IMMEA Workshop 2013

Richard Showalter presenting to the workshop

IMMEA stands for "International Mennonite Missions of Eastern Africa," an African Mennonite mission agency formed about a year and a half ago by Mennonite bishops from Kenya and Tanzania Mennonite churches in a joint meeting. The purpose is to build awareness and carry out cross-cultural missions on behalf of the African Mennonite churches.

Bishops in discussion: Dominic Opondo, Stephen Mang'ana,
Moses Otieno, John Nyagwegwe

We just returned from attending a 3-day workshop on missions for the bishops. We met in Mwanza, the second largest city  in Tanzania, located on the southern end of Lake Victoria. Eight bishops attended the workshop with presenters Reuben Ezemadu, a Nigerian church leader and mission administrator, and Richard Showalter, American mission administrator and international missions consultant. Other attendees were Aram DiGennaro, EMM's regional representative in Eastern Africa, and we, Joe & Gloria Bontrager as theological education consultants. We were invited to attend as "observers," but after arriving we learned that means more than just being there and watching. We were asked to lead reflection sessions and to develop the workshop material into a "handbook" for the bishops to use in sharing the material to their local pastors.

Bishops Philip Okeyo and Christopher Ndege 

Aram DiGennaro and Bishop Hellon Ogwada  

Even the chairs felt the "weight" of the issues!

It was stimulating to reflect on the information given, and then to sense the enthusiasm of the bishops for reaching out to places "least-reached" with the gospel, defined as those where less than 2% are evangelical Christians. This includes areas within their reach throughout Kenya and Tanzania. According to the information provided, there are 36 "least-reached" groups in Kenya totaling nearly 4 million people. In Tanzania, there are 39 "least-reached" groups, totaling nearly 56 million people. Besides these, we heard reports of nearby villages that have no Christian witness and where many of the people have not heard the biblical story, but are open and seem ready to commit themselves to follow Jesus when they hear the gospel message. It seems God has prepared them and opened their hearts.

Participants gather in a circle for prayer at the end of the workshop.
From left: Bishop Moses Otieno, Pastor Eli Wang'ombe, Bishop John Nyagwegwe,
Bishop Philip Okeyo, Bishop Dominic Opondo, Presenter Reuben Ezemadu

The bishops expressed eagerness to return to their regions and present the vision to their pastors and congregations. One of their highest priorities is prayer as they discern the best way to move forward. They have limited financial resources, but willing people and open opportunities, and they are seeking the leading of the Holy Spirit in finding the best way to move forward.