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Winter 2019
Mid-year conference brings all IVEPers together for fun, learning and building friendships. Here are l to r Sophiya Dulal (Nepal), Maria Saucedo ( Bolivia), Otoniel Suero (Dominican Republic), Suyeon Kang and EunJi Ryu (both from South Korea) at the International Worship Festival, North Leamington United Mennonite Church, Ontario
I’ve been thinking about friendship recently and how one makes friends based on connections. There are work connections, church connections, shared interest connections and sometimes random meeting connections. It’s easy to meet people and say in passing, “let’s hang out sometime,” but actually connecting and sustaining a friendship is a different thing. Reaching out to make connections takes time and energy. Planning an activity takes time and energy. Getting to the place and figuring out cost of the meal or coffee or entrance fee takes time and money. There are plenty of reasons why it’s easier to push it off another week or month and get around it to sometime later. But, what are we missing in life by having less meaningful connections? I recently watched an interview about millennials and one of the challenges of the generation is finding deep and meaningful connections. It's all too easy to stay on the surface of social media, quick texts and portraying our lives as abundantly exciting instead of realizing the nitty-gritty of true and deep relationships. The next time I meet someone and say, “let’s hang out,” I want to truly set a date to hang out and invest my time in starting a friendship.
Participant insight: Blessed and proud to call myself an IVEPer
IVEPer Sophiya Dulal from Nepal, lives and works in Kansas City, Missouri
Nepalese IVEPer Sophiya Dulal writes about where she has found help, motivation and inspiration for her own personal journey, from expected and unanticipated sources, as she works to empower refugees settling in Kansas City.
IVEP host insight: The Brazilian/Canadian Blend
Raul Esteves, left, from Brazil, at pasta class run by Chef Dez (Gordon Desormeaux). Raul is hosted by Michael and Diane Horner and their children in Abbotsford, British Columbia
Sharing a love for cooking, working hard to understand each other despite language differences, and laughter - these are some of the ingredients that have gone into this hosting experience. Michael Horner (host dad) sets out the recipe for success followed by him and his family; Diane (host mom), and their children Fayth, Elijah, Alicha and Kelvin, as they have hosted Raul. Read all about it here.
Raul, upper left, with all the Horner family. Front row from left, Diane, Fayth, Elijah. Back row from left, Raul, Michael, Santa, Alicha and Kelvin
IVEP partner insight: Merry Lea will forever be changed by the gifts Deus has brought
Deus Okong'o, second left, works alongside students in the Masters of Arts in Environmental Education program at Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College
Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana, is a new partner for MCC's IVEP program. Deus Okong’o from Tanzania is the first IVEPer to work there and the partnership is proving to be a richly rewarding one for all parties. Jon Zirkle, Farm Manager, writes:
IVEP alumni insight: Love and care for others who are different from me, I live with it in my heart and head
Norman Chura from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, lived and worked in Osler, Saskatchewan 2012-2013
"My name is Norman Chura. I am from Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
"During my IVEP year I kept thinking about the polite ways to talk in Canada; it was too exaggerated for me, but now I know it helps a lot to soften relationships between people.
"My boss, who later became my host, overcame my expectation about how much someone could care. The way his family treated me inspired me in the ways they became responsible and cared for someone they did not know much. They truly made feel at home and be loved and secure. That knowledge still comes to me every time I get the opportunity to meet someone I don’t know - I try to treat them as well as that family treated me.
Read more about Norman's reflections on his year in Canada here.
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Alberta IVEPers exploring the mountains (l-r) Eunji Ryu (S. Korea), Mary Lynn Retzlaff (Provincial Coordinator), JiaHui Su (China) and Lontfobeko Manana (Swaziland)
Hilario Chivale (Mozambique), Melissa Ndlovu (Zimbabwe), Asenath Odondi (Kenya) and Sharon Dass (India) enjoy mini golf during Mid-year conference
Steffi Mitra (Bangladesh) and other BC IVEPers and Service Workers on a winter hike!
Miguel Toro (Colombia) left, and friends take a break from conference to enjoy the ice at Point Pelee, Ontario, with their host (center)
Ontario IVEPers (l-r) Jenny Kabugho (Uganda), Suyeon Kang (S. Korea) and Sharon Dass (India)
Some participants gather in front of North Leamington United Mennonite Church where Mid-year conference took place
The Who's Who of IVEP
IVEP U.S.
National Coordinator AndreaGeiser@mcc.org
Central States SharonNelson@mcc.org
East Coast KimDyer@mcc.org
Great Lakes BrookeStrayer@mcc.org
West Coast ThomasAdlard@mcc.org
IVEP Canada
National Coordinator KathrynDeckert@mcccanada.ca
Alberta MaryLynnRetzlaff@mccab.ca
British Columbia JessicaWarkentin@mccbc.ca
Manitoba JenniferSanerHarvey@mccmb.ca
Ontario CathWoolner@mcco.ca
Saskatchewan KayteeEdwards@mccs.org
Quebec Jean-CalvinKitata@mcccanada.ca
It is a peace program that works, not in a big sweep, but one small ripple at a time, each ripple enlarging with every expanding circle.
– Doreen Harms (IVEP administrator 1949-51, 1955-58, 1968-91)
