A tribute to Menno Wiebe - (1932-2021) INSIDE - Canadian Mennonite

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A tribute to Menno Wiebe - (1932-2021) INSIDE - Canadian Mennonite
February 1, 2021   Volume 25 Number 3

                     A tribute to
                    Menno      Wiebe
                        (1932-2021)
                                                    pg. 20

                                                                             INSIDE
PM40063104 R09613

                                                                    Stones of remembrance   4
                                                                           Losing freedom? 11
                                                             ‘Help me to see how you see it’ 19
A tribute to Menno Wiebe - (1932-2021) INSIDE - Canadian Mennonite
2                                                                                                  Canadian Mennonite February 1, 2021

         editorial

                     Hope in a bleak midwinter
                                                            By Tobi Thie s sen
                                                                Pub lish er

                  C        anadians are
                           struggling with the
                           heaviness of this
                    winter. The prospect of
    several more months with physical
                                                 singing together. It gives us hope that
                                                 we will meet together again one day.
                                                 When we do, we will rejoice and sing
                                                 praises to God for the chance to do
                                                 what we once took for granted.
                                                                                               examples in every issue of this
                                                                                               magazine.
                                                                                                 It is a bleak midwinter but the days
                                                                                               are getting longer. Some of our most
                                                                                               at-risk citizens have already been
    gathering restrictions is as depressing as      We generate some hope for ourselves        vaccinated. We can find physically
    the grey skies of southern Ontario in        by thinking about what church will be         distant ways to help bring God’s hope
    February. As a society, we have started      like when we gather in person again.          to others in this hurting world. Amaz-
    to squabble, point fingers and shift         This is hope as an act of imagination         ingly, these acts of goodwill towards
    blame.                                       that makes a tough present situation          others will kindle and strengthen hope
       The arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in       more bearable. It is the same type of         within ourselves.
    December buoyed our spirits as much          hope that we take by lighting candles at
    as Christmas lights did. We knew it          Advent and remembering God’s                  Print and digital issues
    would be months before we all got a          promise that the Messiah will deliver us      will continue
    turn to be inoculated but it is hard to be   from oppression. It is a quiet, meditative       In 2021, Canadian Mennonite will
    patient. Now there is nothing festive to     kind of hope we seize when the challen-       again publish 22 regular issues plus four
    warm our hearts and there seems to be        ges of the day are too great for any one      digital-only ones. As a subscriber, you
    more bad news than good. Where do we         person to resolve.                            can have a print issue mailed and a
    find hope in this bleak midwinter?              To hope is to envision an outcome in       digital copy emailed to up to two email
       Hope and optimism are not the same        which life is better in some way. In some     addresses in the same household. To
    thing, but of course we look on the          instances, the hope allows us to with-        add digital delivery to your subscrip-
    bright side of a situation to help get       stand the present situation despite our       tion, email Lisa Jacky at office@
    through dark days. The pandemic forced       inability to change it. In other cases, we    canadianmennonite.org.
    us to try new ways of being a church         create hope when we act within our               Select articles from a digital-only
    and community. To enable online              own sphere of influence to make life          issue are printed in the next print issue
    worship, we embraced new technologies        better for someone else.                      to ensure that print-only readers get a
    and learned new skills. Our commun-             We are, after all, the hands and feet of   sampling.
    ities, sorely challenged to minister to      God on this journey towards liberation
    the most isolated among us, have tried       from oppression. Resolving the pan-           Corrections for Jan. 4 issue
    new ways of reaching out. We have            demic is something beyond our capacity,       • F irst Mennonite Church in Kitchener,
    tested both the potential and the            but we can still take action to improve          Ont., has 245 members. Incorrect
    limitations of online worship and virtual    life at a very local level.                      information appeared in the feature
    community. We will bring the benefit of         In this issue, Donna Schulz writes            “A rich and diverse version of God,”
    this experience into church when             about one such effort initiated by the           pages 4 to 7.
    in-person gatherings resume.                 Mount Royal Mennonite Church in               • The head shots of Karen Schellenberg
       The arrival of the new hymnal Voices      Saskatoon (page 18). Joanne De Jong              and Lisa Enns in the “Pastoral
    Together brightens this winter as well.      writes about the pastor of Edmonton’s            transitions in Manitoba” news brief,
    The music collection is something            Oromo Mennonite church teaching                  page 30, were transposed.
    exciting and new to explore that is          anger-management skills to Ethiopian
    rooted in our centuries-old tradition of     youth (page 23). There are other              Canadian Mennonite regrets the errors. l

                                                                      Printed in Canada

                   Award-winning
                        member
                                                                                               ISSN 1480-042X
A tribute to Menno Wiebe - (1932-2021) INSIDE - Canadian Mennonite
contents
Canadian Mennonite Vol. 25 No. 3                                                                                                                             3

                                                                                                                       February 1, 2021 / Vol. 25, No. 3

 ABOUT THE COVER:                                                                  Stones of
 Menno Wiebe, left, presents a riding crop to renowned Lubicon                     remembrance 4
 Cree chief Bernard Ominayak in Little Buffalo, Alta., in 1993.                    Danielle Raimbault
 Wiebe’s presentation was accompanied with the words, “Ride on,                    recalls the stones erected
 sir!” Story starts on page 20.                                                    on the banks of the Jordan
              PHOTO: MICHAEL BRYSON / MENNONITE HERITAGE ARCHIVES                  River and makes a
                                                                                   connection to God’s
 Wise stories can build peace			                                           12      faithfulness in her own life.
 Barb Draper reviews MC Canada’s Common Read book for Winter
 2021.

 Committed to seeking a deeper understanding                               13
 Mennonite Central Committee begins research into historical
 connections with national socialism.

 The importance of a ‘generous space’ in Manitoba 16 Regular features:
 LGBTQ+ Mennonites find a supportive community through an                         For discussion 6 Readers write 7
 ecumenical ministry.                                                             A moment from yesterday 9 Online NOW! 27
                                                                                  Schools Directory 28-29 Calendar 31 Classifieds 31
 There is no peace without Christ                                          23
 Mennonite pastor Mezgebu A. Tucho teaches anger management                       The crowd Caleb Kowalko                                               9
 and discipleship in Ethiopia.
                                                                                  Connections Arli Klassen                                             10

                                                                                  Losing freedom? Troy Watson                                          11

                                                    490 Dutton Drive, Unit C5,
                                                      Waterloo, ON, N2L 6H7       Canadian Mennonite Staff
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 Phone: 519-884-3810 Toll-free: 1-800-378-2524 Fax: 519-884-3331                  Executive Editor, Virginia A. Hostetler, editor@canadianmennonite.org
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 return undeliverable items to: Canadian Mennonite,                               Alberta Correspondent, Joanne De Jong, ab@canadianmennonite.org
 490 Dutton Drive, Unit C5, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6H7                                 Saskatchewan Correspondent, Donna Schulz, sk@canadianmennonite.org
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 Mission statement: To educate, inspire, inform, and foster dialogue on issues    Eastern Canada Correspondent, Janet Bauman, ec@canadianmennonite.org
 facing Mennonites in Canada as it shares the good news of Jesus Christ from an
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A tribute to Menno Wiebe - (1932-2021) INSIDE - Canadian Mennonite
4                                                                                        Canadian Mennonite February 1, 2021

    feature

                     Stones of
                   remembrance         Feature an d Ph o to s by D an i el l e R ai m b au lt

         “And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, ‘In the
          future when your descendants ask their parents, “What do these stones mean?” tell them, “Israel crossed the
                                           Jordan on dry ground”’” (Joshua 4:20-22).

