Focus

A few months ago, Bethany Tobin, who serves with both EMM and Virginia Mennonite Missions in Thailand, had a particularly tough week of poor sleep. After several tiring nights, a man in the village called for Bethany to come and help calm his wife who had become very emotional to a point of almost becoming violent. It was already 8:30 p.m. and Bethany was in her pajamas. Fearing her tendency towar...

Paper maché. Country western line dancing. Skits and games involving superhero costumes. What do these seemingly unrelated things have in common with each other? In the Czech Republic, these activities are just a few of the ways that workers “break the ice” with students participating in an English summer camp.

When Ted Smoker first arrived in Guatemala, he had ideas and hopes for how he might impact the lives of the K'ekchi'. He also had many questions on how to benefit them most effectively without causing harm to their beautiful culture and their self-reliance.

How did living in East Asia change and define Emma, her husband, Ethan, and their family? The better question to ask is, “How did living in East Asia not change and define them?”

Carol Wert is never quite sure if her own redefining occurs primarily because of the place where she lives or her continuing desire to follow Jesus authentically. But she can think of a few ways that living in Wales may have helped shape who she is today.

Did you know that when you give to EMM and support our workers around the world through your dollars and prayers, you too are bringing transformation to a world in desperate need of good news? We are incredibly thankful for your partnership in this important work. Check out these three short stories that highlight some of the work God has done through us together in 2019.

While living in Belize, the Davises became aware of a celebration called “la fiesta de quinceañera.” This event — which is sometimes referred to as a quince — is the tradition of celebrating a girl turning into a woman in Latino culture on her 15th birthday.

During a two-day conference hosted by the Garifuna churches in Belize Tim Groff was excited and encouraged to watch Orelle Castillo from Dangriga, lead the youth part of the conference, lead worship and preach!

Stacy Nofziger Prknová has served with EMM in the Czech Republic since 2011. Just like the colors yellow and blue turn into green when blended, Stacy is finding that she is being transformed as she lives and serves in Prague - the land of 100 spires.

While Quechua culture has garnered the attention of American audiences with the recent film “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” one Mennonite school in Peru has worked quietly to educate Peruvian children and protect their culture for nearly 15 years. In the shadow of the live-action adventure film that features the Quechua language, The PROMESA school made a little more “noise” as they broke ground...

A small, new initiative has begun for children with disabilities in Sierra Leone. The initiative seeks to create value for children with cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome, learning disabilities, those who are blind and/or deaf, and others.

David W. Shenk, who serves on EMM’s Christian-Muslim relations team, had a note sitting on his desk. It read, “You are invited to participate in dialogues with Muslim university students in the United Kingdom. Your books are okay.”

Phil and Linda Gottschalk serve in the Netherlands training pastors and missionaries at Tyndale Seminary. From time to time they have the opportunity to share the exciting stores of some of the people they have been privileged to help train.

For the first two months that Eric and Janelle* were in Germany, they were living in a makeshift apartment. The apartment consisted of a small kitchen, a bathroom, and two open rooms where their family of five slept, ate, sat, and played. They were thankful for the space even if it was temporary.

Webster’s New World College Dictionary defines the term “déjà vu” as “an uncanny feeling that one has been in this same place or had this same, specific experience before, although it is actually new to one.” Some of EMM’s newest workers are experiencing this feeling — like they’ve done this before — getting ready to relocate to a new place to serve in cross-cultural mission.

What happens when an EMM worker serving in Spain meets a Romanian-speaking man in a Spanish prison? For Rolando,* he looked back to the formative mission experience he had twenty-three years ago. Rolando was an EMM YES team leader for a team that was sent to Romania in 1996.

As the recent school year was wrapping up, there were picnics and celebratory meals for Lea.

Perhaps you've heard stories of people who don’t yet know Jesus having strange dreams. In many of these stories, people encounter a message to follow Jesus. Sometimes we might pause and ask, “Is it really happening like this?”

After one very long day on the road, having traveled more than 900 miles, the record-setting youth group from Kalona (Iowa) Mennonite Church arrived in Lebanon on Sunday, July 28.

Debriefing after the conclusion of a military operation is commonplace. In fact, the term “debrief” originates from military usage. So, how do peacebuilders debrief after serving in one of the most war-torn regions of the 21st-century world? For one Iraq-based team, they start with Paula*, an EMM worker based in Spain.

Shouting, singing, and celebration resounded throughout the village. Water came flowing into tanks from Lake Victoria, which is just to the north of the Mennonite Theological College of East Africa. John Wambura, the acting principal of the college, recalled people in the village declaring that “God is back in Nyabange Mission.”

Visits with grandparents can be special … whether they live close by or far away.

Jayden and Anika, along with their two children, served in Central Asia in business for transformation and education. They are now preparing to embark to a new region in Asia but reflected on a ministry they were involved with for the past year.

One night, as Pedro and Rolando were visiting with Ben, they boldly shared their faith in Christ and encouraged him to make a decision to follow Christ. That night he accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior by saying a simple prayer!

Ethan and Emma* serve as EMM’s regional representatives for East Asia. At the beginning of 2019, it seemed like the right time for their family to leave the country in which they were serving. Due to some family health concerns and increasing challenges in their region of East Asia, Ethan and Emma moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania.