Africa Journal Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission International Central Council

P.O. Box 744 Goshen, IN 46527; 440 Main St., Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5 Canada

Phone: 574-535-0077 Email: aimm@aimmintl.org Web: www.aimmintl.org

Vol, 19, September 2014

Explosion of Baptisms helps prompt

Theological Reflection

Christmas 2013 and Easter 2014 together saw 9 congregations of the Evangelical Mennonite

Church of Burkina Faso (EEMBF) baptize a total of 107 new believers. This church

community was listed with Mennonite World Conference in July 2013 as having 420

members. A year later, that figure has jumped to 563, a 34% increase. Part of the response

of church leadership to this growth, has been to develop a catechism for the instruction of

baptismal candidates, to be used by congregational leaders across the church.

This initiative, led by the committee pictured below, is a sign of the growing confidence of

Burkina Faso’s church leadership in their ability to articulate theology and ethics which

respond specifically to their context, rather than relying on “cookie cutter” catechisms,

many of which would be easily available from outside sources.

The initiative builds on the recent

development of “Basic Bible

Training”, EEMBF’s first self-

designed, taught and administered

leadership training program, which

prepares young potential leaders to

serve the church through a 3 year

Jula language series of courses.

Left side: Pastor Daouda Traoré, Nancy Frey (Mennonite Mission

Network), Pastor Abdias Coulibaly Right side: Pastor Siaka

Traoré, Calixte Bananzaro, Kari Traoré, Fabe Traoré.

In our cover photo Lydie Yougbaré

declares her faith in Jesus, is baptized

and joins the Bobo Dioulasso

congregation of the Evangelical

Mennonite church of Burkina Faso.

God is growing the church in Burkina Faso…

Newly baptized believers in

Sidi, Burkina Faso

The Evangelical Mennonite Church of Burkina Faso is experiencing tremendous

growth as new believers receive baptism and become members of the church. According to

recent reports by Mennonite Mission Network and Siaka Traoré, national president of the

Burkina Faso church, many are making the decision to be baptized in a context where

Muslims make up the majority of the population. Each individual counts the cost and still

desires to be baptized.

When asked about the expanding church Traore said, “I cannot explain this wave of interest,

other than to say that I believe God wants to grow the church.” He went on to say

“Those who choose baptism are people fully conscious of what they want.” The choice to

receive Jesus as Lord and Savior may result in ridicule and persecution, yet in the face of this

reality many still choose a new life in Christ and membership in the church.

Adapted from a news release by Mennonite Mission Network.

Hakilitiguiya

Primary School,

Colma, Bobo Dioulasso

Hakilitiguiya is a Jula word meaning “wisdom”. It is the name that leaders from the

Evangelical Mennonite Church of Burkina Faso (EEMBF) have given to the new primary

school taking shape in the Colma district of Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second city.

This school is being born out of EEMBF’s mission vision. Church leadership was seeking a way

into the Colma community, a way in which the church’s witness could be shared through

building relationships. The idea of a primary school was shared with the circle of AIMM

partner churches. Help to finance the 3 classroom school came from the Caisse de Secours of

the Mennonite Church of France;

the Evangelical Mennonite

Conference; and AIMM. Church

President Siaka Traoré applied to

the National Ministry of Education

for permission to run a private

school, which has been granted.

Teachers are being recruited from

the ranks of the Evangelical

Mennonite Church, while

construction on the school building

continues. President Traoré states,

“We give thanks to God for how

each part of this project has come together.

While our friends in the North were mobilizing in order to make this project a reality, our

national authorities in turn have approved our contribution to educational work by according

this school legal status. Thanks for your prayers. We will make every effort in order that for

Colma’s population and for our authorities, Hakilitiguiya would become a positive point of

reference.”

AIMM’s International Central Council (ICC)

Visits Sierra Leone At the request of AIMM’s International Central Council, ICC President Siaka Traoré,

accompanied by Kari Traoré, traveled to Freetown, Sierra Leone March 24-April 1, 2014. The

trip was planned because the Christ

Salvation Bible Ministry (CSBM) church,

based in Freetown, is seeking

membership with Africa Inter-

Mennonite Mission.

CSBM Pastor Solomon Bandor became

aware of Mennonites and AIMM through

a friendship with Canadian Mennonite

businessman Brian Dyck. Dyck has

played an intermediary role, contacting

AIMM and encouraging our organization

to connect with CSBM, while at the same

time encouraging CSBM to explore a

relationship with a Mennonite organization.

Siaka and Kari were very well received during their stay in Freetown. They were able to

participate in worship services and evangelistic meetings as well as in informal discussion.

They were impressed with the ministry initiatives of CSBM including primary education and

soccer ministry. Their visit report recommended further exploration of a relationship with

CSBM. Pastor Bandor and one of his ministry colleagues plan to attend AIMM’s annual ICC

meeting in October 2014.

left to right: Pastor Solomon Bandor of Christ Salvation Bible Ministries; Pastor Emmanuel Mbawa, Bandor’s

mentor; Pastor Siaka Traoré, ICC President.

The Anabaptist Network in

South Africa (ANiSA)

Prepares for the Future

ANiSA is seeking to strengthen its local

leadership base by sending one of its

members for further training to Anabaptist

Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, IN.

Andrew Suderman (Mennonite Church

Canada), who works as an organizer and

networker for ANiSA, explains:

“Mzwandile Nkutha has over the past three years become more and more involved in the life

and leadership of ANiSA. He began by first participating in the ANiSA Dialogues held in

Johannesburg. He then became part of the ANiSA Planning Team for the Gauteng area (the

team that puts on the Dialogues). He was also one of the planning members for the first

ANiSA Theological Conference that was held in October 2013 and has also become part of

the ANiSA Steering Committee. Mzwandile has a Bachelor of Theology degree from the

Baptist College in Johannesburg and he is currently finishing a Masters Program at St.

Augustine’s College of South Africa. He is very passionate about peace, justice, and

reconciliation, as well as the contribution Anabaptism and its theology and witness has made

and can make in South Africa.

Mzwandile has demonstrated a lot of commitment to ANiSA and we believe that he will

continue to be one of ANiSA’s leaders now and in the future.”

Currently, Mzwandile is completing his application for AMBS. Visa questions still on the

horizon mean that we do not yet know his arrival date. His year of studies is being supported

financially by Mennonite Church Canada, Mennonite Mission Network, Mennonite Central

Committee, and AIMM.

Mzwandile Nkutha

Mennonite Church of Congo TEE Ministry Receives a Boost Pastor Albert Mulamba, Mennonite Church of Congo

Coordinator for TEE (theological education by

extension) Ministry, did not let a lack of budget and

equipment stand between him and his ministry

responsibilities. In the summer of 2013, he left

Tshikapa on foot and, traveling north towards Ilebo

and then east, shared leadership training sessions in

around 10 congregations while covering over 300

kilometers.

Meanwhile, AIMM family member Tim Bertsche had met Mulamba during the Mennonite

Church of Congo Centennial celebrations in 2012. Aware of Mulamba’s need for a means of

transportation to better carry out his national

leadership training responsibilities across the 800

congregations within Mennonite Church of Congo,

Tim began to share this need with fellow church

members (Tim is pastor at Grace Evangelical Church

in Morton, IL). Generous people responded with

contributions, so that today Pastor Mulamba has a

motorbike with which to make trips in order to

train leaders within congregations. He is also in the

process of printing several hundred copies of his Tshiluba teaching document so that he can

leave reminders of his teaching with students. Thanks Tim and friends for your support for

this important ministry!

Congo Ministry Takes New Forms

From 1997-2005, the Democratic Republic of Congo experienced a devastating civil conflict in

which over 5 million people died, both directly in war and also as a result of the war due to

malnutrition and disease. The relationship between AIMM and our Congolese partner

churches had traditionally been expressed in important ways including missionary presence,

Albert Mulamba

fraternal visits and participation in various projects. Such expressions became almost

impossible, and as a result, the mission-church relationship suffered. Many Congolese

Mennonites felt that AIMM had abandoned them, and said so.

