YOUNG LIVES ON HOLD WHILE BATTLING LEUKEMIA
Canadians Josh and Angela Hiebert were living in California where Josh was one year away from completing studies to become a Chiropractor and Angela was nursing when Josh began feeling unwell. Returning to Canada in early July to take advantage of Canadian medical care, Josh was diagnosed with acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia by specialists in Vancouver, British Columbia. Josh now faces three years of intense chemotherapy. Currently his frail condition requires Angela's full time care. With no income, they are living in the basement apartment of Angela's parents' home in Abbotsford, BC facing dwindling financial resources. Pray for Josh and Angela and their families as they devote their time and energy to Josh's treatment and recovery. Pray for their church community, Mountain Park Community Church (Mennonite Brethren) as they walk with and support this young couple and their parents who are all part of the congregation. Mutual Aid Ministries is currently exploring financial assistance for this young couple.
NEBRASKA RANCHER SUFFERS CANCER
LaDonna Wedel from the MAX Moundridge Kansas office requests prayer for her brother-in-law, Gail Hartford from Haigler in Western Nebraska, who has struggled with sarcoma cancer for the past twenty months and "is not doing well". At this point his only source of nutrition is being provided intravenously. The prayers of our readers are requested for Gail's healing and for his wife Wanda and four grown children as they journey with him in his struggle. Pray that Gail might find healing and again be able to accomplish his dream of flying his two-seater airplane over his ranch to check on the cattle.
URGENT SURGERY NEEDED
Stephen Neudorf is a teacher at Nechako Christian School, a small private school in Vanderhoof, British Columbia. Stephen is afflicted with Keratoconus, an eye disease that causes the cornea of the eye to heave and degenerate. The condition is progressing rapidly for Stephen and medical specialists in Vancouver advise that he needs immediate Collagen Corneal Cross-Linking surgery, a newer procedure that is not yet recognized by BC Medical Services, to arrest the progression of the disease. He is scheduled for surgery in Vancouver between November 23 and December 1. The $2,000 cost for the surgery, the nine hours of travel from northern BC to Vancouver and accommodation during recovery were of grave concern. Thanks to the generous support of his church community, Nechako Christian Fellowship, his school in continuing his salary while he is away, bolstered by a MAX Canada Share Fund Grant, much of the financial worry has been alleviated, allowing Stephen to focus on the surgery and healing. Pray for Stephen's wholeness of vision as he faces this pioneering surgery. Give thanks for the generosity of the Nechako Christian Community in assisting this young family (two boys aged two years and eleven months) through a difficult time.
CELEBRATING RESTORATION AND WHOLENESS
 With prayers of thanksgiving we celebrate the return to wholeness of Herman and Mari Krahn of Aylmer, Ontario who experienced a total loss fire in their rented home in January 2009. (See Feb. 13, 2009 email.) They had no contents insurance. A recent conversation highlighted how far they have come; from the despair of losing everything less than a year ago to their current status - spiritually renewed, thankful and exuberant for life. Their words of commendation and appreciation for the generous support they received from their church, their community, MAX Canada Share Fund, their children's schools and in many cases strangers, leaves one inspired at the goodness of people. Today the Krahns, with their three children, live modestly but comfortably in a leased home in Aylmer, graciously thankful for God's goodness extended to them through people of good will. They are a wonderful testimony of transformation; from having nothing to feeling optimism and hope for a bright future. Herman and Mari are members of Grace Community Church, a congregation of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference.
FATIQUE AND MORE FATIQUE
We ask readers to remember and pray for Lillian Byer of Tarzwell, (near Kirkland Lake) Ontario. Lillian has been suffering from a lack of energy and no strength for work or activities since January 2008. None of the many medical examinations and tests she has undergone have provided any answers and yet she is barely able to function in her tasks of daily living. We pray that further tests will provide a treatable diagnosis so that Lillian can have her life restored to greater wholeness. Lillian's husband Nelson was a Director with the Mennonite Aid Union and Lillian served as a MAX Canada agent from 2003 to 2007.
