Link to Tanzania Tour Webinar

On Tuesday, February 20, tour leader Shirley Redekop and Sandra Reimer from Tourmagination presented a webinar about the upcoming Women's Tour to Tanzania.  The webinar is about half and hour long and features an interview with Esther Muhagachi.  You can follow the Link to the Webinar and read Esther's introduction below. The webinar included a Q&A session.  You'll find more contact information and more details if you follow the link.

My name is Esther Muhagachi I grew up in West Part of Tanzania I am married to Bishop Amos Muhagachi  and we are blessed with four children: Violet (24), Victor (22), Grace (20)and  Peace (15) I am a Nurse by profession and I have been working for 10 years as Director of Grace and Healing Ministry Dodoma (GHMD) under Tanzania Mennonite Church.  In this role, I have been supervising the Health team that deals with people living with HIV/AIDS and the most vulnerable children in the community. I was also providing counseling and guidance to people living with HIV/AIDS, encouraging drug adherence, prevention of infections, and facilitate the trauma healing and mentorship program within the diocese. I am also in charge of the Stand with Students program for the most vulnerable children registered in the program of the Church.

Currently I am working towards a Masters of Art in Christian Formation (MACF) at AMBS I am staying on campus with my husband and our youngest child, Peace, who is studying at Bethany Christian School. Joining the seminary is a blessing to my life and I can say it is a dream coming true. It was my inner call to serve God in church ministry, but some obstacles and discouragements delayed me. I believe this is the right time that God wants to use me.  

I am so delighted to get connected with the Tourmagination and I am looking forward to share more of my experience with you and get to know you better.

~ Esther Muhagachi 

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Tanzania Caring, Sharing & Safari Tour to Tanzania ~ Aug 4 - 13, 2018

DIRKS UPDATE

For five years, Nathan and Taryn Dirks served as Mennonite Church Canada workers in Gaborone, Botswana, nurturing relationships with young people through a variety of efforts ranging from prison ministry to sports. Their term has ended, and they have now returned to Canada with their young son, Malakai. Thank God for the dedication of Nathan and Taryn, and pray for God’s blessing as they discern what the future holds. 

(from PrayerNet, July/August 2017)

BARKMAN UPDATE

It looks like I missed posting this notice of Christina and Darnell Barkman's Update from July.   I found it when I went to post a more recent update which I just received yesterday.  I'll post that one tomorrow. 


The Barkmans have sent the following update:  Greetings, friends and family! Attached you'll find our latest newsletter ... and Peace Church's most recent Weekly Prayer Bulletin that Kathleen Limayo, Peace Church member and staff, has been putting together. 

Thank you for your continued prayers and support as we serve in the Philippines! 

With love,

the Barkmans

The newsletter and the prayer bulletin have been posted to our website at

http://women.mennonitechurch.ca/barkman

Crisis in DRC ~ Prayer Request

I received the information below from the President of Mennonite Women Canada, Shirley Redekop. Her counterpart, Adolphine Tshiama, National President of the women's organization for Mennonite Church of Congo, wrote the following letter to Africa Inter Mennonite Mission (AIMM) sharing her grief and sadness at the violence which has affected many families. She herself has lost a number of her family to the violence.  

Adolphine Tshiama writes:  

"It is with great sadness that I share this sad news. When my husband was still alive, he purchased agricultural land on the road leading to Ndjoko Punda, 65 kms from Tshikapa at the village of Inga which is inhabited by the Chokwe ethnic group.

After his death, the land was divided in two, one part for me and one for the members of his family. My young brother decided to go live on my land in order to farm it and to help me as well as make a living for his family. In the troubles (the violence, sometimes between ethnic groups, currently happening in the Kasai region of the DRC) he was attacked by some Chokwe, and in that attack lost his 23 year old son, who left behind a widow and two children.

On Friday June 16, 2017 their farm was attacked a second time. My brother was killed and dismembered, his wife and his two daughters along with his son's widow were all killed. The two children of his son have disappeared and have not been found up to today.

I ask you to pray for me, placing me in the hands of the Lord. I am going through a difficult time." 

Rod Hollinger-Janzen, AIMM staff, encourages us to:

* Pray for Adolphine and her family, that the Lord would comfort and strengthen them
* Pray for the two children, traumatized and in grief, wherever they are, that the Lord would protect them and bring healing
* Pray for all families living in the Kasai who have experienced loss and grief
* Pray for an end to violence and hostility in the Kasai region
* Pray that the church might continue to play its role as the hands, feet and mouth of Jesus who gave his life to bring an end to hostility and to reconcile all things to himself

(Information from an email received from Shirley Redekop)

Mennonite Women Tour to Tanzania in 2018

Join Mennonite women from across Canada for a 9-day intergenerational women’s tour in Tanzania in 2018.

• Visit with Christians who are helping Tanzanian children at a school supported by a monastery and a unique community library started by a Canadian Mennonite.
• Learn about the Maasai way of life in a traditional village.
• Buy unique crafts at a local market and a social enterprise for people with disabilities.
• Interact with local Mennonite congregations and/or women’s groups.
• See elephants, lions, giraffes, monkeys, zebras and other wildlife plus a large assortment of colourful birds on two safaris. 

Tour includes opportunities to share your skills and stories with local women through “wisdom  exchanges”. You can also participate in a fundraising project that will benefit Tanzanian women. During the tour, deepen relationships with fellow travellers and foster connections with Tanzanians. Grow in your faith in Christ as you pray, worship, and reflect. Tour leader, Shirley Redekop, is the President of Mennonite Women Canada.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE

Women Walking Together in Faith - May 2017 - "Levelling the playing field"

     The latest of our bi-monthly articles in the Canadian Mennonite is written by our President, Shirley Redekop.  She begins her article : The saying goes, “There are two gifts we should give our children: one is roots, the other is wings.” My husband and I encouraged our children to fly and prayed we gave them roots.
     Shirley continues ..... it is our daughter Hannah who is now a long-term CPT volunteer in Colombia. She’s been there for four years now, walking with farmers who are at risk of being forcibly displaced from their land, and learning about the challenges women face in that setting.
     Earlier this year, Shirley and her husband Fred travelled to Colombia to spend some time with Hannah.  Read more about their experiences HERE.

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Pictured l to r: Maria Angela Peinado; Hannah, Fred and Shirley Redekop;

 Maricela Jimenez; and Pierre Shantz. (Photo courtesy of Shirley Redekop)

     

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Shirley and Hannah walk the Camino Real in Barichara, Colombia. 

(Photo courtesy of Shirley Redekop) 

Shirley and Hannah visit villages along the Magdalena River
in Colombia. (Photo courtesy of Shirley Redekop) 

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