Focus
By Eastern Mennonite Missions
Focus is a weekly 4-minute radio program of EMM which airs on WDAC (94.5 FM) on Saturdays at 8:55 p.m.
FocusApr 11, 2021
Multiplying mission in Kenya
In Western Kenya, the growth of the Mennonite Church was closely linked to local needs and culture, engaging meaningfully across borders. Early influences from Tanzania paved the way for a strong religious presence in the Suna area, driven by African Christian missionaries like Zedikia Kisare. Despite initial resistance from the Kenyan government in 1945, persistent advocacy by individuals such as Jonathan Mabeche and Clyde Shenk led to official church recognition in 1965.
Multiplying mission in Belize
In 1960, EMM began work in British Honduras, now Belize, to assist German-speaking Mennonite colonies from Mexico. This Mennonite group had migrated from Russia to Canada in the 1870s and then to Mexico in the 1920s. In Belize, they settled in areas like Spanish Lookout and Blue Creek, facing challenges such as land clearing and lack of medical facilities. EMM, in collaboration with MCC, provided health services, financial assistance, and material aid.
Multiplying mission in Vietnam
Recognizing a receptive environment for humanitarian aid during the refugee crisis, MCC began relief efforts in Vietnam in 1955, providing clothing, food, and medical assistance. This laid the foundation for future Mennonite missions and service programs.
Multiplying mission in Honduras
Jacob E. Brubaker, a Lancaster preacher intrigued by banana boats in New York, envisioned a mission in Guatemala, starting a discussion among his congregation in Lancaster. This curiosity led to an exploration of Central America, after a 1948 mission conference sponsored by East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church.
Multiplying mission in Ethiopia
In the early 1930s, as the EMM launched its mission in Tanganyika, Ethiopia became a parallel interest. Struggling under Italian occupation from 1935, Ethiopia saw Emperor Haile Selassie I flee in 1936, only to return five years later to continue modernization efforts. Post-World War II, the Mennonite Church initiated a relief program in Nazareth, Ethiopia, marked by the establishment of the Haile Mariam Mammo Memorial Hospital in 1947. EMM deliberated on missionary work in Ethiopia, eventually sending Daniel and Blanche Sensenig in 1947 to lay the groundwork under a mandate that included educational and medical services alongside evangelism.
Multiplying mission in Tanazania
Eastern Mennonite Missions has sent many missionaries worldwide, ministering in over 100 countries. Through God's faithfulness, we've helped start over 20 mission movements, reaching least-reached people. Now, we ask, "Will God do it again?" We believe He will, calling us to share the good news with some of the 3 billion least-reached people globally.
From April to June, we're focusing on EMM's historical mission work, especially in launching mission movements. Today, we're exploring EMM's initial international efforts in Tanzania.
Remembering Jesus' words
Today is the day of Holy Week in which we reflect on the hopelessness that so many of Jesus’ followers had after his death. Did they know he would be raised from the dead, or were they broken and distraught?
All disciples are sent
Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations...” (Mt 28:18) But, like many people, Mark has often answered, “I’m not an evangelist...it’s not my gift.” Mark Schoenhals' gift in making disciples is in mentoring one-on-one or teaching in small groups. So, he has often responded to Jesus’ Great Commission by focusing on the teaching and mentoring part of discipleship and he has seen beautiful fruit from this ministry. Nevertheless, people cannot become disciples of Jesus if they haven’t heard the good news, and they won’t hear if no one tells them. Some people are gifted as evangelists, but all disciples of Jesus are sent to share the gospel.
Conversations about Christ
Last month, EMM workers Steve Horst and Bethany Tobin and their family attend the EMM annual team retreat in southeast Asia. It was a time with a small group of like-minded people who they have known and worked with for over ten years, sharing deeply, receiving prayer, playing, and enjoying life together for a few days.
Reignite the call
Is it time to move forward? Do you have a feeling of holy discontent? Well, we want to invite you to come to a time set aside for reflection and discernment as we revisit a sense of call and invite God's Spirit to fan the embers into flame. This event, "Called: reignite the call" will be held March 22–23 in Akron, Pennsylvania. Register now at emm.org/called.
