Relief, development and podcast

In this episode, we check in with our partners in Myanmar after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake at the end of March. Join us as we speak with MCC partners on the ground and rep Crystal Conlin. MCC partners share firsthand accounts of the destruction, the immediate relief efforts, and the ongoing challenges faced by the communities. Tune in to hear powerful stories of survival, solidarity, and the unwavering commitment to helping those in need. Donate to MCC earthquake response:  https://mcc.org/myanmar Transcript

Join us on a fascinating journey as we explore the story behind MCC's first-ever stationary meat cannery in Ontario. Hosted by Ken Ogasawara, this episode delves into the history, challenges, and triumphs of the Mennonite Central Committee's meat canning operations. From the early days of the mobile meat canner to the grand opening of the new 10,000 square foot facility, discover how this initiative has brought together thousands of volunteers and provided essential relief to communities around the world. Tune in and be inspired by the power of collective action and the motto, "Together we can." Apply to be a mobile meat canner opperator: https://mcc.org/canner-operator Transcript

This episode features a visit to the Gicumbia Children's Peace Library in Rwanda. The library fosters a culture of peace and reading among children, in response to the lingering legacy of the 1994 Rwandan genocide of the Tutsis.  Full transcript and show notes here.

It's 2025. And we're looking back on last year. In this episode, hosts Christy Kauffman and Meghan Mast share some favorite moments from the podcast and talk about why these clips impacted them. Meghan also shares an announcement.  Full transcript available here.

This episode features a conversation between Reverend Munther Isaac and his former student Anthony Khair. The two Christian Palestinian men talk about how they are navigating grief and the immense loss in Gaza, while cultivating courage and resilience. Their conversation covers challenging truths and talks about the importance of language in this moment. Full transcript and show notes available here.

With Canadian thanksgiving just past and the United States election around the corner, some people are psyching themselves up for the awkward conversations that can come up. Sometimes this means talking about difficult topics. Bumping elbows with people who have conflicting worldviews. Maybe it involves passing gravy to an uncle that likes to play contrarian.  In this episode, we're taking questions from listeners. Jessica Stoltzfus Buller, a facilitator, trainer, mediator and peacebuilder joins us to talk about how to navigate conversations with more curiosity and compassion. Full transcript and show notes available here.

Surendra Shrestha, Executive Director of SAHAS, discussed the challenges faced by Nepali farmers, including lack of irrigation, poor seed quality, and climate change impacts. He emphasized the importance of community-based organizations (CBOs) in addressing these issues, highlighting their role in accessing resources, developing leadership, and fostering social capital. Fish farming initiatives, supported by CBOs, provide economic benefits, environmental sustainability, and fresh fish for local communities. Surendra's dedication to improving agricultural practices and community well-being is rooted in his agricultural background and personal experiences.  Transcript

Rediscovering black history in Appalachian coal town, MCC staff in Kimball West Virginia piece together a story of a Black owned hospital that used to sit on the site of the current Appalachia Build program site. mcc.org/dismukes Dismukes project cordinator Tylah Cline tylahcline@mcc.org Transcript

Bruce Guenther remembers his grandma describing the smell of the bread at the MCC soup kitchen in Ukraine. She received food from MCC over 100 years ago. Today, Bruce helps coordinate MCC's relief response, getting food and other basic needs to those who need it most. View full transcript here.

When pesticides are used so much it starts to harm the community, MCC partners are looking to find natural ways to grow a safe vegetable. Go into the field with us to Bogura Bangladesh where MCC staff member Jahangir Alam shows us exactly what that looks like and the challenges that come with it.   Learn more and see images from this story on MCC's website https://mcc.org/our-stories/farmers-grow-safe-vegetables-protect-health-environment   Transcript

"I didn't expect something like this program to be in jail," says EPP participant Chantelle Peele. "It was very compassionate and understanding. And it came from a place of true caring. You can sense it right away when you walked in the room that the guides, and the facilitators cared, and they genuinely wanted to help." The Enneagram Prison Project uses a personality test called the Enneagram to facilitate trauma healing and self-awareness training for people in prison and jail. If you don't know what the Enneagram is, don't worry, we get into that in this episode... Featuring EPP participant Chantelle Peele and guides Leanne Schellenberg and Amanda Dodge. Full transcript and show notes available here.

