We are Mennonites, but what does that mean?

This is one of the most frequently heard questions we encounter as we visit various Mennonite churches in East Africa. What does the name mean? In a culture of many languages, the name “Mennonite” is sometimes misinterpreted due to poor understanding of English, “Men of the night!” Not exactly an association with which we concur.

Print of Dirk Willems saving the life of  a prison guard,
in obedience to Jesus' command to "love your enemies."

We begin by telling the story of the beginnings of our forefathers’ faith during the reformation period. They love the story of the fifteen young men who read the Bible and began following the teachings of Jesus in their daily lives, and who rebaptized each other as a witness to their salvation on the basis of personal faith in Jesus. They meet Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, George Blaurock, and learn to know of the risks they took for their faith, their persecution and their perseverance even to death. They are shocked by the story of Dirk Willems who loved even his enemy as Christ said he should (for the story, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirk_Willems).

And finally they meet Menno Simons who strengthened the believers through his teaching and writing and brought them together into fellowships, and who gave us the name “Mennonite.” From there the story goes on to explain how persecution spread the church through Europe into Russia, to USA and Canada. Later the Mennonite denomination was brought to Asia, Africa and South America through mission efforts that grew out of spiritual renewal in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

Pastors and their wives from Tanzania Mennonite Church,
Eastern Diocese,at a leaders' seminar in October 2015

Of course, hearing the story is not an end in itself. The story raises new questions for these leaders. Can ordinary believers baptize others without being ordained? Is a church without a pastor still a church? What is the Mennonite way of baptism? What is true faith? What does salvation mean? Is it okay if we move, even dance, when we sing? Can a Mennonite join the army or serve as a policeman?

Those questions lead into teaching Anabaptist faith and perspectives, emphasizing that the 16th century Anabaptists were students of the Bible. From hearing radio preachers and others, they ask questions about Sabbath observance, expressions of the Holy Spirit, prosperity gospel, and mode of baptism. Sixteenth century Anabaptists emphasized the centrality of Jesus and his teachings, applied to both faith and daily living. They learn how the teachings were applied in the 16^th century, but we encourage them not to simply duplicate the forefathers’ actions and interpretations but to follow their example of asking what Jesus’ teaching means in their culture and situation today. When they go to the Bible for answers to faith questions, they grow spiritual roots and become more firmly established as they encounter teachings of other faiths.

Pastor Zedekiah Achoro, lead pastor, Shirati Mennonite
Church, and Bishop John Nyagwegwe, North Mara Diocese, 
under the tree where the first Mennonite missionaries set up 
their camp in 1934.

We have developed a course, What does the Bible say?, which helps leaders to go deeper into the foundational beliefs of Anabaptist faith such as salvation, discipleship, church, leadership etc. We have also translated several resources on Anabaptist faith. Our own faith and thinking has been challenged as we have been able to tell the Mennonite Story over and over again and it’s been exciting to contribute to the leaders’ understanding and growth.

Gardening is Gospel

Jackson with son, Meshack

Jackson is a farmer, businessman, and entrepreneur from rural western Kenya. He is also a faithful Christian and a committed Mennonite church member.

Last week we left Migori, drove about 10 miles west where we left the paved road, took a gravel road to the right, a bit later took the right fork, then we turned right onto a lane so narrow that both mirrors on the car were rubbing the bushes on either side. About one mile in, we stopped at the home of Jackson Okanya, a 33 year old Mennonite who lives with his wife and young son on the same compound as his parents, 2 sisters and a younger brother. It is a beautiful area, with rolling hills, fertile soil, and plenty of rain.

Pineapples among the banana trees

In 2010, Jackson graduated from Daystar University in Nairobi with a degree in community development. At the same time he was developing his interest in agriculture. He was not new to gardening, having grown up in a rural area where his family gardened for their own livelihood. But Jackson was interested in learning more effective and efficient farming methods, so he began visiting successful farms and attending seminars about various aspects of agriculture.

Mature banana grove

In early 2013, after working in Nairobi, including a few months as office assistant for the Kenya office of Eastern Mennonite Missions, Jackson returned to his home area to begin developing his dream. First he tried to work through the local church, inviting church members to make a small investment of time and money to start garden plots using better methods. But because of Jackson’s education and outside contacts, some began to say that outside funds would be available. The members stopped paying their fees because they expected help from outside and the project failed. The outside funds had not been promised and none were received.