    T
                he crossing of the Jordan River was a key           up on the church?
                event in Israel’s history. As the Israelites           The Israelites were reminded of God’s vitality in their
                found themselves on the other side, Joshua          lives by creating a pile of stones. And so, I went search-
                commanded the Israelites to take 12 stones          ing for my own pile of “stones,” shown in the following
                from the river and carry them to their camp.        photos. I don’t have 12, so four will have to do.
    Joshua set up the stones as a symbol of God’s faithfulness
    to them as they crossed into the promised land.                 Dancing girl
      The pile of stones was just as central to this story as the
    physical crossing of the river was. It reminded the people
    of that day—the week after, the month after, the year
    after—until those who had gathered the stones had their
    own children and those children had their own children.
      The remembrance of these stones, a physical rep-
    resentation, stood out for the children to ask, “Why are
    these stones here?” The stones cried out with Israel’s
    story that their God was faithful.

    Looking for stones
    But here we are. Our congregations are aging. It seems
    as though the church in North America is aging. Folks
    from the younger generation aren’t involved in church
    anymore. The church population is getting kind of old.
       Yet we are called to further Christ’s church. Our
    congregations need to work at being sustainable and
    being a place that will continue on with the younger
    generations. Our congregations can do that by being
    vital. If the church continues to be vital in people’s lives,   This figurine reminds me of my grandma’s house. I
    it will continue to be sustainable.                             remember my grandma, who was a single mother in the
       I don’t know how to make the church sustainable.             1960s. The figurine reminds me of how she became a
    And I have questioned whether the church is vital. And,         devoted follower of Jesus, beat alcoholism, spent all her
    many times in my life, I’ve seen the church population          time volunteering for her church and how she spoke
    age and younger people dwindle away. Sometimes I do             about Jesus wherever she would go. It reminds me of my
    love to trash-talk about the church. But here I am: a           grandma, who knelt with me as I welcomed Jesus into my
    young, under-30 person who is actively a part of the            heart, as children in my context were taught to do. It
    church. And it’s not just because I get paid to be here.        reminds me of my grandma, who heard about my strug-
       So, why am I part of the church? Why haven’t I given         gles in finding my identity as a pastor and said, “I wish you
                                                                    would have told me, I could have prayed for you.”
A tribute to Menno Wiebe - (1932-2021) INSIDE - Canadian Mennonite
Canadian Mennonite Vol. 25 No. 3                                                                                                        5

    I have no doubt that my grandma was      Baptismal certificate
 praying for me that whole time.
    This figurine reminds me of my
 grandma, who, to me, embodies what
 the church should be. It reminds me of
 my grandma, who taught me that God
 is faithful.

 Photo of Genesis

                                                          This baptismal certificate          This necklace still has a special place
                                                          reminds me of the church I       in my heart. I often wear it at times
                                                          went to while growing up in      when I need to feel God’s presence
                                                          Manitoba. I don’t have too       with me, whether it’s attending a
                                                          many good memories of that       visitation for a funeral I’m officiating
                                                          place, but this is one that is   for someone I’ve never met, or a
                                                          very special to me.              workshop I’m doing for a room full of
 This is a photo of me in all my teenager        I was 15 and asked to be baptized in      pastors who seem much wiser—and
 awkwardness, with a Nicaraguan girl          the river at a provincial park near our      older, and “maler”—than me.
 named Genesis. She was one of the first house. I loved the outdoors. As I rose               This necklace weighs on my neck and
 children to arrive at an orphanage           from the water, the church members,          reminds me that God is there with me.
 where my dad and I worked. She and I         lined up along the shoreline, began          It reminds me that the presence of God
 became fast friends despite our lan-         singing “Amazing Grace.”                     goes with me wherever I may be. It
 guage differences.                              It was a congregation that always         reminds me that God is faithful.
    I promised Genesis that I would come welcomed me back home. This certifi-                 What are the stones of remembrance
 back next year and visit her; I didn’t. I’ve cate reminds me that this church did, in     in your life? What are the rocks that
 thought about her often. I have no idea      some roundabout way that I didn’t see        point to God’s faithfulness? Why have
 where she is, but I want to call her and     then, nurture me into becoming a             you stayed in the church for as long as
 tell her about the impact she made on        pastor. This certificate reminds me again    you have? Why is your faith vital to you?
 my life. It’s very possible she doesn’t      and again of my baptism into Christ’s        I invite you to share these stories with
 even remember who I am.                      church, however messy it looked in my        your children, with your grandchildren.
    This photo reminds me of all the          life during that time. It reminds me that    Ask them to share their stones of
 people we interact with in our lives, on     God is faithful.                             remembrance with you.
 whom we make a lasting impression                                                            The Israelites did not become the
 without even knowing it. It reminds me Cross necklace                                     people of God easily. They became
 that the Holy Spirit works in powerful       I received this necklace from someone        God’s people through the experience of
 ways that are beyond our control. This       whose house I was billeted at during a       redemption from Egypt, the experience
 photo makes me hope that God was as          choir tour. I don’t remember anything        of their time in the desert and the
 faithful to Genesis, wherever she is, as     about him other than his generosity to       experience of crossing the Jordan River.
 God has been faithful to me.                 give me a gift after barely even             Israel became the people of God
                                              knowing me.                                  through these, as they witnessed God’s
A tribute to Menno Wiebe - (1932-2021) INSIDE - Canadian Mennonite
6                                                                                                    Canadian Mennonite February 1, 2021

                                                                                                   souls.
                                                                                                     I believe that you aren’t able to
                                                                                                   show others that the church is vital
                                                                                                   unless you first think about how the
                                                                                                   church is vital to you.
                                                                                                     I still don’t know how to make the
                                                                                                   church sustainable. But I do know that
                                                                                                   I’m here because God has been faithful
                                                                                                   in my life. I know that it is better for
                                                                                                   me to be here listening to the ways
                                                                                                   that God has worked in people’s lives.
                                                                                                   And I wonder: if we continue to tell
                                                                                                   others about how the church is vital to
                                                                                                   us, perhaps the sustainability part will
                                                                                                   work itself out. l