However, towards the end of the civil war, God’s Spirit began to do something new. AIMM

and MCC Congo alumni have been called into a new model of mission involvement in Congo

over the last decade. North Americans who at one point in their lives had lived in Congo,

either as missionary kids or as mission/service workers, are “returning”. It is a particular

kind of return that involves making part of one’s time, money and expertise available in

order to be blessed by, as well as to bless the Congolese people in some way. In general, it

takes the form of occasional (often once yearly) 2-

4 week mission trips that both receive and bring

hope and encouragement, at particular places

connected to AIMM’s partner churches. These

are not one time trips, but become regular

occurrences. This is important, because repeated

trips make it possible for participants to renew or

learn Congolese language and culture; form lasting

relationships; learn how to receive and give in ways

that strengthen (rather than weaken) Congolese initiative; and build up a support network in

North America to make ongoing involvement possible. Following is a list of people who are

currently involved in Congo, either directly through AIMM or in some kind of fraternal association

with AIMM:

Charles Buller- developing church leadership support within Mennonite Church of Congo

Ron Goertzen- working through Dayspring Ministries at church support/development

projects in and around Kamayala

Brad Graber & Stan Graber- working through Hope for Congo at church support

development projects in and around Ndjoko Punda; also working across Congo in support

for technical schools, Congolese language Bible/songbook printing and distribution, hospital

equipment upgrades, etc.

Arnold Harder, Joe Shetler, and David Rocke- assisting with Mennonite Church of Congo

construction projects

John Martens- collaborating with Mennonite Church of Congo medical work, by providing

training opportunities for Congolese doctors and medical equipment for hospitals, and

assisting with surgeries

Nancy Myers- developing relationships with women leaders across Congo’s Mennonite

churches

Colette Ramm- working through Reve Kandale in favor of school construction and other

support in and around Kandala (see photo below)

Chuck Regier & Harlan Bartel- working on the Congo Transport to Market Bike Project, an

effort in Congolese artisanal manufacturing, based near Nyanga

Dwight Short- collaborating with Mennonite Church of Congo youth ministry initiatives

Fred Suter & Les Schlegel- working through Congo Water Project to improve access to water

for Congolese households. Fred’s next trip to Congo is scheduled for October 5—26, 2014.

During this time he hopes to meet the six strong interested, young men who have said they

want to be part of the first drilling team (they were recruited by the members of his advisory

team—a group of all women). Fred wants to drill a well in Tshikapa and also scout out some

other drilling sites in Mutena and possibly Kalonda.

In 2014 Congolese Mennonites no longer use the term “abandonment” to express how

they feel about their relationship with AIMM. This is because people, beginning with those

on this list, have responded to God’s call and have become “the face” of the North American

church in Congo.

Reve Kandale supports self help initiatives in the remote and struggling communities of Kandale and its

surrounding villages, through building schools, upgrading existing school infrastructure and investing in the

environment through tree planting. Here women carry rocks to a construction site.

Congo Collaboration Update

The Congo Collaboration group gathered in Goshen, IN on August 9, 2014 after a two

year break. 18 persons were present to share brief reports of their Congo involvements, raise

questions growing out of their Congo relationships and work, share insights, and encourage

each other.

Brad Graber organized the meeting and the agenda, and ably led us through it. Hope for

Congo provided both breakfast and supper meals for the group. Our discussion included both

difficult questions, and much gratitude and enthusiasm for the variety of initiatives which are

currently blossoming. I believe that we all left heartened and encouraged by the cumulative

effect of many different persons who are finding creative ways to express their love and

concern for Congolese people.

Thanks to each one of you Congo Collaborators, for doing so much to help carry

AIMM’s precious relationships and work! Thanks to the many people behind

the scenes who pray and give so that these and others can be a real presence

and encouragement, communicating the love of God.

Back row left to right: Arnold Harder, Joe Shetler, Grace Harder, Lola Gingerich, Merrill Gingerich, Stan

Graber, Ron Goertzen, Linda Goertzen, Fred Suter, Marlene Suter, David Rocke, Cathie Rocke, Harlan

Bartel, Grace Bartel, Front row: Brad Graber, Charles Buller, Rod Hollinger-Janzen, Dwight Short.

Mennonite Church of Congo Youth Bible Camp 2014

Mennonite Church of Congo youth

representing 9 of 11 church provinces

gathered in Tshikapa July 14-20 for the

first national youth Bible camp in many

years. Participants arrived by vehicle, by

river barge or by foot, most having

undergone long and tiring travel.

