December 21st, 2023New funds for women’s leadership training in Asia
Anabaptist Women’s Leadership training in Asia will benefit from new scholarship fund
In 2024 women studying in Anabaptist Biblical/theological study programs in Asia will be able to apply for a new scholarship through Mennonite Church Canada International Witness.
After the disbanding of Mennonite Women Canada in 2017, funds held in common were dispersed to the regions. Mennonite Church Manitoba decided to continue the ministry and formed WOVEN: Mennonite Women Together. When the working group decided to close in 2023, they turned the remaining funds over to Mennonite Church Canada International Witness to equip women for service and leadership in the church.
Kathy Giesbrecht, MCM staff member on the Woven working group said, “we are thrilled that we found an opportunity to invest in the women of our global community of faith. Over the decades, congregational women’s groups made faithful contributions to the funding of the mission and witness of the Church. It is our hope that this investment honors their giving and reflects their intentions.”
There are women in Philippines, Thailand, and other parts of Southeast Asia already studying in the AMBS Journey program that is offered online. Witness workers Tom and Christine Poovong are working with a Journey cohort studying in Thai and Hmong.
“Many partners in Asia are asking us to connect them with Anabaptist-focused Biblical teachers. There is a real hunger to learn from this perspective of a faithful way to follow Jesus. We will have many recipients of this scholarship in the future,” commented Jeanette Hanson, MC Canada International Witness director.
Donations to this scholarship fund can be made by designating your gift to the Anabaptist Women’s Leadership Training in Asia fund through your Regional Church.