that life was once more "listenable" than it is now. Before talking boxes filled our homes and revving engines jammed our streets, the world was a relatively quiet place. Except for the occasional exclamation point made by nature, there wasn ' t much to listen to besides other humans.
Yeteven in a quieter world, humanity always had a problem with listening. Many years ago James wrote some significant words on the subject to the early church: "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak" (1:19). This runs against human nature, of course . The norm is to press our point, to formulate our reply even while another speaks, to demand that others be reasonable and see it our way.
True listening, however, takes quieting the mind and suspending judgment so that others can be heard and understood. One only needs to look at the warring factions trading verbal blows in society, politics, businesses and churches to see how widely true listening is practiced these days.
James admonished, "Prove yourselves to be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude
themselves" (1:22, NASV) . In other words, don't just be hearers but listeners-those who take the time and effort to comprehend the message and appropriately act upon it.
Though I try to be a good listener-to understand where others are coming from and respond wisely-I can't say I'm always so great at listening to God . When God's message comes forcefully through Scripture, a sermon, a book, or in the words of a loved one or mentor, it can be easier to listen. For me these kinds of messages have a built-in "response factor." It's hard to hear them without feeling compelled to do something
But I don't listen as well when God wants to speak to me more directly through the gentle voice of the Spirit in quiet times of reflection. Someone once challenged me to think of prayer as a two-way street . "Are you trying to communicate with God? " Yes, of course. "Then are you listening to God as much as you're talking? " Er, well, you see, I.
I'm still figuring out what it means to listen that way It can seem mysterious because, as Isaiah put it, God's ways and thoughts are so much higher than mine (55:9) It can feel intimidating because God may want to tell me more than I care to know.
Yet in another sense listening to God isn't mysterious or intimidating at all. In his book Honest to God?, Bill Hybels shares a simple prayer he has often used to initiate listening times with God: "Lord, you've talked to your children all through history, and you said you're an unchangeable God. Talk to me now. I'm listening. I'm open. "
I like that. Hybels adds, "I never hear an audible voice, but often I get impressions that are so strong and real I write them down."
That's good listening-making the time and effort to seek God's quiet guidance and encouragement in a world of chaos and noise.
INQUIRING MINDS
BY MARVIN HEIN
QMore and more I hear ofpeople buying stocks. Is "playing the stock market" not another way of gambling? (CAUFORNIA)
AYou are certainly correct in observing that more and more people, including Christians, are involved in buying and selling stocks and bonds. In the circles in which I move, at least, when conversation turns to the stock market, more often than not most people have some involvement. Moreover, Mennonites now are encouraged to participate in the purchase of stocks and bonds by mutual funds sold by Mennonite Mutual Aid.
It seems to me, though, there is considerable difference between buying and selling stocks and frequenting the gambling casinos of Las Vegas. In gambling you are banking on winning because the other person loses. It's akin to a Ponzi scheme. In each case there is the promise to increase your assets hugely and in a short time. But behind each of these schemes is the truth that someone has to lose in order for others to win.
It is possible to play the stock market with the same motivation . However, the one difference is that when you invest in stocks and bonds you are relying on increased production of goods to bring the profit you anticipate.
I would maintain that a conscientious investor would not "play" the market. Trying to predict when to buy low and sell high, and especially if done often and over short time periods, probably is more gambling than investing That is not to say that the well-intentioned investor should not try to buy low and sell high. Making a game out of the process may indeed be questionable.
To be sure, buying and selling stocks can be spiritually demeaning . Whenever money is involved, there
are real temptations. We can become obsessed with our fmancial dealings, whether in the stock market, farming, businesses or anywhere else. Then sin occurs. But deliberate, rational and conservative investing seems to me not to be gambling.
The financial gurus today inform us that, in view of Social Security's eventual collapse or demise, we should create savings accounts that return at least 10 percent a year. Certificates of deposit and money market funds will not accomplish such results. History teaches us that investing in stocks may well bring those desired results. Is it good stewardship to invest in lesser producing enterprises?
It would seem permissible to profit from the growth enjoyed by legitimate and morally defensible companies and their products. That, of course, also demands that we carefully examine what our investments produce. MMA. refuses to invest in companies that have more than 5 percent of their business involved in defense projects. The difficulty comes when large corporations own a variety of companies producing many different products, some of them healthy and positive, but others questionable. Our world is complex Investments by believers will demand careful scrutiny.
QIn your recent visit to Vietnam, did you sense that Mennonite Central Committee volunteers have spiritual concerns or are they simply trying to improve the social and economic conditions of those who are poor? (CAUFORNIA)
AAfter a four-day visit to Hanoi and some of the surrounding areas, I came away with increased admiration for those who work in our behalf in the name of Christ.
Have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference poltcy, or other spiritual issue? Send it to "Inquiring Minds, " c/o Marvin Hein, 4812 E. Butler, Fresno , CA 93727.
One morning, just before traveling for several hours into the outlying rice paddies and villages where crafts are produced and purchased for resale in our MCC-connected thrift shops, I noticed some words on the wall of one of the MCC house rooms: "MCC believes that development is concerned first with the gardener, then the garden "
That day, when I observed MCC workers serving people who plant and cultivate and harvest crops, I saw in these volunteers the spirit that said "the gardener is more important than the garden."
I'm confident there are exceptions, but that is true in all our churches as well
While in Calcutta, India , in January I heard the testimony of Rose Chader, an MCC India worker now retired. She testified that MCC had not only supplied her with a way to make a living for her 10 children, but MCC had taught her about a new family to which she could belongthe family of God.
Recently I attended the annual MCC business session and learned a lot MCC's work is an amazing story of a gargantuan ministry being carried on around the world Most of the time it is not direct evangelism.
But recently, when British Columbians celebrated with Denis Mugabo, a Rwandan, they learned that Denis had written in his workbook: "Many thanks for the great effort that you put into spreading the news of the first Mennonite church in Rwanda .... The church is growing rapidly and we currently have a congregation of 120 people. We also have had the first Mennonite baptism ... and the first Mennonite wedding in the history of Rwanda. "
It's experiences like these that convince me that MCC volunteers are concerned with spiritual development of their neighbors. Obviously, some people have more spiritual concern than others That's because the volunteers come from our churches. They are us!
ON THE] OURNEY
BY ROSE BUSCHMAN
Tante Liese
There is no doubt in my mind that I would not have survived that night had it not been for her prayers.
IF I WERE TO pick one person I have known who would come closest to my definition of a saint, it would have to be Tante (Aunt) Uese.
I first met her when I was about 10 years old. She was in her 80s by then, newly arrived in Canada. I remember her as a little old lady, stooped-over, gray haired and wrinkle-faced. Tante Uese fled with her daughter, Susie, from southern Russia sometime during World War 2 and eventually found her way to Holland.
The pair started out from home with a cart and horse so that this old woman could ride. But somewhere along the trek, both were lost and the two women had to walk the rest of the way through Czechoslovakia, Poland and much of Europe until finally arriving at a Mennonite Central Committee reception center in Holland. Both women's feet were severely damaged and frostbitten in the long walle Tante Uese never completely recovered from that. Eventually the two were sponsored by my grandfather and several of his cousins and arrived in Canada. This is where I met them. They lived near us in a small house which my grandfather provided for them.
I never knew Tante Uese well. In fact, I don't even remember her last name. I would occasionally go to her house for a short visit, a cup of tea and some cookies. Even though our conversations were not very theological or earth-shattering, I would always leave her home with a sense of having received a special blessing. I knew her daughter, Susie, much
better. When she ftrst arrived in Canada, Susie stayed with us kids a number of times when my parents went out for the evening. She told us stories
of what it had been like during the war in southern Russia. I didn't think my mom and dad would approve of these story telling sessions so I made my brothers promise "on severe penalty" never to tell. They never did.
Susie once told us a story about the time a roving band of criminals, newly released from prison, came into their village. The leader of this band was angry with some Mennonites and brought his men into the area to ravage as many Mennonite villages as he could. These men stopped at Tante Liese's house at the edge of town, where she was living as a poor widow with several of her children, including Susie. This robber chief barged into her house and told her that his men had to be fed. If she and her children wanted to remain alive and unharmed, then she would have to provide good food for them If the food wasn't good enough, he threatened to punish her and harm her children
Tante Uese stayed by the wood stove all day and cooked and baked while the children brought ingredients and fuel to her It was a matter of life and death for all of them and they knew it. All the while, these murderers were sweeping through the village, taking what they wanted and killing whoever got in their way. Although Tante Susie didn't tell us this, I later found out that these men also raped
young girls and mothers, often in front of their families.
Tante Uese and her children did the best they could, fed the men to their satisfaction, and were left unharmed.
See why my parents wouldn't have approved of these stories if they had known?
At age 13, I was hospitalized with a severe case of rheumatic fever. The doctor told my parents that he didn't know if I would recover, since there were several serious secondary infections by then. A few days later I faced a life-and-death crisis during the night, but miraculously survived. Two weeks later I was released from the hospital.
During the ftve months of complete bed rest that followed at home I needed something to do that would keep me quiet and occupied. Tante Liese came over one day and volunteered to teach me how to crochet. She showed me how to do the basic stitches. My mother bought a crochet pattern book and more cotton string and I was on my way. I made a number of doilies in the next months.
On one visit Tante Uese told me how she had been awakened one night with a serious urge to pray for me. She prayed and went back to sleep only to be reawakened several times. When she and I compared notes, we found that it was the night I experienced the crisis in the hospital. While I lay near death this saint of God prayed me back to life. There is no doubt in my mind that I would not have survived that night had it not been for her prayers .
Tante Uese never talked to me about the horrors she experienced in Russia, on her long trek to freedom, or the pain she felt in later years. Of the 13 children she gave birth to, some died in infancy and only two made it to Canada. I only knew of her love and concern for me and of her deep and abiding faith in God.
Tante Uese died shortly after this, but she has remained in my memory. To me, she is a saint.
Goodwill in Gadwal
BY DON RATZLAFF
MENNONITE WORLD CONFERENCE
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• India's Mennonite Brethren embrace their brothers and sisters from North America
OUR JEEP barreled into the black night, bouncing and bobbing as we went. From my spot on a side passenger bench , wedged between travel mates, I couldn't see whether the road was asphalt or gravel. Frankly, I didn't care-so long as we stayed on it.
I was experiencing a Cultural Encounter of the Third Kind: an intimate, personal contact with the unknown. The kind you experience when you share a small, canvastopped vehicle with four fellow North Americans and five Indian hosts, heading toward a destination that lies somewhere beyond the limits of your imagination, to participate in an experience for which you feel totally unprepared.
I glanced at my watch, but couldn't make out the time . It had to be at least 8 p.m - far behind schedule. But our hosts didn't seem concerned Relax, I reminded myself. This is India.
Suddenly, the jeep slowed and swerved to the far side of the road. Another ox-drawn wagon had leaped out of the blackness and into the beam of our headlights. This had happened a half-dozen times along our route, but the sight is still unnerving for those who have the odd expectation that oncoming traffic should be equipped with headlights . Our Indian driver, unfazed, expertly maneuvered us around the obstacle.
On we drove. All I could see of the countryside was the faintly illumined wall of bush-like trees lining the roadsides I estimated we were 10 or 15 minutes away from the stop where our bus had deposited us The other members of our tour group had
motored on to meet their own respec· tive appointments with the unknown. Our subgroup of five was profoundly on its own.
I glanced at the faces of my comrades and saw the same paralyzed smile that was frozen on mine. No exchange of words was necessary. They were asking the same two ques-
tions that bounced around in my brain : Where on earth are we?
What on earth have we gotten ourselves into?
• • •
In a general sense , I could answer those questions We were in India More specifically, we were some -
Curious, gracious, eager: Believers at Kotha Kota gather around Marlene Wall, an MBM/S board member from Wichita, Kan. She traveled with the group led by Elmer Martens.
where south of Gadwal, a village of 50,000 people that had become our temporary base of operations. Gadwal is situated about 180 kilometers southwest of Hyderabad, a city of some 2.5 million people in south central India. Hyderabad is the Big Apple in the region where the Mennonite Brethren of India live and minister. We were here to participate in Assembly Scattered, the out-and-about portion of Mennonite World Conference. For some, this part of MWC had preceded the six days of Assembly Gathered in Calcutta, Jan. 6-12. For us, it foUowed.
A ccording to organizers, Assembly llscattered was intended to be "an occasion to worship in local congregations and learn about the chaUenges of living as Christ's foUowers in a setting where Christians are a distinct minority." We were accomplishing both objectives. Our tour group of around 20 North Americans, led by Elmer and Phyllis Martens of Fresno, Calif., and sponsored by MB Missions/ Services, was one of three Mennonite Brethren groups from North America in this region of India. The other two were led by Vidya NarimaUa, an India native who is now planting a church in Toronto, Ont., and Paul Toews, director of the Center for MB Studies in Fresno .
ability scale By comparison, the extreme pollution and poverty we had experienced in the "City of Joy" were almost negligible here. We toured several historical sites around the city, then were graciously hosted by Vidya Narimalla's extended family to a rice-and-curry feast, served to us under a colorful shamiana, or cloth tent, erected outside their modest house.
In the evening, the Governing Council of the Mennonite Brethren Conference of India hosted a reception for the Assembly Scattered groups in the area Each visitor
received a garland of flowers around the neck-a welcoming tradition that would be repeated at each church we visited. After we introduced ourselves, council members briefed us on the history and ministry of Mennonite Brethren in India and prepared us for
ABOVE LEFT: The tours visited historical sites around Hyderabad. Paul Toews. one of the Mennonite Brethren tour leaders. takes notes as a local guide explains the history of one of the tombs of the Qutab Shahi dynasty behind him. It was built during the 1500s. ABOVE RIGHT: Inside the shamiana where the Narimalla family hosted the three touring groups from North America. RIGHT: Larry Martens. Fresno. feasts on rice and curry the Indian way-with the fingers of the right hand. (Photo by Marlene Wall)
The three groups had traveled together from Calcutta to Hyderabad, a city several steps higher on the liv-
Retired missionary John Esau (left) chats with a member of the Zaire delegation during the reception and orientation of Assembly Scattered tours held in Hyderabad. The garland of flowers they are wearing was typical of those received from hosting churches throughout the tour.
the next leg of our experience: the village churches beyond Hyderabad.
Our foray on this dark night was the climax of that experience. Each of the three Mennonite Brethren-led tour groups from North America had been assigned a different itinerary . Ours had included a long and sometimes harrowing bus ride to Gadwal. Along the way we stopped at several Mennonite Brethren sites, including the Bible institute and college in Shamshabad and churches in Hyderabad, ]adcheda and Kotha Kota.
Arriving in Gadwal at dusk, we made our way through its narrow, crowded streets to the Mennonite Brethren high school. Many years earlier, the building had served as a local palace. Except for one room, which still displayed some ornate stone work, evidence of royal opulence had long departed. The local hosting committee greeted us and assigned us to homes for the night.