Building homes & sharing hope
This past summer, Andres Prins had no idea that a recreational hike through the High Atlas mountains would lead to an opportunity to respond to the earthquake that would devastate the region just months later. In June, a Moroccan friend, who is a mountain trekking guide, agreed to lead Andres and a group of local believers on a trip that had them leave their car at the end of the road in a village of about 800 people, Tizi Oussem, before hiking to a 3000 meter-high refuge for the night. Passing acquaintances were made with some of the village people.
Now is the time
Every business owner eventually starts to contemplate the future and what is to become of their hard work. It is never too early to anticipate and plan for a leadership transition. If this topic interests you, you're invited to the EMM business leaders’ breakfast on Tuesday, March 12 from 7 to 8:45 am at Hub 450, which is 450 N Prince St in Lancaster City.
Register at emm.org/breakfast.
Multiplying disciples of Jesus
In September 2023, as Alan and Carol Wert's small group continued to grow to 13 or 14 people and packed out their living rooms, they made the decision to multiply the group into two, allowing space for others to join.
Doesn't Jesus disrupt these ideas?
Matthew Baugher is participating in Advance Global, a 9-month, international discipleship and service opportunity. He is currently doing his outreach ministry in Halle, Germany. Today’s story is a summary of some of Matthew’s reflections about his time in Germany so far.
The birth of a church
Four people in a rural village in Thailand were be baptized by having buckets of water from the ponds poured over them. Given the considerable distance from any of the other churches in the province, a decision was made to empower them to conduct their own church services. In one day, Andre and other church leaders witnessed the birth of a church. God gave them a window to see what is possible when His Spirit is moving.
A Czech treanslation
The Czech Republic has the fifth-highest incarceration rate in the European Union (out of 27 EU member states) and the ninth-highest of all the 46 European countries. It is often argued that the Czech Republic is among the most secular countries in the world. Yet, a rich spiritual heritage is part of Czech history, including Jan Hus, a reformer who inspired Martin Luther, and the Moravian Brethren, who accomplished amazing missionary work in North America and all over the world.
You can support this project by giving a gift online at emm.org/czechtranslation
An Advance participant's experience
EMM’s Advance Global program offers an opportunity to connect and grow with other young adults through intensive discipleship, followed by overseas missions experience. Today, I’d like to share about one of EMM’s Advance participants: Lena Kauffman. Lena is currently on outreach ministry in Cambodia but had spent three months living in Lancaster County and participating in discipleship training.
Turning to the Scriptures
Turning to the Scriptures, EMM worker Michael* received a renewed conviction for his Anabaptist perspective and its ideals. He realized deep in his heart that to be a witness of incarnational love and to be a light and blessing to those around us in this land is not one-sided.
God is not far from any one of us
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” — Acts 17:24–27
God calls us to ...
Several months ago, on one of the first nice days after a very late spring, Eric and Janelle and their family took a day trip to a wild horse nature preserve half an hour south of their home. They went to the preserve with two goals in mind: see wild horses and see the wild orchids which are famous in that region.
Learning and growing
“Good morning, Miss!” EMM mission intern Sarah Martin hears these words so often as she walks the hallways and enters the classrooms at the Promesa School in Cusco, Peru.
Christ's transforming love compels us to ...
Christ’s transforming love compels us to cross cultures, engage the world, and multiply disciples of Jesus.We invite you to join us as we focus on least-reached people groups in several regions around the world. Your gift to the Impact Fund sustains these efforts and so much more.
Taking your teachers seriously
Srey Da's discipleship teachers taught the students to pray with faith for healing. Srey Da took her teachers seriously. Srey Da and a companion went into a house, where a woman was preparing some fermented fish paste. Srey Da did not want to go in at first but did with her companion's encouragement. The woman's husband was there and he made apologies for his wife, saying she could not hear very well. He said she had been partially deaf for a very long time. They asked if they could pray for her.
Praying for the ministry in Thailand
Recently, EMM worker Bethany Tobin, who serves with her family in Thailand, had a devotional that looked at Abraham’s relationship with God. God called Abraham to resume his father’s life of sojourn, traveling as a stranger in a foreign land. Then God called Abraham, who was childless, to look out at the stars and believe God’s promise of many, many children. Many years and mistakes later, as the fulfillment of the promise looked all the more impossible, it sharpened in specificity.
