Breaking down walls; working across divides — peacebuilding undergirds all of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)’s work, but what does that look like in real-life situations? In war torn countries such as Afghanistan and North Korea, MCC partners with communities to end hunger, provide education, access clean water, and empower families to ensure their own livelihoods. The past 40 years of conflict in Afghanistan has taken its toll and women especially are traumatized by the external violence of war and the culture of gender inequity.

Join us at Sam's Place for a cup of locally brewed coffee and hear how MCC is working with local partners in Afghanistan and across Asia to bring a glimmer of hope to those affected.

We'll provide the snacks while Rebecca and Blaine lead this important discussion. We encourage questions and conversation as we explore how Mennonite Central Committee is peacebuilding in war-torn Afghanistan and Asia by working with local partners.

Speaker Bios: Rebecca Burkholder and Blaine Derstine
Rebecca Burkholder and Blaine Derstine are co-Area Directors for Central Southern and Northeast Asia for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). They support MCC Reps in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, China and North and South Korea. Previously, Rebecca and Blaine worked for MCC in Bangladesh and are currently based in MCC's Asia Regional Office in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Rebecca attended Goshen College and holds a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. She has worked in health policy, law and advocacy in Washington, DC.

Blaine holds a master's degree in international economics from Catholic University. Within the USA, Blaine worked at Ten Thousand Villages as a merchandise manager and analyst, and as an economist with the US Department of Labor.
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