The next day we visited the former mission compound, now a school and ministry center, then explored the sights of Gadwal, including a shop where some of the frnest saris in all of India are created. But many of us were already thinking ahead to the evening ' s agenda-with a mix of anticipation and anxiety.
The plan was simple enough: We
would divide our group of 20 into four ministry teams, send each one to a different village church, then participate in a service with the local believers. The warm reception we had received at previous stops prepared
what was expected of our ministry teams? At previous stops, our group usually sang a chorus or two; sometimes one of our leaders presented a short devotional. As a large group, our talent pool was fairly deep. But what us for the likelihood of a major spiritual lift. But at the same time, whatever awaited us "out there" was largely unknown.
Not the least of
A bus ride along an India highway, even in broad daylight, is as thrill-generating
my concerns was the trip itself. A bus ride along an India highway, even in as any amusement park ride in North
broad daylight, is as America. thrill-generating as any amusement park ride in North America. Almost every imaginable form of ground transportation to develop over the past 2,000 years jockeys for room on the same narrow, largely unregulated, two-lane roadway Pedestrians, bicycles, motor scooters , ox-drawn carts, cars, buses, trucks-and in northern India add camels and farm tractors-they're all there, either obstructing your lane or heading straight for you Negotiating traffic is an art form with severe consequences. What would it be like to travel the back roads-at night?
Assuming we arrived unscathed,
about these small teams? Fortunately, we had enough polished preachers to assign one to each team . Harry Heidebrecht, a pastor from Calgary, Alta ., was our man . The others on our team were Vernon and Mildred Vogt, a retired physician and his wife from Newton, Kan . , and Philip Benton, a retired engineer from Maryland
One of the ministry teams drove by car to Malecherva , only five kilometers from Gadwal. The rest of us climbed onto the bus and headed south First, we stopped in Maldakal, a village about 15 kilometers from Gadwal. As the sun cast its last light along the rugged Indian horizon, we made our way through the throng of curious villagers to the church building. We were joined by 200 to 300 people for a brief service of music and testimonies.
Then we headed south again It was time for the "great divide." Our team, the first to leave the bus, was heading for a village called Uppal, about 36 kilometers from Gadwal. The remaining two groups were bound for leeja and Chinna Tandrapad , which were located about 30 and 40 kilometers, respectively, from "home."
Now we were in the jeep, traveling the last leg to Uppal. When we finally arrived , I strained to get a visual impression of the place. The streets were narrow and, except for the occasional light bulb or cooking fire, quite dark. At one point we waited several minutes while an ox-drawn cart slowly maneuvered itself out of our path
At last we came to the church yard.
The building was comparable to what we had seen at Maldakal and elsewhere-a simple block building, about 25 feet long and 20 feet wide. It was covered by a tin roof built, we were told, with MB Missions/ Services special-project funds
Removing our shoes, we entered
The congregation gathers at Kotha Kota as their North American guests wait. This building-a one-room structure with minimal fixtures-was typical of the village churches.
the building. It was lit only by a gas lantern setting on a table at the far end of the only room. Though I would have preferred to sit on the floor with the rest of the congregation-the building had no pews-local leaders ushered us to a row of chairs near the table. About two dozen children and a handful of adults watched our every move. After a full house in Maldakal, we wondered: Was this the entire congregation?
We needn't have worried. As word spread of our arrival, people began gathering. We exchanged smiles with the children as we waited and final· ized our program plans. It would be a long service, Harry told us after hud· dling with local leaders. What was expected of us? we asked. The devo· tional was covered, but should our motley crew attempt a song? Harry decided that if we were invited to Sing, I should lead us. Oh, great, I thOUght as a knot formed in my stom· ach. The hymn "Rescue the Perishing" seemed strangely appropriate for this endeavor.
Meanwhile, the congregation grew with each passing minute. When we first entered, the children had been sitting some 15 feet away from us. To make room for more people, they had been herded forward until, now, they sat literally at our feet. By the time the program started, the building was filled to capacity and beyond-men and women, old and young, exchang· ing glances with us, smiling, whisper· ing to each other.
The intensity of the atmosphere almost overwhelmed the content of the service. Despite the severe cultural divide, we felt profoundly linked with these brothers and sisters. They greeted us with garlands and sang a number of Indian songs and choruses. Harry, with the help of a Telegu interpreter, inspired us with some thoughts based on the Book of Acts. When it came our turn to sing, we five North Americans warbled "To God Be the Glory" from the heart-and in Michael Jackson-like falsettos because the journalist-turned-songleader started out way too high. Nobody seemed to mind, though. Our spirits-North American with Indian-were in harmony, and that was enough.
The service ended around 10 p .m. But we didn't even try to exit the
REMEMBERING GADWAL FIELD
(On the bus to Hyderabad)
Behold, I have seen the face of God
To my surprise, his skin is richly brown. Her eyes, black onyx set in pearl white, pierce my soul. And that smile, radiant as a child's, shatters the darkness that envelopes me.
Who could have known God would appear in this wilderness?
Wrapped in the colors of the rainbow, she sees my need. His feet, soiled with this world, walk toward me
And those arms, stretched across the horizon, welcome me home. -DR
building. The believers, young and old, clamored to establish even a fleeting one-to-one connection with us. A handshake and a "God bless you" seemed inadequate to meet that need, but it was aU we could offer. Then, to our chagrin-for we had been grandly fed throughout our stay in Gadwalour ltosts insisted on serving us one more meal of rice and curry. How could we refuse? The children and
most of the adults were shooed out of the building, and we were invited to eat.
By the time we stepped out of the building and headed back to our jeep, we were thoroughly full-not only from the rice and curry, but from the spiritual and cultural feast we had been served.
While our team's performance this night may have been forgettable,
what we experienced will live in our hearts until we die. During these two short days in the Gadwal field, we had forged a lasting and profound connection with our brothers and sisters in India.
When our bus finally rolled into Gadwal that night, it was past midnight-a full two hours behind schedule. But no matter. TOnight, we were living on "India time." And it had
India Conference: A century of growth
THE MENNONITE Brethren Church in India "offers a glimpse of a church under disadvantageous circumstances that is growing and exploding," says Edmund Janzen, chair of the International Committee of Mennonite Brethren_ "These churches live with poverty and suffering and yet experience growth rates we can't match. "
Early missionaries to India developed a strate-
gy that is followed today: systematic village evangelism. In 1991 , the India conference numbered 45,000 members with 70 evangelists reaching 300 villages. Today it reports
75,000 members in 815 congregations with 140 evangelists in 700 villages.
The Mennonite Brethren churches are located primarily in the province of Andhra Pradesh.
"The vast majority of Indians are eagerly searching for more than life is presently offering them. Many Mennonite Brethren here know that ," says Werner Kroeker, a North American liaison to the India conference. "They see it as a high privilege to share that God in Christ, reconciles Indian people to himself."
Village preachers are extraordinarily committed, Kroeker adds . Some walk long distances from village to village; the fortunate ones ride bicycles to places where there is not a single Christian. They face strong resistance, threats and persecution . The evangelists are part of
the Church Extension Workers program begun in 1979 and supported by the India Conference and MB Missions/ Services.
Recently, North American volunteers have helped to staff local evangelistic efforts. In 1995, Indians were teamed with volunteers for Church Partnership Evangelism campaigns in Hyderabad and Gadwal. More than 1,000 individuals indicated an interest in Christianity as a result of these two evangelistic endeavors.
India was the first and only foreign mission field of the Mennonite Brethren for
20 years, from 1899 to 1919. The denomination assumed ministry responsibility for a 30-by-l00mile section of the province of Andhra Pradesh
Missionaries Abraham and Maria Friesen were sent from the Molotschna Colony in Russian Ukraine in 1890 to work with the American Baptists in evangelizing the Telegu people. Within seven years , 700 believers had been gathered
In 1899, the first North American foreign missionaries, N. N. and Susie Hiebert and Elizabeth Neufeld, were also sent to India Historians note that single women made significant contributions to the early work in India, particularly medical doctor Katharina Schellenberg.
Mennonite Brethren missionaries worked with people from all castes. But early converts were from the out-
caste community Since developing an independent national church was a priority, schools were established to train a literate church membership Over time , high caste people were also converted and became active in evangelism, education and administration.
An early leader describes the mission work in India as one that used Jesus's model of teach, preach and heal. Bible schools and seminaries were established in the early 1900s to prepare national leaders for the growing number of churches. Clinics , hospitals and some social programs were established. Christian literature was printed and distributed and radio broadcasts helped to spread God 's Word
Today these ministries, such as the official magazine of the conference , Suvarthamani, are supported by the Mennonite Brethren churches of India.
Present internal leadership conflicts have not hindered the growth of churches nor diminished their message to the broader Mennonite family. Janzen and Kroeker agree that the churches in India can teach North Americans much in the area of material possessions.
" Not infrequently we watch someone give away something of which, in our opinion , they have too little ," Kroeker says. "Living closer to the edge of necessity, as so many do, Indian prayers of both asking and receiving so often seem to ring true To us it seems that authenticity characterizes their faith. "-Connie Faber
N.N. Hiebert
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
A reporter's notes on the ME Church of India
MENNONITE WORLD CONFERENCE
BY DON RATZLAFF
DRAWING conclusions about the Mennonite Brethren Church in India after spending a scant two weeks in that country is foolhardy The church there-and the country itself-is far too complex and expansive for that But six days of exposure during Assembly Gathered in Calcutta and seven more days in south central India during Assembly Scattered did generate some initial impressions about the life and ministry of these brothers and sisters.
• The churches are vibrant and growing. MB Missions/Services ' most recent statistics indicate 65,000 baptized Mennonite Brethren in India, making it by far the largest Mennonite group in India and the second largest Mennonite Brethren conference in the world . Only Zaire reports more Mennonite Brethren members, with 70,000.
These numbers may need updating. During an orientation session in Hyder· abad, India Conference leaders reported 75,000 baptized believers. They also referred to 350,000 people as comprising the "MB Christian community," an otherwise undefined category
Statistics aside , though, we wit-
nessed the vibrancy and vision of the churches during our visits . Attendance at most of the 815 Mennonite Brethren congregations in India far exceeds the capacity of their meeting places-and we were told the churches continue to grow, especially in the Gadwal area. Even allowing for the novelty of hosting North American visitors, the congregations we visited radiated a spiritual energy level that surpasses attendance figures .
The conference's Board of Evangelism and Church Ministries (BECM) and local pastors and leaders emphasize the opportunities for greater outreach. In the "Mennonite Brethren region" around Hyderabad, the board is "following" 700 new villages as potential church sites and has identified some 2,000 more villages without a pastor or ministry presence.
That leads to a second impression:
• Pastoral leadership and leadership training are critical needs. The BECM reports that among the 815 congregations in India, only 56 have senior pastors supported by the church That reflects the economic situation of the congregations, but also the lack of trained personnel available for service. With some help from MB Missions/Services, the churches do support 140 extension workers. Given the opportunities, many more could be commissioned .
The conference is working at training leaders through three key institutions : the MB Bible School in Gadwal and the MB Bible Institute and MB Centenary Bible College in Shamshabad. They report a combined enrollment of 105 students and 25 staff persons The majority of the staff are adjunct or part-time.
The Gadwal school and the Bible institute in Shamshabad provide basic theological training. The newest endeavor, and perhaps the one most critical for the long-term development of trained leaders, may be the Bible college. Begun in 1989, the fledgling school, directed by V.K. Rufus , is currently affiliated with Serampore University in Hyderabad. The school is working toward offering a bachelor's degree.
Rufus presented the vision of the college to our group one evening As he spoke, I was reminded of the stories I have heard about the early days of Tabor College, the first college established by Mennonite Brethren in North America The similarities were striking: a handful of full-time facuity, humble facilities, a wholly inadequate library, and a struggle to be fully embraced by the constituency. Will the profound impact of MBCBC on its constituency also parallel Tabor ' s story someday?
That, in turn, leads to a third impression :
• The India Conference is ministry rich, but materially poor. The Shamshabad facilities of MBCBC and MBBI-Iocated on the former Mennonite Brethren mission compound-are almost primitive by North American standards. But when compared with other ministry facilities we visited, they may be the most progressive. Church-run high schools, congregations and ministries of the conference gratefully inhabit facilities North Americans would have deemed inadequate long ago.
MB Bible School, located on the former mission compound near Gadwal, is in its eighth year But principal R.N. Peter's list of needs is long and basic, including: new wiring that would increase the electrical current on campus (as it is, bulb filaments barely glow); a three-wheel vehicle to transport sick people to the campus
The faces of a vibrant church-growing despite the obstacles. (Photo by Marlene Wall)
Inside a bare-bones classroom at the school run by the churches on the former Wanaparthy mission compound.
infIrmary; and two oxen to enable the school to cultivate their small fIelds. A large, old missionary residence lies in ruins at the center of the grounds; they hope to put a roof on it so it can serve as an administration building.
The church buildings we toured in the villages around Gadwal were mostly one-room structures. Congregations are grateful to have them. But the North American ear is not used to
PROFILE
hearing statistical reports that includes entries like these:
• Number of ME churches: 815.
• Number of churches with roofs: 275.
• Number of churches waiting for roofs: 21.
• Number of churches (with) foundation stones laid: 32.
The MB Medical Centre in Jadcherla is highly regarded for its level of care and compassion for the poor (see sidebar). But with rare exception, the newest equipment there is 20 to 30 years old. "We pray, Jesus heals," says P.B. Arnold, center director and head of surgery. This North American visitor suspects such words are taken more seriously in India than at home.
The economic challenges facing this conference make the following impression all the more striking:
• India Mennonite Brethren are a giving, sharing people. During the past few years, the proille of the India Conference has been dominated by the leadership feud which led to
Man of healing and hurt
• No one operates in India quite like P.B. Arnold
SOMETIMES it seems that P.B. Arnold is the India MB Conference.
As the long-time president of its General Council, he wields considerable authority in conference decisions. conversation.
As secretary-treasurer of the MB Property Association, he determines to a large degree how conferenceowned assets are managed.
As chair of the Mennonite Christian Service Fellowship, the umbrella organization for all Mennonite groups in India, he oversees the projects Mennonite Brethren undertake with their sister conferences.
As a member of the executive council of Mennonite World Conference, he is a dominant voice for all of India in the global inter-Mennonite
By virtue of his roles, it's easy to see why Arnold is a central player-perhaps the central player-in the conference's current leadership rift. As such, he is the focus of much criticism and much adulation
By most accounts, he deserves both. P.B. Arnold, more than any other one person, divides the India Conference. At the same time, no other one person deserves more credit for holding it together through the years. He is, as they say, a "complex" man. Like many strong leaders, wherever they happen to live, he is both sinner and saint .
And a busy one Aside from attending umpteen
22- THE CHRISTIAN LEADER
the formation of two competing Governing Councils. At the center of the crisis is a universal conundrum: greed for property and power. The struggle is real, admit Werner and Elsie Ann Kroeker, who have been North American liaisons in India since last fall. But they say the problem is limited to a few personalities. The churches as a whole, they say, are gracious and generous.
