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Yarrow, B.C.
B.C. pastor receives Angolan gift for Sept. 11 victims


A month after the terrorist attacks in New York City, Jim Nightingale, pastor of Yarrow (B.C.) Mennonite Brethren Church, was on his way to Luanda, Angola, to speak to a conference on mission and peace. He had been asked to speak in part because he is fluent in Portuguese, having grown up in Brazil. It was an opportunity not only to share his gifts but also to receive one.

As part of the conference, Lutiniko Landu, director of the Bible Institute and School of Missiology of Angola, spoke of missions as a partnership. While Africans have often been on the receiving end of mission work, Landu indicated a desire for partnership in which Africans can contribute to missions, working together with North Americans.

“After his lecture,” Nightingale recounted, “as an application of what he had just said, Lutiniko said it was time for Africans to put into practice this concept of cooperation.”

An offering was then taken for the victims of the attacks in New York. Afterward, conference participants gathered for a time of prayer for peace.

“Lutiniko even indicated that Angolans were willing to send volunteers to New York to help with clean up,” Nightingale said.

Nightingale, who had indicated that he lived near a Mennonite Central Committee office, was chosen to take the gift to North America. A letter to MCC accompanying the offering expressed a strong desire for peace.

“[The conference] resulted in a strong intercession in favour of peace in America and Afghanistan,” Landu wrote. “They prayed that the Americans not use violence or try to get even, but let God act. Because the church should be mission-minded, a special offering of $73 US was raised in favour of America to help the volunteers working with the [families of the] victims of terrorism of September 11 in New York.”

Ron Mathies, executive director for MCC, returned a letter of appreciation. The donation will be used through the Mennonite Disaster Service Restoring Hope Fund.

 – Angelika Dawson, MCC B.C.

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Last modified April 17, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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