Pray for Zimbabwe

Deborah Froese, Interim PrayerNet Coordinator, sent this urgent prayer concern last week. Since then the opposition leader has withdrawn due to escalating violence against his supporters. Inspite of no opposition, the election is still apparently going ahead today. Please pray.

Dear Friends and fellow pray-ers,

Since the last issue of PrayerNet was distributed, Mennonite Church Canada and the Mennonite World Conference (MWC) have issued an urgent call for intercessory prayer on behalf of Zimbabweans as they face a tense run-off election on June 27. (MWC 2006 statistics count over 33,000 Mennonite and Brethren in Christ members in Zimbabwe.) MC Canada Witness workers Dan Nighswander and Yvonne Snider-Nighswander will be in Zimbabwe as deacons for the MWC community for two weeks surrounding the election period. For your convenience, we have attached a PDF copy of this request that has been formatted to include in your church bulletin.



Urgent call to Intercession

Please note June 26 and 27 on your calendar. Mennonite World Conference (MWC) and Mennonite Church Canada are calling for prayer and fasting on those dates to support Zimbabweans as they face a tense run-off election on June 27.

Dan Nighswander and Yvonne Snider-Nighswander, MC Canada Witness workers in South Africa, have been blessed by MC Canada to serve as deacons of the MWC community during that time. They will provide encouragement to Bishop Ndlovu, MWC president-elect and leader of the Brethren in Christ Church in Zimbabwe (BICCZ), Bishop Ndlovu’s family, pastors and others under stress.

Dan and Yvonne have specifically asked for prayers for wisdom during this time of uncertainty. Please also pray:
– that God will intervene in a visible way to end the violence and suffering that have afflicted Zimbabwe;
– that the churches of Zimbabwe will be signs of God’s love and justice in the midst of this struggle;
– that those who have been intimidated will be able to exercise their right to vote without further threat;
– that election monitors will be permitted to play a credible role to assure integrity and lack of violence at polling stations;
– that the government in power will allow honest results to be reported;
– that, whatever the election results, the government in power will agree to come to the table with opposition political leaders, military and security forces, and church and civil society organizations to map out a workable path for the future of the country;
– that African and United Nations leaders will play a strong and clear role in pressing for the above outcomes.

Mennonite World Conference is a communion (Koinonia) of Anabaptist-related churches linked to one another in a worldwide community of faith for fellowship, worship, service, and witness.

A Motorcycle Ride

Well, I have been talking about pulling together an MCBC motorcycle ride for some time. I guess I better come through with it. I am setting the day for July 26th. I am now looking for bikers. Please call me or email me if you are going to participate.

This is what I am thinking. A group could start in the Vancouver area (say from the Peace Mennonite Church parking lot in Richmond). We could take some back roads to Abbotsford and join a Valley group (say at the CBC parking lot). From there we would take some nice back roads along the south side of the Valley, going around Chilliwack and continuing on back roads and crossing the bridge to Agassiz. We could then work our way back on the No. 7 highway. We would work out some good places to stop for coffee breaks and lunch.

All bikers who can do highway speed are welcome - cruisers, sport bikes, touring bikes or any kind of bike you may have.


I'll throw in a couple pictures of mine (a Yamaha V-Star 650). When you reply include a picture of your bike. I can post it too.

Photos from the Palestine-Israel Learning Tour

I have been very busy since the last posting. I have had lots of thoughts about blogs to write, but other priorities have kept crowding them out. I have had several requests to post some photos from my trip to Palestine and Israel, so I will do that.

While there was much learning to do, walking into the Garden Tomb area, and then having the empty tomb appear before my eyes, was the highlight of my trip. I am posting 3 photos: one from a distance (my first sighting), one close up and one inside (showing the actual place where it is believed that the body of Jesus lay.)
















Our time up in Galilee was amazing. I echo many others who have said this line, but it is true, "I will never read my Bible the same again." By this I mean that being in the places where Jesus was gives a context for the things he said and did.

I have a whole new appreciation of Capernaum. I hadn't noted that Jesus loved being there so much. This is likely because it was the place where Peter lived.













To see the ruins of the synagogue in Capernaum and of Peter's house was amazing. Then to go back to the Bible and read texts from these places was very cool; for example, Luke 4:31-44















There is much, much more to be said, but I will just leave you with one image of the current dynamics of the relationship of the people of Palestine and Israel. It is the wall. I could not believe that in this day of international awareness, a 30 foot wall was being built to divide two peoples. I, along with many Palestinians and Jews, pray that there may be a way to reconcile these peoples so that they may co-exist in this land in peace.