View source for Mennonitisches Missionskomitee für Paraguay (MMKfP)

The Mennonitisches Missionskomitee für Paraguay (MMKfP; Mennonite Missions Committee for [[Paraguay|Paraguay]]) committee, also known as the Comité Menonita de Acción Evangélica y Social en el Paraguay (Mennonite Committee for Social and Evangelical Action in Paraguay), was founded in 1963 by Mennonite congregations ([[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite Church]]) of the following colonies, [[Volendam Colony (San Pedro Department, Paraguay)|Volendam]], [[Friesland Colony (San Pedro Department, Paraguay) |Friesland]], [[Neuland Colony (Boquerón Department, Paraguay)|Neuland]], [[Fernheim Colony (Boquerón Department, Paraguay)|Fernheim]], and [[Menno Colony (Alto Paraguay Department, Paraguay)|Menno]] and by the [[Asunción (Paraguay)|Asunción]] congregation. Also participating were the Evangelische Mennonitische Brüderschaft (EMB-related; [[Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches|Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches]]) of Fernhem and the [[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]] (MC) of North America.

The original committee consisted of the following members: Gerhard Schartner (Fernheim), Kornelius Dyck ([[Neuland Colony (Boquerón Department, Paraguay)|Neuland]]), Bernhard Toews (Menno), and Bruno Epp as field secretary. The MMKfP assumed responsibility for the Indian mission in Menno Colony ([[Chaco Mission (Paraguay)|Chaco mission]]) and missionary activity in Villa Hayes as well as in East Paraguay. It also related to the Centro de Salud Menonita, Kilometer 81, a hospital for victims of [[Hansen's Disease (Leprosy)|Hansen's disease]] (leprosy).

By 1987 14 congregations had been established, each with their own place of worship ([[Convención de las Iglesias Evangélicas Unidas, Paraguay |Convención de las Iglesias Evangélicas Unidas]]). Membership was ca. 500. Four of these congregations had missionary leadership, the other ten were being served by national workers. Mission schools have been established by the MMKfP at two of these congregational centers.

See also [[Gemeindekomitee-Asociacón Evangélica Menonita del Paraguay|Gemeindekomitee]]


= Bibliography =
Juhnke, James C. <em class="gameo_bibliography">A People of Mission: A History of General Conference Mennonite Overseas Missions</em>. Newton, KS: Faith and Life, 1979: 193.

Pannabecker, Samuel Floyd. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Open Doors: History of the General Conference Mennonite Church</em>. Newton, KS: Faith and Life, 1975: 242.


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