The latest additions to Mennonite Church Canada’s team of International Witness workers extend greetings from their new home in Ethiopia in a new video.
Werner and Joanne De Jong arrived in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, in January. They plan to spend the next three years at Meserete Kristos Seminary, where Werner has joined the teaching staff. Joanne is assisting the seminary’s media department and working to support women students.
In the five-minute video, which you can watch below, the De Jongs give viewers an idea of what their life at the seminary is like. They also express their gratitude and invite prayer support from MC Canada congregants.
“We’re so grateful to be here in Ethiopia where we are representing you and building a relationship with the students and the college and the denomination, and letting them know that they are loved by Mennonite Church Canada,” Joanne says.
“I’m telling all of my students, I’m telling the seminary staff, I’m telling the Meserete Kristos churches that we are visiting that they have many brothers and sisters across Canada who remember them and who are praying for them,” Werner adds.
Meserete Kristos Seminary is a part of Meserete Kristos Church, the largest denomination in Mennonite World Conference. Students come from several regional Bible colleges that are organized in regional languages.
“We have been just having a fabulous time and learning from the students, and I think that’s what it means to have real relationship,” Joanne says. “We are learning from them and they are learning from us, and we hope we get that opportunity to share what we are learning so that you can grow in your faith as well.”
The De Jongs, who are originally from Holyrood Mennonite Church in Edmonton, Alta., share more about their work at the seminary in the April 4 issue of Canadian Mennonite.
For further updates from the De Jongs, visit mcab.ca.
Do you have a video we should see? Email it to submit@canadianmennonite.org.
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MC Canada International Witness workers Joanne and Werner De Jong arrived in Ethiopia earlier this year. (YouTube photo)
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