While serving in South Africa with Mennonite Mission Network, theologian Joe Sawatzky often learned as much about God from his cross-cultural engagements as he did from textbooks.
While serving in South Africa with Mennonite Mission Network, theologian Joe Sawatzky often learned as much about God from his cross-cultural engagements as he did from textbooks.
Chester L. Wenger, his wife, Sara Jane, and three preschool daughters went to Ethiopia in 1949 with Eastern Mennonite Missions to begin mission efforts. Their efforts contributed to the founding and growth of the Meserete Kristos Church, which has become the world’s largest Anabaptist church.
For Mennonite Economic Development Associates, taking care of clients — and business in general — during the COVID-19 pandemic has meant providing new services in several countries, including Tanzania, Ethiopia and Myanmar.
In a regional office of the Meserete Kristos Church in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, the MKC’s former president, Tewodros Beyene, introduced LMC leaders to the administrative staff. He said the delegation had come to listen.
Challenges accompany the joys of growth as tens of thousands of people new to Ethiopia’s Meserete Kristos Church swell the denomination.
Now with more than 600,000 participants, the world’s largest Anabaptist conference struggles to train enough pastors, find adequate meeting spaces and keep vehicles maintained for its teachers, who travel to distant outposts on rough roads.
Tigist Alamirew says she has “escaped many deaths” in her journey with Christ. Born to an Orthodox family, she now directs distance education at Meserete Kristos College, the Anabaptist school in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia.
