‘A tremendous source of blessing’

Last June, Shekhar Singh, president of Union Biblical Seminary (UBS) in Pune, India, contacted Mennonite Church Canada to ask whether Ben and Patti Wiebe of Beamsville, Ont., could again spend some time at the seminary as visiting faculty, something they have been doing for the past 20 years through a series of MC Canada short-term ministry assignments.

“They have been tremendous source of blessing to the UBS community over the years,” Singh says.

So the Wiebes embarked on a new assignment as resource workers last month, but found they arrived without their luggage, which contained Ben’s teaching material for four courses he was to teach over their three months in India. 

“We are enjoying meeting up with old friends and being on campus,” Patti wrote in an e-mail that was shared by MC Canada across the country. “Just wish we weren't consumed with this luggage problem. We can't quite settle in. Please pray for us about this. I need to learn to leave it with God.”

With a strong background in Bible and religious studies, including a Ph.D. from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., in Judaism and Christianity, Ben has primarily taught New Testament courses during his last 11 trips to India. On eight of those assignments Patti accompanied him and provided assistance in a variety of areas. Most recently, she taught Bible classes to the seminary students’ wives and helped students with development of their thesis.

While Ben teaches, Patti plans to draw on her previous experience of teaching Bible classes and providing English tutoring, and to respond to various opportunities that arise in the Women’s Ministry Department. They also hope to visit several Mennonite churches in central India.

By the time classes started, the Wiebes and their luggage were reunited.

—Posted Jan. 23, 2015