According to national youth President

Robert Irundu, the camp’s objectives

included: strengthening the unity, fraternal

love and communion among Mennonite

youth; sharing Anabaptist culture together; getting to know one another and creating an

inter-provincial network, also including Mennonite youth from overseas; and sharing our

gifts with Jesus Christ as our model.

Highlights of the camp included: worship adorned with songs from several choirs; teaching

received from local Mennonite leaders as well as from AIMM MK Charles Buller, who with

his son Andre participated in the camp for several days; a Mennonite youth parade into the

center of Tshikapa; the football match between teams composed of both young women and

men; and above all the 9 youth who accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and were

baptized on Sunday July 20.

CMCo Youth Bible Camp discussion July 2014

Hope for Congo Investment in

Bibles

Hope for Congo is strongly committed to supplying

local language Bibles at reduced cost for Congolese

Mennonite believers. Thus far, well over 5,000 Bibles

have been supplied at accessible prices.

July 2014 saw 3 major Mennonite Church of Congo

national gatherings in Tshikapa, including the national

women’s consultation, the national youth Bible camp,

and the church’s General Assembly. Hope for Congo

saw these events as opportunities to supply rural-based

congregations with Tshiluba Bibles. 600 were

purchased for $9 each and shipped to Tshikapa, where

they are being sold for $3 each to representatives of

rural congregations. An additional 150 Bibles were shipped to Ndjoko Punda for

sale in Mennonite congregations there.

Funds have been gathered for a 3,000 Bible reprint of the Kipende Bible. However,

church leaders have determined that this Bible needs to be revised. Since this Bible

was printed before the advent of computers, AIMM is currently

working to scan the Kipende Bible with software that

transforms the scanned material into electronic files that can be

edited. These electronic files will then be entered into a laptop

computer and carried to Congo so that Pastor Ghymalu (and

perhaps others working with him) will be able to carry out the

revision.

A large portion of funds needed for a 3,000 Bible printing of the

Chokwe Bible has been received, with the hope that this

reprinting project will soon move forward. $12,000 is still

needed to complete this project.

Congo Transport-To-Market Bike Project Update

An initial group of 6 bamboo

transport bikes were

manufactured in Khoma near

Nyanga in 2013. Bamboo bike

expert Craig Calfee has joined

with AIMM family members

Chuck Regier and Harlan Bartel

to guide the project and to get

the business to the “take off”

point. The hope is to encourage

the development of a sustainable

local business through the

manufacture and sale of these bamboo bikes. These heavy duty but lightweight bikes are

well suited to play the role of Congolese “Freightliner”, transporting hundreds of kilos of

agricultural or other products often several hundred kilometers over sandy, rutted tracks in

order to supply food to Congolese cities.

The initial set of bikes have been at work now for a year, and news of their transporting

ability has spread far beyond Nyanga. UPDAP, the farmers’ organization which manufactured

the initial batch of bikes, has received

several hundred inquiries- many

others want to purchase this type of

bike!

Parts for a second set of 6 bikes are making their way to Congo. Assuming that this second batch of bikes sells easily, plans are in place to raise funds for a larger parts order that would really launch the business. You can see more photos and read more details at: www.facebook.com/CongoTransportBikeProject .

CIM/AIMM Missionary Kid Reunion

Back Row L to R: Doretta Dick Drey, David Rocke, Darrel Rocke, Faith Eides, Charity Eides

Schellenberg, John Derksen, Carolyn James Mason, Gordon Chambers, Front row: Carolyn Harder

Voth, Lydia Yost Karr, Irma Sawatsky Epp, Fred Epp, Marlene James Koch, Nancy Chambers

Terranova. Not pictured Cathie Rocke took the photo.

As AIMM missionary kids gathered on July 11 in Winnipeg, Manitoba for the annual MK

reunion you could feel the enthusiasm build as each person arrived. Meals began with a song

of blessing including “Nzambi Wa Nkenda”. There were many willing hands as Darrel Rocke

took charge of the meal preparations. David & Cathie Rocke made bidia/luku, chicken

mwamba and saka saka. John Derksen shared pictures of his trip to Congo in 2006 and of

Ecole Belle Vue. Faith Eidse read from the book she wrote about her parents, ‘Light The

World’ . A memorial for Leland Rocke included his obituary, a tribute, and shared memories

of Lee at school. Doretta Dick Drey told her faith journey, Charity Eidse read from her

contribution to the book ‘Writing out of Limbo’. Aunt Irma and Uncle Fred Epp shared

memories, Irma said, One small child asked me, ‘If I am here so my parents can tell people

about Jesus, than I am helping people learn about Jesus, right?’