                                                                                                               Danielle Raimbault is a
                                                                                                               co-pastor of Preston and
                                                                                                               Wanner Mennonite
                                                                                                               churches in Cambridge,
                                                                                                               Ont. She preached this
                                                                                                               sermon to both
    faithfulness over and over again.            other, dedicate our babies, and give            congregations in a series based on a
       Joshua built the pile of stones to        packages to our youth in the hope that          covenant the two churches formed to
    remind the Israelites why God was vital      they will know that we love them even           guide their relationships as they share
    in their life. Like them, we can talk,       though they are distant. We collect food        pastors.
    share our “stones” and our stories about     for the hungry and we feed our own
    how God has been faithful to us.
       These stories shape who I’ve become
    and they are a part of why I show up to        ΛΛFor discussion
    church on a Sunday morning. I don’t
    show up because there is flashy worship        1. What are your “stones of remembrance”—the artifacts or stories that remind you of
    that catches my attention. I don’t show        how God has been faithful in your life? Are they portrayed in your photo albums? What
    up because there are a bunch of other          is the advantage of having your own “pile of stones” out on display where you can see
    young people here that are my age. I           them daily?
    show up because these stones in my life
    have shown me that I need to be with           2. As you think of your church building, what are the objects or photos on display that
    the people of God, and I’m not going to        remind people of God’s past faithfulness to the congregation? How often is attention
    do that by sleeping in every Sunday            drawn to these items? Does a Mennonite museum do a good job of reminding us of
    morning.                                       God’s faithfulness?
       I show up because it is in the church
    where I have seen God active. I show up        3. Danielle Raimbault wonders about the sustainability of the church in North America
    because it is in the church where I have       and admits she doesn’t know how to make it sustainable. What questions do you have
    seen the Holy Spirit moving. I show up         about the future of the church? How does reminding ourselves of God’s faithfulness in
    because being with the people of God           the past help us deal with fear about the future?
    and hearing their stories tells me what
    the Israelites learned over and over           4. Raimbault writes, “[I]t is in the church where I have seen God active.” Where have you
    again: God is faithful.                        seen God active in the church? In what ways is the church vital for you? How can the
       Sure, church is messy. We fight. We         church better remind itself of times when God was faithful?
    are impatient with one another. We are
    tired of committee meetings. We roll           —By B arb D r ap er
    our eyes when certain people are talking
    and we zone out perhaps more often               S ee related resources at
    than we should.                                   www.commonword.ca/go/2241
       But we also fall in love, cry with each
A tribute to Menno Wiebe - (1932-2021) INSIDE - Canadian Mennonite
Canadian Mennonite Vol. 25 No. 3                                                                                        7
                                                                                                                     opinion
 ΛΛReaders write                                           as he would have us believe are those of some of the
                                                           survivors who reached out to him: “They unfortu-
 LL   Might Jesus have really said ‘Our Mother’?           nately experienced [Yoder Neufeld’s] letter as
                                                           shaming them for coming forward, and pressuring
 Re: “Gendered images of God,” Nov. 23, 2020, page         them to quickly forgive.”
 23.                                                          But after reading Yoder Neufeld’s letter a number
   The committee that worked on the new hymnal,            of times, I find no indication that he suggested,
 Voices Together, says that “the decisions made about      encouraged or even hinted at the survivors’ need to
 the language used for God may be unsettling for           forgive Rempel for what he has done. His comment
 some.”                                                    on forgiveness was clearly directed at the church, to
   I am one of those. I’m sure we all believe that Jesus   those who have done the harm [Rempel] coming to a
 spoke the truth when he said, “I am the way the truth     “full acknowledgment and true repentance.”
 and the life,” and taught us to pray, “Our Father who        Survivors who have interpreted his letter different-
 art in heaven.”                                           ly are doing so from their internal emotional process,
   How can we now say he could have been wrong             not from what is written by Yoder Neufeld. Further-
 and may have said, “Our Mother”?                          more, they are using their energy to enlist an ally
   In all the Bibles I have, God, Jesus and the Holy       rather than using their energy to reflect on their own
 Spirit are always referred to in the male gender.         pain, turmoil and trauma, which is where the healing
   I also think it is wrong to change words in hymns       must take place.
 that we all love and that were written for us hundreds       Shantz, in becoming that ally, has slipped into an
 of years ago. When we use someone else’s words and        either/or approach and has lost some of his freedom
 claim that they are our own, that is called plagiarism.   to be helpful. I would, however, completely support
 Doing the exact opposite has to be wrong, too.            his position that “the day may come when we can
   I’m sure the committee is sincere and wants to be       talk of forgiveness,” but for the survivors that must
 inclusive, but making these changes is not going to       always be left in their hands—whether to forgive
 help.                                                     and, if so, when.
 Cornie Martens, R abbit L ake, Sa sk .                    G eorge Enns, Sa sk ato on

 LL  Dealing with sexual abuse should be                   LL Mother and daughter can’t
 a ‘both/and’ exercise for the church                      keep from singing hymns

 Re: “Point: Compassion needed for both victims            My 92-year-old mother, Ruth Marie Wideman
 and perpetrator,” and “Counterpoint: No quick             Reesor, lives north of Toronto, where she is a
 forgiveness for perpetrator” letters, Nov. 23, 2020,      member of Community Mennonite Church in
 page 7.                                                   Stouffville, Ont. I live in north Florida.
   As a retired family therapist who has worked with         At the beginning of the first pandemic lockdown, I
 both perpetrators and survivors, I know it’s common       realized how important our phone calls were. I
 for individuals, therapists and the church communi-       started bringing poetry books for our daily chats.
 ty to approach difficult problems within an either/or     The Zoom choirs on social media sparked an idea.
 paradigm, which is limiting and insufficient. We          On Mother’s Day last year we started singing hymns
 need a paradigm of “both/and,” one that I believe is      together, she on her landline phone and me on the
 more closely aligned with the teaching of Jesus.          speaker of my cell phone.
   From my perspective, Tom Yoder Neufeld elo-               We quickly realized how good it feels to sing with
 quently outlined the painful dilemma of John D.           someone else, despite the lag or the bad reception.
 Rempel’s sexual misconduct, his devastating               After four months of hopping around in three
 behaviour and the church’s need to take a clear stand     hymnbooks, we started in September to systemati-
 with “those who have been harmed” and “with those         cally sing our way through each book. What a
 who have done the harm.” I also agree with Yoder          treasure this heritage has been for us! It’s amazing to
 Neufeld that the church has done a much better job        realize how many hymns we know. Mom has lots of
 of dealing with those who have been hurt, abused          stories about specific songs, especially from the old
 and traumatized than it has in dealing with those         Church Hymnal (1928).
 who have offended, where we have too often slipped          It continues to be so gratifying to sing seven to
 into an either/or approach.                               eight hymns every evening. Last week our new
   Marcus Shantz’s letter is one clear example of this,    Voices Together hymnals arrived, and we began our
A tribute to Menno Wiebe - (1932-2021) INSIDE - Canadian Mennonite
8                                                                               Canadian Mennonite February 1, 2021

