Senior Lindsay Acker, Nicole Litwiller ’19 and Luke Mullet ’19 also presented their project , which includes stories from survivors of sexual violence, visual art and audio accompaniment. Acker and Litwiller are now studying at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, while Mullet has joined 91����Ƶ’s admissions team. Junior Aaron Horst was also present.

The following article from the August 5, 2019, issue of Mennonite World Review is reprinted with permission.

ELSPEET, The Netherlands — More than 200 peacebuilders launched a Global Anabaptist Peace Network at the second Global Mennonite Peacebuilding Conference and Festival June 27-30 at Mennorode retreat center.

Rooted in Mennonite World Conference’s Peace Commission, the network hopes to share prayer and advocacy requests, empower one another, develop a membership directory of peace-related Mennonite organizations and create spaces for encounter.

During the conference, panels, workshops, concerts, live theater, poetry reading, singing, prayers and other activities explored the theme “On the Way of the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace,” building on an ecumenical initiative promoted by the World Council of Churches.

One of the goals was to create a network of people from different contexts and fields related to Mennonite peacebuilding. Renate Enns, one of the volunteers, was moved by how connection grew during informal moments.

“Everyone engaged with each other anytime,” Enns said. “You saw people from different ages and contexts talking with each other. That made this conference special. It showed that people really wanted to listen to each other.”

Paulus Widjaja spoke about the challenges of working with Christians and Muslims in Indonesia.

“Peacebuilding is not meant to just end conflict but to prevent future conflicts by building strong infrastructure,” he said.

Widjaja’s reference to infrastructure exemplified the importance strengthening relations among Mennonite peacebuild­ers, learning from peace practices and discerning together about ways to engage with different contexts.

Presenters, panels and artistic performances addressed racism, colonialism, discrimination, exclusion and gender-based violence. Theatre of the Beat’s play #Churchtoo confronted people with issue of sexual abuse in churches. It was a catalyst for weighty questions, and many people were brought to tears.

Comforting for peace

One activity was “Comforting for Peace,” under the guidance of Jeannette Stenvers and Marjan Huisman. Participants contrib­uted to stitching comforters for refu­gees. One was made around the theme of “Mennonites and Peacebuilding.”

More than 100 participants designed single patches to be sewn into a comforter and offered to the World Council of Churches as a sign of how Mennonites are joining the ecumenical “Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace.”

Jeannette Stenvers was moved not only by the number of people who joined to let their hands work for peace but also by the connections people made during this work and the many stories it brought out.

As the Global Anabaptist-Mennonite Peace Network was launched, Fulco van Hulst, a representative of the emerging network, said: “In God’s grocery store we cannot buy things like world peace and the end to hunger but only the seeds of peace to spread across the world.”

The first conference was organized in 2016 by Conrad Gre­bel University College in Waterloo, Ont. 91����Ƶ in Harrisonburg, Va., has expressed willingness to organize a third conference in 2022 but welcomes a bid from an institution in the Global South to host instead.

Read more news coverage of 2019 summer cross-culturals.

Here’s a post from students serving as the week’s “communications team” during the South Africa crosscultural, led by Andrew and Karen Suderman. Andrew is professor of theology and Karen director of 91����Ƶ’s Intensive English Program.

From 2009–16, the Sudermans served as Mennonite Church Canada Witness Workers in South Africa. They lived in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa and helped to coordinate the Anabaptist Network in South Africa (ANiSA).

The crosscultural focused on the country’s legacy of colonialism and apartheid and the church’s role in the pursuit of peace, justice, and reconciliation, with visits to Johannesburg, Soweto, Pretoria, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg and Nelspruit.

In excerpts from the original blog post, the group named high points of “growing together as a group and being unified through experiences and desire for change and justice, laughter and conversation around meals, and feeling alive and grateful to be in South Africa.”

Among the group’s shared learnings:

• Apartheid is still a reality
• How we can learn about the history of our hometowns?
• Realizing passions and what makes me feel angry
• Hospitality is beautiful
• Seeing similarities between South Africa and USA
• The reality of relocation as breaking apart communities
• Taking a risk to talk to people is rewarding
• Do not sit comfortably in the status quo
• We need to trust in God and encourage others to do the same.

From Capetown…

After three long days in the bus, including a 2.5 hour-long delay due to engine issues, we rolled into Capetown. As an exhausted and grateful bunch, we unpacked the bus, dragging our suitcases up three flights of stairs to our new home for the next 10 days. Many of us feel refreshed with the beach view from the back deck – a nice place to escape when we get tired of being in the same room (all 11 young women are sleeping in one room, and the 4 young men are in another). We share a common space and kitchen with other travelers and surfers from around the world.

In Capetown and with day trips to surrounding areas, we are learning about the colonial history of South Africa. Capetown is home to the first settlement of Dutch settlers. We visited places like the Castle of Good Hope and Company Gardens to get a taste of the history of the first settlers. We also visited places like Robben Island to continue learning about the Apartheid era. While driving to and from these places, we continue to observe obvious racial and economic disparities between neighboring areas based on housing, employment, and population density. For release and recreation to take a break from the heavy stories of harm, many of us participated in hiking, surfing, swimming, and napping.

Below, several of us have answered a question reflecting on a meaningful experiences we had in the past week.

How have you seen God?

