Our first Canadian visitors!!!

We’ve just spent a very meaningful and busy two weeks with Jack and Irene Suderman- what a blessing it has been. We first met them 4 years ago in Davao when Jack was the Executive Director of Mennonite Church Canada. Having spent several years in Bolivia and Columbia as missionaries, they have so much wisdom to impart on us and a great amount of entertaining and inspiring stories to share from all their travels/adventures. Here we are with Reg showing them our neighbourhood...

Jack is an Anabaptist theologian and a fantastic teacher- he spent two evenings here teaching at Asian Theological Seminary (The Gospel of Peace and Social Transformation and a Biblical Survey of Peace), which Darnell and our friend Bryan did a fantastic job of planning and coordinating. We were also able to spend three evenings in our home with the Sudermans and our newly formed Peace Church! We had about 15 people come each night and by the end of the 3 nights, everyone wanted to start meeting together regularly. We were overwhelmed and encouraged by this- we can hardly believe that we already have a group of followers of Jesus wanting to be the church with us! It was fun to cook and bake for this great group of people and so wonderful to learn from Jack and share with each other about our journeys and also our hopes for Peace Church. Here’s some of the gang in our home… 

The first day of hosting also happened to be Cody’s birthday! We had some great family time in the morning and enjoyed a cake in the evening with new friends. Cody was showered with gifts and love- what a blessing to already have such great friends here. It was a lovely day of celebration, though we did miss all our dear family and friends at home. 

Jack and Irene were also interviewed on a Filipino TV show called Perspectives. We certainly maximized the Sudermans time here- they were broadcasted all over the Philippines! 

And to end the two weeks, Jack led a three-day teaching seminar on the Vocation of the Church in Society with 35 members of the Integrated Mennonite Church. He shared about the politics of Jesus- how He rejected the political options of His time and introduced a new “Kingdom” way- we as the church must also engage the world the way Jesus did. He also spent a day teaching Anabaptist history. Although being part of Mennonite churches, for most of the participants it was their first time to hear a comprehensive history of the Mennonites. They were deeply encouraged to learn about the terrible yet inspiring struggles the early Anabaptists faced as martyrs- what a witness their stories are.

The littlest missionaries attended the seminar too- and I was surprisingly able to pay attention most of the time! They were also once again amazing little travellers during the 5-hour bus ride each way. Here’s Makai learning about the early Anabaptists:) Check out his new teeth!!

What a busy 2 weeks it has been! The Sudermans left early this morning and its been a lazy day in our home- we plan on going to bed very early tonight! We are so very thankful for the meaningful time we had with Jack and Irene- we are inspired by their stories from travels all around the world, amazed by their flexibility and willingness to engage new cultures, very appreciative of their grandparent-like love for our boys, and deeply encouraged by their Biblical teachings and visible life-long faithfulness in walking in the way of Jesus. We have been so blessed by this wonderful couple!