The group gathered in a meeting room to share stories and slides along with singing of the

old songs from their childhoods at Belle Vue. According to Carolynne James Mason “the

singing was one of the highlights and the smiles on people’s faces as we caught each other’s

eye was very telling as we were taken back to those days of childish worship so long ago.”

Carolynne shared her story of God’s work in her life on the Shakenge station, at school and

then back home in Canada until now. With her permission I share her reflections about this

time of sharing. She said, “I tried to be as honest as I could without getting bogged down

with details… after I shared my story there were questions specifically with reference to my

use of the words ‘corporal punishment’ and ‘separation anxiety.’ This opened up the room to

a time of honest sharing for an hour or so and it was evident that there were many issues

that people were dealing with just under the surface. My opinion is that this kind of

discussion has been good and should be continued in our reunions because there is much

healing in the sharing of similar experiences. This was helpful to me because for many years it

was buried in me and I thought it would stay there...I think that telling our stories and hearing

each other’s stories validates what many have come to think was a dream/imagined or false

memories and buried. We talked about forgiveness and the world/generation that teachers

and our parents came from. People in different stages at this late age may have not dealt

with their youth and are only now realizing that they were not alone and that their

upbringing was so unique and it affected all the years to follow.”

Marlene James Koch’s post on Facebook said “I just returned from the missionary kids school

reunion lots of tears and much laughter. I will never be the same again!” Carolynne agrees

that this is a good enough reason to continue to have annual reunions as long as we can. I

hope many more will make the time to come next year.

David Rocke includes: “These MK reunions are for all AIMM kids and all DRC missionary kids,

regardless of denominational background. Come share your experience with other MK’s just

like you. Preliminary plans for the next reunion are being contemplated. Somewhere in

Kansas is the current thought and the first two weekends of August are suggested dates.”

French-speaking Mennonites Gather in Congo,

Strengthening Connections and Ministry The first consultation on theological education among French-speaking Mennonites was held

at the Centre Universitaire de Missiologie (University Center for Missiology) in Kinshasa, Feb.

26-28. Forty-five participants came from nine different countries: Benin, Burkina Faso,

Canada (Quebec), Chad, Congo, France, Ivory Coast, Switzerland and the United States. The

initiative for this gathering was taken by the

Francophone Mennonite Network, a loosely

organized body of Anabaptist theologians and

church leaders which attempts to foster global

relationships and encourage Anabaptist

understanding among French-speaking

Mennonites. An important objective of the

consultation was to learn about the Mennonite

context in different parts of the French-speaking

world. The importance of theological education

in a Mennonite perspective was strongly

affirmed, for the good of the church and its

mission within the world. Follow-up ideas

include: the development of online courses,

upgrading libraries, the development and

publication of French-language resources, and

teacher exchanges. Another consultation in Africa is being planned for 2016. AIMM

contributed financially toward the consultation.

-excerpted from an article by Neil Blough, for Mennonite World Conference and Mennonite Mission Network

Botswana Prison Ministry Nathan and Taryn Dirks (Mennonite

Church Canada) are investing time and

energy in ministry together with youth

leaders from the Spiritual Healing Church.

These youth are strong followers of Jesus

who spend time reading the Scriptures to

know what Jesus is all about, and then they

try to live like Jesus, building loving relationships

as they volunteer in local prisons, help in a school for special-needs children, and coordinate

sports development projects. “The Bible encourages us to serve people in captivity, in

L to R: Professor Dr. Nzuzi Muzawa and Pastor Eric Mukambu, principal organizers of the French-speaking Mennonite gathering in

Kinshasa held February 26-28, 2014, receive recognition from Max Wiedmer, coordinator of Mennonite World Conference’s Francophone

hospitals, and whosoever needs our attention,” said Khumo Mosalagae, one of the youth

leaders. One of their ministries takes them inside Gaborone’s First Offenders Prison. “We

look forward to worshiping in prison every Saturday,” Taryn said. “It’s actually our favorite

place to do church. It’s a community there and everyone’s walls are down. So often in the

churches outside of prison, we all keep our guard up.” In the prison, people who committed

horrible crimes are experiencing conversion. “Hearing the stories of the inmates, and getting

to know them as friends, we are seeing transformation from hate and selfish consumption, to

love and selfless sacrifice. We are witnessing the power of God in its subtly revolutionary

way,” Nathan said. The Dirks continue an AIMM-initiated ministry of Mennonites walking

alongside the African Initiated Churches of Botswana that dates to 1975. They work with

congregations in the areas of sustainable community development and Bible teaching.

