Mennonite Weekly Review

ELKHART, Ind. — In this 50th anniversary year of work by Mennonite Board of Missions and Mennonite Mission Network with African-Initiated Churches, David A. and Wilma Shank were honored for their lifetime of work.

Wilma and David A. Shank were honored at a banquet Oct. 31 by the Association of Anabaptist-Mennonite Missiologists. James Krabill, right, senior executive for global ministries with Mennonite Mission Network, presented an enlarged, framed image of the cover of a book of David Shank’s writings. — Photo by Mary E. Klassen/Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary

A banquet sponsored by the Association of Anabaptist-Mennonite Missiologists on Oct. 31 highlighted the Shanks’ contributions to mission, which included ten years with AICs in Côte d’Ivoire. They served first in Belgium from 1950 to 1973 and then in West Africa from 1979 to 1989. Over this span of 40 years, David Shank also completed doctoral studies, taught and wrote extensively.

Wilbert Shenk, a longtime mission administrator, noted that David Shank was always working with the question, “How do we as people who are ourselves marginal — how do we relate to others who are also marginalized?”

The most important fruit of the 50 years of his ministry, Shenk noted, is giving validation to people who did not have a voice and were not valued by the larger Christian community.

James Krabill, who served in Côte d’Ivoire with the Shanks and now is senior executive for global ministries with Mennonite Mission Network, presented a certificate from the Association of Anabaptist-Mennonite Missiologists to his mentors.

Krabill read: “You have challenged an entire generation to read culture, … to see God’s hand at work through marginalized immigrant workers, struggling but faithful communities of faith, and itinerant prophets, most notably the black Elijah of West Africa, William Wadé Harris.”

The honor included the announcement of a book of David Shank’s writings, which Krabill is editing and the Institute of Mennonite Studies is publishing. David was presented with an enlarged, framed image of the cover. The book, Mission from the Margins: Writings from the Life and Ministry of David A. Shank, will be completed early in 2010.