Spanish Sunday School Materials Nearly Complete
by Larry Kehler
An international, interagency project to produce an Anabaptist Christian education curriculum for girls and boys in Spanish, written by Hispanic writers, is nearing completion. This nine-year program, "Enséñanos tus caminos" (Teach us your ways), is divided into three levels (ages 5-7, 8-10 and 11-13). It has a three-year cycle for each level. The first two years of each level are already being used in various churches in Latin America, Mexico, and Spain.
The coordinators of this endeavor are Helen and Henry Dueck, former Mennonite mission workers in several Latin American countries, whose home base is now in Herbert, Saskatchewan, Canada, and Janet Breneman, a mission worker with Eastern Mennonite Missions who teaches at the Latin American Anabaptist Seminary (SEMILLA) in Guatemala. Breneman and the Duecks have led a total of 16 writers workshops in various Latin American countries since 1997, when this project began. About 130 persons have attended these training sessions to help them write the lessons for the 36 sets of quarterly materials needed for the nine grade levels.
The themes for the various quarters focus on Bible stories, church history (including a look at the Anabaptist Movement), and learning to know Jesus and how to walk in his way.
Most trimesters follow the texts of Jubilee Sunday School materials used in Canada and the United States, but some trimesters focus more specifically on Latin American issues and concerns. The lessons are limited to two-pages of material for the teacher, and one (or more) student pages, making them more user-friendly for the teachers, some of whom are persons who have little formal education. The packets include auxiliary material, and the words for suggested songs. An accompanying cassette is being prepared.
Master copies of the materials are sent to each of the countries in which the lessons are used, and the Mennonite churches in these countries then make the number of copies they need.
In reflecting on the process thus far, Janet Breneman and Helen and Henry Dueck said, "The editorial team, which represents various conventions and cultures, has been one of the best examples of working together, and struggling through how to present Kingdom issues while growing in our personal commitment and faith in the One we serve."
The big task which lies ahead is what to do for the next round of these materials. What changes should be made? Who will do it? Where will the finances come from? Should they think in terms of printing, once corrections have been made, instead of asking churches to create their own copies of the materials?
— Larry Kehler, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, is MWC News Editor
