Going Out and Coming In

Balancing familial and professional responsibilities requires incredible determination. Now imagine doing this in a foreign country and with a young family. Author Helen Dueck doesn't have to imagine. This was her life after she and her husband answered the call to ministry. As their family grew so too did the hardships and joys of their ministerial life abroad.

Going Out and Coming In: Ministry with Latin American Mennonite Churches and Beyond is the memoir of Helen Dueck, a wife, mother, and professional minister. From her early years growing up in Saskatchewan, Canada, to attending teacher's college, Dueck shares the many steps that led to her husband and their ministerial work. From Brazil to Bolivia, Uruguay to Colombia and Mexico, they were invited to teach, first with immigrant churches and institutions before working with national churches in leadership preparation. Working as a team, Dueck and her late husband adapted their lifestyle to their work. They supported their colleagues in building strong churches and growing the Mennonite community. Even in retirement, the Duecks' commitment to their faith and community was unwavering.
With honesty and humour, Going Out and Coming In offers a rare look at Mennonite missions, communities, and churches across Latin America. Rarer still, this memoir is a portrayal of how one woman reaches harmony as a wife, mother, and working professional.