Nothing during our brief stay in India would contradict their assessment of the churches. The hospitality we experienced was overwhelming. Nothing typified this more than the family of M.E Samuel, who opened their home to two of us during our stay in Gadwal.
The Samuel household includes Samuel, wife Suseela, three grown sons, two daughters-in-law and a young grandson. They share living space in a government-funded housing project on the edge of the city. The one-story house, perhaps 500 square feet in all, has one private bed-
for the families of patients.
church-related meetings, he is a nationally respected surgeon and directs the MB Medical Centre in Jadcherla Even in that environment, he is the consummate combination of schemer and servant. For without his ability to pull strings, direct funds, or authorize projects, the medical center would not be what it is today: one of the leading Christian
hospitals in the region, with a reputation for devoting considerable resources to serving the medical needs of the poor and outcast.
The work was begun some 45 years ago by the American MB Mission, forerunner to MB Missions/Services. Physician Jake Friesen of California was instrumental in developing the fledgling medical ministry into
P.B. Arnold explains the history of the former hospital building in Jadcherla. a forerunner of the present MB Medical Centre. This facility. developed by missionary physician Jake Friesen. now serves as a guest house
room-which they gave to their visitors-concrete floors, electricity and a telephone (which they share with the neighborhood), but no indoor plumbing
Samuel says he is blessed to live in such a fine house. As an administrator at the local MB high school, he is only modestly compensated. It helps that two of his grown sons have jobs in the electronics field in Hyderabad. The Samuel family is able to afford their house because the government sets the payments within reach Yet , from bounteous meals to comfortable sleeping accommodations , they graciously catered to our every need
Even in the more isolated rural areas, the churches give sacrificially. On the jeep ride back from Uppal, one of our guides, K.A. Manohar, said he once told the congregation that some people in the city were selling their daughters into prostitution for 20 rupees-less than one U S. dollarto raise money for food. The Uppal believers, themselves surviving at a subsistence level, raised 7,500 rupees for Manohar to distribute among "those poor people "
a 150-bed hospital. When MBM/S withdrew its missionaries in the early 1970s and turned over all properties, including the medical center, to the national churches, P B Arnold was the one to stand in the gap
The transition at MBMC wasn't easy. "Local people did not accept an Indian face (as doctor) right away," he recalls "It took about three to five years to win their trust."
Today, the hospital has 300 beds and runs at about 80 percent occupancy. The staff also sees 150-200 outpatients daily. The hospital specializes in surgery, obstetrics, ophthalmalogy, and physiology .
Arnold is not only MBMC's chief administrator but also the general surgeon He says he averages around 40 surgeries each week, half of which are major operations
The hospital accepts patients from all castes, eco-
Their example of generosity, combined with the enormity of their own needs, leads to another impression, which is actually a frustration:
• "Helping" the India Conference is a complex issue. On the surface the solution looks simple: India needs money, North America has moneyshare the wealth But that simple transaction, we discovered, is complicated by several factors :
• Giving money doesn't always "help" in the long run. Leaders from both areas want the India Conference to become a strong, self-supporting church. Could an influx of North American funds empower the conference to stand on its own two feet? Or would it become a financial crutch that ultimately weakens the conference?
For instance , giving the Bible school at Gadwal a $10,000 development grant to quickly renovate the facilities sounds good, but it might be more helpful over the long haul to spend $100 on an ox or two that could work the fields and help the school support itself down the road.
nomic classes and religions. Fees are predetermined-$l 00 for any major surgery But many patients pay less than the going rate and some cannot pay at all. Sometimes the staff will even tend to burials when the poor die without family.
Patient fees, which manage to cover operational costs, go directly to the hospital. All staff doctors, including Arnold, receive only modest salaries.
"We try to break even," Arnold says That's possible with the help of some outside funding, including from MBM/S and Mennonite Central Committee
Arnold says the Christian hospitals of India receive no government money, but fill a significant niche in India's health-care system. They provide far better treatment for the poor than do government-
• Helping relationships need mutual trust. North American leaders can cite instances when money given to the India Conference has not been used for the projects for which it was designated . At the same time, India leaders feel they should have the autonomy to decide how much funding is needed and which projects should have priority.
• The present leadership crisis impedes trust-building. As long as a few entrenched personalities and structures perpetuate the struggle to control conference-owned assets in India, significant progress toward a more mature international partnership will be short-circuited. It's a fact that frustrates players on all sides-except, perhaps , those few at the center of the controversy. The dynamics at work are spiritual, cultural and relational. Beyond a breakthrough by the Holy Spirit, a solution does not appear imminent
• Being a minority religion sharpens Christian commitment. India is prominently Hindu Christians number only 2-3 percent of the popula-
run institutions, he says, and are far more affordable than private corporate hospitals.
Besides that, Arnold sees MBMC as a natural and effective extension of Christian compassion and outreach "More people pass through hospital gates than through church gates," he says
Patients who are admitted to MBMC receive conscientious treatment and a Christian witness , Arnold says When they return to their villages they are more open to contacts from churches and evangelists
Arnold looks to the future of MBMC with cautious optimism, though he knows the odds are against survival. Due to a lack of personnel and resources, the number of Christian hospitals in India has declined from 800 thirty years ago to around 160 today
To enhance MBMC's chances, Arnold wants to
enlarge the number of beds to 700 and expand the hospital's services. Key to the proposal is the development of a Christian medical college that will generate operating funds through tuition income and provide inexpensive staff as students are being trained
Expanding
the hospital, establishing the medical college and updating equipment-it's an ambitious plan that will require P.B. Arnold's creative resolve to pull off
And it's beginning to happen. For the time being , medical students have begun studying at the former MB mission compound in nearby Mahbubnagar
In a building that most people thought was going to house a conference-run junior college
It doesn't take a lot of imagination to figure out how that came about.-OR
the missionaries who came to India decades earlier? The very existence of the vibrant, growing church of Indiaone that has far outgrown the sending church in North America-is in itself a remarkable tribute to the courage and sacrifice of these volunteers.
But to visit India is also to encounter the missionary enterprise from new perspectives-firsthand observation, hearing recollections of the India believers, and simply being a North American in their midst The legacy retains its heroic dimensions, but around the edges, here and there, other images emerge.
tion. Despite the insistence of a New Delhi tour guide that India's democratic government does not discriminate against Christians, we heard another story among the churches.
John, the youngest son of M.E.
he is on his own. "Is it tempting sometimes to hide your Christian identity?" I asked him sympathetically. He smiled as if to forgive such a question, then shook his head. Denying his faith is not an option. Samuel, has completed his training in computers and telecommunications in India, but would desperately like to pursue graduate studies in the United States. Money is the only problem.. If he were Hindu, the government would help. Because he is Christian,
The legacy of past North American missionaries is a mixed bag. If visiting India today challenges the fortitude of an average North Ameri-
can, what must it have been like for
A voice, a void, a victory
• Karuna Joel's ministry was short but significant
ISN'T HARD for a North American traveling along the chaotic highways of India to visualize the accident that killed P. Karuna Shri Joel last July. It's much more difficult, though, to comprehend the enormity of the hole her death has left in the heart and ministry of her beloved India MB Conference
Karuna and her husband, Menno P. Joel, and their three children were traveling by motor scooter between Hyderabad and Shamshabad A vehicle struck the scooter, throwing Karuna and her 8month-old daughter into an irrigation pond. No one knows
for sure whether the two were killed by the collision or whether they drowned. Menno and the other two children were not seriously injured.
What becomes evident even to visitors is that the India Conference has suffered a great loss Though she was only 32, Joel had already accumulated an impressive resume of service. At the time of her death, she was:
• a member of the General Council, the administrative board of the conference;
• executive secretary for the Mennonite Brethren Women's Conference;
Our tour group visited several of the old miSSionary compounds. The India Conference assumed control of these properties some 20 years ago. To be where the missionaries once were, and to see a vestige of what they established, is significant for anyone with a historical sense . But the experience also raised questions about early mission strategy. For instance, did the mission compound, symbolized by its perimeter walls and fences, communicate a separatist, perhaps even elitist, gospel?
Maybe, maybe not. No one can
recreate or fully understand the historical context of
Joel addressed the delegation attending Mennonite World Conference in 1990
• editor of Suvarthamani, the conference's monthly magazine;
• a teacher of homiletics and pastoral ministries at MB Centenary Bible College, Shamshabad;
• a member of the Men · nonite World Conference planning team for India 1997.
More impressive than her varied positions, though, was the impact of her personality and spirit Stories of her generosity abound. As a couple, the Joels freely shared their time, talents and material possessions with others, particularly students. They traveled extensively on behalf of the conference to lead workshops, retreats and seminars on family and Christian education
"This ministry was a great boost to my spiritual life and calling," Joel wrote a few months before her death. "I must have traveled some thousands of miles with good news and with the ministry of hope and encouragement " That ministry also endeared her to the hearts of many people, from the humble village
This is the missionary bungalow at the Wanaparthy compound. In 1921, the Rajah of the tiny kingdom requested that mission work begin in his village. He not only gave the land and buildings, but sent his own craftsmen to do decorative work on the mission house.
allow a Christian presence within the city. More generally, though, a compound located outside the village offered sanctuary for early converts as well as some protection from disease.
missionaries. He remembered it so clearly because such treatment hadn't been the norm. Apparently, native children weren't always welcomed inside the bungalow. But other practices are more difficult to understand. The most visible one was the socalled "missionary bungalow . " Almost every compound we visited had at least one-or at least remnants of one .
In most cases, these residences were huge, almost palatial. One can only imagine how local villagers, living in the barest of environments,
One can only imagine how local villagers, living in the barest of environments, understood the
In spite of these experiences, our hosts were effusive with gratitude for the contributions of the missionaries. We saw several monuments erected by the national church in their honor.
But these new perspectives help me proconnection between cess the intensity of the missionary, mansion and Christianity.
understood the connection between missionary, mansion and Christianity. reception we received as we visited village churches. In some cases we felt like rock stars.
In casual conversations, we also heard stories. One man, now a Mennonite Brethren pastor, recalled asking his parents why the compound near his village had one soccer field for the children of white missionaries
Another man, a retired conference worker, fondly recalled from his childhood the loving reception he had received in the home of one of our
Another member of our tour group said she had been asked to name two young children in an Indian home. Several of the pastors in our group
People- especially the childrenpressed around us, jostling to shake our hands, to exchange even one word of greeting, or to pose for a photo . Sometimes they wanted more from us. In one church, a mother holding an infant gestured that she wanted me these early mission efforts We were told the decision to establish compounds rather than live among the people did have some logical rationale In Gadwal, for example, the reigning Hindu royalty refused to and another for native children . to pray a blessing upon her child .
believer to the highest levels of conference leadership. According to one associate, because Karuna Joel exuded such love and acceptance toward all, she was one of the few voices respected by both sides of the conference's current leadership split.
"Whenever she saw people she wanted to see the positive part of people," says Swaraj Kumar Solomon, who considered Joel a mentor and friend. "Other people see the criticism. I want to learn from that."
It was because of Joel's affirmation and encouragement that Solomon pursued theological studies Solomon estimates some 30-40 women have done the same.
"Karuna insisted that the churches must celebrate
Mother's Day," Solomon says. "She believed women must be given opportunity in Christ. Otherwise Christianity will be seen as a male-dominated religion."
Joel promoted the ministry of women with gentle urgency, knowing full well the obstacles within her society and church. "The India culture, though it respects women in general, in some of its cultural norms and practices does not accept women to expose their talents and gifts," she wrote. "And even in the church today, there is a big discrimination between men and women and their participation. "
Through her own studies of early church history, she became convinced "that it
was not taboo [for women) to hold office in the worshiping congregations I believe and hope that the Indian women, particularly Mennonite Brethren, will very soon find the way to exercise their equality and their talents for the extension of his kingdom "
Joel's varied contributions to the India MB Conference were formally recognized during an Assembly Gathered session at Mennonite World Conference in Calcutta in January.
"Karuna always spoke straight from the heart and so won the hearts of many," Hannah Josef, a coworker, told the delegation. "A legend has passed into the history of the Mennonite Brethren Church and the India Conference "
Joel assessed her contribu -
tions with typical modesty. She wrote: "These responsibilities put me to do a lot of thinking, writing, traveling, meetings and sometimes criticisms, tensions and also compliments Above all, God's continuous grace sustains me to bear everything and anything. I am a small vessel in his mighty hands."
The vessel may have been small, but the void left by her loss is deep and profound. "She comes into my dreams at night," Solomon says. "I can't forget her. She tells me, 'I didn't die. I only left for a time.You should not be afraid. Be courageous.'
"When I have a problem, I just remember her. I try to think what she would do if she was in my place I still learn from her even now " - DR
Phyllis Martens stands in front of the monument erected at Malekpet by the India Conference in honor of her grandparents, the N.N. Hieberts. Her parents, the J.N.C. Hieberts, were also missionaries in India.
were invited into one home to pray for spiritual protection from evil spirits.
At first, these encounters were exhilarating . But beyond the emotional rush, questions emerge. What was it about our presence that generated such adulation? Are the Mennonite Would North
Brethren of India always so demonstrative? Was it simply the novelty of having white-skinned North Americans in their midst? Or could it be that a legacy of missionaries and man -
dynamic carries with it some challenges. "It's both a bane and a blessing," says Edmund Janzen, who has been serving as a North American representative on the International Committee of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB). "They don ' t want us to throw our weight around,
American churches accept an India emissary who would address areas over which we collectively struggle-like
but they also see the resources we have and want us to share them. "
Visiting India also confronted us with the challenge of being on the receiving end. Material assistance and theological training jump out immediately as tangible resources North America can share sions has afforded us materialism and North Americans a divorce? status far beyond
with India , but what can India share with us? More what we merit-that because we are white and rich we are also more spiritual than they?
That awkward possibility contributes to one last impression :
• True international partnership is not easy. For Mennonite Brethren, where almost 80 percent of the membership lives outside North America , global connections are beginning to develop and mature. But becoming a true world body, where national conferences share their gifts and resources as full partners, isn 't easy
Our time in India underlined the complexities of being on the giving end. This is true of material assistance, but it may also be true of theological give and take.
We picked up the message that India leaders want to be part of doctrinal discussions but still look to North America for leadership on several issues, including women in pastoral ministries
Generally, women in India are not allowed to preach in worship services, much less function as a pastor But that tradition is being gently challenged , as illustrated in the significant ministry and impact of the late Karuna Shri Joel (see sidebar, page 24). "We are watching to see what you in North America will do with this issue, " said one Indian brother.
Whether it is true or not, North America seems to be viewed in India as a more spiritually mature , certainly better trained , conference. That
to the point, in the words of one North American educator , what would North America truly accept from India? "We (North American leaders) give lip service to international partnership , " he said , "but when it comes down to specific ideas how we might try , we seem to back off "
India seems to possess-and the churches of North America seem to need-spiritual vitality and evangelistic zeal. But how do you "share" a resource that to a large degree is managed by the Holy Spirit? Besides that, the two cultures are markedly different . Specific programs and practical assistance may not be transferable.