Myanmar has been in crisis since the military seized power again in 2021. Distributing aid is dangerous, so MCC's partners in the region face significant challenges. Meet Mr. Khong (not using his real name for security reasons), an MCC partner in Myanmar. He shares how he is navigating these dangerous conditions, talks about the moral obligation he feels as a peace worker, the livelihoods being impacted, families fleeing from their homes, the unpredictability of the army and the constant worry about being a target.  "Being meaningful to my country, being meaningful to my community, that can't be measured," he says. Full transcript available here.

Part two of the conversation with Jonathan Kuttab and Alain Epp Weaver focuses stories of Palestinian nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation. We also hear stories from Jad Issac, the director general of the Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ), an MCC partner of over 40 years. Give and advocate through MCC here Transcript

Gaza has seen so much devastation over the last few months. In this episode we are joined by Palestinian human rights lawyer and former MCC volunteer, Jonathan Kuttab, as well as Alain Epp Weaver, director of MCC's planning learning and disaster response department, to talk about the current situation and the history that has brought us to this point. MCC has continued to respond through local partners, Seth Malone and Sarah Funkhouser , MCC representatives for Jordan, Palestine and Israel, tell us how.  Give and advocate through MCC here Mennonite Action Transcript 

Meet the engineer behind Score Against Poverty's fuel-efficient stoves used in Mwenezi, Zimbabwe.  Cynthia discusses the importance of the community being involved in the design. You'll hear how the collaborations of the community of women, the engineer and the local artisan all a part of making the stoves efficient, sustainable and easy to use. Cynthia says, “If you involve them you know that the rate of failure is low and you know that the model that you are going to design or make you are sure that the women will be using it”  Full transcript here

In his book “The High Mountains of Portugal,” Yann Martel writes...   “Love is a house with many rooms, this room to feed the love, this one to entertain it, this one to clean it, this one to dress it, this one to allow it to rest, and each of these rooms can also just as well be the room for laughing or the room for listening or the room for telling one's secrets or the room for sulking or the room for apologizing or the room for intimate togetherness, and, of course, there are the rooms for the new members of the household. Love is a house in which plumbing brings bubbly new emotions every morning, and sewers flush out disputes, and bright windows open up to admit the fresh air of renewed goodwill. Love is a house with an unshakable foundation and an indestructible roof.”  In this episode, we're bringing you a story about a house. A house that belongs to author Yann Martel and now houses newcomers.  We explore what it takes to sponsor a refugee family. How it takes a village. A community. A network of people working together, using their strengths. How anyone can get involved with the resources, time or skills they have to offer. We speak with Yann and a number of people connected to the home he gifted—a family member who was once a refugee herself, someone from the sponsorship group and a neighbour. Full transcript available here.

One person said it “looked like a goat wearing a goat costume.” MCC staff Colin Friesen said it looks kinda like a bantha from Star Wars, but less hairy and also kind of like a camel? On this episode of the podcast we explore the mystery...of why the Damascus goat looks the way it does and why an MCC partner in Lebanon chose to distribute this goat.  Full show notes here.

"A ceasefire and a just end to the occupation, is the biggest need. There, of course, are enormous humanitarian needs, you know, water, food, fuel, electricity have all been cut off to the entirety of Gaza...But the real need is for a solution so that everyone can live peacefully on the land." Sarah Funkhouser is one of MCC's representatives in Jerusalem, along with her husband Seth Malone. They join the podcast to provide some important context for the recent escalation in violence in the Middle East and to share how MCC's partners are responding.  Pastor Ashraf Tannous shares a powerful message to Christians in the West, along with a prayer. Full transcript and show notes available here. 

Meet the South Sudanese sewing group that has become so much more. The women, living in Canada now, are sewing comforters and putting together dignity kits for MCC that will be sent to their home country.  The founder, Rebecca Deng, shares her personal story of living through the South Sudanese civil war, and how she created the community she wishes she'd had. Transcript and shownotes available here.

