wfn.org | Despite obstacles, volunteers safely cross borders

[BethAH@mbm.org]

October 4, 2000
Beth Hawn
Communications Coordinator
Mennonite Board of Missions
phone (219) 294-7523
fax (219) 294-8669
<www.MBM.org>

Despite obstacles, Service Adventurers safely cross borders

ELKHART, Ind. (MBM/CHM) – To the confusion of some customs
officials, an unprecedented number of Service Adventure
participants crossed borders this fall for short-term mission
assignments in the United States and Canada.  In a growing
program geared toward young adults ages 17-20, Mennonite Board of
Missions and the Commission on Home Ministries sent 40 young
adults to eight Service Adventure units.  Twenty-one out of the
40 crossed a border either into the United States or into Canada,
some from as far away as Germany and Sweden.

“With such an increase in overall border crossing this year, a
lot could have gone wrong,” said personnel recruiter Kent
Dutchersmith.  “But only one faced a major hassle of being
detained for about nine hours as he crossed by train from Canada
to the United States.”

“Because Service Adventure is such a small program, border
officials usually have no concept of the program or why people
are really coming to do Service Adventure,” Dutchersmith said.
“It’s a rather foreign concept for young adults to come to
another country strictly to do service/mission and to do so for
very little compensation.  So, many border officials are
skeptical of such people.  Each border official interprets the
letters we send with the participants a little differently, and
as a result, our participants have varying experiences.”

Units are also facing the new dynamic of larger numbers of
internationals in a unit together. The Philippi, W. Va., unit has
three out of its five participants from Canada this year.  Jill
Landis, leader of the Philippi unit, said  the mixture of
Canadians into the unit has created both challenges and
benefits.  “There, of course, is a lot of comparing between the
unit members,” Landis said.  “Such as how to pronounce words, and
what is available in the United States or Canada, and how much
the Canadians know about U.S. history versus how embarrassingly
little we [Americans] know about Canadian history.”

But there is the benefit of learning from cultural diversity,
Landis added, explaining Canadians seem to have more French and
German influences, while the American participants have more of
an understanding of the Hispanic and African-American
perspectives.

“And, of course,” Landis said, “we get to celebrate twice the
number of holidays, too!”

Considering the kinds of things that could have gone wrong,
Dutchersmith said he was grateful that everyone did manage to
cross borders safely.  “I feel as though God was with our
people,” he said.

Service Adventure provides post-high school young adults with a
short-term adventure in service, learning and spiritual growth.
Living in a household with other young adults, Service Adventure
participants serve as volunteers for community service
organizations, working with children, senior citizens or people
with disabilities, or providing repair or secretarial services.
As volunteers live in a household, they test possible career
interests, participate in the life of a Mennonite congregation,
and engage in group study of the Bible, social issues and areas
of personal growth under the guidance of a unit leader.

Begun in 1989, Service Adventure units now operate in Anchorage,
Alaska; Lethbridge, Ala.; South Bend, Ind.; Raleigh, N.C.;
Albuquerque, N.M.; Albany, Ore.; Lebanon, Ore.; Johnstown, Pa.;
and Philippi, W.Va.

Service Adventure is a program of Mennonite Board of Missions
(Mennonite Church) and the Commission on Home Ministries (General
Conference Mennonite Church).  For more information about Service
Adventure opportunities, e-mail ServiceAdventure@MBM.org or call
219-294-7523.

* * *

Minnette B. Hostetler