    journey. It looks like a great resource for many           for healthcare workers, Dec. 7, 2020, page 16). She
    decades to come. We do have to watch the pronouns          worked hard to interview local residents and not
    and new words, so it keeps us alert. I bought the          resort to stereotypes and potshots, and her work
    CDs, so hopefully we can learn some new songs too:         should not be undone by printing a glib, self-right-
    “My life flows on in endless song, above earth’s           eous letter to the editor from somebody across the
    lamentation. / Since Love is lord of heav’n and earth,     country.
    how can I keep from singing?”                                And I was dismayed by the letter itself. Jesus told a
      I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to learn      story about a self-righteous Pharisee who thanked
    to sing in choirs in Sunday school; at what is now         God he wasn’t like that sinner over there, warned us
    Rockway Mennonite Collegiate in Kitchener, Ont.; at        about logs in our own eyes, and taught us that we’re
    the former Conrad Grebel College in Waterloo, Ont.;        supposed to treat others how we’d like to be treated.
    and in the Mennonite Mass Choir. It is such a rich           The letter naively generalizes diverse communities
    tradition.                                                 from afar, makes no reference to the herculean and
    Nor m a Ree sor , Tall aha s see, Fl a .                   sacrificial work done by our local congregations and
                                                               health-care staff to help and heal our local commu-
                                                               nities during a pandemic that has left beloved
    LL MAID article pulls rug out                              members of our communities dead, and its sancti-
    from under reader                                          mony runs antithetical to much of what makes the
                                                               Christian faith beautiful.
    Re: “He asked if it was okay for him to die,” Dec. 7,      Kyle Penner , Steinbach, Man.
    2020, page 29.
       I’m guessing that I would be classified as an           The writer is associate pastor of Grace Mennonite
    average reader of Canadian Mennonite. I look at, or        Church in Steinbach.
    read, most articles and finish with the feeling that all
    is well in my Mennonite world, thanks to the fine
    and uplifting news and stories.                            LL Mayor responds to
       I felt the same with the Dec. 7 issue until “wham,”     erroneous COVID-19 claims
    you pulled the rug out from under me. John Long-
    hurst’s people story is disturbing, timely and             Re: “Send free copies of CM to Steinbach and
    beautiful! I was reminded of the St. Francis story,        Altona” letter, Jan. 4, page 10.
    when he was asked what he would do if he knew that            As mayor of our southern Manitoba community of
    he would die the following day, and he replied, “I         Altona, I regularly hear from residents drawing my
    would finish hoeing my garden.” It seems clear that        attention to items involving our prairie town.
    some of us are blessed with knowing in advance             Imagine my surprise, when a lifelong resident
    when our “gardening” is done.                              directed me to this letter and the comment that
    Peter A D ueck , Vancouver                                 Altona was the site of anti-mask protests, and that
                                                               our patients were in cars and ambulances outside of
    The writer is a member of Peace Church on 52nd in          the hospital.
    Vancouver.                                                    Please note that is most certainly not the case.
                                                                  Like communities all across Canada, our COVID-
                                                               19 battle has not been easy, and there are detractors,
    LL Pastor dismayed at                                      but overwhelmingly our residents have supported
    ‘smug’ COVID-19 letter                                     and practised the public-health directives.
                                                                  Our health-care facility has not been overrun with
    Re: “Send free copies of CM to Steinbach and               COVID-19 patients and, unlike the City of Calgary,
    Altona” letter, Jan. 4, page 10.                           where the letter writer resides, the town of Altona
       I am dismayed and disappointed by this smug             has not been the site of any anti-mask demon-
    letter to the editor about sending Canadian Men-           strations.
    nonite magazines to southern Manitoba as it                   As a former Canadian Mennonite Publishing
    experienced a significant increase in COVID-19             Service board member, thank you for your ongoing
    cases.                                                     efforts to engage the Canadian Mennonite reader-
       I was dismayed and disappointed by CM’s editorial       ship in meaningful and open conversations.
    staff for printing it, thus undermining the excellent,     Al Frie sen, Altona , Man.
    nuanced, thoughtful and compassionate journalism
    done by Nicolien Klassen-Wiebe (“Candles of care
A tribute to Menno Wiebe - (1932-2021) INSIDE - Canadian Mennonite
Canadian Mennonite Vol. 25 No. 3                                                                                                               9

                                                   From Our Leaders

                                                 The crowd
                                                          C al eb Kow alko

 M         any of us are taking crowds
           very seriously these days and
           avoiding them as much as
 possible. For the sake of public health,
 I cannot encourage this enough. But
                                             and disdain for the crowd around Jesus.
                                             But if we take the crowd much more
                                             seriously, something else emerges.
                                               What is the crowd? It is made up of
                                             the wounded, the desperate and the
                                                                                             human creatures, but being in the
                                                                                             crowd is not the same as being a
                                                                                             disciple. Disciples often emerge from
                                                                                             the crowd but, more often, the disciples
                                                                                             are invited by Jesus into his work of
 there’s a crowd we have been avoiding       hungry. Within the crowd are the                ministering from within the crowd.
 since long before the pandemic started.     diseased and the outcast, sex workers              This means that discipleship is not
    That crowd is a constant reality         and tax collectors, soldiers, widows and        only about “me and Jesus.” As a theology
 throughout the gospel stories, following    orphans, Jews and gentiles, and even the        professor once said, “If you don’t feel
 Jesus wherever he goes. Too often we        occasional rich young man.                      drawn towards the crowd, you might
 overlook the presence of that crowd           They scream, “Jesus, help me!” and            need to rethink your time at the divinity
 and, when we eventually do pay closer       reach out to him in desperation as he           school.”
 attention to it, we often look down on it   passes by. Indeed, they are there to get           Discipleship is precisely about not
 with disdain.                               something from Jesus. They want                 avoiding the crowd. As much as we
    Count me among those who, for a          healing, hope, restoration and life. They       stand alongside the crowd, with our
 long time, thought Jesus was constantly     want salvation. And they’ve come to the         own desperate longing as creatures
 trying to escape the crowd, or that the     same place—the right place—around               longing for our Creator, discipleship
 crowd was constantly getting in Jesus’      the body of Jesus.                              also includes facing the crowd with
 way. We read about the crowd as if they       The crowd is human. The crowd is              Jesus, seeing the crowd through Jesus’
 are like a swarm of mosquitos, selfishly    dependent. The crowd is the point.              eyes and joining in that dangerous but
 trying to get at Jesus and take some-         The crowd is not in Jesus’ way. Jesus         life-giving work of loving. l
 thing from him. Then every Easter we        came precisely for the crowd. And if we
 cast our scorn on the crowd as they         take a step back, we can witness the                         Caleb Kowalko is the pastor
 were so easily manipulated by the chief     unfolding of a sacred event whenever                         of Calgary First Mennonite
 priests, demanding blood as they            Jesus is in the midst of the crowd: the                      Church.
 shouted, “Crucify him!”                     Creator and the creature are together
    The crowd is a burden. The crowd is      again.
 to blame. The crowd is a problem.             The gospels give the idea that there is
    These are the assumptions that so        a porous boundary between the crowd
 often drive our ignorance, avoidance        and the disciples. Both are dependent

