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East Africa Welcomes 'Assembly Scattered' Tours

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe — The silent skit was jarring. A Latin American family was sitting down to dinner when three armed men broke into the house and killed the father.

Several scenes later, the bereaved and impoverished family found their way into the embrace of a loving congregation. Eventually, several family members were baptized. The story ended with the new Christians sharing the gospel with many others.

Breaking character, the actors then moved through the audience and flung handfuls of seeds into the crowd to reiterate the message: All Christians are expected to sow the seeds of the gospel wherever they go.

The skit, which concluded the evening worship service on Latin America Day, Aug. 14, at the Mennonite World Conference assembly, was an example of the ways people from each continent shared their churches' experiences as they led worship.

On Asia Day, Aug. 12, shouts of "hallelujah!" rang in the worship hall. Ambrocio Porcincula of the Philippines in his high-volume preaching urged, "Let us joyfully celebrate life in Jesus."

The joy that Porcincula spoke of was accompanied by the awareness — and for some the personal experience — of suffering in many parts of the world.

"Hundreds of millions of people around the world live without hope, without peace," he said, adding that he didn't think Europeans and North Americans understood such suffering.

Hendro Soeradi of Indonesia told of healing in the Indonesian Mennonites' GITJ conference, known as a synod, after conflict split the synod in two in 1996.

In 1999, reconciliation was accomplished, and good relationships have been restored.

Bringing the morning Bible study message on Asia Day, Shant S. Kunjam of India spoke of the mysteries of the fellowship of Christ's suffering. "There are things that cannot be known apart from suffering for Christ's sake," he said.

On Europe Day, Aug. 13, Bible study leader Claude Baecher of France played with the word "remain," which is "menoo" in Greek, used 11 times in John 15. He emphasized the importance for Menoo-nite people remaining in Jesus so that our fruit will "menoo."

In the evening, Fernando Enns of Germany preached on Ephesians 6:10-20. He said the church needs to put on the armor of God to fight not only the inner battles but also the battles of terror, war, starvation, corruption and torture, which are the results of the arrogant use of power.

Enns challenged Mennonites and Brethren in Christ to share their convictions of peace with the ecumenical fellowship of churches.

In her evening sermon on North America Day, Aug. 15, Mary Ann Isaak, a Mennonite Brethren pastor from Fresno, California (USA), said, "Jesus came into our hurting world to break down all dividing walls and to reconcile all groups to each other and to God."

During the morning service, Lindsey Robinson, conference minister for Lancaster Mennonite Conference (USA), contemplated Paul's prodding of the Corinthian church to appreciate each other as gifts.

"Giving ourselves to each other, sharing with each other, praying with each other, encouraging each other and being willing to lay down our lives for each other all become a base for the powerful witness of God's grace," he said.

"What we have, we give," the Africa Day theme, captured a fundamental reality of many African cultures and set the tone for the day, introduced by Bishop Philip Okeyo, of Kenya. As the day built, it became clear that the African church has many gifts to offer the global church.

Worship services included testimonies. On Africa Day, Aug. 16, Alemu Chekole of Ethiopia told of losing his sight at age 8 due to a severe infection. His father took him to Addis Ababa, where he was one of the first students in a school for the blind run by Mennonite missionaries. He received love, an education and the gospel, and went on to become a high school teacher with two university degrees. His life story was one of the triumph of God's power. He challenged participants to give whatever one has to God.