Page 27 - C.A.L.L. #28 - Spring 2007

The following encouraging news is probably from the largest intentional community of the world.
It is Colonia Manitoba of the Old Colony Mennonites in Mexico, a land co-op with 17,000
residents.

New library signifies changing attitudes in Mexico colony
Gladys Terichow

The opening of a community library in a conservative
Mennonite colony in Mexico signifies changing attitudes
towards literacy and education, said Peter Enns, a civic
leader (Vorsteher) in the Old Colony church.

"We are noticing that there is a better understanding of the
scriptures when people can read it themselves." said Enns,
speaking in Low German in a telephone interview following the official Biblioteca Colonia Manitoba staff,
Franz and Anni Harms
opening of the library named, Biblioteca Colonia Manitoba.

The library will improve literacy skills and raise the educational level of people in the Manitoba Colony, he
explained. "We believe the library is a good thing and wanted to see it completed."

The 2,800 square foot/260 square metre library is located in Lowe Farm, a village in the Manitoba Colony
near Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, Mexico. The library is located on the same property as the municipal office
and is owned and governed by the colony.

In consultation with the a school committee, the library project evolved to include a resource centre for
teachers, storage area for school supplies and a retail store for sale of school supplies and books.

"Now the teachers have a place where they can feel at home - a place where they can sit down to prepare
their lessons, read, study and have meetings," said Enns, who played a leading role in making the project a
reality.

Another significant change in the Manitoba Colony is the introduction of a central school committee
responsible for school curriculum and teachers training. Seven Old Colony schools are part of this
committee and about 25 per cent of the 1,600 students in the Manitoba Colony attend Old Colony schools
that are part of the school committee, said Friesen.

Manitoba Colony has a population of 17,000 people and is the largest Mennonite colony in Latin America.
The colony was organized in the 1920s following the mass migration of Mennonites from the Old Colony
church in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Posted on ‘Living In Community’ Listserve, Sun Oct 8, 2006

After more than 20 decades of living in community does set Ultimately, being social
living in various communities on apart from society in a pioneers has to be some of the
and settings I still learn every sense like any kind of seekers reward for the effort. Having
day. Patience helps. Keeping after truth would do. enough people in one place
your heart open is essentially. Sometimes we are just not as who can work together in a
prepared for dealing with functional fashion and meet
When I get frustrated with those truths as we should be. their needs rather
one of my fellow independently of society as a
communitarians, I look to I also try to look back to whole is just the most rational
myself to see what in me is models of the village and rural way I can think of to live.
causing me to react this way community in general and
to their actions. long for some more May more of us find the
established system of motivation to persevere.
Most of all I try to be gentle honoring people's need for
with myself and everyone personal space and working Blessed Bee
around me. with people that are not Susan Stoddard-Brown
pleasant helpmates. Cedar Creek Collective
We are in a struggle with our s_stoddard@yahoo.com
own inner demons because

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