Mennonite Weekly Review

WINNIPEG, Man. — Danisa Ndlovu is convinced there are blessings and benefits in nurturing the fellowship of Mennonites scattered around the globe.

Danisa Ndlovu, new president of Mennonite World Conference: “We can’t afford to be alone.” — Photo by Doris Penner/MWC

Ndolvu, 52, from Zimbabwe, the new president of Mennonite World Conference, met with Mennonites in Canada after attending meetings in November.

“We can’t afford to be alone,” Ndlovu said. “We need to come together to hear each other’s heartbeat. Rubbing shoulders removes barriers.”

The possibility that MWC may not be convening every five or six years as has usually been the case since the first assembly in 1925 was addressed at the gathering in Asuncion in July and will be an ongoing matter of discussion until the General Council meets in 2012. One reason why the global gathering of Mennonites is being assessed is the cost incurred in delegate travel. Another is the disparity that makes it easier for people from the wealthier Western countries to travel than many of those from African and Asian countries.

While Ndlovu understands the problems, he sees the benefits of worshiping with diverse parts of the Mennonite family. He acknowledges many voices from both South and North have encouraged the assemblies to continue at a similar frequency.

“If we extend the timing to say, every seven or eight years, we might lose donor support,” he said. “And we can’t afford to lose the energy we saw among the youth in Paraguay.”

Ndlovu sensed a lot of interest in the MWC assembly among participants in Paraguay this summer, and he feels confident the enthusiasm will spread as people go back to their home churches and communities and tell stories.

“As the message goes out, we need to harness that energy,” he said.

The assemblies are held in different parts of the world — before this summer, the last two he attended were in his home country Zimbabwe in 2003 and before that in India in 1997 — and give the hosts the opportunity to showcase their culture including food, art and music. It also allows visitors a chance to see how Christians in far-off and sometimes impoverished countries live, work and worship.

However, while Ndlovu will be part of discussions on the global assembly, there are many other facets to his job. He needs to ensure MWC remains on track and carries outs its goals. Four commissions have recently been established as part of restructuring, and while each one has its own leader and mandate, Ndlovu will relate to all of them.