        A moment from yesterday
                                   Scarlet fever, cholera, diphtheria, smallpox, typhoid and whooping cough were some of communicable
                                   diseases that plagued communities in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Jacob Kroeker (1836-1914)
                                   came to Manitoba in 1876 and settled in the village of Schoenweise. From 1881 to 1885 halskrankeit
                                   (diptheria) was a significant communicable illness that affected many. During this time, Jacob lost his
                                   wife Anna Zacharias (1836-Nov. 17, 1883), daughter Anna (1880-Nov. 29, 1883), and son Franz (1862-
                                   Dec. 28, 1883). As the weather grew colder in 1884, the communicable diseases made their presence
                                   felt again. Jacob had to say aufwiedersehen to David (1872-Dec. 5, 1884), and Abram (1877-Dec. 10,
                                   1884). So many deaths due to these illnesses in just one family! During this time, diphtheria killed more
                                   than half of the children it infected. Thanks to vaccines, today many families are spared the anguish of
                                   children dying from these diseases. Pictured, Jacob poses with his second wife, Helena Fehr, in 1903.

                                   Text: Conrad Stoesz
                                   Photo: Mennonite Heritage Archives                                                   archives.mhsc.ca
A tribute to Menno Wiebe - (1932-2021) INSIDE - Canadian Mennonite
10                                                                                                     Canadian Mennonite February 1, 2021

                        The Church Here and There                                                 • There are three Anabaptist confer-
                                                                                                  ences (synods) in Indonesia, none of

                          Connections                                                             which were started by a Mennonite
                                                                                                  church in North America, whereas the
                                                                                                  Dutch Mennonite church has strong
                                        Arli Kl a s s en                                          relationships in Indonesia. How do we
                                                                                                  Canadian Mennonites develop relation-

I   believe it is important that we are
    called to belong to a faith community
    that is beyond our own congregation.
 My main question today is: “How do we
 belong, how do we connect with the
                                                   We seem to be returning to a time
                                                 when people trust the people who they
                                                 know personally, while centralized
                                                 communication systems are trusted less
                                                 than communication by the people you
                                                                                                  ships that are not tied to our historical
                                                                                                  mission activity?

                                                                                                     Direct relationships are becoming an
                                                                                                  important way of connecting with
 people in our Anabaptist church                 know personally. I wonder how this               Anabaptists beyond our congregation.
 (regional, nationwide, international)           changes our church world.                        When people use these relationships to
 beyond our congregation?                                                                         connect their congregation with Anabap-
    In previous decades, we learned about        Some examples                                    tist brothers and sisters somewhere else
 and developed relationships with people         • Our Mennonite Church Canada                    in Canada or around the world, all
 beyond our own congregation in very             Witness workers are supported through            congregational life is enriched, and our
 centralized ways. We attended regional,         relational funding mechanisms, foster-           experience of God deepens and grows.
 nationwide and international confer-            ing strong direct relationships with                When there are no informal direct
 ences in person, where we learned to            some individuals and congregations. It           communication channels, it is the
 know people from “out there.” We                is harder for less-connected Witness             communication tools of our larger
 listened to reports and sermons by              workers to be well funded.                       church bodies that help us to learn
 visiting church leaders and missionaries,       • Some congregations have direct                 about and support those among our
 who visited our local congregations and         relationships with other congregations           Anabaptist family who are more
 told us stories about the exciting things       around the world, sharing music videos,          marginalized or isolated.
 happening “out there.”                          prayer times and sermons with each                  Let us continue to trust those more
    Today, we live in a world where our          other online. I loved seeing the Face-           centralized communication channels
 people, particularly younger adults, are        book post last week of a church choir in         along with the vast network of direct
 more sceptical about what is perceived          Zambia that shared its music with a              relationships, which all work together
 to be centralized and institutional             congregation in Pennsylvania for                 so that we feel more connected into the
 communication. Long ago, we were a              Sunday morning worship.                          whole of our Anabaptist body. l
 small-enough community that one                 • I participated in the Mennonite
 might personally know the various               World Conference (MWC) Online                                 rli Klassen connects
                                                                                                              A
 church leaders, and trust them.                 Prayer Hour last weekend. We had                             informally and formally in
    Then we grew much bigger and we              interpreters to help in five different                       Kitchener, Ont., MC Eastern
 developed proper systems and more               languages, and we spent time in breakout                     Canada, MC Canada, and
 professional staff, and there seems to be       rooms praying together for the personal                      MWC.
 less trust in our systems and our leaders.      and political, and for our churches.

      Et cetera
 East Africa threatened by returning locusts
 A return of desert locusts in East Africa is a major threat to food security in the region, church leaders
 warn, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause severe disruptions. In 2020, huge swarms of
 biblical proportions struck the region, destroying food crops and animal pastures, and pushed hunger
 and economic hardship to new levels. And as though that is not enough, the United Nations warned
 in January that a new invasion has started spreading in East Africa. “We are concerned about their
 impact on the people’s food security,” says Nicta Luubale, a Ugandan who is the general secretary of
 the Organization of African Instituted Churches. “We are also concerned about the psychological
 impact they have on the farmer. This time, he is handling drought and last year there was too much
 rain. We are also talking COVID-19 to the farmer. It’s a pileup of many things.”

 Source: World Council of Churches / Photo by Marcelo Schneider
Canadian Mennonite Vol. 25 No. 3                                                                                               11

                                              Life in the Postmodern Shift

                                         Losing freedom?
                                                            Troy Wat s o n

 I  ’m writing this on Jan. 18 and I’m
    wondering how tone deaf my article
    will seem by the time you read it.
 I have no idea what the world will be
 like in a few days, let alone a few weeks.
                                               truth to accept.