EMM’s strategic focus
EMM’s strategic focus is to identify, equip, and send missional leaders to serve on multi-generational and multi-ethnic teams who invite people to follow Jesus as maturing, multiplying disciples and nurture transforming communities of worship. We primarily focus on least-reached people groups of Central Asia, Central Europe, Southeast Asia, and West Africa, and refugees in Lancaster, Pa. So here’s a quick look at each of these regions.
The start of a journey
Krystle Thorne was stirred by hearing about a vision for West Africa because it was a place that is still near and dear to her heart and people who she knew and loved. That was the start of she and her husvand, Nate's journey to begin a long-term assignment serving in The Gambia, West Africa.
God invites us to reveal the good news
EMM’s new vision statement is: We catalyze movements that multiply disciples of Jesus around the world, giving primary focus to people groups that are currently least-reached.
Sometimes, we use a few “jargony” words when we talk about mission work. Words like catalyze, movement, and least-reached. We thought it might be helpful to explain why we use these words and what we mean when we talk about these ideas, like our vision statement.
A look at Advance Global
Holly Hollenbach is one of the Advance Global participants this year. Her discipleship training is in Costa Rica through Vida220 and she will be doing outreach in Peru. Holly’s first week of Advance was in Lancaster, and she described it as busy, stretching, and profound. She was blessed to be surrounded by people overflowing with God’s peace and encouragement.
Taking time to be attentive
Over the past year, Carol has been digging into the faith practices of her spiritual ancestors — the Anabaptists. Her research led her to conclude that the early Anabaptists of the sixteenth century, many of whom were former Catholic priests, nuns, and clerics brought more with them from their Catholic background to their "new" convictions than we realize. One practice evidenced in the extant writings of early leaders like Menno Simons, Felix Manz, and Balthasar Hubmaier is called lectio divina.
More than 3 billion ...
... .That’s the number of people who don’t have access to the gospel or proximity to a follower of Jesus who can tell them about this good news. Another 2 billion people may have access to the gospel but have not experienced its life-transforming power. Very simply, EMM’s work is to share the good news of Christ’s transforming love with people who don’t know him.
As summer goes, a new season comes
This program is being recorded on the last day of summer. If you’re listening to this program on the radio, it’s now the first day of autumn. We can now anticipate a whole new array of colors emerging from the trees. Every new season has new opportunities. For EMM worker Michael Clancy, now that the kids are in school, he took some time to reflect on what ministry looked like for him this summer in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
Building relationships and sharing the Good News
EMM worker Kandace Glenn is engaged in language study and relationship building in Cambodia. She is involved in a variety of dynamic friendships and discipling relationships in which she seeks to help university/post-grad students discover God‘s purpose for their lives as they grow in relationship with Jesus.
A house of prayer for all nations
Bethany Tobin and her husband, Steve, and children serve with EMM in Thailand. Recently, Bethany reflected on a devotional about Jesus cleansing the temple. Jesus cleansed the temple of all the exclusive temple systems and atoning sacrifices, instead establishing himself as the atoning sacrifice — so that the new temple — us, the church — would indeed be a house of prayer for all nations.
Hiring with purpose
Truett Cathy, the founder of Chic-fil-A, said: If you hire the “right people again and again, you will strengthen your culture over time.” Hiring with purpose makes all the difference. Being able to identify whether a potential employee is values-aligned to fit your organizational culture and has the essential characteristics needed to be successful in the role is critical to successful hiring.
Do this in remembrance of me
Several months ago, the campus of the seminary where Peter* teaches was under water, accessible only by boat, and visited occasionally by hippos from the nearby river. The rainy season in central Africa was extraordinary this year, resulting in the highest water levels in sixty years in N’Djamena, Chad. Many thousands of people have temporarily or permanently lost their homes to the flooding, including students and faculty at the seminary.
Adapting to challenges
The Coatses had been on home leave and returned to Cambodia a few months ago. When they returned, John found the staff had been doing a fairly good job of keeping things running smoothly with the children’s program. There was some discouragement though. Over the past few years, they have lost most of their older teenagers, those in grades 10 through 12. Why?
Introducing the new "Messenger"
Missionary Messenger has been enriching readers for almost 100 years, and in an effort to continue the relevance of this important publication, we’re making some changes. Later this month, for the September issue of Messenger, we’ll be introducing you to a new version of this publication. Here’s some information about what we’re planning to do.
