Mary Sherwood's Story

On May 2010, Mary celebrates her 25th anniversary with GLOBAL TEAMS missionary sending agency (headquartered in California USA) and AMSC (Canadian associate of Global Teams).  She is the mother of three grown children and grandmother of seven.                                                                                                              

In 1985 she was accepted by Episcopal World Mission (now named Global Teams).   She attended Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, Penn., completing their one-year lay studies program.  After completing her deputation and raising her funds, she set off for the Solomon Islands, South Pacific, in November 1987 to teach at Selwyn College, the Anglican Church of Melanesia Secondary School.  She taught English, Christian Education, and was very involved in their music program.  When she went to Selwyn, it had been devastated by hurricanes and mud slides the previous year and working conditions were not the greatest.  After 3 or 4 years a new school was built to world class specifications.  At that point it became much easier to attract foreign staff and Mary felt that the time had come to move on.

During this period, she also worked a couple of days a week with the Sisters of the Church, an international religious order, teaching English and Scripture comprehension.  She also worked with the Bishop and Clergy on various projects and spiritual renewal programs

At the Bishop’s request, she moved to the Solomon Island “Sisters of Melanesia”, an Anglican Sisterhood training center for young women.  Here she lived and worked with them to help raise their level of training and to help develop leadership among the Sisters. The aim was to educate, deepen their faith and Biblical knowledge and raise up Solomon Island women who could competently run their religious order.  During this time she taught everything from academic subjects including the Holy Scriptures and Christian Doctrine, to puppetry, music, drama, sewing etc.  Part of her job was simply to live with them, to encourage them, and “to be”.  The spot where they lived was beautiful but very  isolated, and without hydro or running water.

In the fall of 1993, Mary began to understand that her work with the Sisters was to come to an end.  The leadership which she had been developing appeared ready to take over. As she began to wonder “what next”, the country of Madagascar kept coming to the fore.  While remaining in the Solomons was a valid option, she felt a stirring to move on.  At Christmas time, 1993, she flew to Madagascar on an exploratory visit.

While visiting there with Bishop Remi Rabenirina, several needs were discussed.  One of the needs that seemed a priority of the Bishop’s and the Diocesan Mother’s Union was the establishment and development of an orphanage for orphaned, abandoned or extremely neglected children. They knew that this project would need organization and management from the ground up. Bishop Remi was most anxious that she should come and help with this project.

Mary returned to the Solomon Islands to finish out her term, and then in May of 1994 headed for Canada.  She had completed a total of 7 years in the Islands and was entitled to a bit of a break before beginning deputation again.  That summer and fall were spent in glorious family reunions and in the renewing of friendships.              

From the fall of 1994 until September 1995, Mary spent her time visiting her supporting churches and encouraging new churches to come on board as prayer and financial sponsors.  Then on September 13th 1995 she left the Ottawa airport on her way to Madagascar. After 8 months at language training school, she moved to the temporary orphanage site and has since assisted in the establishment of the orphanage, Akany Famonjena, as well as the later creation of a new center called Akany Tafita, a center which reaches out to children and young women in a very poor district of the capital city, Antananarivo. Each are now administered by a Board, Director and capable staff. Both continue to be supported to a great extent by sponsors in Canada and the United States.

Mary is now home and is in process of once again visiting sponsor churches in Ontario and the U.S.A., in order to encourage the sponsor’s relationship with the marvellous ministry for children in Madagascar. She desires to tell of the love and faithfulness of God and the wonderful way that He is working in Madagascar!