Tour Leader’s Blog

Our TourMagination tour with Tim Froese, Director of International Ministries for Mennonite Church Canada, has already enjoyed two full days of touring in beautiful Santiago. Tim has introduced us to dynamic church leaders: Omar Cortes,Veronica Ojeda, Freddy Paredes and others.

Last evening at our opening dinner we enjoyed sharing with 6 guests from the local church that is a partner with the North American church.

Today was a rich full day. A highlight was worshiping with Baptist Seminary students in their chapel service, the last one for this semester. This seminary partners with Mennonites and has an Anabaptist focus and commitment. Millard Moser said following our time of worship and fellowship with the students, “I was extremely blessed. When you worship and don’t understand the language and don’t know the people, you don’t have all the baggage. I was extremely blessed today.”

We also visited the Nunova Church. This congregation has a long history of connection to Mennonite mission work in the country. We were touched with the pastor’s zeal for sharing Jesus Christ. He said, “For us to serve is not social action that anyone can give. We begin working guided by the Holy Spirit.” For a church of 125 members we were touched by their scope: working with challenged children, in the prison, family mediation, training in mediation within the prison and more. As we left we sang, “God be with you till we meet again” as our prayer.

As we interacted with the church, we were also learning much about this beautiful country of Chile. Our guide Claudia is very knowledgeable. Snow on the Andes Mountains is the backdrop as we travel in this city of 6 million people.

~ Wilmer Martin

I am at the Holiday Inn near the Miami International Airport where approximately one half of our MWC #2 group is sleeping tonight. The gathering is happening! Since 2006, TourMagination has been planning tours to visit the various areas of the Mennonite Church in South America, either prior to or after the Global Assembly.

Our MWC #1 tour is currently traveling in Rio de Janeiro with Menno and Elsie Epp and John Ruth serveing as tour leaders. This tour is learning about the current life of the Mennonite Church in Brazil and remembering the programs that many North American Mennonites supported through the Mennonite Board of Missions.

Our MWC #2 tour led by Tim Froese and Wilmer Martin will visit churches supported by Mennonite Church Canada in Chile and Uruguay.

It is such a joy to experience the excitement of the tour members as they are meeting together and learning to know each other. MWC #2 tour members come from 4 Canadian provinces and 3 American states.

During the 15th Global Assembly in Asuncion, Paraguay, our 7 TourMagination groups will join with 6,000 Mennonites from all over the world.

Follow the blog for updates as our other 5 tours depart over the next 7 days. You will be reading regular reports from our tours in various countries in South America.

~ Wilmer Martin

Our office is buzzing with excitement as persons are making final plans to attend the Global Assembly of Mennonite World Conference in Ascuncion, Paraguay. Today we had persons waiting in line to talk with Audrey Voth Petkau as they brought in their passports for visas and discussed flights.

We have Edgar Stoesz’s books, The Garden in the Wilderness and Like a Mustard Seed on the table in our reception area. These were discussed and one person bought one to take home.

We have a few seats available on our MWC #2 and MWC #5 tours and expect, because of the number of persons calling in, that they will be full soon.

Don’t miss the trip of a lifetime to visit the Mennonites of Paraguay and worship and fellowship with the Mennonite Global family from over 60 countries. See you in Paraguay! Call or email office@tourmagination.com to join one of our groups.

~ Wilmer Martin

TourMagination is one of the cooperating travel agencies for Mennonite World Conference assembly to be held in Paraguay in 2009. Janet and I have been in Paraguay with the planning group for the past 8 days. From the meetings we learned what TM was already sensing. Interest in attending MWC is strong.

Iguazu Falls

TM already has more than 20 people registered for our tours and the MWC assembly. The assembly and tours will be very exciting and a wonderful opportunity to meet our church family from 70 countries around the world. We encourage you to register as soon as possible. Contact TM to register for our tours and the assembly. We expect to have our 6 tours brochures available by the end of September.

~ Wilmer Martin