Reusable pads, along with other hygiene tools in a bucket, can make a big difference in a girl's life. It can be a part of keeping her in school and adding to her education. At Loreto Rumbek School in South Sudan, Anne Kuria shines some light on the bigger context of why these simple hygiene tools are needed and impact they have. Get involved https://mcc.org/get-involved/kits/dignity Transcript

What does it take for an internally displaced person in DR Congo to become stable? Reverend Antoine Kimbila, general secretary of the Community of Mennonite Brethren Churches in the Democratic Republic of Congo, shares about the needs of this growing community in Kikwit and how the church is supporting those who have been displaced by violence in Kasai. Full transcript here Water impact report  

"For those of you listening to this podcast, I want you to imagine this was happening to your family." The global hunger rate began climbing in 2019 and grew exponentially with the arrival of the pandemic, escalating climate disasters and the invasion of Ukraine. Today on the show, an update on the hunger crisis.  Our guest today is Andy Harrington––executive director of Canadian Foodgrains Bank, also known as CFGB.  You may remember Andy from when we spoke with him around this time last year. We wanted to check back in with him after a new report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World was released earlier this month. Brad Quiring, MCC Canada's donor engagement manager, hosts this episode. Full transcript and show notes available here.

A rebroadcast of our sibling podcast Undercurrents. In this episode, host Ken Ogasawara joins Colleen Hookimaw, a Cree woman, who shows him the lay of the (physical and metaphorical) land. We also hear from Bill Loutitt, who shares his lifelong journey with traditional Indigenous foods. Together, they explore historical, and current challenges to Indigenous food sovereignty in Canada. Full transcript available here.

Seeing humanity on every side of the world, and every side of the wall.  In this episode Anthony reflects on his visit to the U.S. Mexico border wall as a Palestinian who lives next to the wall when he is at home Bethlehem. As a Palestinian Christian he has had a unique experience sharing his story in the U.S. this year and is working to help people understand what life has been like for him and his family in Palestine.  We ask the question, what does peace and justice look like for Palestine?  Anthony has also used the English transliteration for his last name, so you may have seen his name spelled "Khair" rather than the Spanish one he uses, "Jeer". Learn more about MCC's work in Palestine/Israel here Transcript here

El Salvador has been dealing with a lot of gang violence over the past several decades. In response, the President announced the state of exception. While gang violence has quieted since then, another issue has arisen.  People are being arrested and taken away from their communities with no explanation or evidence. People have no recourse because the government is above the law. The most impacted are the country's youth.  Today on the show, we hear from some young people in El Salvador. They share their struggles under the state of exception and what they're doing about it. How they're fighting stereotypes and working to build community. MCC's local partner is supporting the youth as best they can.   Full transcript available here.

On this episode, an interview with a partner in Afghanistan who is teaching women to read in country where that's become increasingly difficult since the Taliban took control. We're not using the name of the guest or the partner for security reasons. Full transcript and show notes available here. 

We're taking a break from the usual programming to bring you an episode from our sibling podcast Undercurrents, produced by MCC Ontario and hosted by the very wonderful Ken Ogasawara. In this episode, Ken speaks with best-selling author, public speaker and podcaster Malcolm Gladwell. They cover a lot of ground—from pacifism, to soccer, climate change and more. This episode has been edited for length. Full transcript available here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/rdp_episode_41-malcolm_gladwell_0.pdf    

“There [will] always be hope somewhere but now, everything is destroyed. There are still areas that were not affected directly, not destroyed but the people there are destroyed from inside.” Today on the show, an update from MCC staff Petra Antoun in Syria on the aftermath of the earthquakes and how MCC is responding.  Full transcript and show notes available here.

In this episode we bring you to the Mwenezi district of Zimbabwe to a program that cooks up more than just food...they're also...stirring up the patriarchy!  A story of what happened when Zimbabweans from MCC's local partner SCORE Against Poverty came together to create a program that addresses gender inequities in their community.  The program is called Men Can Cook!  Full transcript and show notes available here.

On this bonus episode, on-the-ground interview clips and audio diaries from Emily Loewen's recent trip to Ukraine. Emily is the head producer of this podcast and MCC Canada's marketing and communications manager.    Full transcript available here.