The other issue is receptivity While India has graciously received the ministry of Werner and Elsie Ann Kroeker in the areas of reconciliation and relationship building, would North American churches accept an India emissary who would address areas over which we collectively struggle-like materialism or divorce?
Despite the challenges, a path toward global partnership is being forged, say leaders. Mennonite Brethren , blessed with the largest proportion and number of non-North American members of any Mennonite body, are blazing the trail.
"Other groups are watching what we ' re doing , waiting to learn from our successes and setbacks ," says Reuben Pauls , who was recently appointed to ICOMB from Canada . "It's an exciting place to be ."
'Miracles' open doors for Esengo
• Planners credit God for saving African choir's U.S tour
WHEN ESENGO Zaire began the North American leg of its "Year of Global Mission" world tour last month, some folks may have taken their arrival for granted.
Elmer Martens didn't As head of the Esengo steering committee for MB Missions/Services , he knew "the rest of the story " For him , the arrival of the African ensemble onto North American soil has been nothing short of a miracle.
Arranging for the Zairian singing ensemble to travel from their home country to India , Japan, the United States , Canada and Europe proved to be a bigger undertaking than tour organizers bargained for
. "It was a global effort, " says Martens. "We didn't know the process We knew we needed to raise money for the tour but we didn ' t anticipate that , as the sponsoring group for the North American segment of the tour, we would encounter such enormous problems with travel and visa arrangements "
The global effort began in Kinshasa, Zaire, where Pakisa Tshimika, MB Missions/Services secretary for Mrica, applied for passports on behalf of the group . With passports in hand , Tshimika could apply for entry visas Because visas are good for only three months, Tshimika would begin with India, Japan and the United States. Applying for Canadian and European visas would come later
But the passport phase took much more time than anticipated. Tour organizers in North America became concerned. Would Esengo make it to their debut appearance at Mennonite World Conference in Calcutta in early January? It was mid-December before the passports arrived. Tshimika immediately applied for visas into India
A small miracle: they were granted without a hitch.
in the absence of fact," Martens says . Harold Ens, MBMjS general secretary, and David Lundblad, an agent for Raptim Travel in New York City, had been working on Esengo's itinerary for months, trying to get the best route for the best price Fortunately, Lundblad took a special interest in Esengo. He had once lived in Zaire and was acquainted with Ens. Lundblad offered to ticket the entire trip before requiring any payment from MBMjS.
But getting 12 conflfllled seats on every flight was difficult. For various legs of the trip , some Esengo members would be conflfllled while others were relegated to a waiting list. Tickets could not be purchased until all the seats were conflfllled. Buying tickets for each leg of the trip as they were confirmed was an option, but very expensive
But then the plot thickened. was rewritten . Tshimika learned that the Japan embassy required a written invitation from a local host and would grant visas only after seeing the airline tickets. A written invitation? No problem. Except that the first invitation, sent by e-mail, was written in English Japanese was required . The invitation
Then the matter of the airline tickets. MBMjS didn't want to invest money in nonrefundable tickets unless the visas were assured. But the embassy insisted on seeing the tickets before granting any visas.
What to do?
"We had heavy decisions to make
Finally, on Dec. 20, tickets for the entire trip were conflfllled But getting those tickets from New York City to Zaire and into the hands of Tshimika was another matter.
Esengo was scheduled to leave Kinshasa Jan. 2. "The courier service told us our package might be delivered three days before the departure dateor three days after," says Shelly
Ensemble'S West Coast concerts draw positive reviews, says MBMjS
ESENGO,
the 12-member Mennonite Brethren choir from Zaire, has completed the first leg of its North American tour with positive reviews from churches and the community, according to MB Missions/Services . The group traveled throughout the u.s West Coast.
Arn Prieb, former MB Missions/Services worker to Zaire, saw the group numerous times during their California performances.
"They are better than I expected because they were gathered from many choirs in several areas and tribes," he says.
Elmer Martens, chair of the Esengo coordinating committee expressed a similar sentiment. 'These folks are some
of the best musicians in the denomination. Some are even composers."
An original song about international church unity, written by director Malu Malu Lungugu, has been particularly well received.
"I hope this tour encourages an appreciation for African culture and thanksgiving in our hearts to God for what he has done with our past (mission) efforts," Prieb says.
"Many of these singers are second- and third-generation products of [Mennonite Brethren) mission work," he adds "They are fruit we can see. Not many can go to Zaire but they can see Esengo. People would be really missing out if they didn't drive a few
miles to see the group."
Most of the concert locations to date have been in Mennonite Brethren churches. On several occasions the group performed at schools or community outreach events. This is an important element of the tour, according to Jeanine Janzen from Ontario, who travels with the group as cultural translator.
"A part of our mission is to share Christ with people who don't know Jesus," she says.
"I ask people to pray with us that God will give us opportunities to witness and that people will become Christians through Esengo's ministry."
Janzen also hopes the Esengo tour will draw churches and individuals closer to God and inspire them into
mission. "I believe that Zaire has been blessed with a spirit of worship, and that missions should start at the feet of God, worshiping Jesus Christ. As we fall in love with Jesus, through worship, missions spills out of that."
Before coming to North America, the group had performed in Calcutta, India, for Mennonite World Conference, in India Mennonite Brethren churches and in Japan.
Esengo's North American tour will take them into western Canada during February and March, the u.S. Midwest in April, and Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec in May. The North American leg ends in May in North Carolina before resuming in Europe in June .-Craig Hallman, MBMjS
Jeanine Janzen (right) translates for Esengo director Malu Malu Lungugu as he shares his testimony during a concert at California State University Fresno in February.
Spencer, a member of the MBM/S office staff.
MBM/S tracked the package's progress electronically-until the computers at the courier service went down. All staff members could do at that point was pray.
That was enough. Providentially, a courier employee in the Kinshasa office recognized the name "Pakisa Tshimika" on a package. Tshimka was his neighbor. So the employee hand delivered the package. The airline tickets had arrived-one day before Esengo was scheduled to leave.
With tickets in hand and only hours to spare, Tshimika was finally granted visas for Japan. Officials at the Japanese embassy in Kinshasa stayed open after hours to accommodate him.
"Who says that miracles are not still happening?" a grateful Tshimika wrote in an e-mail message to MBM/SFresno that day.
Meanwhile, Esengo was facing an even bigger hurdle: securing visas for the United States. By Dec. 26, it had become clear that it would be more efficient to arrange for U.S. visas from the Fresno MBM/S office rather than from Zaire. Timing was again critical. The Fresno staff had only five days-until Dec. 31-to secure the visas.
To save MBM/S several thousand dollars, Debra Strudwick of the U.S. embassy in Kinshasa had advised the mission to apply for performing-group visas which would cost only $3,000 and not require renewal. Tourist visas, she said, would be expensive ($6,000 to $9,000) and would have to be renewed twice.
Armed with this advice, Martens and Dale Warkentin, MBM/S secretary for constituency ministries, showed up at the Fresno office of the Immigration & Naturalization Service at 8 a.m. the day after Christmas. After waiting in line for an hour, they were fmally able to talk with an INS official. The official said the form Strudwick advised them to use did not exist.
Martens and Warkentin spent the remainder of the day completing an
alternative application. Because the MBM/S office was closed for the Christmas holidays, the pair worked without the aid of office support staff. But they completed the forms, wrote the check for the required fees, then sent the package by overnight mail to the nearest processing location.
Yet another complication. Esengo was scheduled to leave Zaire for India on Jan. 2; they needed to have their
Esengo's safety, she adds. And God threw in comfort as a bonus. "Esengo was put up in five-star hotels in Nairobi for two nights," Spencer says. "The airline fmally found a pilot and Esengo left Nairobi. They were put up in another five-star hotel for one night in Bombay. They arrived in Calcutta in time for their concert and were very well received."
About the time Esengo was singing
"The entire experience has wanted me very much to ensure that God's name be lifted up and glorified. Any in Calcutta, the MBM/SFresno staff received bad news on the home front: INS had returned the petition for performing group visas because of an overpayment of $10. notions we may entertain of American or personal know-how have been rightly demolished." In hindSight, the blow turned out to be a blessing. The denial of visas enabled MBM/S to discov-
-Elmer Martens
U.S. visas in hand when they left. The problem: INS said it would take 60-90 days to process the visa applications once all documents were received. MBM/S and Esengo did not have that kind of time.
Once again, Strudwick stepped in to help. The U.S. embassy was reluctant to authorize visas for the singers because many Zairians who visit the United States decide to stay. Strudwick dutifully interviewed each member of Esengo. Then she completed the administrative work required for U.S. visas and put a special stamp in each passport. The stamp authorized Esengo members to pick up their U.S. visas from any consulate in the world. This made it possible for Esengo to leave for India as scheduled without having their U.S. visas in hand.
Theitinerary was to have Esengo fly from Kinshasa to Nairobi to Bombay, and then to Calcutta. But when the group arrived in Nairobi, they were not allowed on the flight to Bombay even though they had tickets. The following day their flight was canceled because the airline had no pilot. This meant the singers also missed their flight from Bombay to Calcutta.
Nobody in Fresno knew about the flight problems. "Due to lack of communication, we 'lost' Esengo for an entire day-we didn't realize they had been delayed twice," Spencer says.
But God answered their prayers for
er that the name of an Esengo member had been inadvertently omitted from the original application. This accounted for the payment overage.
"I'm convinced this was another miracle, even though it didn't seem like it at the time," Spencer says. "INS could have just reimbursed us [the extra $10], but then one member would never have received a U.S. visa. All things work together for good."
But not right away. MBM/S staff most familiar with the process of visa procurement were out of the office, so Warkentin and Spencer took on the task.
Phone messages, faxes and overnight mail went unanswered as they tried in vain to discover exactly which visa to request and which documents were needed.MBM/S corrected the mistake, updated the application and resubmitted it.
"Working with the U.S. government can be so difficult," Spencer says.
Eventually they were told that for Esengo to receive a performing group visa, MBM/S would need a letter of approval from an appropriate labor union. They found a union willing to write the letter. But the union required two weeks to do so.
Too much time.
MBM/S staff informed Elmer Martens and Harold Ens of the situation. Both men were attending the Mennonite World Conference in Cal-
BO!)l LII I
cutta. The two men discussed their options, considering the lack of time. "There was lots of tension for all those days," Martens recalls "In our helplessness we called on God, and God had his people in place at the right moment."
Two of those people were California legislators. The offices of California's Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. George Radanovich helped MBMjS contact the INS processing center and begin the communication process.
During a visit to the Fresno INS office, a staff member, Erilynne Christiansen, took an interest in the cause and helped Spencer and coworker Carol Hagen obtain the correct forms and information. She also checked in with Spencer in the next days to see how the matter was progressing
When MBMjS successfully contacted the local office of the California Arts Commission, office and staff members there wrote a letter of union authorization that same day.
On Jan 28, at 3 :30 p.m., MBMjS submitted the necessary documents into INS. In 24 hours, MBMjS got the word: the performing group visas had been approved; Esengo could enter the United States
But MBMjS staff were still concerned. Esengo had an appointment to pick up their visas at the U.S. Consulate in Osaka, Japan, on Jan. 31 at 9 a.m. Would word of the approved visas, and the money cabled to Japan to pay for them, reach them in time?
Once more, MBMjS's newfound friends stepped in . Marianne Morton of Radanovich's office faxed the U S consulate in Osaka; Strudwick in Zaire cabled the consulate with the visa instructions before leaving for a scheduled vacation
When MBMjS staff members came to work on the morning of the 31st, a fax was waiting from Takashi Manabe, president of the Mennonite Brethren seminary in Osaka. Esengo had been received at the U.S. consulate as scheduled, he informed them, and visas were granted.
"We prayed and thanked God every day for the answers to our prayers," Spencer says. Many congregations had also been praying.
Craig Hallman, MBMjS secretary for
them the same day with a "praise flash": "Esengo is on the way!"
Martens is amazed by the evidence of God's timing throughout the agonizing process. He compares it to the experience of the Israelites standing at the Red Sea with the Egyptian army fast approaching.
"God works at the last minute," Martens says. "The entire experience has wanted me very much to ensure that God's name be lifted up and glorified Any notions we may entertain of American or personal know-how have been rightly demolished." -Connie Faber
Midwest and West digging and drying out from big winter
• Snow and floods wreak havoc on churches and residents
WINTER took a nasty turn this year-whether you live in the northern Plains states or along the West Coast. For many Mennonite Brethren, it's been a winter to remember
At one pOint, all of South Dakota and a section of Minnesota were declared disaster areas as a result of high winds, bitterly cold temperatures, and snow, snow, snow.
The winter may have been hardest of all on the poor _ Residents of the Pine Ridge Indian and the Cheyenne
River reservations in South Dakota have received some funding from the state, but it is not enough to meet all their needs, say Mennonite Central Committee volunteers working on the reservations The relief agency is sending emergency assistance to the area (see sidebar, page 30).
"Everyone was hit hard here," says Leon Matthews, who with his wife , Belva, provide pastoral leadership to Pine Ridge Gospel Fellowship "With 88 percent unemployment, every winter here is severe."
The Pine Ridge Reservation is home to two Mennonite Brethren congregations: Gospel Fellowship in Pine Ridge and Lakota Gospel Church in Porcupine.
Matthews says at least one person in his congregation has no propane with which to heat her home . Most reservation residents live in substandard housing, with little or no insulation and often without electricity or central heating. Many cannot afford adequate heating fuel, due to propane's rising costs . Some residents heat their homes with wood stoves, but this is often inadequate in extremely cold weather, particularly for infants and the elderly. Temperatures this winter have dropped to minus 80 degrees, with windchill .
In other parts of South Dakota, Mennonite Brethren congregations in Freeman and Yale, and in Delft, Minn ., have been pounded since early November with powerful ice storms and harsh blizzards on a regular basis.
It has been the worst winter in memory and has made a dent in church
da have been inundated with water due to extremely heavy rains around Christmas, followed by a sudden rise in temperatures that melted the Sierra Nevada's snow pack. activities.
Silver Lake MB Church near Freeman has canceled Sunday services four times since Nov. 15, notifying the congregation via telephone and radio.
Bethel MB Church near Yale had to postpone Sunday school already in November due to ice, but held its worship service Bethel and Carson MB
"Last Sunday it started blowing during the service," says Bethel pastor Gary Janzen. "Our youth were having a fund-raiser after church, so by the time folks were leaving in the after-
"You really get pumped up for the service. When it has to be canceled, it's a real letdown."
