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Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Mennonite World Conference


Cows, Corn & Cash
Come! God has something here for you!

When Dothan Moyo, Africa 2003 Assembly National Coordinator talks about Mennonite World Conference, his eyes shine and his face lights up.

Dothan’s job, while in North America this summer, was to extend an invitation: Mennonite World Conference (MWC) and the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches across Africa invite you to participate in Africa 2003 – MWC’s fourteenth world assembly. Assembly Gathered will be held in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe August 11–17.

Our brothers and sisters in Africa want us to join them to encounter a global family of faith and to be a part of their daily life and experience. Since the invitation has been extended, says Moyo, we can’t say “no”. African culture assumes that when an invitation has been extended, the guests will accept and attend unless there is a very good reason.

When asked, “What are the differences you noticed between North American and African Christians?” Dothan responded, “Most of the singing is out of the hymnal, and it’s not very lively. There’s not much beat to the music. Your worship services are very programmed, leaving very little room for flexibility and changes to the format. Also, your services are so short! I’m used to two to three hour services . . . then we know we’ve been to church! There are huge differences in cultural background, with poverty, family struggles, HIV/AIDS and other devastating things that are part of our every day life. We (Africans) have a different kind of urgency, passion and commitment to Christ.”

Another observation by Dothan was in our approach to prayer. Before meetings and interviews, or in the middle of discussion, with African Christians, it is assumed that someone will lead in prayer. There is a noted difference in the passion expressed in prayer between our African brothers and sisters and North Americans. Prayer is an integral part of their commitment to faith.

The challenges that face the Africa 2003 organizers are similar to those faced by others who have hosted Assembly Gathered. A group of 50 people in Africa have been organized into committees to make Africa 2003 a reality. Dothan feels that the committees are competent and are working well together, putting plans and details in place. One committee is responsible to organize Prayer Groups that are committed to praying for the event.

So far, North Americans have responded with interest, but are hesitant about making commitments to travel to Zimbabwe. However, for Dothan Moyo, safety in his country is a non-issue. He lives in Bulawayo the host city, and feels very safe. Zimbabwe is a very welcoming and progressive country. Visitors to the country may not see any violence. Petty crime is rising due to the decline in the economy. It is important not to downplay that aspect, but to keep it in perspective. Sometimes the media portrays only one view of a situation, which is often the negative angle. The invitation then becomes more compelling to “come and share our pain, reality and joy.”

For some African Mennonites, getting to Assembly 2003 is very difficult. Many Christians in the South want to come, but don’t have the cash or opportunity to raise money to pay for the registration fee and travel costs. They asked organizers if they could bring gifts in kind such as a cow, corn or firewood. Their registration money would be used to purchase these supplies anyway. Could they provide the supplies instead of money? This approach also ties into their cultural ways. When invited to a large gathering, Africans bring provisions for the event instead of money. For Dothan, this was an acceptable way to recognize their contributions. That message of “cows instead of cash” now needs to be relayed back to the African Mennonites who are eager to attend.

What do Africa 2003 organizers want us to come away with from Zimbabwe? Hearts that have been changed through the experience; transformation through singing and stories; the desire to do God’s will; tools with which to serve God better.

 – Lil Goertzen, for The Meetinghouse

Youth can make a difference

Ronald Lizwe Moyo represents the Brethren in Christ (BIC) Church of Zimbabwe and chairs the committee planning a Global Youth Summit to precede the Mennonite World Conference Assembly Gathered in Bulawayo in August. Each of the 87 MWC member conferences in five continents will be encouraged to send a representative aged 18 to 25 to make up the summit’s core group, but all young people may participate. This forum will discuss dreams and visions youth have for the church as well as important life issues they face. Moyo, at a meeting of the committee in Ontario in late April, stressed the importance of churches listening to and understanding its young people and of young people being allowed to offer their gifts to the church. All young people who come to Africa 2003 will have many opportunities to participate in General Assembly worship and programs as well as special youth activities.  – Ferne Burkhardt, news editor, Mennonite World Conference

 

Stomach of a guest smaller than horn of a goat

Winnipeg, Man. Our Christian brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe, the Brethren in Christ church, are inviting the members of the Anabaptist family to gather in Bulawayo in August. They have invited us to experience their hospitality and friendship. We should honour that invitation. We were told of a local proverb: “The stomach of a guest is smaller than the horn of a goat.” In other words, a guest is easily fed. They are ready to host us by transporting, lodging and feeding us – even with the prospect of a food shortage. Demonstrating the depth of their welcome was the suggestion of a Zimbabwean women that each household in their congregations could start setting aside a small portion of salt or sugar. Then in one year there would be enough to serve the guests at the Assembly. They are also praying for our safety and courage. There is no doubt that conditions in Zimbabwe are difficult. There are already shortages of certain food items; the country has political tensions and problems; other actions and policies of the current government are causing discontent among the population in general. Placing ourselves into the difficult situation that exists in Zimbabwe today and attempting to express our faith through worship and fellowship there will be a challenge. Our faith and our discipleship will be tested when we join brothers and sisters from Zimbabwe and other countries who live with these tensions continually. This is an opportunity to join in a spiritual adventure to learn and grow in our discipleship.  – Dan Dyck, Mennonite Church Canada

 

Enthusiasm for global assembly spreads across Africa

Strasbourg, France Africans in several countries are in the process of making plans to attend Assembly Gathered in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe in August. Zambians snapped up 500 registration forms in 20 minutes; Mennonite communities in Congo have requested 150 forms and participants will spend days of gruelling travel by rail and bus through several countries to get to Bulawayo. Tanzanian Mennonites are thinking of chartering a bus and Malawi Mennonites are also considering this idea. Enthusiasm for African 2003 is spreading across this continent which for the first time will host the MWC assembly. Many people, for whom this event will be their one opportunity to worship and fellowship with the global church family, are making exceptional efforts to be part of it.  – Ferne Burkhardt, news editor, Mennonite World Conference

 

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Last modified November 30, 2002.

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