A Girl Called ‘Ding:’ How an MCC Partner in South Sudan was a Refuge for a Young Girl’s Future
For three days and three nights, Mary Laat ran and hid from members of her own family. The goal of their pursuit? To bring her to the altar to marry a man she didn’t know who’d paid his dowry and expected a wife in return.
Whether going or coming, God is at work
Looking back on 2022, there are many things we could catch up on. We could talk about the parent-child dedication service for six young families in May. Or we might highlight the two baptism services in summer where a total of 15 were baptized.
Giving Tuesday: Reza and Bahar
After being challenged by a friend who was a new believer to read the Gospels, Reza concluded that if he was questioning the Koran, he should do the same for the Gospels—also “one of those religious books that is probably full of lies.”
Afghan refugee family finds safety in Landmark
On July 21, 2022, after over a year of processing, an Afghan refugee family of five arrived in Winnipeg and was settled in their new home in Landmark, Man.
How can EMCers help Afghan Christian refugees?
The EMC General Board is encouraging EMC churches to consider sponsoring Afghan Christian refugee families to come to Canada. EMC and other Mennonite denominations have an agreement with MCC Canada to provide the sponsorship support for this initiative.
We Are Called to Welcome All Refugees
A country at war pushes people to seek refuge, to migrate.
God as Refugee and Refuge
God, in Christ, knows the experience of the refugee. “An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay here until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son’” (Matthew 2:13–15).
Waves in the Desert
First wave of refugees: 1980s
from the Soviet Invasion
The Soviet invasion caused the first wave of Afghan refugees as millions flooded into Pakistan, Iran and India.
At the same time, Afghans began to resist the Soviets and Kabul government, which birthed the Afghan mujahideen (holy warriors). The U.S. saw an opportunity to oppose the Soviets by supporting the Afghan warriors. Islamic enthusiasts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and elsewhere, joined with the mujahideen in “short-term mission” service—an ideal chance for young radicals to practice jihad. Osama bin Laden was one such warrior, and he started the al-Qaeda Islamic party
SOUTH SUDAN: SUNDAY, AN ORPHAN AND A BISHOP
Sunday is not just a day. This story is about Sunday the man. Sunday grew up in refugee camps as a Sudanese orphan. Camp life was very difficult and as an orphan, and especially a Sudanese orphan, he had to figure out how to support himself in another country.