Return to OUR PERCEIVED VISION & MISSION AS A COUPLE

THE VALUES THAT GOVERN OUR OPERATIONS

We will do our best to live by the following standards as we interact with people and as we do our work.

1.  Love. We will love all people unconditionally and we will practice selfless love to the point of offering our lives to the people with whom we are called to live and to serve.  This is exemplified in the humble life of Jesus of Nazareth whom we follow in response to His sacrificial love.

2.  Truth. By God’s grace, we will not lie.  As witnesses to the truth we have experienced in Jesus Christ, we will initiate transparent and honest interaction with all the people concerned as we relate with them and as we formulate and implement our policies.

3. Justice. As justice is an attribute of God, our tasks will be implemented in accordance with what is just and equitable among all people concerned.  We will listen to, and suffer with, those who have been oppressed because of historical injustice.  Because of the redemptive nature of Jesus’ Way, we will act justly as we peacefully seek the healing of the nations from all forms of injustice.

4.  Forgiveness. Using the energies available to us through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will absorb the violence committed against us so that our lives may be used as servants to stop the cycle of violence within us and around us.  We will seek the forgiveness of people and communities who were treated unjustly by our fellow Christians—who misused the name of Christ to advance their greed for wealth and power.

5. Peace. We will seek harmony and reconciliation with the Creator, with our Being, with Others, and with the Creation.  We believe in solving problems through non-violence.  By God’s grace and mercy, we will not use weapons to hurt or to kill people as a means to accomplish our dreams, mission, and objectives.

6.  Voluntary Service. The backbone of our community will be the voluntary efforts of our team members as they offer their time, or their skills, or their financial resources for the cause of peace.

7. Respect. As fellow-beings created in the image of God, we will work with all people, respecting the differences in our worldviews, value systems, and behavior patterns.  As fellow stewards of our planet, we will respect traditional ways of preserving our natural environment.

8.  Patience. The work of peacebuilding in each context is a long-term process.  Though we will seek wisdom from the lessons learned from other contexts, we will not be presumptuous to use them as “quick-fix solutions” to a specific conflict-situation we are facing.  We will always consult   patiently with the people with whom we are called to love and to serve.

9.  Mutual Learning. Because all truth is God’s truth, we will seek to be both learners and teachers when we work with other people.  We recognize that modern knowledge can be harmonized with traditional wisdom from many cultures, and that this harmonized learning will enrich our mutual growth and development.

10.  Accountability. We will submit ongoing reports to all the people concerned—sponsors, clients, volunteers, staff—as we manage the resources entrusted to us.

Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/life-vision-and-mission/values/

OUR GLOBAL PEACE COMMUNITY

We are sent by Mennonite Church Canada Witness in partnership with our international community.