From mission to partnership

COLOMBIAN MB CONFERENCE CELEBRATES 50 YEARS

The vision for Mennonite Brethren mission work in Colombia was born in the hearts of students at Bethany Bible Institute in Hepburn, Sask. more than 50 years ago. These students committed themselves to prayer for a new gospel witness in Colombia. This eventually led MB Missions/Services to send the first MB missionaries to Colombia (Daniel and Elsie Wirsche, David Wirsche, Annie Dyck, Lillian Schafer, John and Mary Dyck, Mary Schroeder and Kathryn Lentzner). After difficult beginnings in the Choco area, the first mission property was purchased in La Cumbre in 1946. Today there are 32 MB churches in Colombia.

Colombians are deeply expressive, proclaiming their faith through exuberant songs and fervent prayers. At the 50th anniversary celebrations, when one prayed, they all prayed. They responded enthusiastically to personal sharing and the preaching of God's Word. Informal conversation during refreshment breaks and meals often centred on fellowship in Christ and reflected a sincere interest in personal devotion and community witness. Young people enthusiastically expressed a desire to share their faith with others and to become leaders in the church. A number were interested in college education abroad that would prepare them for Christian ministry. For most, this dream will be difficult to achieve. The dominant need identified by the MB conferences of northern South America is for pastoral training. The Baptist seminary in Cali offers some training opportunities, but the closest MB seminary is in Paraguay. Most persons who seek to serve in the churches must rely upon lay institutes or the local church for training.

Pastors and others shared with gratitude God's blessings in the past, but they also reported increased suffering and persecution. Four members of the Smyrna church recently died for their faith at the hands of guerrillas. There is evidence in Colombia, as well as in other parts of the world, that the suffering church is a growing church.

Many leaders in other national MB conferences are committed to finding new ways to strengthen bonds between conferences and to increase their witness to their neighbours. The leaders wondered how they could become involved in bringing the gospel to unreached people groups around the world. The Colombian Conference plans to send a missionary couple to Panama this year, even though it has insufficient funds to meet its own church needs.

Abe Konrad,
former moderator, Canadian MB Conference