LONG TERM MUTUAL AID LEADER HAS HIP REPLACEMENT

Phil Marner, Mutual Aid Insurance pioneer, long term manager of Menno Services Insurance agency in Kalona, Iowa,  and a founding member of MutualAid eXchange (MAX), underwent hip-replacement surgery on February 8 in Sarasota, Florida.  Phil was experiencing increasing discomfort while walking.  Having gone through all the normal tests and x-rays, doctors determined Phil needed a hip replacement.  Mutual Aid Minister, Carl Litwiller, visited Phil in the hospital while he was waiting to be moved to a special re-habilitation facility and reports that "Phil came through the surgery fine and is now in the recovery/rehab process."  Pray for Phil and his wife Dorothy; that the re-habilitation and therapy will go well and that Phil will soon return to a normal active lifestyle. 

MAX CANADA PRESIDENT & CEO SERVES IN BOLIVIA

As part of its ministry outreach, MAX grants employees up to five paid days per year to do voluntary service work.  For two weeks in early January, MAX Canada President and CEO, Tim Wagler, joined a 23 member team from his church, Living Water Community Christian Fellowship in New Hamburg, Ontario,  to minister in Bolivia.  Tim shares a bit about their Bolivian mission experience:

"While in Bolivia we worked with Ninos Con Valor, an organization which operates two orphanages;  a toddler home and a girls home.  Our group participated in a variety of activities including providing a vacation bible school at the girls home, Kinder Music and painting at the toddlers home and helping a 90 year-old grandmother care for her five orphaned grandchildren by building a ramp on her home to assist her with mobility.  The group also  partnered with a couple of local organizations to deliver food and gifts to three remote communities that Ninos Con Valor has been building relationships with, as they work with

Tim Wagler assisting Jim Nafziger with a drilling project, building a ramp for a 90 year old grandmother.  Barry Bender is in the background.

the community children and daycare workers.

It was humbling  to meet people who, by our standards have so little, yet wanted to share what they had with us.  Currently Ninos Con Valor is trying to start a boys home. In order to allow Canadians to assist financially, they are applying for a Canadian charitable status.  Your prayers for Ninos Con Valor are appreciated; for their work as they reach out to make a difference in the lives of the children with whom  they work, as well as for the success of their Canadian charity application."  For more information about the organization visit them at  www.ninosconvalor.org.

UNEXPLAINED HEART STOPPAGES SIDELINE PASTOR

During the past year, 67 year old Denton Jantzi has experienced several frightening episodes during which his heart unexpectedly stopped beating, causing immediate loss of consciousness. Thankfully, paramedics and/or doctors were successful in resuscitating him on each occasion.  However, they have yet to determine what is causing his heart to suddenly stop beating.  Denton, a husband and father of three adult sons, lives in Hesston, Kansas.   He served for a period as Interim Pastor for Whitestone Mennonite Church in Hesston and now serves as the congregation's Minister of Visitation.  Presently, until the doctors can identify the cause of these episodes and design a treatment plan, Denton is not permitted to drive and is restricted in terms of physical activity.  Please pray that the doctors will be successful in finding the cause of Denton's heart issues, hopefully allowing him to return to a more normal active lifestyle which includes his Ministry of Visitation. 

MAX CANADA STAFF MEMBER LOSES FATHER

On February 13, Wilson Brodrecht, age 78, father of long-term staff member Debra Gerber, died unexpectedly after a brief hospitalization.   He was a resident of Nithview Assisted Living in New Hamburg, Ontario.   Remember Debra, husband Bruce, their two children and the wider family as they mourn Mr. Brodrecht's passing.  The funeral service occurred Thursday, February 17, in Tavistock, Ontario.  Particularly difficult for the family is the fact that daughter Stacey is currently on an educational exchange program in France and unable to be with them.

FIRE IN CHURCH CAMP'S DINING HALL

Embers from a large stone fireplace found their way under the floor of the Silver Lake Mennonite Camp dining hall.  Aided by blustery winds, the hot embers caused a fire which seriously damaged the structure on Monday, February 7.  The camp, located near Hepworth, Ontario, is celebrating its 50^th year of operation during 2011.  In spite of the loss, in a press release, the camp administration found much to be thankful for about the fire:
 

• Nobody was injured
• There should be adequate time to restore the dining hall prior to the busy summer camping season.
• There is adequate insurance to cover the majority of the replacement costs including business interruption coverage.
• The damage was contained to one building - the fire inspector was amazed that it didn't spread
• The camp has an incredibly supportive community of campers, parents, volunteers and churches.

We invite readers to hold the camp board and administration in our prayers as they respond to the challenge of this loss; the many decisions needing to be made to have the all important dining hall rebuilt and ready for the summer camping season.