                                               I believe truth is often paradoxical.
                                               Perhaps for too long I’ve been basking
                                                                                      being revealed to me through this
                                                                                      pandemic. I’m becoming convinced
                                                  As I’ve written in previous articles,
                                                                                      that, when I accept the unpredictable
                                                                                      and indifferent nature of the universe, it
                                                                                      does not bring fear, it brings freedom. It
                                               in the truth that I am loved, valued and
 Who knows what catastrophic event or          deserve a good life, while ignoring thehelps me live more grounded in the
 pivotal moment in history will have           other side of the paradox, namely, the awareness that not one thing, not one
 occurred between now and early                universe doesn’t care if I live or die.person or relationship, not one breath,
 February?                                        I’m no historian, but it seems to mecan be taken for granted.
    Obviously, the world has always been       that most people in most cultures        It might be clichéd but it’s also a
 unpredictable. That’s not new. What’s         throughout history have been more      profound truth that each moment is a
 new is my deeper awareness of the                                                    gift. And as soon as I start treating
                                               aware of this unpredictable and indiffer-
 unpredictable nature of it. I think we all    ent aspect of reality than most        anything, including the very moment
 feel this on some level. Anything could       Canadians living today. Many of us haveI’m experiencing, as anything other than
                                                                                      a gift, I’m no longer living in truth.
                                                                                        The other day, I felt ungrateful
                                                                                      because I felt my freedom was being
 The other day, I felt ungrateful because I felt                                      taken away. But the truth was actually
 my freedom was being taken away. But the                                             the opposite. I was no longer free
                                                                                      because I was no longer grateful.
 truth was actually the opposite. I was no longer                                       I don’t mean to undermine legitimate
 free because I was no longer grateful.                                               oppression. I’m a freedom fighter at
                                                                                      heart when it comes to the rights of
                                                                                      others. But I think I’m being taught it’s
 happen. The stock market could crash.      the assumption that we are entitled to at only when I’m living in truth that I am
 Civil unrest could escalate into violence. least an opportunity to get whatever we truly free. A virus or government
 A loved one could die. Our freedom         want in life. I think this attitude would cannot take away my real freedom; it’s
 could be taken away. Aliens could          be perceived as bizarre, arrogant and     only when I’m in disharmony with truth
 attack. A zombie apocalypse.               delusional by the majority of human       that I lose my freedom.
   The Maple Leafs could win the            beings who have ever lived.                 So I’m learning to pay attention to my
 Stanley Cup. Okay, I’m getting carried       For example, most of the people we      gratitude level as a measure of my
 away, but there isn’t much at this point   read about in the Bible seemed to live    attunement with truth. A lack of
 that would really surprise me.             with the understanding that every-        gratitude in my life reveals that I’m no
   If astronomers informed us that a        thing—their money, crops and livestock longer receiving each moment, each
 comet the size of Luxembourg was on a (food), possessions, children, freedom         breath, as a gift. Which means I’m no
 collision course with Earth, or geophysi- (if they hadn’t lost it already)—could be longer living in truth. Which means I’m
 cists warned us that every volcano on      taken from them at any moment. They       no longer living in the freedom Christ
 the planet would inexplicably erupt next would grieve, but I don’t think they        offers us. l
 week, I think my response would be,        would be surprised.
 “Yup, that makes sense.”                     As a theologian whose name I cannot                  Troy Watson is a pastor of
   I’ve pondered this new attitude of       remember pointedly asked, “Have you                    Avon Mennonite Church in
 mine and I don’t think I’m becoming        ever noticed that, when tragedy strikes,               Stratford, Ont.
 pessimistic or indifferent. I think I’m    people in the Bible don’t ask, ‘Why,
 just acknowledging the indifference of     Lord?’ They know why. Tragedy and loss
 the universe towards my survival and       are part of life. Their response to
 well-being. I’m not trying to be dark or   suffering is not, ‘Why?’ but, ‘How long,
 discouraging here. I’m trying to live in   O Lord? How long must we suffer?’ ”
 truth. And I think this is an important      I think there is an important truth
12                                                                                                Canadian Mennonite February 1, 2021

                                                            Book Review

               Wise stories can build peace
                                         I Am Not Your Enemy: Stories to Transform a Divided World.
                                              Michael T. McRay. Herald Press, 2020, 256 pages.

                                                          Reviewed by Barb Draper
                                                          Books & Resources Editor

I   n the aftermath of last year’s Black
    Lives Matter protests, and the
    violence that boiled over in Washing-
 ton, D.C., on Jan. 6 of this year, it feels as
 though tensions are rising in our
                                                                                              steps, but there must also be remorse
                                                                                              and changed actions if solid bridges
                                                                                              between groups are to be built. He
                                                                                              comes to the conclusion that “forgive-
                                                                                              ness is more complicated than we’d like
 society. As fear escalates, we wonder                                                        it to be.”
 how to find a way for everyone to get                                                           He also reflects on the role that fear
 along without violence. In his book I                                                        plays in ongoing conflict. “We humans
 Am Not Your Enemy, Michael McRay                                                             tend to do our worst when we are
 explores this very question by reporting                                                     afraid,” he writes, describing the vicious
 on his research into how to foster peace                                                     cycle that fear, hatred and violence can
 in divided societies.                                                                        spiral into. Acting out of fear is the
   McRay believes that we can be                                                              worst thing to do. High walls are
 transformed by storytelling if we are                                                        sometimes built in response to fear, but
 wise enough to listen to the right kind                                                      McRay believes they become self-ful-
 of stories. We need to learn to listen to                                                    filling prophecies; all they do is
 complex stories that are profound and                                                        perpetuate fear and conflict.
 that express truth. If we only listen to                                                        We humans have an amazing capacity
 the simple stories of those who are like                                                     to not understand perspectives we do
 us, they will only hurt us in the end.                                                       not agree with, writes McRay, com-
 “Single stories lure us toward the kind                                                      menting that “sometimes it’s easier to
 of thinking that leads to funerals,” he                                                      believe a lie than to chance being
 writes, but, “Wise stories are ones that         what he himself has learned, frequently     unravelled by a truth.” He encourages
 help us face the truth around us and             comparing the situations in the Middle      those who want to seek peace to release
 name it for what it is.”                         East, Ireland and South Africa with the     their own ignorance and fear by
   Raised in Tennessee, McRay served              attitudes and racism found in North         exploring their own personal stories.
 for a few months with Christian                  America.                                       McRay writes with humility and
 Peacemaker Teams in Israel-Palestine in             The first thing he learned is that       draws the reader into his personal story.
 2012. Interested in knowing more about           “reconciliation” is a loaded term. He       Although the book is easy to read, it
 peacemaking, he began a research                 writes, “People in power prefer a victim    deals with very weighty subject matter.
 project under the auspices of Texas              calling for forgiveness and reconcilia-     He suggests that living in peace is
 Christian University. He tells the story         tion to one calling for vindication,”       possible, but challenging.
 of his travels to Israel-Palestine, Ireland      because it suggests that the status quo        Anyone who wants to ponder what it
 and South Africa, listening to stories           can continue. He learned from his           means to build peace will want to read
 from people who are working for peace            research that peace is not possible until   this book. l
 in places that have been devastated by           justice is addressed. If peacebuilding
 violence.                                        doesn’t concretely improve the lives of     This book was chosen as the Winter
   He is a sensitive and careful listener,        those who have been oppressed, then it      2021 Common Read book for
 and all those he interviewed consented           is not building peace.                      Mennonite Church Canada. To borrow
 to having him share their stories.                  Empathy and compassion are very          or buy a copy, download discussion
 Experiences from both sides of each              important for reducing violence, says       questions, or view an interview
 conflict are included. He doesn’t draw
 lessons from the stories but reflects on
                                                  McRay, but on their own they are not
                                                  enough. Dialogue and listening are first
                                                                                              with the author, go to
                                                                                              http://bit.ly/2Y2Cy9O               
Canadian Mennonite Vol. 25 No. 3                                                                                                          13
                                                                                                                 news

