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Churches Make Anabaptist and Cultural Connections From Nicaragua to Virginia to Zimbabwe

STRASBOURG, France — What does a small, urban Spanish-speaking Brethren In Christ (BIC) Church in Managua, Nicaragua (Central America) have in common with a 650-member Mennonite Church USA congregation in Virginia? That's what some Harrisonburg Mennonite Church (HMC) members asked two years ago when they learned that the Santa Rosa BIC congregation had been named a sister church.

Mennonite Central Committee introduced the Virginia congregation to ENLACE ("connections"), envisioned by Nicaraguan Anabaptist churches as a way for congregations in North America and Latin America to be partners. The Santa Rosa congregation became HMC's sister church.

HMC was looking for a cross-cultural partner to: establish lasting relationships between members; manifest unity as One Body of Christ by mutual sharing; learn about the culture, accomplishments and challenges of Christians from another place; and promote the reign of God through a world without borders.

After getting acquainted by correspondence, Beryl Jantzi, HMC pastor, visited Santa Rosa and later its pastor, Efrain Hernandez Marenco, and two lay persons visited Harrisonburg. The Nicaraguan Christians learned about the North American context and also got acquainted with the Virginia Mennonite Conference, MCC offices in Akron, PA and the BIC missions headquarters in Grantham PA.

On Dec 1, 2001, HMC members began an 8-day exchange visit to Nicaragua. They included Dana Blauch, the HMC youth director, high school students Alice Hampton and Patrick Weaver, Mark Keller, an associate pastor with overseas mission experience, and Victor Silvera, a Hispanic HMC member. In exchanging stories, the two groups learned that they shared Anabaptist faith and had similar problems and joys.

When the HMC youth learned that the Santa Rosa youth needed money to start a puppet ministry, they offered to sell 100 necklaces and bracelets in Harrisonburg made by the Santa Rosa youth. This arrangement promoted an equal/reciprocal rather than a donor/recipient relationship. So far, sales have generated $500 (US) for the Santa Rosa youth ministry.

In response to the request for worship assistance, the HMC group took along three donated guitars. They used these "gifts of friendship" during worship, then left them with the Santa Rosa youth. Santa Rosa's gifts for their guests included hand crafted wooden cups and plates which HMC will use in communion services.

A further connection is being planned around Africa 2003, the Mennonite World Conference assembly in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe next August. HMC has applied for a grant to enable Pastor Jantzi to attend for a time of refreshment with a focus on the global church. They also hope to arrange for Pastor Efrain from Santa Rosa to join him there and to return home via Harrisonburg for another visit and to join Jantzi in reporting on the assembly to the HMC congregation.