Mary Lou Bonham
Third Culture Kid · Anabaptist · Healer · Community-Builder · Tree-Hugger
Mary Lou Schmidt Bonham grew up in Paraguay on a leprosy station as a child of MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) medical workers. Living at the intersection of American, German Mennonite, and Latino Paraguayan cultures, she was immersed from early childhood in multiple languages, customs, and ways of seeing the world. Navigating the complexity of that experience required deep personal work and nurtured in her a longing for coherence, connection, and flourishing for all.
She has continued to be fascinated by and curious about what shapes individuals, communities and cultures, while believing and investing in a vision of shalom for all of creation. She often lands again at intersections, and finds meaning and joy in being a healing presence and peace-seeker in multiple contexts.
She is married to Rusty Bonham, her best bud and trusted teammate, together they have three children and their spouses and seven grandchildren. Their lives are further enriched by members of their intentional community/church, neighborhood and refugee housemates who have become like family. She has worked as homemaker, nurse (in Kansas and Paraguay) and most recently as a mental health therapist and community builder in Portland, Oregon. She loves the beauty of the northwest and enjoys hiking, biking and gardening. She returns to Paraguay as able, and has close ties with her large extended family and diverse mix of friends who live there.