-from a Mennonite Mission Network article by Lynda Hollinger-Janzen

Reuben Mgodeli’s vision for

Bethany Bible School “On Feb. 15, 2014, I was commissioned before the

student body to take lead of the Bethany Bible School.

My goal for this first year is to put my work in order. I

already have a line-up of people to teach this year,

including Brother Andrew Suderman (Mennonite Church

Canada). The executive, disciplinary, and catering

committees are in place. I continue to grow into my

administrative responsibilities by studying computer and

office administration. I am also motivating the Bethany

student body to have confidence in themselves. I believe

that motivation is the fuel necessary to keep the human

engine running. I know that, together, we are capable of taking the school to a higher level. I

encourage them by saying that Bethany belongs to every one of us. I tell them that Bethany’s

rise or fall is in their hands. And I encourage everyone “to work (and study) with all their

heart” (Nehemiah 4:6). I believe that good leadership gives people confidence in a leader, but

a great leader also gives people confidence in themselves. That’s what I want to do. I hope to

Reuben and Phumeza Mgodeli

open a new branch of Bethany Bible School in another town each year to strengthen our

main branch in Mthatha. My hope is that future branches will support Bethany financially

and that soon there will be no need to ask for funds from North America. When I shared this

vision, it was applauded by every student. Pray for unity and that the peace of Christ rules

our hearts, that we may love one another and that the grace of God may abound to us.”

-excerpted from a Mennonite Mission Network article

AIMM Annual Picnic August 9, 2014

Former Merrill Lynch Investment Manager Dwight Short

traveled all the way from Florida to Goshen in order to share

excerpts of his recent book, Home is Where God Calls Us, with

an attentive audience of about 60 people at the annual AIMM

picnic event, held on Saturday August 9 at Silverwood

Mennonite Church. Dwight focused on a couple of big events that occurred during the

missionary career of his Aunt Lodema Short. At the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair, Lodema

accompanied a group of nine Congolese Mennonite young men, called

“The Happy Singers”, as they shared gospel music and broke down

racial stereotypes through their many concerts and interactions across

the city. A couple of short years later in the immediate aftermath of

Belgium’s granting political independence to Congo, the entire Congo

Inland Mission missionary team was fleeing for the Angolan border as

a violent backlash against Belgian rule broke out in various parts of the

country. Despite such experiences of instability and volatility, many

missionaries including Lodema, focusing less on the insecurity of the

situation and more on their call from God to serve in Congo, were back

in the country a short time later to continue their service. The persistence and love of this

missionary community has subsequently reaped huge benefits for God’s kingdom through

the strong growth of Congo’s Mennonite churches.

Thanks, Dwight, for attending the picnic and sharing these great stories with us!

Dwight’s book is available from the AIMM office for $15, a contribution to AIMM ministry.

Heeding a call for Christian service, the

author and his wife headed for Africa with

youthful vigor, high expectations and a

three-month-old daughter. Their

assignment: to manage a residence for

twenty missionary teens in Kinshasa, Zaire.

They had no idea what was waiting for

them: a demanding set of circumstances that confounded

their expectations and tested their limits. Unforeseen

challenges to growth assailed both managers and youth in

the exotic setting. Together they crafted a distinctive “third

Will & Estate Planning

AIMM Office Staff wish to express our profound gratitude to God,

and to all of the loyal and generous members of the AIMM family

who, moved by God’s Spirit, contribute funds throughout the year so that our shared AIMM

work can go forward. This ministry in which we all share, simply would not happen without

such contributions.

Each year we are blessed by estate gifts that honor the heart for mission of those who have

gone before us and the surviving family who carry out the requests made by their loved ones.