Church in Delft both were -HERB SCHROEDER
noon it was blowing pretty bad. By Monday morning I had to shovel myself out of my driveway. "
Mennonite Brethren in California have responded to a call from Mennonite Disaster Service to help clean up and repair flood-damaged homes in the Sacramento area. Leadership for the work is being provided by several Mennonite Brethren volunteers . MDS has established a project office in Yuba City directed by Eddie and Vernon Neufeld of Laurelglen Bible Church in Bakersfield. forced to cancel the first two Sunday services of 1997 as well as numerous midweek activities and meetings.
Cancellations can be hard on pastors. "You really get pumped up for the service," says Herb Schroeder. "When it has to be canceled, it's a real let down ." Schroeder has experienced so many storms since November, he can't keep them straight anymore.
Snowdrifts have been a major problem , say several pastors. The strong winds sweep the snow off the fields and pile it in ditches, against houses, and across roads and driveways.
Long-time residents try to take the weather in stride . "People get used to this," Janzen says. "They own four-wheel-drive vehicles and make it through if they can ."
Ron Seibel, Silver Lake pastor, says that most of his congregation have been able to get to church in spite of 10- to 12-foot snowdrifts, but shut-ins and the elderly are isolated . Canceling services carries other consequences. "This will certainly affect church giving," says Seibel. Ranchers have been hard hit as cattle have frozen to death during the storms.
While the Midwest has been battling snowstorms , flooding has been the chief culprit out west . California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Neva-
Native American churches finding help from other Mennonite groups
• Pine Ridge, Porcupine seek ties with MC body in the absence of support from the Central District
THE NEEDS of Native Americans on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, exacerbated by the harsh winter, have prompted pastor Leon Matthews to look for help. And he's finding it in the resources available from other Mennonite ministries.
His Gospel Fellowship Church is no longer supported financially by the Central District Conference, so their own financial resources are limited. "Our church is trying to do what the Bible says," Matthews says "It's a commandment that we help our brothers. We struggle with the process of enabling versus showing Christian love. We
MDS clean up work has also begun in Idaho. Jim Clymer Jr., California MDS unit chair, toured some of the flood areas in early January . He and other MDS investigators saw houses engulfed with water, dead horses and livestock hanging on fences. The human toll behind the property damage was also evident as they met people stunned by the sudden turn of events.
Clymer and his wife, Elaine, are members of College Community Church in Clovis -jessica Penner and Connie Faber with MCC reports
with her husband Rob, directs the MCC U.S Ogalala Lakota Nation program
Burdette estimates the average annual income on the reservation is $3,500. With high unemployment and little economic development, she says many families try to survive with virtually no income.
''lhey want to help us and pray for us. They just
don't have the larger vision."
-lEoN MAT11IEWS
will distribute the supplies, which will reach about 10 percent of the population.
MCCs aid will be given to the neediest families, those with infants and elderly people, says Patty Burdette, who
the poorest area of the United States for the past 25 years. Beyond the crisis this winter, though, Matthews anticipates a great spiritual revival coming for Native Americans "I
struggle with these things over and over." To meet immediate needs this winter , Mennonite Central Pine Ridge has been Committee is sending 9,750 comforters and 12,600 pounds of canned meat as emergency assistance to the South Dakota reservations Councils on the reservations
believe in my heart that God will not come back until Native America is properly evangelized," he says
To that end, Matthews wants to join with other Native American Mennonites .
In an unprecedented interMennonite step, Gospel Fellowship and Lakota Gospel Church, a Mennonite Brethren congregation in nearby Porcupine, want to affiliate with the Mennonite Church's United Native Ministries Council.
UNMC, a Mennonite Church auxiliary group, is a resourcing and advocacy organization with 12 congregations and nearly 300 members. Gospel Fellowship and Lakota Gospel are two of the three Native American Mennonite Brethren congregations in the United States The third is Post Oak at Indiahoma, Okla
Gospel Fellowship and Lakota Gospel are not leaving the Central District . But Matthews said wanting to join UNMC stems from a lack of support and understanding of Native ministries by the Mennonite Brethren.
Reedley pastor accepts assignment with MB seminary
• Jim Holm to take on dual role with constituency and students
JIMHOLM has resigned as pastor of the Reedley (Calif.) MB Church to accept an appointment as director of constituency relations and dean of stu-
toral experience , a concern for spiritual formation and a commitment to influence the next generation of leaders. As a trusted leader in the Mennonite Brethren Church, he carries a burden for renewal and evangelism , and has a strong commitment to Anabaptist/MB theology "
pray that it will continue to have that kind of influence in the lives of the next generation of students," Holm said.
Holm will also continue to teach about one class per year, as he has done for the past two academic years. This semester, he is teaching Advanced Biblical Preaching. dents at MB Biblical Seminary, Fresno, Calif. He will assume the constituency relations role on April 7 and the dean of students role on June l. Holm's constituency relations position will focus on recruiting students and continuing to Holm build church-seminary partnerships, according to Henry Schmidt, MBBS president. As dean of students, he will focus on a pastoral role with current students.
"Jim brings many strengths, " Schmidt said . "He has a heart for God, a gift in preaching, 22 years of pas-
"They want to help us and pray for us," he says. "They just don't have the larger vision."
UNMC executive secretary Ray Horst said Gospel Fellowship's and Lakota Gospel's applications are in process and that UNMC is waiting for official approval from the Central District. "We feel the need for the conference leadership persons to take some supportive actions," he says.
Gary Janzen, chair of the district church planting committee, said the committee is supportive. In fact, the committee has made a $500 contribution to UNMC. "We are encouraging, especially Leon Matthews, to participate," Janzen says.
While it is an MC auxiliary group, Horst said UNMC welcomes participation by Native congregations from other
Born in Minnesota, Holm grew up in Montana , where in Wolf Point he and his family fIrSt came to know the Mennonite Brethren denomination. He graduated from Fresno Pacific College in 1970. After receiving a master of divinity degree from MBBS in 1975, he became pastor of Vinewood Community Church in Lodi, Calif , serving for 13 years. He then accepted the pastorate at Reedley, and has served nine years He and his wife, Shirley, have two college-age sons
"The Biblical Seminary has had a very important role in the formation of my spiritual and pastoral life, and I
Mennonite conferences He said UNMC is not trying to steal members but rather wants to help the two Pine Ridge congregations develop a stronger voice
"This is an attempt to be supportive to them, supportive in their ministries, supportive in their ties to the MB church," he says.
UNMC's work includes a leadership education program and making recommendations for representation on the Mennonite Central Committee board and on the Mennonite Church/General Conference Mennonite Church Environment Task Force
Gospel Fellowship was started in the late 1940s and Lakota Gospel in the early 1950s. The CDC subsidized both congregations until 1995 The financial support was discontinued to try to develop local ownership, a
Holm has also served on several conference boards . He was moderator of the u .S. Conference from 1988-92 and acting assistant moderator from 1992-94 . He has also served on the Pacific District Board of Reference and Counsel, the Fresno Pacific University board and the Pacific District Home Missions Board . He was chair of the U .S. Board of Evangelism and Christian Service from 1983-88, and served on the board of West Coast Mennonite Central Committee from 1978-83.
He is joining the MBBS administration following the resignation of John Neufeld, associate director of admisSions, who has become associate pastor at McIvor Avenue MB Church in Winnipeg, Man
The student dean position until last year was held by Ron Penner , who has been serving as both student dean and academic dean. Penner in July will become academic dean at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, B C. (MBBS)
move that Matthews is still smarting from
"They cut us off but said we would like to see you grow as a church," he says.
Gospel Fellowship has grown, Matthews says, from one person when he arrived in 1995 to a regular attendance of more than 50 today.
Matthews is an Ogalala Lakota whose parents were born on Pine Ridge The family returned to the reservation when he was 14 and joined Gospel Fellowship the next year His wife, Belva, a school teacher, is a Pine Ridge native. They moved back after several years of education in Minnesota They also attended Tabor College in Hillsboro Matthews is excited about the prospects of growth for his congregation "We see the Holy Spirit at work We're looking to explode!"
While Matthews is optimistic about the spiritual life of his congregation, he is very concerned about the future of people living in his community "I hate to see what is going to happen here over the next months with the upcoming welfare reform."
Matthews is pursuing working together with other Mennonite agencies. In the past, the congregation has not participated in Mennonite Central Committee work in the area.
But Matthews foresees working with the agency in the future, possibly this summer. One MCC couple and various Mennonite "transplants" are currently active in the Pine Ridge congregation.
From staff interviews, MCC reports and an article by Rich Preheim of the Mennonite Weekly Review
IN BRIEF
FAMILIES: "Fostering Family Well ness" is the theme of the 1997 Midwest School for Ministry planned for Apr. 24 at Crosswind Conference Center in Hesston, Kan The conference is sponsored by the MB Biblica l Seminary, the Southern District Conference, Tabor College and the Brethren in Christ. It is open to volunteers and professionals interested in mobilizing the church for family ministry. Speakers are Ed Ashby, counse lor and Brethren in Christ pastor; Nadine Friesen, Mennonite Brethren pastor and educator; Roland and Lois Reimer, SOC district minister couple; Lynn Jost, Tabor College faculty; and Delores Friesen and Ron Penner, MBBS faculty. (MBBS)
BUILDING: Construction is slated to begin this month on two new facilities on the Tabor College campus in Hillsboro, Kan. Ground breaking for a residence hall, to be built in two phases, was held Feb. 14. One week later, the college broke ground for the Solomon L. Loewen Natural Science Center. Both projects are to be completed by fall 1998. (TC)
CALLED: Rod and Donna Anderson have accepted the call to serve as church planters for the new Central District Conference work in Papillion, Neb. He is currently pastor at the Bethesda Mennonite Church near Marion, S.D.; they will move to Papillion with their four children in late June. The Andersons will work part time with the Millard Bible Church while developing a core group in Papillion. Papillion is located on the southern edge of Omaha and is one of the fastest-growing communities surrounding metro Omaha. (CDC)
VOLUNTEERS: Three Mennonite Brethren participated in January Mennonite Central Committee orientation activities. Wilma Derksen, a member of Mcivor MB Church in Winnipeg, Man., is begjnning a two-year assignment as the coordinator of victim programs in Winnipeg. Catherine and John Sawatsky, members of Vineland (Ont.) MB Church, will serve at MCC Akron office for four months. (MCC)
Africa chosen for next MWC assembly
• General Council also decides to distribute MWC Sharing Fund
THENEXT assembly of Mennonite World Conference will be held in Africa, the MWC General Council decided Jan. 12.
In a separate caucus, the Mrican delegates recommended that Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, be given first consideration as the site of the next assembly. The General Council agreed, listing Zambia and Zimbabwe as the second and third choices, respectively, if an Ethiopian site is not feasible.
MWC assemblies are usually held every six years. The next assembly will only be the third time it has been held outside of North America or Europe. Ethiopia has the secondlargest number of Mennonites in Africa, behind Zaire.
The General Council also approved a "Resolution Regarding the Burning of Church Buildings" in response to recent events in Indonesia, Nigeria, Jamaica and the United States.
"We stand in prayer with those who have been the target of violent acts which seek to destroy not only buildings but also the spirit of those who meet within them," the statement reads.
It calls on aU churches of the MWC global family "to seek ways to respond in love to those who have committed these acts and to those who have been victims." The resolution also encourages churches to participate "in the rebuilding of these structures and the restoring of human spirits. "
MWC will begin distributing money from a $950,000 Global Church Sharing Fund to African, Asian and Latin American churches this year. Each of the national conferences that belong to MWC, outside of North America and Europe, will receive at least $3,000.
The size of the grants will be determined by how many members a conference has. The only requirement is that the money be used to advance the work of the church. The bulk of the fund comes from a $600,000 gift from Mennonite Central Committee
and a $300,000 gift from Mennonite Mutual Aid.
The MWC General Council approved the distribution of the fund when it met before Assembly Gathered in Calcutta. Payments will begin this summer.
Larry Miller, MWC executive secretary, said the Sharing Fund was unique among worldwide Christian bodies. "It's attracting attention in other Christian world communities " he said. "It's being observed to see 'if it's a worthwhile experiment."
One of the fund's purposes, according to the General Council proposal, is "to transfer money and decision-making power from churches who have more to churches who have less."
The fund will be divided in the following way:
• $600,000 for distribution to Asian, African and Latin American churches;
• $95,000 for a Gifts Sharing Project, whose purpose is "exchanging human resources and strengthening relationships between member churches";
• $200,000 to be placed in an endowment;
• $55,000 for administration of the fund.
The fund will be distributed in two phases, the first in 1997 and the second in 1999 or 2000. The second phase will begin after churches give reports on how the funds have been used.
The General Council also approved a statement of mutual expectations between MWC and Mennonite Central Committee. The statement is based on the idea that MCC and MWC can complement each other in serving the worldwide church.
"Mennonite World Conference is a global structure but has very little infrastructure," Miller said. "We can develop visions but are short on implementation possibilities. "
MCC has the infrastructure, "a network of staff and relationships both with Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches and beyond, which can be offered as a resource to the global family of churches," according to the statement.
The statement is a "recognition that we [MCC and MWC] are compati-
ble," Miller said "Let's recognize our interdependence " The General Council also elected a new president, Mesach Krisetya of Indonesia; and a new vice president, Bedru Hussein of Ethiopia.-Lorne Peachey and Paul Schrag
Veteran CDC leader remembered for vision, determination
• Waldo Wiebe dies at age 83 after a long and forceful ministry
WALDO WIEBE, veteran pastor, evangelist and district minister, was remembered by friends and critics as a complex man of tremendous convictions. Wiebe died Feb. 14 at '----'-=:::----011..-:-1 the age of 83. Funer-
al services were held in Rapid City, S.D., and Hillsboro , Kan., where he was buried.
Wiebe's sincerity and honesty were respected-even by those who didn't agree with him. He was known as a pastor with a heart for the unsaved, though some thought he could have been more holistic in his approach His vision and determination served him well, but at times it put him at odds with other denominationalleaders.
Evangelism was a lifelong hallmark of Wiebe's ministry He successfully served as the roving u.S. Conference evangelist from 1958 to 1963 and was known for his confrontational style. "How is it with your soul?" was a favorite greeting, says Peggy Goertzen, director of the Tabor College Center of MB Studies.
At age 65, Wiebe became the first district minister of the Central District Conference. Many historians, including Goertzen, attribute the CDC's distinct personality to Wiebe's conservative , fundamentalist beliefs. Some characterize Wiebe as an extreme fundamentalist who shaped the theological character of the district; others say he simply reinforced the theology that was already there.
Wiebe served the district from
1978-90. During his ministry, Wiebe and his wife, June, specialized in revival and evangelistic meetings, deeper-life conferences, family workshops and local outreach seminars. During his tenure as district minister, he also pastored churches in Wolf Point, Mont., Rapid City and Minot, N.D.
At the time of his death, Wiebe was serving as associate pastor of the Rapid City Bible Fellowship Church, a congregation he helped start in the late 1970s
"The church has profited by the Wiebe's presence and ministry," says Dick Nickel, pastor "He will be deeply missed because of his ministry, prayer life and just the joy of having his presence at the services."
