A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

country work. The indigenization of both rural and urban churches is proceeding rapidly. An important factor in this process is the seminary extension program begun in 1968 for the training of national leaders. By means of this arrangement theological training is brought to the students in the towns and villages. The United Biblical Seminary of Colombia, a joint venture of about eight church groups (including the Mennonite Brethren), operates in four centers: Cali, Medellin, Bogota, and Caribe. It is an exciting and innovative approach in training church workers. The present status of the M.B. Church in Colombia is summarized by Phyllis Martens as follows: "In all, there are some 24 congregations and preaching points in Colombia, including the groups still existing in the Choco. . . . Membership proper is about 650, Sunday school attendance close to 2000. Officers of the Colombia conference are all national brethren." 44 Mennonite Brethren in Peru As a result of the M.B.-K.M.B. merger in 1960, the territory of Mennonite Brethren missions was expanded to include Peru — the MENNONITE BRETHREN AROUND THE WORLD 431 center of the ancient Inca Empire. Ten years earlier Sylvester Dirks had come to Peru to begin a new work for the Krimmer Mennonite Brethren. Working in cooperation with the Wycliffe Bible translators, Dirks established a mission center at Atalaya, east of Lima and of the Andes mountain range. The primary concern of these missionaries was to reach the Campa Indians and give them the Scriptures in their own language. Some ten K.M.B. missionaries came to Peru to work among the Campa Indians, including the Paul Friesens and the Joseph Walters. As a result of their labors there emerged not only a Campa Indian Church at El Encuentro ("The Meeting") but also a Spanish-speaking church in nearby Atalaya. Isolation and difficult climatic conditions in the Peruvian jungle have called for a special measure of dedication on the part of the workers among the Campa Indians. In 1963 the Board of Missions, however, was able to report that the language of the Campas had been reduced to writing, and that the Gospels of Mark and John and the book of Acts had been translated into Campa. By 1969 the Evangelical Campa Church was organized and well on its way to self-support and independence. 45 Mennonite Brethren at HCJB There are no Mennonite Brethren churches in Ecuador, but most German-speaking people in South America have heard of HCJB, the "voice of the Andes" in Quito, which also has a "German voice." For the past nineteen years Mennonite Brethren have been fully responsible for the German department of this worldwide ministry. The David Nightingales (from British Columbia) and Sally Schroeder (from Manitoba) were among the pioneers of this work which was begun in 1953. Mail response indicates growth of influence. Whereas the total number of letters received in 1953 was 57, the letter- resp