A gift of a pig can bring peace in a household, but how?  Today on the episode we speak with Mary Ilero, a recipient of a pig from MCC's partner in rural Uganda. Many MCC supporters have participated in Christmas giving this past year and so we wanted to share Mary's story so you can see the impact a small gift can have.  We hear first-hand from Mary how a pig and the support of an MCC partner can make a difference.  Read more about Mary's story here.  Transcript

Today on the show, we feature an interview with Girl Named Tom – a sibling music group with Mennonite roots and an affinity for MCC – who won “The Voice,” a national U.S. singing competition in December 2021. Shortly afterward, their father died from cancer. They carry his love with them as they perform in large venues across the country. Their music is a gift, full of exquisite harmonies and infused with love, honesty and joy. Shop MCC Christmas Giving Canada: mcccanada.ca/christmas US: mcc.org/christmas Learn more about Mennonite Central Committe at mcc.org Transcript

Today on the show, we're talking about a difficult, but important topic. Abuse. And more specifically, abuse in the church community.  We'll explore how church culture can sometimes enable abuse, how to prevent it and how to best respond when it happens.  Our guests are Jaymie Friesen and Val Hiebert, Abuse Response and Prevention coordinators for MCC in Manitoba. This episode deals with sensitive subject matter. We talk about abuse, including sexual abuse, and misuses of power. While no graphic details are included, take care while listening. And if you want to skip this one, that's okay too.  Full transcript and show notes available here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/rdp_episode_34-jaymie_and_val.pdf

The latest shelling on cities across Ukraine has killed and injured dozens of people and led to widespread damage to civilian areas. Many MCC supporters have a soft spot, maybe even a personal connection, to Ukraine. Maybe you're watching closely and wondering about the safety of MCC staff and partners in the area. We are too. Today on the show, we check in with one of MCC's partners, Max. We're only using his first name for security reasons. Full transcript and show notes available here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/ukraine_check-in_with_max.pdf

Daniel Ameny arrived in Uganda as a refugee from DRC when he was only ten years old. Today he is 35 and helping other refugee children in the country get an education, through the local MCC partner organization that he helped found. "Education is my only hope, was my only hope to change my life," he says. On this episode, we bring you Daniel's story. Full transcript here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/episode_32-daniel_ameny.pdf

Much of the farming industry across the Americas has been industrialized over the course of colonization. Storyteller Ricardo Salinas in Guatemala is learning how Indigenous farming methods are making a comeback in the San Marcos community to help combat the effects of climate change. He says sharing the stories of the people who are using these communal practices is essential and shows the value of ancestral methods. Ricardos podcast : De Cero a 42-20 : https://open.spotify.com/show/25NFZDKQIma5K18wfLILvv?si=37f97f19e96e4f5c&nd=1   Full Transcript : https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/e12s3_wisdom_within_indigenous_roots_.pdf

It's been over five months since the Russian military invaded Ukraine and, because of the war, supply chains in-country have been disrupted. Many essential items are difficult to find.  Recently, a shipment of emergency supplies sent from the United States and Canada arrived in Ukraine and are being distributed to the people who need it most. Today on the show, MCC staff Nadiya Tykhovod shares an update on MCC's response in Ukraine and answers some frequently asked questions about the recent supply shipment. Full transcript available here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/episode_30-update_from_ukraine_1.pdf

Right now, around the world hundreds of millions of people go to bed hungry. 50 million have exhausted all options and are teetering on the edge of famine. That's up from 27 million in 2019 before the pandemic began. A substantial increase. Today on the show, we're bringing you a bonus episode about the hunger crisis. Our guest is Andy Harrington, Executive Director of Canadian Foodgrains Bank, also known as CFGB. Canadian donors can donate here: https://donate.mcccanada.ca/cause/global-hunger-crisis US donors can donate here: https://donate.mcc.org/cause/global-hunger-crisis Full transcript and show notes here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/episode_29-the_hunger_crisis.pdf

Dr. Sibonokuhle Ncube says climate change chose her since she learned as a child that people in her rural village in Zimbabwe suffered from drought and hunger. But today she doesn't focus on all that is broken and what to fear, she focuses her energy on working towards a better future. You're going to want to listen to this one...    Full transcript and show notes here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/episode_28-sibo_ncube_el.pdf

We talk with Rony Janvier, MCC Haiti rep, and Naomi Docilait, program director, about the current unpredictability in Haiti. Gang violence, natural disasters and climate change are all factors making life difficult for a vulnerable population. Transcript https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/pressure_on_top_of_pressure_in_haiti_ep_27.pdf