Wiebe's leadership was also characterized by determination, Nickel says. He recalls Wiebe's own family saying that when Waldo wanted something done, it was done his way.
Wiebe 's love for the CDC was evident when in October 1996 he traveled in frail health to Harvey, N.D., to attend what would be his last annual convention.
Wiebe was born on Sept. 26, 1913, in Minnesota and committed his life to the Lord at the age of 12. He married Amanda Rempel in 1935 They moved to Nebraska, where Wiebe farmed and led the Mennonite Brethren church inJansen.
Feeling called to pursue full-time ministry, Wiebe attended Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan After completing seminary studies in Kansas City, Wiebe was pastor of Mennonite Brethren churches in Tampa , Kan., and Shafter, Calif. While living in California, Wiebe participated in the formation of Hartland Bible Camp, Fresno Pacific University and MB Biblical Seminary.
Amanda Wiebe died in 1964 In 1966 Wiebe was married to June Walter Munger, a fonner teacher and missionary to Rhodesia Together they became an active outreach team serving the Enid (Okla.) MB Church and Westport MB Church in Collinsville, Okla., before moving to the Central District .
Wiebe is survived by June, three daughters and their families, a son-inlaw and his family , one brother, and one sister.
IN BRIEF
SHARING: In response to Mennonite Central Committee's pre-Christmas appeal, North Americans donated 26,000 blankets for people in Zaire. MCC workers are now wondering how to get the blankets through Rwanda and to Zaire Vehicles traveling between Kigali, Rwanda and Bukavu, Zaire, have been attacked recently. Because of security concerns, MCC workers are planning to begin distributing the blankets a few bales at a time. If the situation improves, the blankets will be transported by truck convoy for a one-time distribution as originally planned. MCC will also purchase and distribute malaria medicines, seeds, tools and food and fund ongoing forestry and peace work. (MCC)
MISSION: This year's Tabor College missions emphasis week Feb. 16-22 featured guest speaker Ed Boschman, executive director of Mission USA. In addition to three presentations by Boschman, the week included a mission and service fair featuring more than 25 missions representatives, a children's carnival, a community work day and a 24-hour fast for world hunger . (rC)
SUPPRESSION: The Colombian government has moved to close the Mennonite theological seminary Hacedores de Paz (Peacemakers), a program providing an alternative to military service for conscientious objectors. In addition to threatening the status of the 70 youth enrolled in the seminary, the attempted closing raises questions about religious freedom, guaranteed under the constitution. (MCC)
CELEBRATING: MB Communications, an agency of the Manitoba Conference, will celebrate its 50th anniversary April 12-13 in Winnipeg, Man MBC is best-known for its evangelistic radio programs, offering radio programs in six languages reaching five to eight million people a week. During April, MBC will launch Family Life Network, a new family ministry using TV, videos, books and other resources, workshops and seminars, the Internet and radio to communicate with audiences. (MBC)
Wiebe
Herb and Ruth Friesen: A legacy of selfless service and international adventure
• Couple played 'historic role' in developing eye care in Muslim world
OPHTHALMOLOGIST Herb Friesen chuckles as he recalls his optimism in 1972 as a medical worker in Afghanistan. The MB Missions/Services missionary said he penned one of the most inaccurate statements of the century in a letter he wrote to someone in the United States: "I feel that Afghanistan is the most stable country in Asia. "
Herb and his wife, Ruth, know better now Having recently retired from a long career with MB Missions/Services, they have a volume of adventure stories to tell . But at the time the letter was written, the Friesens and their five children were serving with the International Assistance Mission in the capital of Kabul. Things were going well
From 1969 to 1973, Herb and the lAM team had laid the organizational and legal groundwork for the founding of the National Organization of Ophthalmoiogical Rehabilitation. By 1973 the centerpiece of the system, the 90bed NOOR Eye Institute, with Herb as director, was nearing completion Also taking shape were a training program for eye doctors, two schools for the blind, mobile eye clinics and other ministries.
In a matter of months, though, things fell apart. Afghan government officials ordered the schools for the blind to close and expelled the expatriate staff Intelligence sources informed them that the students were being religiously "brainwashed" and "exploited "
The NOOR team was officially informed that it had 120 days to leave the country. Before the deadline arrived, word came indicating the team could stay. A few months later, the government took control of the hospital and installed an official as the new director. lAM was forced to pay his and his secretary's salary and to furnish him with a car and driver.
The next several years brought political infighting and periodic outbreaks of civil war . Three successive presidents were assassinated. In 1978 a leftist coalition seized the government and initiated a series of unpopular Marxist programs which triggered widespread Muslim-led rebellion.
Meanwhile, the Friesens and the lAM team continued their ministry. Despite the surrounding upheaval, NOOR Institute developed into a topflight care center and school of eye medicine. Escalating violence generated more eye injuries, especially in rural areas where lAM tried to persevere with small-scale clinics, despite extraordinarily dangerous conditions
In 1979, Herb was falsely accused of spying for the Central Intelligence Agency. He and Ruth were ordered to leave Afghanistan. As they departed in August, they noted the growing presence of thousands of Russians in the capital
In late December, the USSR invaded with 30,000 troops and partially succeeded in squashing the insurgents. By 1980, 100,000 Soviet troops were occupying major Afghan cities. Muslim fighters (mujahidin) carried on their revolution from the countryside.
Unable to contain the elusive guerrillas, Soviet forces unleashed genocidal assaults on villages and towns in an effort to destroy mujahidin support. Five million people fled the countrywest to Iran and east to Pakistan-and five to seven million more were displaced internally. An estimated one million civilians were slaughtered and countless others were maimed or injured. The to-year Soviet occupation ended unsuccessfully in 1989. Immediately, various factions renewed their attacks on Kabul.
"Never before or since have I been stretched to the very limits of my human endurance," says Herb of those years in Kabul. "I can only acknowledge superhuman strength given by God."
In 1982, after brief stints in Sierra Leone and Memphis, Tenn., the Friesens moved to Pakistan, where millions of refugees, many grievously wounded, were pouring in from neighboring Afghanistan.
The Christian hospital at Taxila was swamped with needy patients who had to be treated in assembly-line fashion . Some mornings the staff surgeons performed 200 cataract surgeries. Friesen recalls one morning when he did 20 such operations himself.
After 18 months in Taxila, the Friesens assumed the leadership of the Afghan Eye Hospital of Peshawar, a city of 700,000 on the Afghan border. For the next 11 years, Herb directed the 39-bed facility. At its peak, the hospital treated 30,000 outpatients and averaged 1,600 eye operations each year.
n uth, meanwhile, began her "gate ftm inistry": counseling, consoling, assisting and witnessing to a steady stream of refugees who daily crowded around the gate of their home She gave them blankets, prayed with them, and helped them search for missing loved ones and find appropriate social services and spiritual resources.
Under Herb's leadership and training , the Afghan medical team eventually assumed almost full responsibilities for the surgeries, clinics and patient care By 1994, the number of refugees had dwindled so the hospital closed its doors
Afghan was now ruled by an uneasy coalition of Muslim factions. The Friesens again teamed up with lAM to open a new work in the northern part of the country. The Mazar Ophthalmic Center was opened with a potential outreach to four to five million people in the region.
The Friesens worked with an lAM team to set up the program ; the local government donated the building and grounds. The 30-bed hospital soon filled and 2,000 operations were performed the first year The staff treats 20,000 to 25,000 a year.
A school for the blind teaches braille, self-maintenance , navigating
Ruth and Herb Friesen
with a cane, and other skills. Ruth worked at the blind school two days a week, befriending, helping and encouraging the students
Herb and Ruth concluded their years of full-time work by doing what they do best: beginning a new vision center-this time in Pakistan . With the Mazar clinic in good hands and running well, the Friesens moved on to Gilgit in northern Pakistan in spring 1996 to help start a new center. The new center seeks to minister to the predominantly Muslim population.
Herb and Ruth retired to Hillsboro, Kan., in order to care for Ruth 's mother, Viola Wiebe, who served for many years as a missionary to India. Wiebe died last fall at the age of 93.
Friesen's plans for the future include returning to Pakistan to provide further training and encouragement to the doctors in Gilgit .
"Herb and Ruth Friesen have played a historic role in developing eye care services for the country of Afghanistan, " says Harold Ens, MBMjS general director. "Without their remarkable initiative and perseverance, the country would have very limited ophthalmic services or resources.
"They leave a unique legacy behind them, " Ens adds . "At the same time, one should not underestimate their considerable spiritual impact, though it is harder to measure. Eternity will show how much good they did in every way."-Gary Hardaway
. CHURCH NOTES
• Baptism/Membership
WEATHERFORD, Okla. (Pine Acres)Eric Ratterree and Brent Jenkins were baptized and welcomed into membership Nov 17. Cameo Hughes, Rachelle Cannon, Robyn Cannon, Mathilda Foote, Rosanne Gossen and Rachel Hughes were also accepted into membership
TOPEKA, Kan.-Eleven people were baptized during the Nov. 24 morning worship service; 10 were received into membership Those baptized were Paula Felker, Josh Felker, Ryan Adams, Randy Winsinger, Christy Winsinger , Robert Baysinger, Diane Baysinger , Michael Clouse , Caris Birkey, Lynn Birkey and Becky Berg
HILLSBORO, Kan.-Randy and Carolyn Brazil , Vince and Jesse Nikkel , Kevin Pankratz, Art and Harriet Suderman, Clint
and Ev Seibel, Jodie Seibel and Chris Seibel were welcomed into membership in February.
• Celebrations
NEWTON, Kan. (Koerner Heights)-Vic and Vi Hiebert celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with an open house Jan 5.
FRESNO, Calif. (Bethany)-Walter and Lois Harder provided a display of flowers Feb 2 in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary
• Fellowship
FRESNO, Calif. (Bethany)-The children's ministry department hosted a motherdaughter tea Feb . 22 . The afternoon included a mother-daughter activity and speaker.
KINGSBURG, Calif.-The Pacific District Women 's Missionary Service Rally will be held March 15 at Anderson's Split Pea Soup restaurant.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.-The Southern District Conference women's retreat will be held March 21-22 at the Marriott hotel. The speaker will be June Hunt , Bible teacher, author and counselor from Dallas, Texas.
• Ministry
BUHLER, Kan.-Bob and Kelly Pankratz and Misti Quint were commissioned Feb 2
for service with Youth Mission International in Tijuana, Mexico. Other team members include Travis Walker from Valleyview Bible Church in Cimaron, Kan. , and Aaron Myers from Hillsboro (Kan.) MB Church.
• Teaching/Nurture
NEWTON, Kan. (Koerner Heights)-The congregation, together with Grace Community Church of Newton, sponsored a "Walk Through the Bible Seminar" Jan 19 The morning service at Koerner Heights served as an introduction to the afternoon session hosted by the other congregation
HILLSBORO, Kan (Ebenfeld)-Howard and Tammy Keirn will be resource people for a teacher enrichment seminar March 16 . Howard teaches communication at Tabor College and is an ordained Mennonite Church minister . Tammy directs the early childhood education program at Hesston (Kan.) College .
• Workers
FRESNO, Calif. (Bethany)-Les Mark is serving as interim senior pastor.
ULYSSES, Kan.-Loyal and Rosella Martin were installed as pastoral couple during the Feb 9 morning worship service.
OMAHA, Neb. (Millard Bible)-The congregation had an opportunity to meet Rodney and Donna Anderson and their four children during a dinner meeting Feb. 21. The Andersons have been engaged by the
Hosted by M nonite L i brary and Archives Co llege, North Newton, Kansas or Mennonite Brethren Studies or College, Hillsboro, Kansas
Sessions will be held in North Newton and Hillsboro
conference celebrates the completion of a four-volume series by authors
For information and reservations contact Peggy Goertzen ph 316 947 3121
Richard K. MacMaster Theron F. Schlabach James C. Juhnke Paul Toews Email <peggyg@tcnet.tabor.edu>
Central District Conference to plant a church in Papillion, Neb., and will work with the Millard congregation in the beginning stages.
OMAHA, Neb. (Faith Bible)-James Epp has been hired as a part-time associate pastor to develop a ministry to "Generation X," young adults between 20 and 30 years old.
BAKERSFIElD, Calif. (Laurelglen)-Mack Braden, associate pastor of youth ministries, has resigned effective April 1 to accept a senior pastorate at Walnut Creek, Calif. He and his wife, Nancy, have served the congregation for seven years. Ken McDuff is using a three-month sabbatical to prepare for his expanded role in family ministry. Bob Hudson, part-time junior high director, is the Saturday evening worship director and is now serving on a fulltime basis The congregation hopes to begin searching for a fifth pastor to assist in the areas of assimilation, outreach and singles'ministry.
. DEATHS
COURTS-FAST, DORIS ANNABEL, Okeene, Okla., a member of the Okeene MB Church, was born Jan. 17, 1921, to William and Jennie Dikkers-Courts in Okeene and died Jan. 27, 1997, at the age of 76. On April 24, 1943, she was .married to Walter H. Fast, who survives. She is also survived by four sons, Don and wife Judith of McPherson, Kan., Ken and wife Marilyn
TourMagination
of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Steve and wife Nancy of Weatherford, Okla., and Merle and wife Ann of Okeene; four brothers , Harold Courts, Oliver Courts, Jim Courts and Arnold Courts; and seven grandchildren.
KLIEWER, LEONARD, Downey, Calif., a member of the Living Hope MB Church of Downey, was born July 6, 1916, to Peter A. and Anna Becker Kliewer at Fairview, Okla., and died Jan. 23, 1997, at the age of 80 On June 22, 1947, he was married to Linda Thiessen, who survives He is also survived by a sister, Luella Pauls of Com, Okla., and a brother, Archie of Nashville, Tenn.
LETCHER, LYLE E., Freeman, S D., of the Salem MB Church, Bridgewater, S.D., was born March 18, 1938, to leRoy and Henrietta Tammen Letcher in Alexandria, S D., and died Feb. 2, 1997, at the age of 58. On June 2, 1959, he was married to Norma Determan, who survives . He is also survived by two sons, Bradley E. and wife Gail and Keith M and wife Susan, both of Freeman; his father, of Bridgewater; two brothers, Donald and wife Delores of Bridgewater and Myron of Elm Creek, Neb .; a sister, Eileen and husband Kenneth Radel; and eight grandchildren.
PAYNE, EFFIE LORENE, Visalia, Calif. , a member of the Neighborhood Church in Visalia, was born Nov 5, 1909, at Wellington, Texas , and died Jan. 23 , 1997, at the age of 87. On Dec. 24, 1931, she was married to Theodore Payne, who predeceased her in 1970. She is survived by five daugh-
ters, Wynema Baker of Visalia, Jean and husband Shirl Todd of Colusa, Calif., Margie and husband Mack Magargee of Clovis, Calif., Almeda Shea of Modesto, Calif., and Paula and husband Roy Klassen of Clovis; two brothers, Clarence Blades of Tecate, Mexico, and Amos Blades of Clifton, Colo.; three sisters, Jeanita Wells of Bakersfield, Calif , Oleta Curtis of Midwest City, Okla., and Benny Marcuson of Greeley, Colo.; 14 grandchildren and 22 greatgrandchildren.