An unexpected opportunity
Approaching the Temple of Luang Pu Suang, the glorified mummified monk, Emm worker Andre pulled the car over to the side of the road. He turned to one of his trainees, Lee, and asked, “Lee, could you read Acts 17:24-31 for us?”
Exploring a future home
Krystle* took a 5-day trip to The Gambia in May to explore housing options and to see how things have changed in the 13 years since she has lived there. Krystle served as a mission intern in The Gambia with EMM during that time. This recent trip was insightful and helpful to be there in person and begin to understand how life and ministry will look different as a family.
Radix Missional Anabaptist Training
In the 16th century, the Radical Reformers — also known as the Anabaptists — looked to the “roots” of the church as their inspiration. The term “radical” comes from the Latin word “radix” which means “root.” The early Anabaptists wanted to see the kingdom of God restored to a kingdom that was not of this world — but a kingdom that transcended national, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds.
What is the Kairos course?
Perhaps you’ve heard us talk about the Kairos course before, and maybe you’re wondering, “What is Kairos?” Well, today, we’re going to take an in-depth look at this course. The Kairos course is an exciting nine-lesson interactive study of the purpose and plan of God from Genesis to the end of the age.
Going where God leads
When Phil Gottschalk was 17 years old the Lord called him to work with Russian-speaking young people. So, he did a bachelor’s degree in Russian language at Penn State University. When he graduated in 1980, the Iron Curtain was still up. Phil went on to seminary to prepare to be a missionary.
An unforgettable experience
Last summer EMM workers and staff led Chamber Choir members from the Mennonite Children’s Choir of Lancaster on a tour to Central Europe. They traveled in both the Czech Republic and Germany. Beyond providing cross-cultural experiences for youth, EMM hopes that these kinds of trips inspire people to find their calling in missions. Here’s a quick snapshot of one of the more interesting concerts they performed.
Stopping for a reason
John and Debbie Coats are EMM workers who serve in Cambodia. There is a lady who lives on the streets about a mile from their house in Phnom Penh city. Though she never asks, John has often stopped and given her a little money for food. She won’t look at or speak to him. She never smiles. He can’t hand her the money. He has to lay it down on the street, and later when he is gone, she picks it up and goes and buys some food.
King Jesus as our leader
It’s a transformational journey that each person who chooses King Jesus as our leader needs to make — a reversal of the mind and a turning of the heart. From thinking about self, to thinking about others. Welcoming rather than turning away the ’least of these,’ putting aside personal agendas and valuing the contributions of all, forgiving others as God, in Christ, forgave us, and becoming leaders who serve and servants who lead. If Jesus Christ is our model, how well are we doing at transforming our spheres of influence?
What is Central Europe?
What is Central Europe? This is an interesting question that will probably bring a different answer depending on who you ask. Is this region defined by a common language, distinctive geographic features, similar political histories, or shared religious influences? The short answer is, “Sort of ... but not necessarily.”
Partnering with those who "go"
Not everyone will move into a new country or engage with another culture. However, many people can participate in this calling by partnering with those who “go,” impacting people and cultures far from our home communities.
Living with purpose
Jen Hoover is an EMM worker who lives with her family in Costa Rica and serves with VidaNet. Jen recently reflected on the idea of one’s own purpose in life. Jen defines purpose as knowing the reason why something is done or created or for which something exists. In the grand scheme of things knowing one’s purpose, enables one to look outward. Not knowing one’s purpose, causes inward destructive thinking, the downward spiral we all fall imprisoned to.
Mission in Europe
Recently, EMM Mission Team Director Lorri Bentch reflected on the need for mission work in Europe. She and her family served with EMM in Hungary for a number of years. Here are some of Lorri’s thoughts about how critical this work is.
Responding to the Borena Drought
EMM and LMC: A Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches invite you to respond to a critical humanitarian appeal from the Meserete Kristos Church (or MKC) in Ethiopia. Since 2020, the southern Borena zone of the Oromia state has experienced severe drought due to 5 failed rainy seasons. It is estimated that 24 million people have been impacted by the drought — 11 million of whom are experiencing food insecurity.