Welcome to our annual special issue featuring Anabaptist books. As you might guess, our AW team loves to read. We suspect you do as well.
Honestly, I don’t have much time for reading these days, but for this issue I got to read a book for work, and I’m glad I did.
I hope you’ll find your next great read on these pages, whether for cozy fall reading or with a book club or small group. I think just about anyone can find something for themselves here.
.com: “While searching for clues to her uncle Ben’s mysterious death, filmmaker Ari discovers boxes of family letters tucked away in a farmhouse attic. With these as her guide, she dives into the quickly fading past to uncover the con-
necting thread between Ben’s death in 1975, her family’s time as Mennonite missionaries in Ethiopia and the downfall of Haile Selassie, Ethiopia’s last king. The search reveals the long-
lasting effects of trauma, displacement and family secrets.” benbetweenafrica.com
I want to take a moment to shift from the written word and share about a documentary, Ben Between Africa. This work, created by Ari Ali, takes the viewer on a journey, following her family, their faith, work and lives, all while investigating who her uncle Ben really was and what really happened to him.
Ali’s work is beautiful. She contextualizes Mennonite faith, mission work and life in a relatable and deeply moving way.
Ali’s grandparents were missionaries in Ethiopia — a decision that had a profound impact on their lives and the lives of their children, both in positive and challenging ways. Ben Between Africa explores the path this decision put the family on, particularly for Ben.
Ali was kind enough to join AW digital strategist Juan Moya and me for a livestream interview in September. Together we dove into Ali’s work and discussed her motivations as well as details of the filmmaking process.
You can find more information and opportunities to view the documentary at benbetweenafrica.com. I recommend it highly.
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