On two separate聽 occasions this week, the EMU Campus had the opportunity to hear and visit with Dann and Joji Pantoja, MCC Canada Witness workers hosted locally by Virginia Mennonite Mission.聽 In these chapels, the couple gives witness to Jesus鈥� influence on their lives and peacebuilding.
As a young man raised in a church planting family, it was the radical communism sweeping through the Philippines that fired Dann鈥檚 imagination; later, it was a purge within those ranks that led to Dann鈥檚 emigration from the Philippines to Canada. After 911, God led Dann to eschew violence and embrace a theology of peace. A gifted communicator and effective organizer, Dann has returned to the Philippines, founding in conflict ridden Mindanao. When asked what fuels his excitement and positive outlook in life despite the negative stuff happening around him, he responds, 鈥淚t鈥檚 the positive influence of Jesus鈥攁 1st century Palestinian carpenter who was executed by the imperial power of his time. He said: 鈥淲hoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.鈥� He defied death鈥攖he ultimate negative factor in our cosmos.鈥�
Dann鈥檚 wife Joji left a successful career in the investment and financial industry to join Dann in ministry in Mindanao, realizing that sustainable economic development is crucial to her people鈥檚 search for just-peace. She says, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine having a summary of my life printed on my tombstone as: 鈥淪pent her life managing rich people鈥檚 money.鈥滻 want to be remembered as: 鈥淎 person who walked with the people as they find dignity through sustainable economic development.鈥