Jackson in front of a new planting of bananas

Jackson and his brother Samwel with the brick press

When the project with the church failed, he asked his father for several acres on his father’s farm to begin on his own. Using his limited personal savings in the equivalent of US$20, he bought seeds and fertilizer, and, using his own energy, cleared a small plot of weeds, and began his project. When he harvested the produce, he reinvested the profits to expand the garden, introduce new crops, and begin new projects. Today, about 3 years later, he has about 3 acres where he grows cooking bananas, ripe bananas, papaya, passion fruit, pineapples, mangos, onions, and greens for market, in addition to corn and cassava for their family’s use. A flock of chickens gives eggs and meat. He bought a brick-making machine to construct his own buildings and to sell to the community.

Jackson’s vision is to expand to include better mangos, as well as raising goats, pigs, dairy cows, and catfish. He wants to build facilities to process his produce, such as packaging fruit, butchering and packaging chicken and fish, and processing milk. He is exploring making flour from bananas as an alternative nutrition supplement in hospitals.  His 5 year plan is to train his younger brother to manage the farm and Jackson will focus on developing the distribution and marketing through his contacts in Nairobi and other cities.

Jackson, Joe, and father John Okanya

Why is he doing it? Primarily because he sees it as a way to serve the church and the local community. Not only does it provide food, it will also provide employment and income for him and others. It will help the church, as members will gain the ability to support the church financially. Jackson also sees it as an opportunity to demonstrate that economic development is possible without depending on outside resources to get started. It requires vision, hard work, patience, and good management of resources. Jackson considers his project to be practicing the gospel. Finally, Jackson knows he has been blessed by God, and he wants to share his blessings with others, whether it is produce or an example of what is possible with vision and hard work.

Translating the Mennonite Confession of Faith

Computer image of the title page

In our search for study materials needed by our East African churches, we have tried to listen to our church leaders to verbalize what they feel they need and want. We have then developed simple Biblically based studies on subjects which they have requested. One of the most often requested is for a deeper understanding of Anabaptist/Mennonite perspective on issues. Several leaders who are English literate have specifically ask for a translation of the Mennonite Confession of Faith. As this document was written for a North American context, we initially were reluctant to consider it as a totally appropriate document to be used in the African context. But as the leaders continued to press us, we agreed to organize translation of the confession, and see what might be the outcome of their study of the document. We initially chose several persons to translate the confession in Swahili and Luo, as the request came for both languages to be used. Swahili is used more in Tanzania, and Luo is used more in Kenya. This proved to be no small job, as the English used in the Confession is sometimes both intricate and complex in theological thoughts. But even as the translators worked through it, they expressed how deeply it was helping them to understand their faith.Just before Christmas, a group of three leaders, Malachi Oloo, Barak Omollo, and Eliver Omondi gathered with Joe in Nairobi to go over the Luo translation which had been prepared. They were checking the translation for content, appropriate terminology, and errors in words or spelling. This group worked for two and one-half days hammering out the details of the twenty-four articles of the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective! Since Joe’s knowledge of Luo is minimal, his role was simply to help them understand the meaning of the statements and then make the corrections that were needed on the computer. Now we are making arrangements to have it printed.

The Translation Review Team (from left): Barak Amolo,
Malachi Oloo, Joe Bontrager, Eliver Omondi

Most interesting were the discussions which came up while trying to understand the content of the document. One said, “This is so deep!” Another said, “Our church really needs this!” One visiting leader sat in on a session, and later came to us, almost begging for translations to be done in languages of other tribes in which he is working, including Pokot, Kipsigis, Kisii, and Masai.

In the near future, we plan to do a similar review of the Swahili translation and have it printed, but we do not plan to translate the Confession of Faith into other tribal languages. Hopefully, God will inspire some local leaders to pick up this task for the glory of God.

