DownloadMay 11, 2009 issue
Health crisis connects congregation to mutual aid, broader church
By Celeste Kennel-Shank Mennonite Weekly ReviewPage:
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ELKHART, Ind. — The health crisis of a church member and the idea of mutual aid brought Angela Nze more fully into relationship with Mennonites.
Nze pastors Christlife Chapel in the Phoenix area with her husband, Harry, and is doing a sabbatical at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary.
The Nzes came to the United States from Nigeria about nine years ago. They connected with Los Angeles Faith Chapel, a member church of Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference in Inglewood, Calif., pastored by Chuwang Rwang Pam.
One of the members of that church moved to Arizona, and over several years growing relationships drew the Nzes there to plant a church in 2006. They now have 30-40 people attending. Many are recent immigrants from African countries struggling to get documentation.
One woman had been having health problems shortly after leaving an abusive marriage. She moved in with the Nzes in 2007, but her pain and bleeding due to fibroids worsened.
A doctor recommended surgery, but the church couldn’t raise enough money, Nze said.
“One of the days the pain was so bad we got scared,” Nze said. “We didn’t want to lose her.”
They took her to the hospital, where she was admitted, so they faced that bill in addition to not being able to afford the surgery.
They contacted Jeff Wright, then a leader of Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference. Wright connected the Nzes to Lloyd Miller, mutual aid minister at MutualAid eXchange. Wright knew Miller from previous conference leadership work.
A matching grant helped start a payment plan after the woman’s successful surgery Oct. 5.
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