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Boissevain (Man.) MB Church and Whitewater Mennonite Church in Boissevain are running a youth ministry program together. The MB church had had a youth worker team in place for over three years when the Mennonite church asked to work together in this ministry. The churches see this as an opportunity to build the Kingdom together and to better disciple teens in the small community. – Pastors Tom Warner and Al Rempel
The fate of three American missionaries kidnapped in Panama in 1993 by Colombian guerrillas is still uncertain. Three bags of bone fragments found by the Colombian army in northwestern Colombia in March were examined at a medical institute in Medellin and found not to be human. The remains were exhumed outside the jungle town of Acandi near the Panama border, where the missionaries were last seen. Richard Tenenoff, David Mankins and Mark Rich of New Tribes Mission, were kidnapped from their mission station in Panama, where they had been working with Kuna Indians. A massive search of a river bank in Colombia’s Choco province by local military groups and government officials in October 1999 also found no remains. That search was made after a guerrilla defector told authorities that the missionaries had been killed and their bodies were buried along the river. New Tribes Mission, based in Florida, is continuing its investigation into the missionaries’ disappearance. There was some evidence the missionaries were alive for a year after their capture, and there have been some unconfirmed sightings since. However, about two years ago, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the main rebel group in that country, reported that it had no information about the three missionaries and believed that a renegade band of former FARC officers had captured and executed the men. – Compass Direct
Canadian Foodgrains Bank provided 15,710 tonnes of food to 19 countries between Apr. 1, 1999 and Feb. 7, 2000. 13,274 tonnes were sent directly from Canada, and 2,436 tonnes were purchased locally in or near the region in need. Receiving countries were:
| Country |
|
Tonnes |
| Afghanistan |
1,090 |
| Angola |
69 |
| Albania |
283 |
| Bangladesh |
67 |
| Burkino Faso |
68 |
| Ethiopia |
5,085 |
| Haiti |
10 |
| Honduras |
1,124 |
| India |
354 |
| Kenya |
429 |
| Liberia |
1,186 |
| Nicaragua |
320 |
| North Korea |
2,237 |
| Philippines |
131 |
| Russia |
171 |
| Sierra Leone |
2,299 |
| Tanzania |
636 |
| Uganda |
246 |
| Yugoslavia |
305 |
– Canadian Foodgrains Bank
Canadian Foodgrains Bank had collected 17,981 tonnes of grain through Jan. 31, up about 12% from the amount collected in the same period a year ago. This means that, with two months to go in its fiscal year, CFGB had already received more than its annual target of 17,600 tonnes. The total value of grain donations was $2.5 million, and total cash donations were $2.3 million. Of the 17,981 tonnes CFGB received, Alberta/B.C. provided 4,611 tonnes, Saskatchewan 3,134 tonnes, Manitoba 4,282 tonnes and Ontario 5,914 tonnes. CFGB is a cooperative effort of 13 Christian relief agencies, including Mennonite Central Committee. – Canadian Foodgrains Bank
Two Islamic students studying at the Toronto School of Theology had never heard of Mennonites before coming to Canada, but now are learning about Christianity and teaching others about Islam. Yousef Daneshvar and Mohammed Farimani, from Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute in Qom, Iran, are participants in an exchange program sponsored by Mennonite Central Committee. Together with their wives and children, they moved to Canada in 1998 and 1999. The exchange has exposed them to people from a wide range of Christian denominations. They admit they had some stereotypes about the West before they came to Canada. Daneshvar noted, “My relationship with other students has helped me to distinguish between the West as secular culture and Christianity as a religion that seeks to preserve piety and morality.” Farimani added, “This is a good program for me. For a person who has studied Islam, it’s important to have knowledge of Christianity and Western culture.” MCC began this exchange program with the Qom institute in 1998. It is motivated by MCC’s desire to increase its understanding of Muslim people and countries. MCC is also seeking Christians to study at the Qom institute. – MCC
The American Institute of Philanthropy, of Bethesda, Md., has rated Mennonite Central Committee among the best international relief and development organization. AIP gave an A to any organization that channels 75% or more of its revenues toward program costs while generally spending $36 or less to raise $145. MCC spends $2.90 for every $145 raised, and allocated 90.7% of its revenues toward program costs. MCC thrift stores, relief sales and other constituency-run fundraisers brought in $13.9 million in 1999. – MCC