REGIER, DICK D , Hillsboro, Kan., a member of the Hillsboro MB Church, was born Aug. 16 , 1907, to Jacob K. and Sarah Hubert Regier at Henderson, Neb., and died Jan 30, 1997, at the age of 89. On Dec. 24, 1941, he was married to Thelma Carter, who survives He is also survived by one daughter, Pat and husband Steve Shaw of Overland Park, Kan.; one son, Gary and wife Kathryn of Halstead, Kan.; one brother, Ted of Aurora, Neb.; and two grandchildren.
WIEBE, WALDO, Rapid City, S.D., associate pastor of the Bible Fellowship Church of Rapid City, was born Sept. 26, 1913 , to Abraham and Susie Ewert Wiebe near Bingham Lake, Minn., and died Feb. 14, 1997, at the age of 83. On Feb. 24, 1945, he was married to Amanda Rempel, who predeceased him in 1964. In 1966 he was married to June Walter Munger, who survives. He served as the first district minister of the Central District Conference from 1978 until his retirement. He is also survived by three daughters, Lucille and husband Dean Kliewer of Reedley, Calif , Eileen and husband Bob Plett of Reedley, and Judi and husband Dax Bryson of San Jose, Calif.; a son-in-law, Gilbert Friesen and wife Rhoda of Denver, Colo ; a brother, Menno and wife Luella of Windom, Minn ; a sister, Emma Friesen of Hillsboro, Kan.; 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren
A Reluctant Surgeon
by
Herb Friesen, M.D.
"Reflections of a farm boy turned ophthalmologist."
Cost: $14 (incl. shipping).
Order from:
• Better Book Room, Wichita, KS 1-800-678-6119
• Faith & Life Bookstore, Newton, KS 1-800-743-2484 (or) 1-800-646-2710 in 316 area
• The Bookstore, Hillsboro, KS 316-947-3969
• Herb Friesen, 501 S. Wilson, Hillsboro, KS 67063
ANewlolol
May God bless the USA through renewal and reproduction of our churches. May the Stars -and Stripes continue to provide a symbol of freedom in this land. May the cross of Christ become the symbol of FREEDOM for us all!
Rejected logos
ANew locationl
Since Carol and I arrived in Phoenix last summer, the office of MISSION USA has been the little room between our kitchen and the laundry area, or our entire house, depending on which day and at what time you caught us. The search for an office was not altogether pleasant as the appropriate option was priced almost twice the unacceptable option. Then THE
On Par whh Mission lSI"
"Mission lSI Dasan Sunllal"
phone call. I dialed Sun City Professional Building. "Hello, this is Marian. May I help you?" We talked a little about our needs for space and she asked about my "business." I explained. "Isn't that interesting?" she quipped. "I prayed yesterday that God would send us a good new tenant for our available space:'
The MISSION USA office has landed at the intersection of our individual prayers. It is a delight to see God at work! On Friday, January 24,1997, we dedicated our new headquarters to God's glory and for the purposes of our ministry. It was a celebration of God's provision and promise.
ANew Secretarvl
Shirley Nachtigall joined me in early January as our part-time secretary. She comes with loads of experience and love for the Lord. She will normally be in the office Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (MST).
ANew Invitationl
We'd love to hear from you, or better yet, please drop in. Come around lunch time and we'll take you to a great little Mexican restaurant for lunch. You pray, and we'll pay.
MISSIO.IIIIOIRD
Ed BosdJrnan, Phoenix, AI.
Exeamve Oirector
Owd< Buller, V'lSOtlO, CA
Mike Sdtud, Reedley, CA
Fred leonard, Oovis, CA
TIIII Sulivm, Htioro, KS
Neil DeFehr, Fresno, CA
Loretta Jost, Aurora, NE
Clarke Rempel, Buhler, KS
RcnIy SIeilert, Bakmkl, CA
Ont Seibel, HiDsboro, KS
Jim Weems, Gelly5burg, SO
Ed and Carol Boschman
Ernie Friesen, WKhilo, KS
Howard Loewen, Fresno, CA
Tun Geddert, Fresno, CA
Rick Eschbough, Topeka, KS
Ex Officio Members:
Henry Dick, Fresno, CA
Onton Grenz, Bismark, NO
RoIood Reimer, Wichilo, KS
C LEA RINGHOUSE
Have a position to fill? Looking for a new employment or ministry opportunity? Have a gathering or celebration to promote? Need to sell or acquire property? Reach U.S. Mennonite Brethren through a Clearinghouse classified ad The charge is 40 cents per word, with a $15 minimum. Withhold payment until an invoice is received. The editors reserve the right to tum down inappropriate material. For display (boxed) ad rates, please call us.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
13 ANNUAL Summer Mediation Training Institute July 14-18, 1997 Akron, Pa Trainers: Carolyn Schrock-Shenk, David Brubaker, Cheryl Swartley. Rooted in Christian peacemaking, MCS Training Institutes equip partiCipants with practical skills and understanding for transforming conflict. Those called to a lifestyle of peacemaking and those seeking to apply skills in particular family, church, work or community settings will find this an invaluable week of learning Contact Mennonite Conciliation Service, PO
The 1997 Midwest School for Ministry
April 2-4, 1997 at Crosswind Conf. Center, Hesston, Kansas
Sponsored by MB Biblical Seminary, 1IIe Sou1hem District of MB (hurdles, Tobor (ollege ond 1he Brethren in Christ
Brokenness in families today is all faa familiar. This conference is dedicated fa both 'binding up' family wounds, as well os nurturing family wellness.
Speaken:
Ed Ashby
Delores Friesen
Des Moines, Iowa
Fresno, CA
Nodine Friesen • Hillsboro, KS
Lynn Jost .. ...................... Hillsboro, KS
Ron Penner
For details, coO Ron Pemer at MilS: (209) 452-1721, or Rolcmd Reimer, Southern Dislrid Minister, at (316) 722-1610.
Box 500, Akron, PA 17501; phone 717-859-3889; email <mcs@mccus.org>.
CONFERENCE: "Anabaptists in Conversation: Mennonite and Brethren Interactions with Twentieth-Century Theologies." June 19-21, 1997, at The Young Center for the Study of Anabaptist and Pietist Groups , Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, Pa. Topics cover ecumenical activity, the nature of theological interaction, and various theological encounters (with Nieburhian thought, Troeltsch and the European History-of-Religions school, Third-World movements, Fundamentalism and dispensationalism, etc.) Addresses: Anabaptist Conversation Conference, The Young Center, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA 17022-2298, fax 717-361-1443; youngctr@acad etown.edu.
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
ACCOUNTING-Inviting applications for teaching position in accounting and business in the undergraduate college of Fresno Pacific University. Master's degree in appropriate field, with significant post-master's study required CPA and doctorate desired. Professional experience necessary. Applications will be evaluated beginning April 1, 1997, and appointment will be made as soon thereafter as a suitable candidate is secured. Fresno Pacific University is a dynamic Christian institution of the Mennonite Brethren Church, with liberal arts, professional studies and graduate programs. All candidates for faculty positions must share the university's Christian commitment. For complete description and faculty application form, write or phone Dr Howard Loewen, Academic Vice President, Fresno Pacific University, 1717 S. Chestnut, Fresno, CA 93702. Phone 209-4532023 Fax 209-453-5502. E-mail (hloewen @fresno.edu) Position begins Aug 15 , 1997 Women and members of minority groups are especially encouraged to apply.
Wichita, KS
Fresno, CA Rolond ond Lois Reimer
majestic beauty, shimmering glaciers, deep fiords, soaring eagles, thundering caribou, 1 mile cruise and much more with Mennonite friends from all over North America.
MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE is seeking applicants for the position of head printer at MCC headquarters in Akron , Pa This position is a twoyear, full-time, salaried position Qualifications include a commitment to Christian faith, active church membership and nonviolent peacemaking Applicants must have previous experience with offset printing; supervision experience preferred For more information, or to receive a copy of the job description, please contact Prem Dick or Goldie Kuhns at MCC Personnel Department, 21 S 12th St., Akron, PA 17501; phone 717-859-1151 or e-mail: PSD@mcc.org or GPK@mcc.org Applications due March 15,1997.
EDIGER REUNION-If you have not received a mailing during February and would like information for the All-Ediger Reunion July 18-20, 1997, North Newton , Kan., contact Ted Ediger, 8101 Trail Lake Drive, Rowlett , TX 75088; 972-412-3724
$200-$500 WEEKLY-Mailing phone cards. No experience necessary. For more information send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Global Communication, P.O. Box 5679, Hollywood, FL 33083
RESOURCES
DEVOTIONAL RESOURCE-Looking for a dynamic daily devotional resource written from an evangelical Anabaptist perspective? Try Rejoice!, the inter-Mennonite devotional booklet. Rejoice! mines the riches of God's wisdom throughout the Old and New testaments Each day features a 300 - word devotional message , complete with Bible reading, key verse and meditational prayer Writers for Rejoice! are from the Mennonite Brethren Church , General Conference Mennonite Church and Mennonite Church. For more information or to order Rejoice!, contact your local church office, or call toll-free Kindred Productions, 1800-545-7322
Abe Gerbrandt 90 Years Young
Resident of Residential Care for three years
We'll be celebrating our 55th year
Palm Village serves almost 300 residents in Skilled Nursing, Residential Care and Independent Living accommodations.
For more information, call
DAVID REIMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (209) 638-6933
PALM VILLAGE
RET IREMENT CO MMUNITY
C.C.A.C.
Lie # 100404809
701 W. HERBERT P.O BOX 1028
REEDLEY, CA. 93654-1028
CHURCH PARTNERSHIP EVANGELISM
Invitation: TO: Bom-again Christians
King Road MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C , is seeking volunteers for its Church Partnership Evangelism outreach to
1. PERU - Sullana
2. INDIA, Jama Ganur
3. ZAIRE - Klkwlt
4. UKRAINE - Tchernivtsi-Odessa
5. NICARAGUA - Managua
6. PARAGUAY - Asuncion
7. PERU - Chlclayo-Talara
8. FIJI ISLAND
9. RUSSIA - Orenburg
10. ARGENTINA - Cordoba
11. INDIA - Shamshabad
April 5-21, '97
April 18-May 13, '97
May 1-28, '97
May 3-29, '97.
July 5-21, '97
July 5-21, '97
Aug 2-26, '97
Aug. 2-19, '97
Sept. 6-24, '97
Oct. 4-21, '97
Nov 8-25, '97
,000
,200
Note: Dates may be subject to change, pending further confirmation of some campaigns 'Canadian dollars
• Team up with national Christians and witness for Christ door to door.
• Some knowledge of the language of the country is helpful.
• Between 800-2,800 persons have prayed to accept Christ as their personal Savior and Lord during a two-week CPE campaign Come and be a part of an enriching spiritual experience-discover what God can do through you.
For more information, contact: CPE off ice : Te l. -Fax: 604-864-3941 , or Evelyn Unruh, 604852-5744; or Peter Loewen, 604-853-3173 or FAX 604-853-6482
Church Partnership Evangelism is a "church-to-church" effort that involves lay members in personal evangelism worldwide Your application to participate will be forwarded to the C.P.E Executive Committee for processing.
Peter Loewen CPE Promoter
Little Foxes
That Spoil th e Vines
W. Barry Miller
Harold W. Ens MBMIS General Director
Each chapter of this beautiful little book presents a different fox that ruins relationships with God, with others, and with oneself. The gray fox comes with hurtful words. The blue fox of depression burrows into our homes and so on! Miller provides counsel and scriptural resources for a speedy recovery from the attacks of these foxes.
"These little foxes can ruin our vineyard and destroy our lives if left to run wild."
-The Christian Communicator
Paper, 96 pages, $6.99 ; in Canada $9.95.
Orders: 800 759-4447. www.mph.lm com
MISCELLANEA
TRADITIONS
'Goofy' weddings not an option
Weddings are not a Mickey Mouse operation, and that's why the Roman Catholic Church has banned its priests from performing ceremonies at Disneyworld. The Diocese of Orlando has told its priests not to perform ceremonies at the Magic Kingdom and has written to other Catholic leaders across the nation advising them that visiting priests will not be granted permission to perform marriage ceremonies on Disney property.
Sister Lucy Vazquez, chancellor of the Diocese of Orlando, explains, "Marriage is a sacrament, and we believe that all sacraments must be celebrated in a church setting."
Some 1,700 couples will be married at Disneyworld this year. Weddings there can cost between $2,500 to $20,000. The higher price
includes a service for 100 guests in front of Cinderella's Castle with a theme banquet, royal trumpeters, a horse-drawn coach, Tinkerbell and fireworks. (EP News)
APOLOGETICS
Jewish priesthood: it's in the genes?
Biblical accounts say the Jewish priesthood has been passed down from father to son for thousands of years. In a letter to Nature magazine, scientists report finding genetic evidence to support this claim.
The scientists tested 188 unrelated members of the Jewish priesthood (Cohanim or Cohens) from Britain, Israel and North America They found that the male chromosomes in priests were significantly different from those of lay Jews.
The study suggests a common origin for all members of the Jewish priesthood, and supports theo-
ries that the priesthood was developed prior to the development of the distinct Ashkenazi and Shepardic communities in the last millennium. (EP News)
MARKETING
Different shades of God's truth
Looking for a new "niche" Bible? Consider the Rainbow Study Bible, the only version in which each verse is color-coded. Rainbow Studies International, based in EI Reno, Okla., offers their new product in the New International Version, Living Bible Edition and KingJames Version. A Spanish translation is also available.
The publishers describe their new Bible as a "simple, yet thorough, study Bible based upon the premise that every verse of the entire Bible falls under one of 12 thematic headings . " Each of the headings is assigned a different color
and each verse is colorcoded accordingly The primary goal, says the publisher, is to "paint a picture of colors on every page and thereby making reading more enjoyable "
Numbers and colors are used in keeping with the publisher's belief that numbers and colors have biblical significance and to help readers remember the various divisions and colors. For example, 12 subject divisions were selected because 12 is a number of completeness in the Bible: there were 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Testament and 12 disciples in the New Testament. "God" is the first of the divisions because there is only one God while verses pertaining to Satan are listed sixth because of the significance of 666 and the mark of the beast in the book of Revelation. (RSI)
FINANCES
Gamblers or givers?
Americans spend more on lotteries than they give to their churches, according to a report by the Associated Baptist Press. U.S. Census Bureau figures show that $26.6 billion was spent by Americans on lotteries in 1994. Figures from the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches show that in the same period, total contributions by American congregations were $19.6 billion. (EP)
WESTERNIZATION
Want fries with that?
