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Confessing in Spanish

ICOMB study guide translation in hands of U.S. Hispanic pastors

Arrived via personal transport from Paraguay to Winnipeg to Fresno, some 90 copies of Convociendo & Viviendo Tu Fe (Knowing and Living your Faith) put a smile on the face of José Elizondo. The assistant Pacific District conference minister for the U.S. Mennonite Brethren is excited to share the study guide, translated by Rolando Neyra Alemán of Peru and printed in Asuncion, Paraguay, with 46 Spanish-speaking MB churches in the U.S.

Published in English in 2008 with contributions from 16 representatives of the 19 International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) conferences, the study guide is currently available in German, French, Telegu, and Spanish. Translations into Portuguese, Japanese, and Russian are in process. Sixteen writers from the global MB church contributed commentary and questions.

—Elmer Martens

joyloewen.blogspot.com

You spot a veiled woman in the grocery store and your heart longs to make a connection with her, but what on earth do you say? Having grown up in East Africa and the Middle East, and worked as an adult in Pakistan, Joy Loewen freely offers insights gained from her experience interacting with Muslim women. For example, instead of making small talk about the weather, Joy recommends asking a Muslim woman about her name. In addition to blog posts reflecting on life, ministry, and the Bible, Joy includes a “question & answer” section on cultural and evangelism issues, and “conversation ideas” to help Western women reach out to their Muslim neighbours, breaking through barriers and misconceptions, and offering ways to build bridges.

—Karla Braun

www.alternativeservice.ca

Did you know that World War II was a catalyst for the establishment of Mennonite mental health services like Eden Health Care Services? Some 10,000 men, many of them Mennonite, lived out their beliefs about nonviolence by becoming conscientious objectors – serving in mental hospitals, mines, medical corps, and the forestry service for the duration of the war. These men, their families, and communities faced discrimination, intimidation, vandalism, and even prison for their choice not to fight in the war. Alternate Service has 780 pages of stories, original documents, and audio snippets, written at a Grade 6 reading level, accompanied by discussion questions for parents, grandparents, or teachers to work through with young people. Original documents, photographs, and audio interviews bring the history to life on this award-winning website. Creator Conrad Stoesz (archivist at the Centre for MB Studies, Winnipeg) attends school events and heritage fairs to promote this learning tool for an often-forgotten slice of history.

—Karla Braun

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