MCC Board approves new relationship between MCC and Ten Thousand Villages

ABBOTSFORD, B.C.

The Mennonite Central Committee Board has approved a tentative plan for a new relationship between MCC and Ten Thousand Villages. The plan calls for the MCC program to become an MCC-owned corporation. MCC would own Ten Thousand Villages while MCC Canada would own Ten Thousand Villages Canada. The restructuring committee will present a final proposal to the board for approval in a year.

Meeting Feb. 19-20 in Bakerview MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C. the Board agreed to the plan because Ten Thousand Villages needs more flexibility to run its operations, particularly in the area of personnel. In recent years, Ten Thousand Villages has opened stores in metropolitan areas where there are not large Mennonite and Brethren in Christ constituencies from which to draw managers and volunteers.

The boards of these two new corporations would set their own personnel and operation policies, and approve their own budgets, business plans and salary scales while using the guiding principles of MCC.

Ten Thousand Villages in the US plans for a 17% increase in sales in 1999. The plan also includes opening new Villages-owned stores in Princeton, N.J. and Stamford, Conn., and the opening of locally owned stores in Kansas City, Tucson and Phoenix.

The retail value of Ten Thousand Villages sales in Canada and the US totalled $22.5 million Cdn., and the sales offered the equivalent of 12,500 jobs for Third World artisans, up 1,000 from 1997.

The Board approved the 1999 budget of $70.8 million Cdn., which calls for contributions of $35.3 million, an 11% increase from 1998, as well as sales by Ten Thousand Villages totalling $13.9 million Cdn.

MCC will spend $7.8 million Cdn. over the next three years for rebuilding projects in Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala after Hurricane Mitch devastated the region in November. Plans include building 2,000 homes, agricultural rehabilitation, purchasing seeds, rebuilding drinking water supplies and irrigation systems, distributing medicines, constructing latrines and trauma counselling. MCC spent $588,000 Cdn. in 1998 for relief and initial clean-up following Hurricane Mitch.

The "Policy on Environmental Stewardship", which encourages MCC to partner with organizations concerned about the environment, was adopted by the Board. The policy identifies the importance MCC places on stewardship and clarifies ways to address the environmental concerns in overseas programs. MCC recognizes that the best way to avoid negative environmental consequences is to plan activities and strategies in ways that take the environment into account.

In Nicaragua, for example, MCC is instituting an environmental protection program that will provide support for environmental advocacy groups and support sustainable farming practices such as soil conservation and using organic fertilizers.

Each country in which MCC works, from Nicaragua to South Africa to Vietnam, will assess projects that have potential for adverse environmental affects.

Construction on MCC's new facilities in Akron, Pa., scheduled to begin in late summer or early fall, was given the green light by the Board. The plan, estimated to cost about $6.1 million Cdn., calls for building new housing for guests, international visitors and people preparing for an MCC assignment, as well as a new 14,600 sq.ft. Campus Commons building for orientations, chapels and other meetings. The guest housing includes four clusters of housing with 12 bedrooms each, with flexible accommodations for 48-96 people. These units will have concrete floors and masonry walls, and the rooms in each cluster will share a small living room, kitchenette, dining area, fireplace and a porch. The rooms will be heated using geothermal heating and ceiling fans to minimize energy use. The rooms will be furnished with materials created by Ten Thousand Villages artisans.

Plans for financing the construction include $2.4 million Cdn. from capital reserves, $2.1 million Cdn. borrowed for repayment over the next five years and $1.5 million Cdn. from fundraising efforts to begin in March. Groundbreaking will not begin until $1.2 million Cdn. in cash and pledges are received.

"Our Refuge Through All Generations" was the theme for the Friday evening celebration. Former MCC workers and associates spoke of God as a refuge and strength for the people of Nepal, Iraq, Central America, Russia and Palestine. The celebration included a medley of hymns, music by MCC Board member Gerald Hughes and singing by the Mennonite Educational Institute concert choir.

Ronald Mathies was appointed to a second three-year term as executive director of MCC. Karen Klassen Harder of North Newton, Kan., was elected to serve as chair for a three-year term. Jeannette Neufeld of Regina, an MCC Canada representative on the board, was re-elected to serve as vice chair. David Cressman of Kitchener, Ont., also an MCC Canada representative on the board, was elected to a second three-year term on the executive committee. Harriet Sider Bicksler of Mechanicsburg, Pa., as the new chair of MCC US, will serve on the executive committee. Vernon Jantzi of Harrisonburg, Va., a Mennonite Church representative to the board, was elected to a three-year term on the executive committee. Members-at-large re-elected to the board were Vidya Narimalla of Scarborough, Ont., and Daniel Schipani of Elkhart, Ind. (both for their second three-year terms). Narimalla has served as treasurer since 1998 and has been on the executive since 1997. from reports by John M. Spidaliere and Charmayne Denlinger Brubaker of MCC Communications, and Angelika Dawson, a writer for MCC British Columbia

Return to the M.B.Herald Vol. 38, No. 6 Home Page