The 1999-2000 winter season has been busy for Mennonite Disaster Service. Over 600 volunteers have helped survivors recover from major flooding caused by Hurricane Floyd in Virginia and North Carolina in September. MDS averaged 30 volunteers a week in Courtland, Va., Snow Hill, N.C., and Burgaw, N.C.; over 40 jobs, including clean-up and major and minor repairs, have been completed. Much of the work involves completely redoing the insides of homes because flood waters damaged wood frames, carpets, drywall and insulation. The Courtland project was scheduled to close at the end of March after completing work at 23 job sites. The Snow Hill project will remain open through the summer and serve as one of the sites for the MDS summer youth program. A decision about the future of the Burgaw project was expected to be made in March. MDS is also rebuilding from January 1999 tornadoes in Little Rock, Ark.; rebuilding from October 1999 wildfires in Redding, Calif.; and finishing a 10-month rebuilding project from May 1999 tornadoes in Guthrie, Okla. In January and February, MDS led a massive clean-up effort in Nashville, Ark., where hundreds of chicken houses were destroyed after heavy wet snow caused them to collapse. – Mennonite Disaster Service
Actress Jane Fonda and media mogul Ted Turner are separating; the couple have been married for eight years. Sources close to the couple say the reason may be in part due to Fonda’s embrace of Christianity. Fonda, 62, is alleged to have made a spiritual conversion after her chauffeur began talking with her about his personal faith in Christ two years ago. Fonda was reportedly troubled by those conversations initially, but later began attending church with her chauffeur. Turner, 61, who founded CNN and is vice-chairman of Time Warner, has been openly hostile to Christianity, calling it a “religion for losers” and publicly mocking Christian values and figures. Gerald Durley, pastor of Providence Missionary Baptist Church, who knows Fonda, confirmed that she is seeking a deeper spiritual life, but wouldn’t say if that contributed to her separation from Turner. Durley said Fonda “found a certain sense of peace among people who’ve found peace with Christianity”. Durley says Fonda began searching for more meaning in life as she approached age 60. He believes her search for spirituality and wholeness is sincere. – Evangelical Press News Service
Population Action International says that world population growth is slower than had been predicted, and, as a result, there will be less of a strain on fresh water supplies in some parts of the world. India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Jordan and El Salvador may avoid water crises in the near future if current slower population growth trends continue. However, by 2050, the organization predicts that there will be keen competition for fresh water in parts of Africa and the Middle East where populations continue to grow quickly. In Iraq, Syria and Turkey, populations are expected to increase by 50% in the next 30 years. – World Pulse
Canadians who are regular churchgoers are happier and have better marriages, according to a new government report. The survey of 10,000 Canadians found that people who are regular church attenders are 1.5 times more likely to have happy marriages, and report less stess. – EPNS
US Women are 58% more likely than men to participate in a church-related small group, 52% more likely to attend a Sunday school class, 44% more likely to read the Bible during a typical week, 32% more likely to attend church and 27% more likely to volunteer at a church. A survey by the Barna Research Group in January 1998 also showed that in a typical week 25% of US adults volunteer for church work, 18% attend a small group, 80% pray to God and 38% read the Bible. Generationally, 32% of those in their 20s and 58% of older adults had attended a church service in the past week; 23% of those in their 20s and 51% of those 60 or older had read the Bible in the past week. – EPNS
“Preventing Deadly Conflict”, a report written by the Carnegie Commission, says that easy access to communications technology and lethal weapons can quickly inflame hatred and turn conflict into violence. In some wars today, 90% of those killed are noncombatants. International relief and reconstruction efforts over the three years following the Rwandan war cost the international community more than $2 billion US. The estimated costs of a preventive intervention would have been one-third of this amount. Preventive intervention includes early warning and response, preventive diplomacy, economic measures and the use of force. – MCC Ottawa Notebook
The number of births in Latin America has dropped dramatically from three decades ago, when the average woman had six children. Now, the average is three. – World Pulse
UNICEF has reported that one in three children under the age of five, or more than 220 million, are malnourished. Malnutrition is at least partly responsible for more than half of all child deaths worldwide. Fifty per cent of South Asia’s children are malnourished; in Africa, one of every three children is underweight. Part of the problem is the lack of micro-nutrients. Iodine, vitamin A, iron and zinc are required by the body in minute amounts, but their value is astounding. Canada has been a world leader in supplying countries with micro-nutrients and is sending 200 million vitamin A capsules (at a cost of two cents each) to developing countries this year. Two capsules cover one child’s vitamin A requirements for a year. Vitamin and supplement programs backed by developed governments are credited with saving the lives of at least 300,000 children in 1997. – MCC Ottawa Notebook
