Posts by VMMissions Staff
Building houses and building trust in North Korea
North Korea has burst into our awareness again recently with the death of their president, Kim Jong-il. The world has watched as his young son, Kim Jong-un, is being elevated into leadership. This is a good time for us to be reminded that God’s Spirit is alive and present with the people of North Korea…
Read MoreSeeing in the New Year in Belize among the Deaf community
On December 31, all of Orange Walk, a tiny village in northern Belize, was preparing for welcoming in the New Year. Lots of people were shopping for food and drinks. The intermittent showers made us wonder if there really would be fireworks put off at midnight. At 8 p.m., Nancy Marshall’s house became “the place…
Read MoreMaranatha School for the Deaf celebrates Christmas with program
The poinsettia plants and Christmas bushes filled with white flowers bloom profusely along the roadsides, in gardens of well-kept homes and on the rough mountainsides. It’s Christmas time in Jamaica! There are fewer decorated houses and shorter celebrations on this Caribbean island, but the spirit of Christmas is wide spread. Everyone loves to give and…
Read MoreThe eye-opening reality of being sent, from everywhere to everywhere
As the boat cut through the grey water of Lake Toba, the stiff breeze slapped our faces awake. It was 7:00 am and the volcanic sides of the Northern Sumatran crater were still shrouded in morning mists. It occurred to me that my two Thai friends might need that chilling wind in their faces to…
Read MoreExtreme Makeover theme sparks renewal at Italian retreat
The annual retreat/vacation for Italian Mennonites took place this summer on the “heel” of Italy among the pine groves that shade the Ionic seacoast. Participants convened from extreme ends of Italy, from Turin in the north to Sicily in the south, with most coming from central Italy—representing various church affiliations. Following prayer time each morning,…
Read MoreService sows passion to see German youth grow in God
In reflecting over this past year on my mission-intern assignment in Kaiserslautern, Germany, I have been astounded in God revealing more of the passions and skills He has placed in me. I have the opportunity and blessing to live with nine Germans currently between the ages of 16-19 years old. The youth live here for…
Read MoreThe difference between hope and despair: refugees in Ecuador
As I was enjoying the company of a few Ecuadorian friends in late June, my cell phone unexpectedly rang. The anxious Colombian voice on the other end explained the details of a dilemma that has become a common story since I began working with the Colombian refugee population in Ecuador in December of last year:…
Read MoreMarie Shantal’s story: a very bad day in Haiti
Eight-year-old Marie Shantal went to school just like the other children in her middle class Haitian neighborhood on that fateful day in January 2010. But, as she walked home from school with her friends, the ground began to shake. Buildings fell around her. Thousands of people ran, screaming, into the streets! She got separated from…
Read MoreRemember, remember not
One of the paradoxes of the Bible is God’s call to remember but not dwell on the past. “Remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there,” declares Deuteronomy 24:18 (NRSV). That memory forms the basis of Israel’s identity. When remembrance turns to nostalgia, however, God has…
Read MoreWill you join us as we join God?
Christmas reminds us that God is on a mission. Our future and the future of the church rest entirely on our embrace of that mission. We start by discerning God’s activity in the world. Then we enthusiastically align our priorities with God’s. At VMMissions, God’s work takes many different forms. • Church planting efforts in…
Read MoreVirginia youth build relationships with Jamaican community
On July 5, fourteen senior high youth and four adult leaders from Mountain View Mennonite church, in VMC’s Southern District, left the mountains of Virginia for the mountains of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. We were going to do a work project in the Top Hill community, where Rodney & Lindsey Nice were serving as missionaries with…
Read MoreMusic educator shares in worship with the Italian Mennonite Church
When Phil and Marcia Lehman left Bari, Italy in 2009, Centro Koinonia prayed fervently that God would provide musicians. Over the past two years, these prayers have been answered through church members like Luigi, Elena, Valentina, Francesco, Chris, and Melody. However, the church desired more training, prompting them to request that VMM send me as…
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