January 15thPeople of the Soil – Connecting the Philippines and Ontario
“East Zorra Mennonite Church has embraced us,” says Dann Pantoja. “When we are there, we aren’t just guests.”
Dann and Joji Pantoja, MC Canada Witness workers in the Philippines, arrived at East Zorra Mennonite Church in 2008 and had no inkling of the special relationship that would develop between them and the Southern Ontario rural congregation.
During the Pantoja’s visit, East Zorra families invited them to a hands-on experience of operational aspects of their farms. “I remember when Dann and Joji were with us harvesting beans. I was explaining to Joji how we were doing more minimal tillage and working with cover crops to improve the soil,” recalls Greg Leis, member at East Zorra. “Joji then shared how those are the very things they were trying to do on their coffee plantations in the Philippines. To be able to connect on similar practices with totally different products and environments half-way around the world was a really great moment for me.”
Each visit brings new learnings that enrich the Pantoja’s desire to help develop livelihood programs among the people in Mindanao. The United Nations Development Programme and other government agencies in the Philippines acknowledge Joji as a practitioner-advocate of inclusive development and social entrepreneurial initiatives. “Joji absorbs the wisdom, knowledge and support of Mennonite “farmerpreneurs” and shares that with farmers in the Philippines, specifically coffee farmers, to become entrepreneurial also,” reflects Dann. “What I like about the agricultural community of East Zorra is that it is so advanced and ecological, and yet they touch the soil. They are people of the soil. It is empowering to say to the people with whom we work that we are peace missionaries sent by common people who are farmers and who live by tilling the land. That is a powerful connection.”
Dann and Joji passionately share stories of their work when they are with East Zorra. “Dann and Joji live their faith in acute and powerful ways,” says Ray Martin, pastor at East Zorra MC. “I remember one visit in particular when Dann worked through some of the peace theology of the Anabaptist church during our Sunday school time. To hear it from Dann’s perspective and from their setting was really significant for all of us.”
“We live in small town rural Ontario where it is fairly peaceful,” states Greg. “When Dann and Joji share, it opens our eyes to what it means to actually promote peace and try to live in a peaceful environment. It is inspiring and encouraging to see people put their beliefs into practice and live with that conviction.”
East Zorra has spoken of the desire to visit Dann and Joji. One of the hurdles to visiting is that of finances and the thought that the money spent in travelling to the Philippines could be better spent in supporting ministry. “I’m inviting our dear partners in East Zorra to visit us in the Philippines,” says Dann. “It’s true that cash can do things but we would be willing to “give up” that cash because it would really be an investment. Your being with us is very important to us – we need your presence. It will help determine our doing, our ministry. We are here because people sent us here for people. When God sends people to touch other people, it is God who is touching people. When that happens, we experience a sense of one humanity, we experience God, we experience our Creator.”
“It has been good to personally get to know the Witness workers whom we support financially,” says Ray. “Dann and Joji have helped us to move toward engagement with a place and a people. Their passion, joy and life have been contagious and such a blessing to us.”