Urban Promise Ministries, a “home school program” initiated by Tony Campolo, helps inner-city children and teens in New Jersey develop skills necessary for academic achievement, life management, spiritual growth and Christian leadership. Unlike other home school programs, students come to the Urban Promise facility (usually a church) each day, where they are supervised by qualified teachers and volunteers. In addition to academic work, students learn to cook, take career trips together and visit local universities and colleges. The emphasis is on developing a supportive community of learning. Even though the students used to cut at least half of their classes, their attendance now is almost perfect. This is attributed to individual attention students receive: if they are late, they get a call; parents or guardians are visited if a pattern of truancy emerges; and an adult works intensely with a student who is having trouble understanding a concept. Sixty per cent of the students come from single parent families; 30% are not living with either parent. – EPNS
Circles of Support offer high-risk sex offenders support when they are released from prison. The first circle was developed by Harry Nigh, pastor at Welcome Inn, a Mennonite congregation in Hamilton, Ont. With the help from Mennonite Central Committee, Nigh then developed a proposal for more circles. Corrections Canada accepted the proposal and has hired a full-time chaplain to run the program. There are now seven circles operating in Toronto and Hamilton. Requests for information have come from across Canada and the US. The released offender signs a covenant saying he will be accountable to the circle, while the volunteers who make up the circle offer support and counsel. Nigh says the concept is like creating a family for the released offenders as they try to rebuild their lives. – Canadian Mennonite
Pastors in the US average 55 hours of work per week, tending to work evenings and weekends more than do other professionals. Almost half of the pastors surveyed by Christianity Today Inc. said that they are working too hard, with 7% saying that that was due to unreasonable expectations from their church’s governing board, and 68% saying that they expect too much from themselves, 51% said “I love what I do so much I don’t always know when to stop,” and 40% admitted that they find it hard to say no. The study was published in the April issue of Leadership magazine. – EPNS
The Geneva-based Lutheran World Federation, the body representing most of the world’s 61 million Lutherans, approved a joint declaration June 16, 1998 which aims to end a 400-year doctrinal dispute with the Roman Catholic Church. The 48-member council of the Federation approved the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, which states that salvation is a gift from God through grace, not something humans earn through good works. The Declaration was written in 1997 by committees from the Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches. Although the 19-page text asserts that some major differences on the understanding of justification remain, the differences are not substantial enough for either side to condemn the other. Theologians for the Roman Catholic Church are still studying the text. – Winnipeg Free Press
The number of reported deaths of US women due to illegal abortions was: 1,682 in 1940, 316 in 1950, 205 in 1962 and 128 in 1970. Statistics Canada reports deaths of Canadian women from illegal abortions to be: 32 in 1957, 25 in 1963, 13 in 1966 and 11 in 1969. Pro-abortion activists had falsely claimed that thousands of women were killed each year in order to justify legalizing abortion. Moreover, in 1960, Dr. Mary Calderone, then medical director of Planned Parenthood, reported that 90% of illegal abortions were performed by qualified physicians. The reduction of abortion deaths was actually due to the discovery of antibodies and other medical discoveries, not legalization. As well, there is evidence that the number of maternal deaths from legal abortions is now under-reported. Official reports showed 4 legal abortion-related deaths in the US 1967-1972, but a LA Times reporter uncovered 3 deaths in one month in 1972 in Los Angeles alone. A Chicago Sun-Times reporter uncovered 12 legal abortion deaths in Chicago in 1978, while government statistics showed only 16 deaths for the entire country for 1978. – Voice For Life
Having a fulfilling job was rated as important by 96% of Canadians polled by Maclean’s/The National in 1997. Other top value’s were being in a good relationship (95%), being physically fit (93%), having a healthy sex life (85%), living according to a strict moral code (82%), developing a spiritual side (75%) and making money (58%). – EFC Canada Watch
95% of 3,200 US, UK and Canadian cancer specialists recently surveyed reported feeling competent to manage the pain of their patients. More than half of the physicians had not received training in care for the dying, and a majority reported that at least one-fifth of their patients die in pain. Support for physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia decreased from 45% in 1994-95 to 22% in 1997-98; support for outright euthanasia dropped from 22% to 6.5%. The 1997-98 survey reported that 13% of respondents had engaged in euthanasia between one and three times over the course of their careers and 4% had done so in the past year. The survey was conducted by Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, director of clinical bioethics for the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, with the Center for Survey Research at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. – ChristianWeek
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Last modified May 12, 2000.
© 2000 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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