Strengthen partnerships through Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission
Burkina Faso
Equip women for ministry in DR Congo
African Leadership Coaching Network
This is a rich partnership which brings African, North American, and European partners to the table together to determine how each can contribute their gifts to help grow churches and equip leaders in African countries, which include Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Angola, Sierra Leone and South Africa. See below for ways you can partner with these ministries. For more stories of the ministries Mennonite Church Canada share through AIMM, check out the Africa Journal publications.
CEFMC 100th Anniversary Celebration
Goma, DRC
Please keep the Mennonite churches, and the entire population, in the city of Goma, D.R. of Congo in your prayers. The security situation remains precarious, many people are not able to access supplies, and prices have risen dramatically for goods such as food and other daily necessities. Our global companions in the regions are working together to respond to this humanitarian crisis.
As a sign of love, compassion, and solidarity with Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM) member denominations in Congo, Mennonite Church Canada is supporting their efforts to provide assistance to families in the area. This short-term initiative will provide cornmeal, beans, and a few other necessities to alleviate some of the suffering among our siblings in the region. Gifts designated to Goma Assistance will be passed on to AIMM up to a total of $5000, in excess of that they will be used for ongoing AIMM programs with Congolese churches in women’s literacy. Donate by cheque or e-transfer to finance@mennonitechurch.ca (online option coming).
Church youth in Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso
In partnership with African Inter-Mennonite Mission, Mennonite Church Canada began working in Burkina Faso in 1978, focusing on bringing the word of God to people in their mother tongue. Over the years, Mennonite Church Canada has sent workers to serve on linguistics and church-planting teams, and worked with leadership development. Currently, Mennonite ministries in the country come together through the Burkina Faso Partnership Council, which includes Mennonite churches and organizations from Burkina Faso, France, United States and Canada. Together they provide seminars, theological training by extension and scholarships for formal training, which help raise up new leaders in the Église Evangelique Mennonite du Burkina Faso (Evangelical Mennonite Church of Burkina Faso).
Equip women for ministry in DR Congo
Mennonite Church Canada works together with three Mennonite churches in the Democratic Republic of Congo, through Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM). These churches include: Communauté Evangélique Mennonite du Congo (Evangelical Mennonite Church of Congo), Communauté Mennonite du Congo (Mennonite Church of Congo) and Communauté des Eglises Frères Mennonites du Congo (Mennonite Brethren Churches of Congo). These churches have celebrated over 100 years of Mennonite presence and witness in Congo.
Mennonite Church Canada is part of the AIMM Partnership Council in DR Congo and supports adult-literacy ministry., Begun by the Congolese women leaders in 2018 to help develop women in leadership for the church, more than 200 adult-literacy teachers have received training in "Evangelism through Literacy." The new teachers are moving into their communities and are already teaching more than 2000 adults to read and write in the principal Congolese languages and report overwhelming demand for their services.
Left to right: Antoinette Kiswangi, Leonard Kiswangi, Andre Kalenga, Maria Gomes, Daniel Canganguela, Berci Mundedi, Rudy Dirks, Albert Mulamba, Gomez Miranda, Charles Buller, Abertine Mulamba.
African Leadership Coaching Network
The Leadership Coaching Network is a team of Congolese and North American teachers that builds leaders through spiritual transformation for the Mennonite Church of Congo. Rudy Dirks is a resource person as part of this network's certificate program. It includes bi-monthly online meetings and annual in-person gatherings. Participants are organized into groups across Congo and in Angola for mutual support and growth.
Read a news story about this ministry.
Join AIMM in supporting this program of leadership development. For more information contact Tany Warkentin, Liason for Ministry in Africa.