SEVERE WEATHER IMPACTS TWO CANADIAN PROVINCES
The last two weekends have seen unusually severe weather impact communities in both southern Manitoba and southwestern Ontario, both areas with large MAX constituencies.  At this point, the extent of losses among MAX Canada members remains unclear.  MAX Canada is thankful that through the premiums of all its policy holders, it is able to help restore wholeness to the minority of members with insured losses and be available to assist others through its Mutual Aid Ministries programs as constituent congregations respond.  In such situations the words of the Apostle Paul seem very appropriate:  "Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality." 2 Corinthians 8: 13-14  
 

RECORD RAINFALLS IN MANITOBA
The last weekend of May will remain a painfully memorable one for many residents of Southern Manitoba as record rainfalls resulted in overland flooding and sewer backups.  The community of Emerson, just north of the Minnesota border, was most heavily impacted with up to 6.5 inches of rain falling on already saturated soil conditions.
 
Estimates indicate that 80% of basements in Emerson were flooded, many by surface water runoff.  Insurance does not respond to losses caused by surface water runoff.  "This leaves many residents, especially the elderly, looking for assistance from Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS)," says Lois Nickel, an MDS administrator, in a June 4th email.  Mayor Wayne Arseny who declared a state of Emergency for the town of Emerson, compellingly observed that "Yard after yard was piled high with a lifetime of memories and valuables destroyed by the rain...  The amount of rainfall and extent of damage is unprecedented in the community's history."  
 
Nickel reports that "by June 3, 59 MDS volunteers had cleaned out 20 basements in Emerson with at least 17 more waiting for help."   The Cities of Brandon (200 kilometers west of Winnipeg) as well as areas of Winnipeg were also heavily impacted with the flooding.  

 

      *  Give thanks for the willing volunteers with Mennonite Disaster Service who quickly respond and faithfully serve in such disasters.

 

      *  Remember the many families impacted by this flooding who have lost irreplaceable valuables connected with lifetimes of memories. 

 

      *  Offer thanks for excellent community infrastructures that can walk along side people as they restore their properties and their lives.

 

Around 3:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 6, a severe weather system traveled along the north shore of Lake Erie disastrously impacting the Leaminigton area of southwestern Ontario.  Environment Canada has categorized the storm as delivering an F1 Tornado which transformed into severe downbursts and straight winds as it moved through the area.  Century old trees were snapped off like toothpicks, roofs were torn off and several hydroponics greenhouses, for which the Leamington area is well known, were flattened.  Torrential rains in the Harrow area west of Leamington flooded fields and destroyed crops.  Damage is expected to be in the millions of dollars.  Johnny Wiebe, the local MAX Canada broker/agent, responded quickly in contacting many MAX members.  "I spent all day Sunday cleaning up fallen trees and installing a backup sump pump for friends," writes Johnny.  The town of Leamington has been under a state of emergency since 6:25 a.m. on Sunday.   Many people were left without power and no assurance of when it would be restored. 
 
David Martin, Executive Minister of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC), was able to contact two of three local MCEC congregations. He reports that "Many members of North Leamington Mennonite Church have suffered damage. Three families have lost greenhouses, and another farmer has lost buildings and equipment."  MAX Canada serves members of more than twelve Anabaptist congregations in the area.  This same storm system traveled through parts of Illinois, Ohio and Michigan, creating devastation and loss of life in various communities before crossing into Ontario.  Thankfully there was no loss of life or serious injury in Ontario. 
 
Local MDS leaders called for local volunteers already Sunday morning.  "The local response was typical of a caring farming community, neighbours helping neighbours," says Jason Ecker, an MDS board member.  Ron and Elaine Enns, Mennonite Disaster Service Directors for Region 5 (Canada) report that "an MDS team has already visited the area and met with local officials to assess how the organization might be most helpful." 

 

CHANGE OF FREQUENCY
We are pleased to inform readers that with the encouragement of the MAX board of directors, this Support Network email will come to you more randomly.  The board encouraged the Mutual Aid Ministries team to share prayer concerns in a more timely fashion rather than waiting for a monthly time schedule as has been the case for the past two years.  We welcome your response as prayer requests are shared in this way.