A government official must occasionally accommodate the religious sensi-
MB Circles ... by Lorlie Barkman
bilities of citizens-even if that official is Mayor McCheese. The first McDonald's restaurant was opened in India a few months ago, but its "Maharaja Mac" contains no beef, in accordance with the religious practices of Hindus, who regard the cow as a sacred animal .
To accommodate the 80 percent of citizens who are Hindu, the sandwich is made of mutton . For vegetarians, the restaurant offers rice-based patties flavored with vegetables and spices.
Also, there is no pork on the menu, out of respect for the nation's significant Moslem minority. (EP)
CULTURE
A more tolerant Bible
Children's publishers are seeking to remove antiJudaism references in Bible translations and church school curriculum which is blamed for fostering "worldwide anti-Semitism, " according to Explorations , a publication of the American Interfaith Institute and the World Alliance of Interfaith Organizations.
"The past 40 years of biblical and historical studies have changed Christian understanding of Judaism in the time of Jesus and provided new insights about the origins of Christianity which remove the responsibility of Jews as a people for the death of Jesus," writes Howard Clark Kee, professor emeritus, Boston University.
He added that children's Bibles are "peculiarly susceptible to nefarious interpretations" because they paraphrase Scripture . "They do not make clear that Jesus himself was a Jew and that the controversies in the Gospels are
between the Jew Jesus, his Jewish followers, and other Jews , such as the Pharisees and Sadducees," Kee writes.
Pauline Books and Media and Gospel lightjRegal Books are among the publishers making changes, Kee reports. One example of the revisions being made is illustrated in lion's Publishing The Children's Bible in 365 Stories:
Old: "The Jewish leaders were growing more and more determined to silence Jesus , once and for all" (p. 364).
New: "The religious leaders were growing more and more determined to silence Jesus, once and for all " (Explorations)
DIVERSITY Fly the kosher skies
Ultra-Orthodox rabbis have asked airlines to provide "modest" flights to and from Israel to meet the needs of ultra-Orthodox passengers. Such flights would not have movies and would have male flight attendants serve male passengers. Ultra-Orthodox Israelis number about 10 percent of the total Israeli population
"This is a holy and sensitive call on airlines to arrange a possibility of flying on their planes without breaking modesty or holiness," said an appeal signed by leading rabbis.
EI Al, Israel's national airline, already provides kosher meals and bans flights on the Jewish Sabbath. A spokesperson for the airline said male flight attendants are available on request , and noted that on newer planes passengers have individual video screens which can be switched off. (EP)
OUTREACH
Rethink the holy marketplace
According to Siegfried Buchholz, a leading European economist and industrialist, the church has a great product, but is not marketing it properly.
"Flocks of people are seeking meaning to and direction in their lives, " says the 66-year-old president of Austrian Society for Chemical Economy. "The churches, however, offer next to nothing. If they conveyed the gospel message credibly, their future would look brighter. "
The main problem, Buchholz says, is that many church leaders don't seem to believe in what they preach
The Christian faith has a great deal to offer people in business, Buchholz says, but churches have failed to convince executives that the Bible has relevant
answers to their problems. "Their doubts are not unfounded," he says. "Many Christians only answer questions no one has ever asked." (EP)
POLITICS
Christian Coalition giveth much to Caesar
The Christian Coalition was one of the top spenders on lobbying in the fIrst half of 1996, according to government reports.
The conservative organization spent $5.9 million on lobbying during that period That's more than General Electric ($5 3 million), AT&T ($4.3 million), and the National Association of Retired Persons ($3 million). The U.S. Chamber of Commerce ($6.9 million), the American Medical Association ($8.5 million) and Philip Morris ($11.3 million) outspent the Christian Coalition during this same period. (EP)
BE'l();\\) BELIEf
You might be a preacher if ...
Two CLERGY are hoping to get in on comedian Jeff I Foxworthy's "You might be a redneck if " fame with their new book, You Might Be a Preacher if. •• : A Laugh-a-Page Look at the Life of a Preacher (Albury Publishing).
According to Stan Toler and Mark Hollingsworth, you might be a preacher if:
• You've ever wanted to wish people a "Merry Christmas" at Easter because that's the next time you'll see them.
• Your sermons have a happy ending-everybody's happy when they end.
• You've ever fantasized about rebaptizing a deacon.
• You're leading the church into the 21st century, but don't know what you're preaching on Sunday. (EP)
MEDIA MATTERS
BY BURTON BULLER
Mirror, mirror on the wall
Streisand uses "The Mirror Has Two Faces" to challenge media's representation of beauty in ways that are rare in North American culture.
THE HOTfEST new women's fashions hang loosely on the emaciated frames of super models as young as 13 years
Committee canned beef
Hannah worked to meet society's expectations of beauty and success by playing living accessory to her handsome husband. As she has aged, it has become more and more diffficult to keep up the charade
old walking the fashion runways of Paris and Milan. A pound or two less, and these young women would qualify for Mennonite Central Rose, on the other hand, considers herself, well, frumpy. Hannah can't help but levy a constant critical barrage at Rose, forever reminding her that she needs a husband, should change her hair, and wear makeup. Needless to say, Rose's self-confidence finally ends up in the doghouse
For most of North American women, what they see on the fashion runways and in the public media does not equal what they see in the mirror. Fully 80 percent say they do not like how they look. Many do not see themselves measuring up to media 's definition of beauty-a definition flawed by the necessity of creating an unattainable beauty so the average woman will spend dollars to color her hair, highlight her cheekbones, and redo the shape of her tummy.
Now comes "The Mirror Has Two Faces," a movie by Barbra Streisand that dares ask the question, "What is beauty?" Few public figures possess the qualifications necessary to challenge media's representation of beauty. Barbra Streisand does.
Assuredly, Streisand will be Streisand. She evokes strong feelings. Those who root for the underdog will likely find her acting and directing compelling Others find her roles selfserving and shallow, forever hung-up on scenes that scream, "Look at me. I am beautiful!"
"The Mirror Has Two Faces," is vintage Streisand. It's the old "Pygmalion" tale with a few fresh twists.
Streisand plays Rose, a frumpy college professor living with her aging, formerly glamorous mother, Hannah (Lauren Bacall). In her younger years,
Through a newspaper ad placed by Rose's beautiful sister, Claire (Mimi Rogers), on Rose's behalf, Rose meets Gregory Oeff Bridges), a college mathprofessor burned once too often by romantic relationships Now, he wants a platonic relationship devoid of the mess created by passion or love. Rose finds herself strangely drawn to this man; she agrees to his unconventional marriage proposal.
Streisand uses "The Mirror Has Two Faces" to challenge media's representation of beauty in ways that are rare in North American culture. For this reason alone, teenage women should sit through this one.
So, what can we learn from this motion picture? What values does it exhibit?
We all like films that reflect our own beliefs. On many counts, this one should not disappoint. Monogamous marriage is assumed. Fidelity is maintained Marriage itself is discussed humorously but seriously Both passionless marriages and mar· riages built on nothing but passion
are lampooned.
But the most interesting subtext to this film is the serious questions it raises about beauty. When Rose sits with her nagging, aging mother, and they finally engage in real conversation, Rose asks, "How did it feel being beautiful?"
The film dares ask the question every average teenage girl, and a lot of adults, ask the mirror at least once in their lives.
"It was wonderful!" responds Hannah wistfully. We know that her beauty is past. Her self-identity remains locked in her youth. It pains Hannah to see Rose waste the few precious years of youth when beauty can be enjoyed.
Hannah hands Rose a picture of Rose as a beautiful child-a picture Rose mistakenly believes to be her beautiful sister, Claire. When Hannah confirms the picture is, in fact, Rose, tears fall as Rose finally acknowledges that she was beautiful.
Transformation begins at that moment. Here the film falls into a cheap cliche as exercise and makeup make over Rose into an attractive wife that Gregory, her platonic husband, will no longer be able to resist sexually.
The success of this mm rides on how you answer this question: Will Rose be any different from Hannah when Rose is Hannah's age?
The mm doesn't answer this one for you . But if you see Rose as a mirror image of Hannah, Streisand fails in the task she started in this ftlm. If, on the other hand, you see Rose as discovering an inner beauty that she radiates regardless of what her mother defines as beautiful, then the mm succeeds in seriously challenging media's representation of beauty.
If you decide to see the movie, or rent the video, be aware that there are a few profanities and a fair amount of discussion, much of it humorous, about sexual topics. But it will be one of the tamer ftlms you will see that still deals intelligently with a serious topic .
SESSION 1 N ew lif e
LET'S TALK ABOUT IT
A GUIDE FOR GROUP I N TERACTION
Based on 'The Case For an Empty Tomb, " page 4, and " Up From the Grave We Arose, " page 7.
GET READY - Getting started
• Share a favorite Easter memory.
GET SET - Examining the issues
1. What evidence supports the reality of Jesus's resurrection?
2. Why would someone want to refute the resurrection?
3 What are the implications of a Christian saying that belief in the resurrection is optional?
GO - Applying ideas to the way we live
1. What difference does the resurrection make in your life from day to day?
2 As a group, role playa conversation in which some of you believe in the resurrection and some do not.
3 Read 1 Corinthians 15 and sing a song that celebrates the resurrection
4. What stories could you add from your church about the power of the resurrection in the lives of people?
SESSION 2 Hearing and listening
Based on Ph'lip Side, page 13
GET READY - Getting started
• Make a quick list of all the sounds you have heard to this point in the day
GET SET - Examining the issues
1. What makes listening difficult?
2. What does 1 Kings 19 :9-18 say about listening to the Lord?
3. What are the benefits of listening?
GO - Applying ideas to the way we live
1 What enhances your ability to listen to God?
2. In what areas of your life do you need to do more listening and less doing?
3. What have you heard from God recently?
4. What opportunities for listening does your church offer in corporate worship?
SESSION 3 Rethinking beauty
Based on Media Matters, page 42
GET READY - Getting started
• What is one of your most beautiful features?
GET SET - Examining the issues
1. What value does Buller see in the Streisand movie? Do you agree?
2 What Scripture passages or phrases speak to the theme of beauty?
3. What are the key issues related to beauty?
GO - Applying ideas to the way we live
1. How do you define beauty?
2. To what extent should a Christian value physical beauty-either their own or someone else's?
3. How can we as believers nurture inner beauty and why is it so important that we do so?
4. Reflect upon "beautiful" people you know What makes them beautiful? Which of those qualities would you like to develop in you?
5. What is a specific way in which you could affirm the beauty of another person?
SESSION 4 God's Involvement In human endeavors
Based on '''Miracles' Open Doors for Esengo, " page 26
GET READY - Getting started
• Recall a time when an event or circum stan ce in your life seemed to work out "miraculously ."
GET SET - Examining the issues
1. What challenges have the Esengo choir and the sponsors faced? What miracles have they experienced?
2 What does this experience suggest about God's timing and ultimate control?
3. To what extent should the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of visas confirm that the Esengo tour truly is " God's will" and not merely a human endeavor that turned out w ell?
GO - Applying ideas to the way we live
1. Identify a time in your life when you have "had heavy decisions to make in the absence of fact" or when you desperately needed a miracle.
2. How did God reveal himself in your situation?
3 . In what ways was/is your faith strengthened through the experience?
4. How can you ensure that " God ' s name be lifted up and glorified"?
5. How do we balance the need to "do our part" while still relying on God's involvement?
Questions by Nadine Friesen.
On the road to self-discovery
ONE OF TIlE great privileges traveling offers is the opportunity to learn about new environments. "To expand your world," I believe, is the operative teffil. The more exotic the place, the more your world expands.
While traveling the cities and back roads of India duringJanuary, my world not only expanded, it occasionally herniated "Culture shock" and "sensory overload" were common diagnoses for the occasional numbness that afflicted many of us who participated in Mennonite World Conference In the end, though, we survived, and most would say the experience was worthwhile
As valuable as an expanded world can be, I fmd that traveling offers another, even greater, benefit: the opportunity to learn more about yourself. Beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone, it's amazing what you discover along
Does my striving for more, ultimately, make for a kind of burden my brother does not bear? And if personal "success" is ultimately an issue of character-who we are and what we value-which one of us really needs "fIXing"?
Werner Kroeker, who has been living in India for several months as a liaison between our North American and India conferences, told us: "When you come to India, and you experience life as it is here, resist the temptation to say ' This is good, this is bad.' Simply tell yourself, 'This is different ' Try to withhold judgment for as long as you can. You'll fmd your experience here to be much more pleasant."
That ' s good advice for anyone who travels to India or any other foreign country. But it's also good advice for all of us who travel through this life, wherever it takes place. Anytime we meet someone who looks different, has differthe back roads of your heart and mind
While in India, I visited previously unchartered inner territory Sitting on a hard bed in a dingy, odd-smelling hotel room in Calcutta, for instance, I found out I wasn't as "adaptable" as I always envisioned myself to be . Amenities are more important to me than I thought. That was disappointing. On the encouraging side, after observing the poverty
Beyond
the boundaries
ent tastes, espoUses different ideas, the temptation is to try to "fix" them. After all, if they aren't like we are, they can't be OK. of your comfort zone, it's
amazing what you discover along the back roads of Frank Tillapaugh used to say there are basically two kinds of people in this world
One kind, when faced with a conflict of some sort, asks "What's wrong with me?" The other kind, in the same situation, asks, "What's wrong with you?" Granted, either attitude in your heart and mind. that lines so many Calcutta streets, I realized my heart could still be touched by the suffering of others.
One self-discovery surfaced repeatedly: a desire to "fix" India. It's hard to see the poverty, the pollution and assorted other "problems" in this incredible country and not feel that way. But what is more self-revealing is what we imagine a "fixed" India would look like. As I listened to my fellow travelers and tested my own assumptions, I came to the conclusion that, bottom line, a "fixed" India would look a lot more like us. Basic to a "fix it" urge is an assumption that our aspirations are also theirs. Material comfort. Upward mobility. Successful career. Social status. All those things that say "North American lifestyle."
No doubt, these aspirations do exist among the people of India. But I also sensed a lack of "drivenness" toward these ends For better or worse, Indian people seem more content with their "lacking" life than I do with my "full" life. Which led me to wonder: While we have great material advantages in North America, is our life in all ways truly better? I may have a better home than my brother in India , but am I as grateful for mine as he seems to be for his?
the extreme leads to problems. But on the whole they represent two approaches to life. To ask, "What's wrong with you?, " is to assume we are right, we have it together, we have the answers.
But to ask, "What's wrong with me? , " is to leave open the possibility that we might have something to learn from others That our view isn't the only one. That our assumptions aren't always the best. That our motivations aren't always pure.
I think that's what Paul had in mind when he wrote: "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you" (Rom. 12:3). I think it's significant Paul wrote these words to Christians living in Rome, the richest , most powerful, most sophisticated and most advanced society of the day. Or at least a society that saw itself that way.
Introspection Honest self-appraisal. A desire to learn from others.
One of the great privileges of traveling through this life is the opportunity to learn about who we are-and what we can become through the grace of our Lord.-DR
