A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

epublics, with a predominantly white population, opened its doors to Mennonite immigrants in 1948. The Mennonites who eventually established settlements at El Ombu, Gartental and Colonia in 1950-51 were largely displaced persons from West Prussia and Central Poland. Among the group from Poland were 18 members of the Mennonite Brethren church who settled at El Ombu in 1950 and . . . organized a congregation under the leadership of Tobias Voth. In the group that arrived in 1951 were a number of M.B. families from Russia who established a small church at Gartental. Consequently, through baptism and the arrival of this last group, the M.B. membership in 1952 was 60. The El Ombu settlement, located some 180 miles northwest of Montevideo, had a very restricted land area. Thus another Mennonite settlement was established in 1955 at Delta, sixty miles northwest of Montevideo. A few years later the M.B. group from El Ombu decided to resettle as a body at Sarandi not far from Delta. Relocation, inflation and other economic problems have at times threatened the very survival of the small M.B. churches in the interior of Uruguay. The brotherhood from North America has rendered spiritual and material aid from time to time. From the beginning of Mennonite immigration many young people sought employment in Montevideo, a large metropolis which contains half the population of the country. The Mennonite Brethren established a hostel in the city which also served as a fellowship center. The John Walls from Ontario, the J. P. Neufelds from Manitoba, and other couples have rendered valuable services in Montevideo as well as in the country churches. Through this witness some Spanish-speaking people were contacted and brought to Christ. This called for a Spanish-speaking worker. The Daniel Wirsches, who had previously labored in Colombia and Mexico, were sent out by the Board of Missions and Services in 1968 to give leadership to the work. Today there is a Spanish M.B. church in Montevideo with Walter Preza, a Uruguayan, as pastor. The Spanish and German M.B. churches are united in one conference. Mennonite Brethren in Colombia Mennonite Brethren work in Colombia dates back to the immediate post-war period. In April, 1945, the Daniel Wirsches arrived at Palmira, MENNONITE BRETHREN AROUND THE WORLD 429 Valle, as the first M.B. missionaries to this large South American republic with over twenty million people. Shortly thereafter the Board of Missions was able to acquire an independent mission station at La Cumbre. Daniel Wirsche's brother David arrived in Colombia in December. In the two years following, a number of missionaries joined the Wirsche brothers: the John Dycks, Annie E. Dyck, Lillian Schafer, Kathyrn Lentzner and Mary Schroeder in 1946; Lydia Golbeck and the Jacob Loewens in 1947; the Harry Bartels and Ruth Loewen in 1948. Through the presence of many new workers who were there also for language st