• In the people hosting and feeding us
• How we have come together as a group like a family
• The Suderman kids – embodying love and joy through laughter, hugs, dancing, ukulele playing, surfing, and so much more
• In the resistance groups we have learned about such as Fees Must Fall and Reclaim the City
• Being challenged in our comfort
• Hearing repeatedly the phrase, there is only one race, “the human race”
• In the beauty of nature —Group responses

Reflect on your experience at Robben Island.

Robben Island was and still is a pivotal part of South Africa’s history. The prison housed regular criminals but mainly housed political activists who spoke against the South African Government. One prisoner by the name of Robert Sobukwe was kept in his own personal cell away from all the other prisoners because his ideology was highly feared. Robben Island was supposed to be a symbol of justice and peace but became the total opposite. My experience at Robben Island was not great. The Island brought up feelings of hate and fear. I constantly thought if I was alive at that time, I would most likely be a prisoner of this island. To me the Island still carries the same energy of hate and violence but at the same time is still building toward peace and reconciliation by offering a truthful story of what happened on the Island. — JD

How have you experienced the change in food? What has been your favorite meal so far?

The food here is amazing. Almost everything we have tried, we have enjoyed. The food can be spicier than what we are used to, such as the chakalaka, which is a yummy side consisting of vegetables and beans. Another food that is a staple here are pap, a corn based starch that is eaten at almost every meal. Some of my favorite foods here have been the braai (meat cookout), cake with custard, actually anything with custard and amagwena (fat cakes). —O���ⱹ����

What were some of your thoughts and reflections as you hiked Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point?

Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point was an amazing experience. If you want to truly experience the beauty and awe inspiring creation of God, visit Cape Point. Every new ridge you could see over gave you a whole new view. It felt like such a huge space, but at the same time we were at a very small point in South Africa. This really was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and I wish I was able to show everyone it’s true beauty. — Aaron

Walking on to Boulder Beach reminded me of the Oregon coast but with warmer weather and penguins around each boulder. It was a great place to sit, relax, swim or explore and it provided a much needed rest after hiking for a majority of the morning. After hanging out at the beach for an hour or so, we walked on the boardwalk leading to gift stores, ice cream shops and street artist performers. — Lukas

How has your view on community struggle changed since hiking Table Mountain?

Since hiking Table Mountain, community struggle has taken on a new image in my eyes. As we hiked, we encouraged, uplifted, and struggled with one another. We went up in three different groups, but all came to the realization that the hike would not have been possible without our community and sense of a mutual goal. This image has been illuminated countless times not only through the struggle of the hike, but has also taken place throughout every community we have learned about and/or experienced. Community is more than just a place; community is a people in unity as one working towards Ubuntu (“I am because we are.”Another way to say it is “A person is a person only through other people”). This concept has brought to light the fact that we are all one and that no matter the circumstances or struggles, we need each other. —A���������

Compare and contrast your experience at Stellenbosch Motherchurch (Dutch Reformed) and Grace Community Church.

Grace Community Church located in Colesberg is a passionate and lively black township church. Stellenbosch on the other hand is a Dutch Reformed in a former whites only town with European undertones. The similarity between these two churches is that they worship the same God and despite the vast differences, the spirit was able to move in both places.

On Sunday, May 19, we attended Grace Community Church. Immediately upon arrival we were greeted with smiles, hugs, and numerous welcomes. The building was one large room constructed with corrugated metal panels. The building was plain and simple but filled with loud, exuberant worship. During the service we were welcomed numerous times, danced, and were even invited to talk while Andrew was asked to give the sermon.

The next Sunday, we attended The Dutch Reformed Church. Stellenbosch was familiar even with the language barrier of Afrikaans. The building was conventional like what you would see in Europe. We sat in a pew, attentive to what the pastor had to say that day, sang songs with all of the same tunes that are found in the Mennonite Hymnal and yet there was still an eerie presence of discomfort. Apartheid history still looms over Stellenbosch as the theology and leaders of apartheid come out of the university and church there challenging my view of comfort.

A quote that has stuck with me throughout my time states, “We used to have the land and they had the Bibles. Now we have the Bibles and they have the land.” I find that this quote gets at the root of the differences between services. —H�DZ�����

The original post was curated by Lydia, Alyssa, and JD.

New student assessments and registration will be Monday, August 26. Students can choose to attend morning classes from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., afternoon classes from 1-2:50 p.m., or both.

Local applications will be accepted until August 26. International applications should be submitted as soon as possible, to allow sufficient time for the application review and visa processes. 

Each semester, 40-60 students representing 15 to 20 different countries receive personal attention in one-on-one and small-group settings. They learn career-enabling language skills and North American academic norms and expectations.

“We celebrate our diversity,” said IEP director Karen Suderman. “We welcome strangers and make them feel at home.”

Students can study full- or part-time, and those who complete the fifth and sixth course levels will earn 15 credits towards a degree at 91����Ƶ. Students can also gain admittance to 91����Ƶ, other Mennonite colleges in the United States, or the nearby James Madison University based solely on the recommendation of IEP.

Courses include listening, speaking and vocabulary; grammar; integrated skills; and reading, writing and research. Often IEP students plan to follow their IEP courses with higher studies at 91����Ƶ or another college in the United States, or to advance in their careers all over the globe. 

All IEP lecturers have master’s degrees in their field of study and have lived and worked internationally.

Information about tuition for local and international students, course dates, course descriptions and applying to the program is available here. Elizabeth Witmer, IEP office coordinator and coordinator of admissions, can be reached at (540) 432-4053 and elizabeth.witmer@emu.edu.