When Marietta Sawatzky heard the voice of Bluffton (Ohio) University President James M. Harder on the other end of her phone at 10 p.m., she was surprised. When he informed her that she had received the university’s Lifetime Service Award, she wondered, “Why me?”
“It was nice to hear from him,” she said, adding that Harder didn’t realize she was in Taiwan where the time zone difference is 12 hours. “I felt unworthy of the award. Among Bluffton alumni there are many who have served to make a difference in the lives of others. For me though, it has been a lifetime.”
At a Sept. 30 banquet on campus, Sawatzky, a longtime Mennonite Mission Network worker, was among three Bluffton alumni and one faculty member who were honored with this year’s Professional Achievement, Outstanding Young Alumni, and Outstanding Faculty awards. The Lifetime Service award recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in service to their church or individuals.
Sawatzky was honored for serving in Taiwan for more than 30 years as an evangelist and English and Bible study teacher. Though formally retired from Mission Network in 2009, she and her husband, Sheldon, continue to serve in Taiwan as mission associates. She teaches English Bible classes, and he serves as general secretary for the Fellowship of Mennonite Churches in Taiwan. They plan to retire again in 2012.
Sawatzky was 13 when she committed herself to ministry following a tent meeting.
“I wrote in the back of my Bible, ‘I dedicated my life to the service of Christ and I am willing to follow him wherever he may lead,’” she said. “That was sort of my opening myself up. I pursued that with Bible study in college.”
Her mission work began with a three-year term with Voluntary Service in Taiwan, teaching English-speaking children of missionaries. After her term, she married and taught in elementary schools in Elkhart, Ind., and Los Angeles. In 1971, the Sawatzkys returned to Taiwan for nearly 30 years. She taught Bible classes at Morrison Christian Academy, an international school for missionary children and other English-speaking students. She has also been active in women’s Bible classes.
One of her initiatives that stood out to the Bluffton awards committee was her commitment to encouraging prayer, said Julia Szabo, director of alumni relations and annual giving.
Upon returning to the United States and moving to Newton, Kan., Sawatzky became Prayer Network Facilitator for Mission Network from 1999 to 2009. She solicited prayer requests to post to the Web and sent out the monthly Prayer Vine e-mail to Mennonite Church USA congregations and prayer partners.
“She started this prayer network on the Internet so that she could establish this chain connecting people who needed prayer,” Szabo said.
Award nominations are accepted from among Bluffton’s more than 13,000 alumni, and also faculty members for the faculty award. Sawatzky was nominated by Bluffton alums Burton and Elnore Yost, whom Sawatzky said she has known since she was a teenager. During a one-year service commitment in Taiwan from 1975 to 1976, the Yosts gained a deeper understanding of the Sawatzkys’ ministry.
Because she is in Taiwan, Sawatzky didn’t physically attend the 90-minute award’s ceremony, but was transmitted in via Skype by way of video on a large wall screen and a laptop at the podium.
Sawatzky could see only the podium, but still enjoyed the experience. Besides, the trip from the Far East would’ve taken 24 hours, she said.
“I felt like part of the program, but not exactly the audience. I kept looking in the corner of my computer monitor trying to see the image of how I looked on the screen, which was scary,” she said laughing.“
That was a new twist for us to have an honoree participate via the Web,” Szabo said. “I know Marietta wanted to be here. I hope she felt like she was a big part of the evening.”
In her prepared remarks, Sawatzky said:
“… I have witnessed how biblical teaching has transformed the lives of Taiwanese people who previously had not studied the Bible. This causes me as a teacher to see the Bible stories through ‘new eyes’ as my students grasp new truths, making me a learner.”
After the program, well-wishers lined the podium to congratulate Sawatzky via the laptop.
“I was really happy that people did come up, giving me the opportunity to connect with the audience and see some friends, including the Yosts.”
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Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, leads, mobilizes and equips the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Media may contact Andrew Clouse at andrewc@mmnworld.net, 574-523-3024 or 866-866-2872, ext. 23024.