In recent months our shared ministries have received gifts from the Irena Sprunger estate in

the amount of $30,403 and the Lawrence and Alvera Rempel trust in the amount of $59,152.

Each gift represents a life lived for Jesus and we are deeply grateful to be entrusted with using

these funds to increase our African church partners’ ministry capacities.

We invite you to remember AIMM in your end of life planning. By naming Africa Inter-

Mennonite Mission in your will, you leave behind a powerful statement about your faith and

your priorities. Thank you for your life-giving generosity.

culture.” This book is available at www.outskirtspress.com/bookstore, and is also available

in Ebook, Kindle, or iBook Editions. Cover Price: $15.95 John Franz’s previous book Congo

Dawn, explored his days of teaching at TASOK as a single man in Congo.

In Memory of Loved Ones……

Nelly Samba Komuesa was born on October 23,

1978 to a Christian family. Adolphe Komuesa was her

father, and her mother was Sowela who passed away

in 2008. She was the oldest of seven children. After

obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Monetary Economics,

she became the Political Secretary of the South African

Embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nelly

was a vivacious and friendly person who made her

family proud because of her achievements. Nelly

passed away February 9, 2014.

Andrew M. Rupp passed away on March 30, 2014 in Leo,

Indiana. Andrew served on the Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission

board from 1968 to 1985 and was chair from 1984-1985.

Andrew was an ordained minister in the Evangelical

Mennonite Church (now Fellowship of Evangelical Churches),

having served as a missionary in the Dominican Republic for 18

years, as a pastor in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio,

denominational president and director of missions. He was a

member of Highland Bethel Church of Ft. Wayne. During his

missionary service Andy helped start numerous churches in

the Dominican Republic and helped train Dominican pastors

and church leaders. Before passing from this life, he looked forward to being reunited in

heaven with many of those whose lives he influenced, especially his Dominican brothers and

sisters. His earthly family was greatly blessed by the Christian heritage and example he

provided, especially during his years of caring for his wife Esther while she was ill, before her

death in 2002. Their surviving children are a son Timothy of Eagle River, AK; Mark of Carmel;

Deborah of Ft. Wayne; Mary Shadowen of San Sebastian, Spain.

James Peters passed away May 9, 2014. Jim was born

May 5, 1940 to Cornelius A. & Louise (Kroeker) Peters in Henderson, Nebraska. In 1959 Jim served with the MCC PAX program at Djoko Punda, a CIM/AIMM mission station, known as Charlesville under the Belgian regime. As a PAX man he gave support to missionaries until all mission workers were evacuated in 1960. The PAX program provided service opportunities for Mennonite conscientious objectors. He married Dara Epp in September 1962. After completing his studies, teaching and receiving a master’s degree he returned to Tanzania under the Teachers Abroad Program from 1966 – 1968 with his wife and young son where they served for three years. We give thanks to God for a life lived in service to Christ!

Robert D. Bontrager (photo 1960) passed away

July 31, 2014. Robert was born Nov. 1922 on a farm near

Elkhart, Indiana. He married Mable Busch in 1946 who in 2011

preceded him in death. Mr. and Mrs. Bontrager attended New

York Theological Seminary at New York from 1946 - 1948.

After receiving their master’s degrees, the couple served

abroad under Congo Inland Mission, now Africa Inter-

Mennonite Mission. They traveled by ship to the Belgian

Congo (later Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo),

where they worked over the following 15 years as educators

and publishers. They were initially stationed inland at

Charlesville but spent most of their time in Leopoldville (later

Kinshasa). They ran the publishing operation LECO (Librairie Evangelique du Congo.) The

couple returned to the United States in 1965 during a political crisis in the Congo. They are

survived by their sons Thomas and Laura Bontrager of New York, New York and Timothy and

Rose Bontrager of Lawrence, Kansas. Mr. Bontrager earned his Ph.D at the Newhouse School

of Public Communications. In 1970, the family relocated to Manhattan, Kansas. Mr.

Bontrager became a professor of journalism at Kansas State University. In 1992, the

Bontragers retired to Pennsylvania to be near Chester and Margaret Jump, who they had met

in Belgium in 1950 and had worked beside in Congo.