    Committed to seeking a                                                                    ΛΛNews brief
                                                                                             Voices Together shipping costs
     deeper understanding                                                                    explained
                                                                                             HARRISONBURG, VA.—Several congre-
   MCC begins research into historical connections with National Socialism                   gations have expressed concern over
                                                                                             the shipping charges for Voices Together
                          M enn o n ite Centr al Co mm itte e                                products. MennoMedia takes these
                                                                                             concerns very seriously and wants con-

 M     ennonite Central Committee (MCC)
       has initiated research into how
 national socialism (Nazism) shaped the
                                                                                             gregations to know that great care was
                                                                                             taken to keep distribution and shipping
                                                                                             costs as low as possible. Voices Together
 contexts in Europe and Paraguay where                                                       books were printed in the United States,
 MCC operated in the 1930s and ’40s, and                                                     and getting them to various locations,
 how, at the time, MCC engaged with the                                                      including across the border into Canada,
 German National Socialist government                                                        posed some logistical challenges. After
 and worked to resettle Mennonite refugees                                                   much research and consultation, it was
 from the Soviet Union.                                                                      determined to be the cheapest and
   At MCC’s invitation, 11 academic his-                                                     most efficient method to have the
 torians from Canada, the United States,                                                     books delivered via freight truck. Menno‑
 Germany, France and the Netherlands                    MENNONITE HERITAGE CENTRE PHOTO      Media obtained three separate bids for
 are researching MCC’s work in Europe                          (ALBER PHOTO COLLECTION)      shipping and distribution and chose the
 and Paraguay before, during and after the      High-profile Nazi officials toured the       lowest-cost provider. “Delivering these
 Second World War. They will build on           Mennonite colonies in occupied Ukraine.      heavy books via freight truck whenever
 previous research and bring their indi-        During his 1942 visit to Molotschna,         possible is far less expensive than
 vidual scholarly specializations to bear       Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS and         sending via regular mail,” says Amy
 in examining actions MCC and its staff         an architect of the Holocaust, exchanged     Gingerich, MennoMedia publisher.
 undertook during this period and how           greetings with Mennonite surgeon Johann      “Shipping Voices Together is significantly
 they wrote about those actions.                Klassen.                                     more challenging and expensive than a
   “MCC is committed to developing a                                                         congregation’s usual box of Sunday
 deeper understanding of this part of our                                                    school curricula and periodicals.” Due
 history, and to reckoning with it once the     history of Mennonites in Paraguay, Europe    to the massive shipping volume during
 research is complete,” says Ann Graber         and the Soviet Union during this period.     the COVID-19 pandemic, all the major
 Hershberger, executive director of MCC            The research will be presented at the     freight companies announced increased
 U.S.                                           Sept. 30-Oct. 2 “MCC at 100” conference      rates for their peak periods in November
   “National socialism” describes the ideol-    at the University of Winnipeg (held in       and December. The Voices Together
 ogy of Germany’s ruling Nazi Party at the      collaboration with Canadian Mennonite        books began shipping in November, so
 time, marked by virulent anti-Semitism         University and MCC), and will be pub-        the slightly higher fees were applied.
 that led to the Holocaust of six million       lished, including in the fall 2021 edition   “Please know that MennoMedia is not
 Jews in Europe. “MCC rejects and repu-         of MCC’s Intersections journal.              making a dime on the shipping. We are
 diates anti-Semitism,” says Rick Cober            Alain Epp Weaver, Intersections co-edi-   simply passing along the costs to our
 Bauman, executive director of MCC              tor and MCC director of strategic planning   customers,” she says.
 Canada. “Like the injustices visited upon      says, “Countless displaced Mennonites        —MennoMedia
 other people groups, anti-Jewish actions       directly helped by MCC after the Second
 and attitudes need to be named, confront-      World War were kept from certain death
 ed and ceased. We are eager to see what        or deprivation if they would have been
 we can learn from the researchers’ work.”      returned to the Soviet Union, from which
   Recent scholarly articles have spurred       many had fled a few years earlier.
 MCC’s desire to learn more about this             “This real account nonetheless is not
 history and to grapple with the signifi-       the complete picture. We are seeking to
 cance of it. The research project is focused   further round out our understanding and
 only on the activities of MCC, acknowl-        determine potential next steps to address
 edging that MCC’s history is entwined          this complex history.” l
 with, and not easily separated from, the
14                                                                                              Canadian Mennonite February 1, 2021

       You are invited to join                                                               ΛΛNews brief
                                                                                             MCC centralizing relief
             the table                                                                       warehouse in New Hamburg

 Witness Support Networks allow congregations to extend their reach and
            learn from brothers and sisters around the world
                               Mennonite Church Canada