Bible Studies for Women

Women in Sumbawanga (TZ) Mennonite Church discussing
Women of the Bible

On our initial visits to various Mennonite churches, we heard a deep desire among women to have materials that would be written with them in mind. When asked what it was they needed, we soon had a list of the top social and spiritual challenges found in Christian families today. Among these were: problems in marriage, the training and teaching of children, living with an unbelieving husband, infertility, single parenting, adultery, inadequate money, and maintaining faith in desperate times. As I (Gloria) thought about an appropriate way to address these issues from a Biblical perspective, I decided to look at women of the Bible who were examples of faith in the face of these particular issues and developed a basic course called Women of the Bible.

Women gathering for a meeting in Turugeta, Tarime (TZ)

We have observed that in most churches, the majority of believers and regular attenders are women, probably at least two thirds to three fourths of the congregation. In one diocese of Kenya Mennonite Church we were told that at least 50% of lay church leaders are women. However, only one woman has been ordained as a pastor in Kenya Mennonite Church and there are no ordained women in Tanzania Mennonite Church. Women are used in the worship service for prayer, teaching, offerings, occasional preaching and as deaconesses (visitation, encouragement, etc.).

Women in worship in Kayunga, Uganda

As a partial response to this need, I developed a course, Women in the Work of God, giving a history of the participation of women in God’s work throughout the Old and New Testament and challenging the church and women to respond to the task of the Kingdom of God today. The church leaders also are including this issue on their agenda as they rewrite the church constitution. We are encouraged by inclusion of women in recent pastors’ seminars, and pastors are increasingly seeing their wives as important partners in their leadership.

In the past several months, we have begun introducing these courses to women in the congregations where we have been. We are excited to see the enthusiasm in women and other leaders that have been blessed in using the materials. The studies have raised awareness of their call to be and to make disciples. Another course, on Marriage and the Family is partially prepared and ready for translation. Continue to pray for the work of the Holy Spirit to bring fruit from these efforts.

Thanks for your prayers for the church and for the women as they develop their gifts and their vision.

Moving on…

The group of Mennonite leaders meeting in Morogoro.

We have finished up our time in Sumbawanga, where we spent a total of 3 months. It was an enriching time for us of gaining new friends and teaching. In the last few weeks, we presented a 2 session seminar on business as mission, in which we encouraged them to see their daily activities as a way to develop friendships with their neighbors and share the gospel, as well as a way to gain income. We also presented 3 sessions on marriage and family. But maybe we gained the most, as we enjoyed their love and respect, and were refreshed by their commitment and sincerity to follow Jesus as disciples, not just be Christian in name.

Peter Sensenig teaching on understanding Islam.

 On Monday, September 28, we left Sumbawanga, our car loaded to the roof with our household goods, our supply of study materials, and our personal belongings. The following day we arrived in Morogoro for a 3 day seminar for leaders of the Eastern Diocese of Tanzania Mennonite Church.

Debbi DiGennaro teaching, with translator Mary Hagai.

In Morogoro, we presented the TEE program and we were joined by Peter Sensenig, from Zanzibar, and Debbi DiGennaro, from Nairobi. They presented insights on cross-cultural relationships and Islam, and challenged the leaders to understand their neighbors. One participant said, “Before this seminar, I was afraid of Muslims. Now I see them as people like me that I can be friends with. Our faith is different, but we can best share the gospel with them as friends.”

Meeting with leaders of the peacemaking initiative in
Dar es Salaam

From Morogoro we traveled to Dar es Salaam for a meeting to discuss ways to create positive relationships between Christians and Muslims in areas where Mennonite churches are located. Historically, Christians and Muslims have lived together peacefully in Tanzania, and in most areas that is still true, but there are radical persons among Christians as well as Muslims who stir up misunderstandings and conflict. The Mennonite leaders in Dar es Salaam would like to counter the tendencies toward conflict, in keeping with our tradition of peacemaking

From here, we go on to Mombasa, Kenya, for the next 2 months. There is a small Mennonite congregation in Mombasa and the leaders have asked for teaching and mentoring, because they have come from other denominational traditions and want to know more about “the Mennonite way of doing church.”

Pools To Quench their Thirst (Psalm 84:6)

Women in worship at Kayunga

The children sat quietly and listened attentively.

