Representatives from North America and Argentina renewed two partnership covenants in February, building upon formalized relationships that began in the mid-90s.
The first covenant was signed on Feb. 10 by Arm in Arm, a group of individuals and congregations in Illinois, the Argentine Mennonite Churches of the Southern Zone of the Argentine Conference (Iglesias Menonitas de la Patagonia), the Argentine Mennonite Church (Iglesia Evangélica Menonita Argentina) and Mission Network. The Argentine churches operate the Patagonia Mission Partnership, while the Illinois churches minister through the Southern Illinois Mission Partnership.
The second partnership covenant was signed on Feb. 19 by the churches of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Evangelistic Missionary Vision of the Western Zone of Argentina (Visión Evangelística y Misionera de la Zona Oeste), the Argentine Mennonite Church (Iglesia Evangélica Menonita Argentina) and Mission Network.
Mennonite Mission Network helps facilitate the exchanges between the North American and Argentine partners.
In addition to the partnership meeting and signing of a new a covenant, the five members of the Arm in Arm delegation assisted members of the Patagonia Mission Project in building a pre-fabricated house together with the Patagonia Mission Project mission worker couple, Jorge and María Rodríguez, who will be moving to the town of Valcheta.
While the construction work directly supported the ministry in Argentina, Kathy Springer, one of the trip’s organizers, emphasized that the relationships that have been forged as a result of the partnerships are a driving force behind their strength.
“The building project was a great way to strengthen and form deeper friendships,” Springer said, “and also to make new friends.”
As part of the covenants, each partner commits to:
Russ Litwiller and Marcos Carimán work together in Choele Choel in preparing the wall of a pre-fab house, which the group from Illinois and Patagonia later assembled together 180 kilometers away in Valcheta. Missionaries Jorge and María Rodríguez from the Mennonite Church in Choele Choel are preparing to move into the house and develop a church in this rural community.
• sharing prayer requests, testimonies, inspirational stories and reports from the church and their mission outreaches;
• Organizing exchange visits to build relationships and learn about each other’s culture;
• Sending voluntary service workers;
• Participating in a pastor exchange;
• Sending periodic financial reports to all partners.
Linda Shelly, Mission Network’s director for Latin America, accompanied the delegations on their trips.
“I was encouraged as I participated with both partnerships and observed the deepening relationships, the willingness to be vulnerable with each other and the excitement in experiencing God’s people at work in another culture,” she said. “Each partnership is unique and different forms of collaboration develop as the partners relate together and inspire each other.”
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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.