While it has barely made the news, the northern part of Ethiopia has entered its 17th month of civil war. On this episode we hear from two Ethiopians––Asiyah Mohammed, a pastoralist, who fled the Afar region after a shell landed near her home and Desalegn Abebe Ejo, a pastor from Addis Ababa who recently travelled to the conflict zones to supply emergency aid.   Full transcript and show notes here:  https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/episode_26-ethiopia.pdf

For years Anna (full name not used for security reasons), an MCC staff person, supported people who were displaced from the fighting in eastern Ukraine. Now she is one of those people and, in this bonus episode, she shares a bit of what it was like to quickly pack up and leave her home behind.    Full transcript and show notes here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/episode_25-anna_from_ukraine_0.pdf

On this episode we're talking about refugee sponsorship with Kaylee Perez, MCC Canada's migration and resettlement associate. She talks about how relationships between people from different cultural backgrounds can be powerfully transformative. She also shares what the work of sponsorship has been like during the pandemic, and how Canadian government plans for Ukrainian refugees are a departure from the norm. Full transcript and show notes available here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/episode_24-kaylee_perez.pdf

In this bonus episode, we get an update from Maxym Oliferovski, program director for an MCC partner in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. He and his wife decided to stay to help distribute emergency supplies and help other people evacuate. At the time of recording, they were less than 100 km from the front lines of the conflict, with things changing hour by hour. Full transcript and show notes available here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/episode_23-ukraine.pdf

On this episode of “Relief, Development and Podcast,” we're bringing you the stories of Sadia and Najia––two people from Afghanistan who left their homes and now live in Canada. Full names not used for security reasons. Transcript and show notes available here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/episode_22-leaving_afghanistan_1.pdf

On this bonus episode, Lynette tells us her story of growing up with an undocumented parent, and how that experience of having a migrant narrative has shaped her path. Serving alongside migrants today in Guatemala, she finds compassion through listening to peoples stories and finds it expands her view of what it means to be a migrant. Transcript here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/documents/s3e21podcasttranscript.pdf

On this episode we're thinking critically about the human experience of migration. What causes people to leave their home? Why can some people move freely across borders, while others are criminalized for it? Saulo Padilla, MCC's immigration education coordinator, shares about his own experience with family separation and migration and reflects on how this impacts the work he does today. Full transcript available here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/episode_20_transcript.pdf

For this special Christmas episode, we hear stories from members of the MCC global community about how they fill their bellies and nourish their spirits during this season.    Featuring Connex Kalinde with a story of hot Coca-Cola in Malawi, Gabriella Hernandez on how the nativity scene comes to life at a migrant centre in Mexico City, Rony Janvier with the story of freedom soup in Haiti and Ikhlas Siriani with the story of an Arabic Christmas tradition bringing Palestinian Christians and Muslims together. Full transcript available here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/common/documents/episode19-christmas2021.pdf 

On this episode we look at food insecurity in India and how MCC partners are working alongside rural farmers to increase access to food for their families. We talk to MCC project officer Pabitra Paramanya about this work, and how partners help farmers try new methods and increase their yields. We also hear a story from Manki Kashyap, a participant who's family gained food security as a result of these projects. Full transcript here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/episode_18_transcript11.15.2021.2_1.pdf

On this episode we look at the recent earthquake in Haiti, hearing about the vast and diverse needs in the affected communities. We talk to global health coordinator Paul Shetler Fast about the first distribution of relief and look at what a long term response might look like. We also talked to MCC staff Muriel Chaperon about the importance of getting relief to women as well as responding to the trauma that people have experienced. Support the people of Haiti: Donate in the U.S. https://donate.mcc.org/cause/haiti-earthquake Donate in Canada https://donate.mcccanada.ca/cause/haiti-earthquake Full transcript available here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/national/documents/haiti_response_podcast_episode_s2e8_transcript.pdf

On this episode we're talking about the importance of integrating peace and development in Colombia, a place with a long history of armed conflict.  Featuring a story from Dionisio Alarcón about how he uses storytelling to help victims of violence process their trauma. Host Scott interviews Sara Melgarejo, an MCC staff person who has a front row seat to our peacebuilding work in the region. Full transcript available here: https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/common/image-banner/episode_16-colombia_with_guest_sara_melgarejo.pdf