AIMM Annual ICC Meeting

and Ten Year Review

AIMM’s International Central Council (ICC)

has made the decision to meet for

Partnership Council meetings, AIMM’s 10

year review, and our annual ICC meeting,

in Benin, West Africa this year.

An important reason for meeting in Benin

is to introduce our Partnership Council and

ICC members to the Songhai Center,

located in the city of Porto-Novo. We will

be staying, as well as holding our meetings,

at a guesthouse on the Center grounds. The Songhai Center trains people in sustainable,

manual labor-based, business-oriented agriculture. AIMM has already begun sending partner

church trainees to the Center. It is important that leaders from our partner churches become

familiar with the Center and what it has to offer their communities.

It has been 10 years since AIMM underwent considerable change in its structure and way of

operating. It is time to take stock, to ask ourselves questions. To what extent do our

international, intercultural relationships reflect the mutuality and equality that our new

structure was meant to encourage? What are we doing well? What needs improvement? As

we work together so that God’s kingdom may come, are we “scratching where it itches”, or

are we missing the mark?

Please pray with us, that our review and meetings can be useful for God’s purposes. Our

proposed schedule: October 20-21 AIMM 10 Year Review

October 22-23 Congo Partnership Council

October 24 Burkina Faso Partnership Council

October 25 International Central Council meeting

AIMM Office News

Charles Buller Appointed as AIMM International Ministry Staff

The International Central Council (board) of

Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission has appointed

Charles Buller to ministry as an international

staff member of our organization. Charles’

staff duties with AIMM will primarily focus on

walking alongside a Mennonite Church of

Congo (CMCo) ministry leadership team to

provide ongoing spiritual encouragement and

development for CMCo pastors and their

spouses.

Currently, Mennonite Church of Congo has

800 congregations and 370 pastors, and is

spread over a wide geographic area. The goal

is to further strengthen and equip the church

“from the inside out”, “for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of

us come…to the measure of the full stature of Christ.” (Eph.4:12-13). Charles’ extensive

intercultural experience and knowledge of Congo, combined with his strong teaching and

pastoral gifts, make him uniquely positioned to undertake this ministry of encouragement

together with a Congolese team. Charles will be based in the USA (Goshen, IN) and will work

at this ministry both by making several ministry trips per year to Congo, and by using skype,

cell phones and email while at home. When in the USA, Charles will also work with AIMM

staff at North American focused tasks such as multi-media communication, connecting with

youth, constituency relations and aspects of AIMM leadership.

Please read Charles’ letter (enclosed with the mailing of this Journal) and

consider how you might partner with Charles and AIMM in this vital ministry.

Left to right: Rev. Ngombe Kidinda, Rev. Sidonie Swana,

Rev. Bercy Mundedi, Rev. Sandy Miller, Marcéline Komuesa,

and Nancy Myers at the Congo Mennonite Church women’s

federation meeting in Tshikapa, July 10-13, 2014.

At the end of their July 2-20 trip to Congo,

Rev. Sidonie Swana thanked Sandy Miller

and Nancy Myers for coming as

ambassadors to the Mennonite women of

Congo. According to Nancy that comes as

close as anything to describing this

mission. She said, “We went to build

relationships between Mennonite women

in Congo and the US. We went to learn

how we might support the ordained

women in Congo in their ministry,

especially to women. We went in

response to one articulation of a vision for

such a ministry, hoping to learn how

widely that vision was shared and whether

there are other visions and ideas.”

Françoise Felo, a Mennonite Brethren women’s

officer, chaired the July 16 gathering in Kikwit and her son,

Gracia, interpreted.

“We went to listen and learn from women in all three

Mennonite communities. We did not go to teach but we hoped

to model and encourage unity, collaboration, and transparency.

We went to offer encouragement in every way possible and to

learn how we in North America might pray for our sisters and

walk with them on their challenging journeys.”

During their visit Nancy and Sandy met with the Association of

Mennonite Women Theologians in Kinshasa, they were guests at

the triennial Consultation of the Federation of Mennonite

Women, and they met with women leaders in Kikwit.

Nancy indicates next steps include prayer and communication.

“There is no project ready to be funded. There is not even a

shared vision, though there is a passionate desire, on the part

of both lay and ordained women leaders, to serve the church

and society by helping and serving women.”

Women-to-Women In Congo