When we came to Burns Lake after our term in Mexico, it was meant to be for three months with the First Mennonite Church but we soon accepted a three year term. Our time in Burns Lake has been enriching, fulfilling, as well as challenging. Many of you have given us the privilege of allowing us into your homes and your hearts. After our first spouses died, we have been fortunate to have been granted the health and opportunity to travel to different countries in ministry, experiencing different cultures, religions and languages. Each experience has enriched our lives, giving us another opportunity to learn and Burns Lake has been no different. We have learned much from our experience here and we take the times of joy and of fellowship as well as the challenges, as opportunity and learning. Burns Lake may be small geographically, but there is great potential when united, not only on the surface, but in true unity with God’s presence. God has given us, not only the privilege, but the command to care for all of his creation and that means to first of all, find healing and freedom for ourselves, taking ownership of all that is ours to own. Only then can there be freedom to accept one another regardless of color, race, age, religion and this does not mean believing what others believe but accepting them as God’s creation, or gender, for we are all created in his image. Only then, can the health care system, regardless of how large or how small the organization may be, be united with one goal in mind and that is to care for our fellow human beings. Only then can prejudices be put aside, neighbor accepting neighbor because no one human being is more important than the other in God’s eyes and only then can all churches, side by side, build God’s Kingdom. Only then can a community be truly united in spirit. Our new assignment in Bolivia as teachers and counsellors, sharing the Gospel in our languages of low German or Spanish with so many who are yearning for a life of freedom from bondage and control, will not be easy but we do not go into this blindly and we know that we do not go alone. We feel your prayers and we thank you for your support. We will leave here at the end of this December with fond memories of the hospital and the Pines as chaplain and hospice, as mental health clinician, as pastors and as friends. We leave here feeling your love, your grace and mercy which we will carry with us where we go, where he sends.
Where he sends us, we will go
When we came to Burns Lake after our term in Mexico, it was meant to be for three months but we soon accepted a three year term.
