Menno Simons on the Assurance of Salvation - Chortitzer Mennonite ...

to build the house.
“This is a great program,” Brown said during the build.
“This is just like family.”
The Brown home is just one of four houses built this year
by MDS as part of its Partnership Home Program (PHP),
where church groups can essentially adopt a family in need
of a house, and then either build the house on site, or built
much of it away from the site, perhaps in a church parking
lot, and take it down in parts to complete the build on site.
MDS Project Director and New York Unit Chair, Melvin
Roes added that this new build “went so fast because most
of the people we had down there are in construction. I’d say
it was basically ‘Get down there, get it done, and get out!’”
Even so, in the weeks the teams worked in New Iberia strong
relationships were built, as well as a house. Roes tells many
stories about how their work helped to mend long-time rifts
and strained relationship with neighbors, and within Brown’s
own family.
“There was a next door neighbor who had a history with
Marie.” So it was a stretch when Roes needed power to work
on Brown’s house, as the temporary power they had planned
on didn’t pan out. Roes offered to fix the neighbor’s carport,
CMC Patriarch Passes Away at 70
which had been damaged by Hurricane Rita, in exchange
for power. The neighbor somehow still expected to pay for
the fixing of her carport, but Roes insisted the repairs be for
free, and Carl Zehr, construction manager for the New Iberia
project, later even gave her money for power they used.
“Well, after a break one day, this neighbor came to me
and asked me, ‘Would you pray for me?’ I said sure. And we
prayed for her son” who was in trouble with the law. “And I
said we’ll continue to pray.”
“There were lots of mending of relations,” as well as
mending of houses and carports.
Zehr said, “You don’t know where God is leading in all of t
his!”
<strong>Menno</strong>nite Disaster Service is a volunteer network through
which various constituencies of the Anabaptist church can respond
to those affected by disasters in Canada and the United States.
While our main focus is on clean up, repair and rebuilding
homes, this activity becomes a means of touching lives and helping
people regain faith and wholeness.
Pastor Dick Wiebe, former bishop of the CMC (1999-2006), passed away
June 13 at the age of 70. Dick served as pastor of the Silberfeld CMC for
many years before moving on to the bishop’s position and then as pastor of
the Callsbeck Fellowship Chapel the last two years. He was a pastor, friend,
mentor, and counselor to many whose lives were touched in a special way.
Remember to pray for the family as they grieve.
When I am Gone
When I am gone, remember I am with Jesus
Then do not mourn because I’ve passed away
Life holds so many griefs and disappointments
And will you cry because I did not stay
’Tis only for a spell we must be parted
Not many years on earth to us are given
And when our Saviour tells me you are coming
I’ll go with Him and welcome you to Heaven
Grieve not because the eyes that looked upon you
Shall never see your face on earth again
Rejoice, because I walk no longer with you
Remember, I am walking streets of gold
Weep for yourself that you awhile must tarry
Before the blessed Lord you may behold
~Unknown
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