THE PASSING OF A BELOVED 22 YEAR OLD GRANDSON
We mourn with Phil & Dorothy Marner and their family, in the death of their grandson, Brandon Michael Escher. Pray for his parents, Michael and Beth Escher of Kalona, Iowa and his two adult siblings as they mourn their loss. Brandon was born with a severe heart condition that required numerous surgeries. His tenacity and determination allowed him to graduate from high school, attend community college and most recently be employed at Wal-Mart. Brandon enjoyed being with family and friends, hunting, fishing, visiting, four wheeling, and electronic games. Sadly, Brandon succumbed to his heart condition on November 9, 2009 at the age of twenty-two. His funeral was held November 12 at his home church, Kalona Mennonite. "It was a very moving service. The support from relatives, friends, co-workers and the community has been overwhelming" writes his grandfather, Phil in an email. Phil Marner was involved with Mutual Aid Insurance and managed Menno Services Insurance Agency in Kalona for many years. He is a founding board member of MAX.
A FATHER-IN-LAW'S PASSING
Portia Hammond, a MAX Agent in Lewisburg, Ohio asks for prayer for their family in the death of her father-in-law who passed away on November 7 from cancer. The family had concerns about his spiritual wholeness as he faced death. Due to his rapid deterioration, there were few opportunities to talk with him. Portia reports that during his last day he was sufficiently coherent for a time that a pastor was able to speak with him and provide him with anointing. "My prayer is that his passing will be a witness to family and friends and that they will be comforted," writes Portia. We give thanks for the family's concern and pray for them during their grieving and healing process.
AWARD TO A DYNAMIC YOUTH
MAX Canada is delighted to award the Harold J. Schmidt Memorial Award to Scott Kennel, a graduating student from Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School near Baden, Ontario. The annual award of $500 is given to a graduating high school student who is actively engaged in an Anabaptist Church community, has a sound scholastic record and provides a documented history of active service in the church, the community and school. Scott met all the criteria and is currently attending Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg. "I am always amazed at the quality of students from our constituency with their many leadership qualities and the generous self-giving activities they are involved in," comments Nelson Scheifele who assists in choosing the annual recipient. The award, now in its eighth year, is given in memory of Harold Schmidt, an ardent supporter of community activism and mission and manager of the Mennonite Aid Union in Canada for fifty years. Harold died in 2001.
CHECK OUT NEW WEBSITE RESOURCE
A new resource has been added to the websites of the MutualAid eXchange (MAX) and MAX Canada providing helpful assistance to families dealing with trauma due to loss, particularly as it affects children. Check out the "Assisting with Trauma Related to Loss" heading under the Mutual Aid Ministries button. (Website addresses below.) Pass the resource on to your pastor or someone who might find it useful. Printed copies of this resource are available upon request. Email the supportnetwork@maxwholeness.com with your request or counsel for improvement. |
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How can you assist the MAX Support Network Ministries?
- Insuring with MAX. Remember, Mutual Aid Ministries is supported by an annual tithe from the insurance operations.
- Encourage others of like mind to place their insurance (home, farm, church and business) with MAX. Remember, the more successful MAX insurance operations become, the more effective Mutual Aid Ministries can be.
- Share a story or prayer request with the MAX Support Network Ministries for consideration in an upcoming email. Remember, we must have people's permission to use their stories. Send stories or prayer requests to supportnetwork@maxwholeness.com.
- Make a contribution to the MAX Canada Share Fund, Inc. or the MAX Share Fund, Inc. Call 877-770-7729, ext. 202 (Canada) or 877-971-6300 (U.S.) for more details.
- Be informed about MAX. Click on the following link to view "Barnraising is Back": http://www.maxwholeness.com/barnraising & "The MAX Financial Cycle" http://www.maxwholeness.com/fin_cycle/MAX_cycle.html. You can also access and share this information by visiting our website www.maxwholeness.com or www.maxcanada.org. We welcome your feedback.
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We thank you for your support and commitment to the MAX Support Network Ministry and the other Mutual Aid Ministries programs. Please let us know of others who would like to join the Support Network Ministry email distribution list by sending their email address, with their permission of course, to supportnetwork@maxwholeness.com.
Sincerely, |
The MAX Mutual Aid Ministries Team
Carl Litwiller, Nelson Scheifele, Lloyd Miller |
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Creating and Sustaining