Last week Joe and I had the privilege of visiting the recently developing Mennonite churches in Uganda, a marathon 10 day trip including two days of teaching in two different locations. We were accompanied by one of our Kenyan bishops (Moses Otieno), another newly arrived missionary to Nairobi (Evie Hershey), and the coordinating pastor (Simon Onyango) of the Ugandan churches. At the first location (Kayunga, near Kampala) the congregation was primarily women from three various churches who enthusiastically welcomed us with music, ululations, and dancing. We no sooner were in the tin building structure, and they broke out into simultaneous prayer as a group, worshipping and praising God. Some of these women had walked 6 kms and had slept in the church overnight in order to be there. We could literally feel and sense their commitment to Jesus even though we could not speak to many of them because of the language barrier. Their intense desire to learn and know more was conveyed by their attentiveness to the teaching given and through the questions they asked during the response time. We also introduced our study materials to about 10 groups of women who expressed a desire to study the Bible together, some who were from other denominations. The coordinator’s wife, Alice, will continue to provide leadership and encouragement to these groups. Joe met with the men to discuss and encourage them in strengthening their leadership. Our hearts were blessed and our eyes were opened to the deep need for spiritual nurture and growth. 

Nshure Mennonite Church, with a new addition being built

Women studying the TEE materials

Men in Bible study

The second location was a days drive across Uganda to the western and southern tip to a town called Rukungiri. This was the first place a Mennonite church had been established about 10 yrs. ago. The churches in this area have been struggling because of some conflict among leaders. Although this group was much smaller and less glamourous, we also felt the presence of the Holy Spirit working in their hearts and sensed a deep longing for becoming a people of God. 

During our church service on Sunday, several people felt the need for repentance and prayer. We feel certain God will begin a new thing among them and provide a pool to quench their thirst as they come to him seeking and obeying what he will teach them through the study of the Bible. In these churches, it is the younger people who will be key in helping the older ones to use our materials because they are the ones who know English. Uganda does not use Swahili, so we could only offer English materials that will need to be translated as they work in their small groups. This should produce an interesting interaction and sharing between the young and the old! Pray for the leaders of the groups as they begin to work together in strengthening the church. We have planted the seeds, may God provide the water to quench their thirst!

July - Vacation in USA

"Welcome, Grandma and Grandpa." Kade, Isaiah, and Kathryn,
children of Jon, welcoming us at the Charlotte NC airport.

We spent the month of July on “vacation” in the USA. July has also been a time for other church meetings, especially Mennonite World Conference, which met in Pennsylvania. But we did not attend any of those, since we focused on visiting our family, especially the children and grandchildren in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.

Sherrie and her girls, Mykah, Zoe, and Gloria, at the
Milford DE Dairy Queen - always a favorite.

We also attended reunions with our siblings. The first was around the funeral of Joe’s father, Eli Bontrager, who passed away just before we left Africa. He was within 3 weeks of his 97th birthday and has been longing for his “transition” for many years. He passed peacefully following a short illness. His funeral was early July. Near the end of July we attended the annual reunion of Gloria’s siblings and their families.

It has been a time for remembering and sharing our rich heritage! We are so blessed and truly appreciate the influence of our families on our lives. Hopefully our children and grandchildren will also treasure the relationships and backgrounds from which they come.

Gloria reading to Ivy, Max, and Kaia, children of
daughter Chris

A picnic at Dismal Falls, Bland VA, with Beth
and Brad and their girls, (left to right) Beverly, Lily, Juliet,
Evie, Beth, Brad.

It has been especially enjoyable to get reacquainted with our thirteen grandchildren, ranging in age from 15 years old to 10 months. What beautiful personalities, exuberant energy and noble spirits they display!

We are writing this on our way back to East Africa, and will complete it after we have arrived in Nairobi. Within our first week back, we expect to engage with the new Mennonite churches in Uganda, then a training seminar in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, finally returning to Sumbawanga to complete the teaching we left in June.

Unfortunately we did not have a chance to see many of you this visit, but we are grateful for your interest and support that we often feel as we move around to encourage leaders.

Note: we arrived in Nairobi, all our flights were on schedule, and we are grateful to arrive safely. Our luggage arrived also. But it was a long trip, about 30 hours from Charlotte to Nairobi, with stops to change planes in Frankfurt, Germany and Doha, Qatar.