430 likes | 559 Views
Mennonite Church Canada Witness – Ministry in China. CH I N A. China is a vast and diverse land…. Home to modern cities…. And geographical richness. China has impoverished rural areas…. ancient traditions…. And a dynamic economy - annual growth of 9% over the last 2 decades.
E N D
And a dynamic economy - annual growth of 9% over the last 2 decades.
China is a Vast Country • Population 1.3 billion • Urban-30% • Rural-70% • 8% Economic Growth over last 10 years • Huge Gap between rich and poor
“We live in a global village. As Christians we should be leading the way in building bridges of understanding.” Pastor Yuan Shiguo EMS Graduate
Mennonite Church Canada Witness with three other partners has formed China Educational Exchanged • Eastern Mennonite Missions • Mennonite Church Canada Witness • Mennonite Central Committee • Mennonite Mission Network
CEE is an Inter-Mennonite Program • CEE has worked in China since 1981 • 240 people have served in China with CEE over its 25 year history!
Mennonites are building bridges • with the Church • through Education • by connecting people • via Social Assistance
Partnering with Churches in the construction of Meeting Points
Sponsoring pastors and evangelists to study abroad Wu Jinzhen and her husband, Wu Wei, are currently at Eastern Mennonite Seminary Yin Hongtao-AMBS Grad
Providing financial assistance and encouragement to evangelists and pastors
Mennonites help build bridges through Education • People teach English at Chinese universities for two year terms • There are also opportunities for… • 5 week • 1 semester • Or 1 year assignments
Building bridges through teaching English fosters • Relationships • Understanding • Friendship • Changed Lives • And…
Connecting People is another way Mennonites build bridges in China • Over 200 hundred English teachers from Chinese universities have been on the Exchange Program. • Every year 8-12 Chinese English teachers spend a semester at Eastern Mennonite University.
MCC - International Visitor Exchange Program Wang Ping, the first Chinese IVEPer, taught at a school in Pennsylvania.
Cross-Cultural Learning Tours 2005 – Mennonite Church Canada Learning Tour 2004 - Eastern Mennonite High School Choir 2004 – Eastern Mennonite University
Jeanette Hanson chats with Mennonites build bridges via Social Assistance Projects
The Nanjing Counselling Centre • begun in 2002 in Nanjing by Sun Wen and Wang Xuefu. • is a Christian institution which attempts to contextualize counselling into Chinese culture. • partners with Mennonites in helping people become whole.
Assisting Poor Primary School Students to Remain in School • Rapid changes have left huge gaps in the social safety net. • Many can’t pay school fees. • Mennonites help needy students stay in school.
Providing School Kits to needy students • Families are often unable to provide school supplies for their children. • Mennonites have provided school kits for needy children.
Sponsoring Early Childhood Hearing Program • Hundreds of Children in Guangan Prefecture, Sichuan Province have hearing deficits. • Lack of testing centres and no funds for hearing aids mean many children are not helped. • Mennonites have helped train speech therapists. • Mennonites have helped test children and purchased hearing aids for children.
Mennonites are building bridges through a partnership with the Amity Foundation • Amity began in 1985 at the initiative of Chinese Christians. • Amity works in: • Health • English Teaching • Social Services • Rural Development • Special Education • Disaster Relief
Amity Printing Company • The Amity Printing Co. is a joint venture between the Amity Foundation and the United Bible Societies. • Founded in 1988, Amity prints many kinds of Christian materials, including hymnals, calendars, and Bibles.
Over 42 million complete Bibles have been printed by Amity. They are made available in churches and bookstores through a nationwide network of distribution points. • Because the United Bible Society donates the paper, Chinese Christians can purchase a Bible for 12 Yuan ($2.00 CDN or $1.50 USD)
When asked what would be the most helpful activity in which Mennonites could be engaged in China, one Chinese Scholar said: “to build a bridge between people of different cultures.”
Building Bridges with China • with the Church • through Education • by connecting people • via Social Assistance
Together, we are aligning with God’s work in China through our partnership in CEE and Mennonite Church Canada Witness