 M      ennonite Church Canada’s Interna-
        tional Witness program invites
 congregations across its nationwide com-
                                               and sharing prayer requests are examples
                                               of support congregations can give.
                                                  “As part of the Thailand network, it has
 munity of faith to join networks of support   been a real blessing to be part of Zoom                        PHOTO COURTESY OF MCC
 for its International Witness ministries.     meetings with the Poovongs and hear           Skids of relief kits are packed into a
    “Being part of the network for the Phil-   firsthand what they are doing,” says Sharon   shipping container at MCC’s material
 ippines reminds us that we are part of        Schultz, pastor of Eyebrow (Sask.) Menno‑     resources warehouse in New Hamburg,
 something much bigger than ourselves,”        nite Church.                                  Ont.
 says Marlene Friesen of Emmanuel Men-            Hanson says another benefit of the net-
 nonite Church in Abbotsford, B.C. “We see     works is that congregations across Canada
 the work that is being done in the name of    will connect with each other through their    By April 1, Mennonite Central Commit-
 God’s kingdom.”                               support of international ministries. “The     tee (MCC) Canada will centralize packing
    International Witness works with 18        opportunities for learning and sharing are    and distributing material resources in a
 ministry partners in 13 countries around      endless,” she says.                           warehouse in New Hamburg, Ont. As a
 the globe and has eight Witness workers                                                     result, its warehouse in Plum Coulee,
 in four countries.                                                                          Man., will close at the end of June, affect-
    Witness Support Networks are a new                                                       ing one employee. According to a media
 way for Canadian congregations to support                                                   release, the move is meant “to help facil-
 and participate in this work.                                                               itate the more rapid distribution of relief
    “In these networks congregations can                                                     supplies,” such as comforters, relief kits
 connect more deeply to at least one of                                                      and canned meat. New Hamburg is
 those ministries,” says Jeanette Hanson,                                                    closer to the port of Montreal, through
 director of International Witness, of the                                                   which most containers of relief aid are
 five networks currently in operation.                                                       shipped, bound for “families facing disas-
    Four of the networks support minis-                                                      ter or crisis due to conflict, natural
 try in countries where there are Witness                                                    disasters and climate change,” says John
 workers: China, the Philippines, South          Congregations interested in joining a       Head, executive director of MCC
 Korea and Thailand. The fifth network         Witness Support Network can contact           Ontario. The warehouse will operate out
 supports ministry in Burkina Faso. The        their regional church representative:         of the former Ten Thousand Villages
 goal of the networks is mutual sharing,                                                     Canada distribution centre. The building
 learning and giving through relationships.   • M C British Columbia: Kevin Barkow-         also provides space for processing dona-
    Each network contains four partners:         sky (info@mcbc.ca)                          tions for the New Hamburg Thrift Centre
                                              • M C Alberta: Tim Wiebe-Neufeld              next door, and houses the MCC rePur-
 • Congregations that wish to support the       (tim@mennonitechurch.ab.ca)                 pose Centre. One full-time employee
    same ministry                             • M C Eastern Canada: Norm Dyck               will likely be hired at the New Hamburg
 • Regional churches                             (ndyck@mcec.ca)                             site. Jon Lebold, MCC Ontario’s material
 • MC Canada                                  • MC Manitoba: Rick Neufeld (rneufeld@        resources coordinator, describes the kits
 • Witness workers                               mennochurch.mb.ca)                          and comforters assembled and shipped
                                              • M C Saskatchewan: Josh Wallace              from this warehouse as “a tangible way
    Congregations individually determine         (churchengagement@mcsask.ca) l              to share love and compassion and
 how to contribute to their network. Distrib-                                                remind people around the world that
 uting newsletters, organizing fundraisers, Visit mennonitechurch.ca/                        their needs are not forgotten.”
 connecting with international partners witness-support-networks for
 (online or through visits or learning tours) information and resources.                    —By Janet Bauman
Canadian Mennonite Vol. 25 No. 3                                                                                                       15

    Hurricanes wreak havoc                                                                      Because of warmer ocean temperatures,
                                                                                             storms are developing higher wind speeds,

      in Central America
                                                                                             more rain and wider ranges of occurrence.
                                                                                             Additionally, storms are becoming slower
                                                                                             and more volatile. All these factors con-
                                                                                             tribute to an increase in wind and flood
                               By Kristen Sw ar tl e y                                       damage.
                              Mennonite World Conference
                                                                                             Prayer for change

 “W         hat resources on creation care
            would be most useful?” The
 recently formed Creation Care Task Force
                                               November’s storms. In December, Vindel
                                               reported that José Fernández, national
                                               president of Iglesia Evangélica Menonita
                                                                                           Prayer is an important way to act for
                                                                                           change and find “the strength to confront
                                                                                           this and the means to survive,” says Karen
 of Mennonite World Conference (MWC)           Hondureña and local pastor of Vida en       Martinez, a student at Anabaptist Menno-
 asked this in a survey of Anabaptists         Abundancia and Central de San Pedro         nite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart,
 around the world. Many respondents            Sula, is cleaning up and helping people in  Ind., and a member of College Mennonite
 wanted to learn more about how climate        the heavily affected area. Several church   Church in Goshen, Ind., who is worried
 change affects people around the world.       buildings serve as temporary housing for    about her family who live on the coast of
    In early November, Hurricane Eta tore      people who have lost homes and resources.   Honduras. She is a part of the immigrant
 through Central America, followed by            Vindel wrote that she feels “frustrat-    communities of Garifuna people.
 Hurricane Iota several weeks later. These     ed, discouraged, powerless because of all     “Many people live under the poverty line
 storms, categories 4 and 5 respectively,      the destruction that happened, and all      and have lost the little they have,” she says.
 caused enormous destruction, including        the death, pain and suffering it caused. I    Along with other Garifuna immigrants
 the deaths of hundreds of people, billions    have cried many times during my prayers.”   in the United States, she sends support
 of dollars in damage, and the loss of agri-   Yet she is encouraged by people who         back to her family, especially in times of
 cultural and business resources.              are working to effect change for future     need. Mennonite Central Committee has
    Unfortunately for MWC churches in          generations.                                also responded to the crisis by sending
 Central America, this area of the world is                                                emergency relief in food and supplies,
 likely to experience the worst aspects of     Human factors                               and it will continue to do ongoing recov-
 climate change and also has fewer financial   According to James P. Kossin, a climate ery work.
 resources to deal with these changes.         scientist with the National Oceanic and
    In the survey, Karen Flores Vindel, a      Atmospheric Administration, “It’s very Task force response
 member of Iglesia Evangélica Menonita         likely that human-caused climate change As MWC task force collects final results
 Central de La Ceiba in Honduras, wrote        contributed to that anomalously warm from the Creation Care Survey, it will
 about her climate-threatened home city:       ocean,” and, along with other scientists, offer more resources for the longer-term
 “The church building is flooded with every    he says this is “absolutely responsible for work of addressing climate change in the
 heavy rain.”                                  the hyperactive season.”                    world. l
    Other impacts of the changing environ-
 ment include power outages, overflowing
 rivers, landslides, flooding, destroyed
 infrastructure, and the rising sea level
 that eats into the coast. These, in turn,
 cause economic crises, disrupt trade and
 the distribution of products, increase the
 cost of living and migration pressure, and
 lead to social violence.

 Migration and recovery
 Migration is one of the direct results of
 climate change’s greater effects on those
 who are poor and marginalized. After
 the recent hurricanes, many people are
 choosing to leave their homes, to meet
 their basic needs.                                                                                         PHOTO BY TED SMOKER
    In Honduras, Mennonite church com- High water damage from hurricanes Eta and Iota. Bezaleel, the Kekchi Mennonite
 mittees are organizing recovery work from Church’s middle and high school in San Juan Chamelco, Guatemala.
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