Missionary women remembered

FRESNO, CALIF.

Lois Wiebe, Mary Toews and Fran Hiebert, three women who served as MBMS International missionaries and on the board, have passed away since February.

Lois Wiebe died Feb. 22 in Fresno, Calif. Lois and her husband James served as missionaries with MBMS International for 31 years in Brazil, and continued to serve after retirement as Regional Mission Advocates.

Lois was born May 31, 1931 to Peter and Malinda Epp, and was raised in Reedley, Calif. At age 10, she committed her life to Christ. As a young woman, she felt called by God to be a missionary. She attended Pacific Bible Institute, Reedley College and Fresno State University, receiving a B.A. in education in 1954. She met James Wiebe while attending Reedley College, and they married in 1953.

In 1962, they began serving as MBMS International missionaries in Brazil. During her service there, Lois was the Sunday school and Christian education director and led home Bible studies. The Wiebes retired from missionary service in Brazil in 1993, but Lois's missionary service did not end.

As a member of North Fresno MB Church, Lois served on the Board of Spiritual Ministries, was a music and Christian education teacher and an organist.

Mary Toews, a missionary to Congo for 25 years, died Feb. 28. She was a member of Clearbrook MB Church, Abbotsford, B.C.

Mary was born Dec. 16, 1910 to Aron A. and Agnes Toews in southern Russia. In 1929, when Mary was 19, a missionary speaker visited her community. After hearing his testimony, Mary committed her life to Christ and to His service. She began serving with MBMS International as a teacher and director of a junior high school in Kajiji in 1947.

"I still hold fond memories of Mary's teaching and vibrant life," recalls Pakisa Tshimika, MBMS International Africa program director and a former student of Toews's. "I think she was one those people who influenced my inquisitive mind and the desire to explore the world not for the sake of just exploring, but for helping others."

In the early 1960s, Mary obtained a master's degree from Kansas State Teachers College. Upon returning to Congo, she was involved in leadership training and taught at the high school in Kikwit. She retired from missionary service with MBMS International in 1972, but continued to give of herself to the Lord.

Tshimika says, "Because Mary believed in her students, she required excellence in everything. It was hard to accept as a student, but later in life I realized how precious and personality-forming it became."

Former missionary and MBMS International Board member Fran Hiebert died April 16 in Illinois. She and her husband Paul served as missionaries in India for six years, and Fran was a member of the Board for another nine years.

Fran was born Aug. 22, 1934 to Menno and Emma Flaming in El Reno, Okla. She attended Corn Bible Academy 1949-52 and Tabor College until 1954. On Dec. 28, 1954, she married Paul Hiebert.

In 1960, they began serving in India. While in India, and after their return to North America, the Hieberts remained involved in training and supporting missionaries and other workers in the church. Fran served with the mission board 1984-93. She was director of international student affairs both at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, Calif. and at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Ill. From the former, she earned a master's degree in theology, and from the latter, was awarded a D.Min. in theology.

We thank God for Fran's service," says Harold Ens, general director for MBMSI. "As a missionary, she was faithful, and as a board member, she brought words of wisdom and encouragement to many meetings."--MBMS International

Return to the M.B.Herald Vol. 38, No. 11 Home Page