The MCC program first began in Jericho in 1950 and was concentrated on the West Bank until 1967.  After the 1967 war another branch was opened in Amman to serve the displaced refugee population.  The program was first directed to emergency refugee needs–material aid, housing and some social services carried out in close cooperation with UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees) in six emergency camps established after the 1967 war.  Assistance included material aid, kindergartens, a women’s activity centre, mother-child centres, scholarship assistance, educational assistance for orphans, assistance to several government-related institutions, a self-help program and a needlework project.

Because of the civil war in Jordan in 1970, the expatriate MCC team was evacuated and most services were interrupted in at least some way.  In 1972 material aid efforts were drastically reduced with a complete phase-out coming soon after.  In its place MCC started an expanded development program, directed primarily to rural village in different parts of the Kingdom.

In 1973 MCC was officially registered with Jordan’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (now the Ministry of Social Development).  Many projects were administered in close consultation with the Ministry and the General Union of Voluntary Societies.  MCC continues to regularly report on its activities to the Ministry of Social Development.

In 1980 MCC closed its office in Amman, largely due to budget constraints and an improving economic situation in the country.  However, the office opened again in Irbid in the north in 1986, and moved to Amman in 1988.  After returning to Jordan, MCC continued agricultural work begun previously in the area east of Mafraq in northern Jordan.  This assistance was mainly tree distribution, land clearing, fence projects and general agricultural extension services.  MCC also funded a centre for the handicapped in Husn Refugee Camp near Irbid.

In the 1980s, at the request of the Ministry of Social Development, MCC began to expand its work in the southern regions of Jordan, starting with projects in several small villages near Karak.  In 1990 MCC began agricultural projects in Wadi Rum near Aqaba.  MCC also hired a second agricultural engineer in 1990 and accepted funds from Catholic Relief Services to carry out agricultural land and water development projects.

MCC’s history of agriculture activity in Jordan provided the foundation for a nearly decade-long emphasis on revolving loan funds. MCC supported loan programmes in five communities which assisted farmers as well as townspeople interested in starting or enhancing small businesses.  Some of these loan programmes were also aimed at supporting low-cost housing. By June 2006 these funds had all but been phased out.

Current program: MCC’s current program in Jordan tries to keep within MCC’s current overall priorities: Relief, Community Development, and Peace.

Community Service: MCC works through Caritas Jordan, the Latin Vicariate, the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, and rural benevolent societies to meet basic food needs for low-income families.

Community Development: MCC operates four Global Family sponsorship programs: support for the Arab Evangelical School of Irbid including placement of a SALT service worker; the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf’s deaf-blind unit; the Latin Parish Primary school in Wahadneh; and a university scholarship program with Caritas-Jordan. MCC also provides small grants aimed at building the capacity of local benevolent societies.

Peace: MCC seeks to support community groups concerned with peace building and has sent a number of Jordanians to the Summer Peace Building Institute at the Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA. The Jordan program serves as a focal point for regional conflict resolution training organized by MCC.