Letters

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Food for thought

As the mother of three young children, receiving the MB Herald has provided food for thought and inspired me to stay connected to the bigger Mennonite picture. I am a self-confessed magazine junkie, and find your articles help provide spiritual nourishment.

I appreciate the addition of poetry. And Dorothy Siebert’s article, “Sit down already!” (August), on how not to share the gospel, was also especially good! Keep up the good work.

VANESSA NEUFELD
WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C.

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The power of the blood

Re atonement (Letters, August & September). I am very concerned when I read that evangelicals are offended by the blood of Jesus Christ. Satan is certainly a deceiver in these last days.

I am 90 years old, and taught Bible studies more than 50 years, usually six to eight women at a time. I have taught more than 70 women. I always taught what Jesus said in John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Praise God, many of the women accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.

The power of the blood [is for] redemption, remission of sins, justification, cleansing, and peace. God did his utmost to redeem us through Jesus on the cross, and there is no other way to heaven but through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. I want to thank him with every breath he gives me.

SALLY EPP
LEAMINGTON, ONT.

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Information too old

I appreciated the opportunity to share with Canadian MB readers in “Thanksgiving Day through the eyes of a Colombian MB” (October). I noted, however, that you took information about MB Colombian churches from GAMEO [Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online]. Lamentably, much of that information is too old. I think it was written about 20 years ago! The headquarters is not in Cali, but in Bogota; the seminary was closed 15 or more years ago; our name changed to Mennonite Brethren of Colombia (we don’t use “Association” anymore). Our website (in Spanish) is  www.HermanosMenonitasdeColombia.com.

CÉSAR GARCÍA
FRESNO, CAL.

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Fish, potatoes, oil

It was with great joy that I saw my dear friend César García writing in the October issue (Beyond Borders). He, and I as well, sees some Mennonite identity being lost in both the U.S. and Canada. I too come from a country (Portugal) without a big Mennonite tradition. What we are doing in Portugal is to adapt some of the strong, godly fundamentals of the Mennonites in our culture, and that’s been a great achievement. We have a Mennonite Brethren community here that is very alive.

We don’t want to “import” all that came from North America, but talk about those wonderful events like Thanksgiving, and celebrate in our Portuguese way. It can be a dinner, it can be a breakfast, maybe not with stuffed turkey and mashed potatoes but with grilled fresh fish, boiled potatoes, and olive oil. What is important is that the real values are there.

JOSÉ MANUEL ARRAIS
LISBON, PORTUGAL

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One year later

Some months ago, I wrote an article about how we are processing our son’s death by suicide (“Are you sure God is good?” June). I said that what gave us comfort is the fact that God is sovereign and good.

Recently, God has again demonstrated his sovereignty and goodness to our family. Note how the timing of our first grandchild’s birth redeems the day of our son’s death.

Oct. 6, 2008: at 12:30 a.m. our son Brad heads down the train tracks; about 4:00 a.m. he is pronounced dead; just before 6:00 a.m. the police wake us to tell us the sad news.

Oct. 6, 2009: at 12:30 a.m. our daughter Jen and son-in-law Andy head for the hospital; at 4:16 a.m. Tikiah is born; just before 6:00 a.m. Jen wakes us to tell us the good news.

God is sovereign, and God is good.

RUSS TOEWS
WINNIPEG, MAN.

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