THANKSGIVING FOR SAFE ESCAPE
Eighty-five year old widower, Murphy Poe, from Omaha, Nebraska, considers it a miracle that he is still alive.  Waking up surrounded by a "ring of fire", he managed to escape his bedroom to safety.  "I thank God that I'm still alive.  I consider myself blessed," said Murphy in a telephone conversation.   Thankfully his cousin Charmaine, who lived with him, also escaped safely in spite of falling down some stairs as she hastily evacuated.  Sixty-percent of Murphy's home was destroyed or damaged in the fire.  Asked how he experienced MAX's claim response to the fire, he responded that, "on a scale of 1 - 100, I would give MAX 110%."   Currently Murphy is living with neighbours across the street from his residence.   He does not anticipate being able to return to his home until at least August.  Prior to the fire, Murphy was suffering severe pain in his lower back, which greatly affected his ability to walk.  In spite of ongoing medical intervention, this problem has been getting worse since the fire, possibly due to the stress caused by the recent events.  Unable to drive and without immediate family or faith community to support him, Murphy covets the prayers of the MAX Support Network readers. 

NEED FOR A MIRACLE
At age 19 Reuben Miller, an Old Order Amish farmer from the Lucknow, Ontario area, received a life-saving liver transplant.  Now in his thirties, married with four young children, he has again been struggling with liver deterioration since last summer.  Doctors insist Reuben's only hope for life rests with another transplant.   Considering the financial burden of a transplant without health insurance and the suffering involved, Reuben has, to date, adamantly refused.  There is some question now whether he will survive a transplant given this deteriorating condition.   Currently in a London, Ontario, hospital with complications, his wife Ella is staying by his side while their children, two in school and two pre-schoolers, are staying with grandparents.  The weight of Reuben's critical health situation and the future rest heavily upon this family. 

 
AMAZING GENEROISTY
In 2008, thirty year old Emilee Bender was diagnosed with a brain tumour.  A year of vigorous intervention and treatment resulted in apparent remission.  However, in October of 2009, a seizure and subsequent intervention revealed the tumour was again growing.  By December 2009, an MRI indicated it had doubled in size.  To shrink the tumour, Emilee is currently undergoing very expensive Avastin (Bevacizumab) treatments, six to date, which are not covered by health care insurance.  While arresting the tumour's growth, the impact of these treatments have been inconclusive.  Meanwhile Emilee suffers from a great deal of fatigue and confusion.  An April fundraising concert on Emilee's behalf and the generosity of the community have raised close to $40,000 to assist with the enormous costs of the Avastin treatments.  Husband Nick Betik and parents Ken and Linda Bender express "profound gratitude and appreciation to friends and their faith community at Breslau Mennonite Church for their generous commitment of time, emotional support and financial assistance."  They ask for your prayers on Emilee's behalf and prayers for patience and grace on the family's part as they struggle with Emilee's tenuous condition.  

 
SEVENTY FIVE YEARS OF FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
Cassel Mennonite Church celebrated Seventy-five years of faithful Christian ministry on the weekend of May 7-9 with anniversary services of remembrance and thanksgiving as well as a tour of the countryside around the church on the Saturday.  A rural congregation, Cassel church is located at the historic crossroads of the 16th Line and the Cassel Sideroad of East Zorra Township southeast of Tavistock, Ontario.   With roots in the Amish tradition, the Cassel congregation, began services in 1935 as an outgrowth extension of the East Zorra Mennonite Church (Amish at that time).  It formally organized in 1964 as part of the Western Ontario Mennonite Conference until that conference became part of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada in 1988.  As the insurer of the Cassel Church and property, MAX Canada provided a letter of congratulations and a framed certificate to the congregation.  We give thanks for Cassel Mennonite's seventy five years of faithful Christian ministry and its welcome embrace of its rural setting and opportunities.  Let's celebrate the many other healthy functioning rural congregations in the MAX constituency which embrace their opportunity to minister in rural settings.  
 
 
CONGRATULATIONS FOR FIFTY YEARS OF MARRIAGE

Roy and Edith Martin

Our congratulations and best wishes are extended to Roy and Edith Martin, who celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on May 14th.  Roy has served as Chair of the MAX Canada Insurance Company board of directors since 2002 and prior to MAX , was a director and board member of the Mennonite Aid Union for many years.  The Martins have four adult sons and seven grandchildren.  One of their sons, Mike with spouse Cathy, serve in Turkey with a church planting ministry.  A special surprise for Roy and Edith was the unexpected arrival of Mike and Cathy for the anniversary celebrations.  The Martins publicly celebrated their anniversary with an open house with friends and family on Sunday, May 16th at Milverton Mennonite Church, Milverton, Ontario.  We celebrate and give thanks for Roy and Edith and for the example of long-lasting marriage relationships they and so many of our MAX member couples across North America provide.