Stories of Mission
Explore mission themes in our quarterly magazine as workers tell stories of making disciples in the way of Christ.
Stay informed of all the latest VMMissions news.
Nancy Marshall ordained for pastoral ministry in Belize
The van bounces through the dusty streets of Orange Walk Town, empty except for Nancy Marshall and me. Nancy is the pastor of Jesus’ Deaf Church in this small town in the Central American country of Belize. On this Saturday evening, we are returning home after dropping off several men and boys from the “Boyz…
Read MoreBuilding outward-oriented networks of discipleship
When we began exploring what it would mean to help develop a network project, we knew that we had a lot of learning to do. Since moving to Bammental in the fall of 2012, we have spent a good deal of time making connections, building relationships, and learning from young people about their experiences in…
Read MoreGood Samaritan opportunities
Our family moved to Kosovo in August of 2013. We are in the “culture, language and relationship building phase” of our time here. Because of our infancy in our language acquisition, our ability to communicate with the locals is fairly limited. Our actions are the loudest and clearest voice we have. We live in a…
Read MorePraying for the Kingdom while sharing sweet tea
We have been living and serving in this slum community on the outskirts of a major Southeast Asian city for two years now. After a devastating fire and eviction in our previous slum, God led us to this new community with some of our old neighbors. Beautiful things are growing here; if one can look…
Read MoreYouth show deep commitment, longing to know God
While there have been times where we have struggled to find adults who are yearning to dig deeper into God’s Word or commit to meeting regularly for a Bible study, we have been blessed by the youth in our youth group. Most of them show a deep yearning to know more about what God has…
Read MoreTestimony of transformation
A powerful, challenging speaker shared his story of being delivered from a life of drugs and crime by the love and salvation of God to a gathering of 60 teenagers in Montenegro. The young people from all over the country gathered on February 8 for worship after some of the teens had had an experience…
Read MoreBeyond the limits of law, into new life
We obey God by following the sunnah of Jesus the Messiah (Isa al-Masih). This is the way that we describe ourselves to our Muslim neighbors. Sunnah is a term used to describe the way of life prescribed as normative for Muslims on the basis of the teachings and practices of their prophet and interpretations of…
Read MoreDiscipling others to tell the Story
It started with a simple request from Pastor Joi, “Please help us make a list of methods Jesus used to make disciples.” Joi and Brother Phonthawee were beginning to prepare what they would teach in a gathering of Isaan church leaders. I was being asked to teach teachers and give theological foundations for their teaching…
Read MoreVMM welcomes new staff; transitions noted
Virginia Mennonite Missions has hired Sarah Schoenhals as Receptionist & Administrative Assistant, starting March 17. Sarah is a recent alumna of VMM’s tranSend program, serving with young adults and children in Det Udom, Thailand. Janet Blosser’s role as Italy Field Director has been expanded to include VMM’s work in the Balkans (currently Albania, Montenegro and…
Read MoreTime to work: teaching a biblical view of work without dependence
Last spring we had one of the worst elders meeting we have ever seen. The young men Carl discipled were sullen and quiet until the meeting’s end when they bubbled over in sudden anger towards the elders: “When have you so much as lifted a finger for our future? You just talk, and the believing…
Read MorePeople-fishing, Jesus-style
As a mission agency, what are we supposed to do? Evangelize? Plant churches? Train leaders? Provide education? Work at relief and development? Care for refugees? “Yes, but…” to all of the above. These activities do not define our core mission. Our mission is “to invite people to faithful living in Jesus Christ.” We seek to…
Read MoreNine ways to serve with tranSend in 2014
Lezhe, Albania Lezha Academic Center (LAC) offers rigorous academics with a biblical worldview to over 80 students in grades 7-12. Assignment: Join the teaching staff of LAC. Support the long-term vision and ministry of the Albanian Mennonite Mission, including church planting, leadership training, community development, and education. Study Albanian language and culture. Qualifications: Licensed secondary…
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